GeForce 8600 GS vs GeForce GT 120

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce 8600 GS vs GeForce GT 120 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce 8600 GS vs GeForce GT 120: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce 8600 GS

2008

Why buy it

✅4.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

❌2008 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌400% higher power demand at 150W vs 30W.

GeForce GT 120

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 30W instead of 150W, a 120W reduction.
✅Measures 168mm instead of 170mm, a 2mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
✅More future proof: Pascal (2016−2021) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 8600 GS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2017 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce 8600 GS is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 4.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GT 120 instead at 188 vs 179, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce 8600 GS is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GT 120 makes the most sense to buy today. It is priced the same on MSRP at $100 vs $100, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 5% (1.9 vs 1.8), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GT 120 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce 8600 GS has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 8600 GS vs GeForce GT 120 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce 8600 GS

The GeForce 8600 GS is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 15 2008. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 500 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 179 points.

GeForce GT 120

The GeForce GT 120 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 17 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1228 MHz to 1468 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 188 points. Launch price was $79.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce 8600 GS scores 179 versus the GeForce GT 120's 188 — the GeForce GT 120 leads by 5%. The GeForce 8600 GS is built on G9x while the GeForce GT 120 uses Pascal, both on 65 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 8600 GS) vs 384 (GeForce GT 120).

Feature	GeForce 8600 GS	GeForce GT 120
G3D Mark Score	179	188+5%
Architecture	G9x	Pascal
Process Node	65 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	224	384+71%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 8600 GS	GeForce GT 120
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards ship with 512 MB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce 8600 GS and 64-bit on the GeForce GT 120.

Feature	GeForce 8600 GS	GeForce GT 120
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	64-bit	64-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10_0 (GeForce 8600 GS) vs 10.0 (GeForce GT 120). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 8600 GS	GeForce GT 120
DirectX	10_0	10.0
OpenGL	3.3	3.3
Max Displays	2	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD (GeForce 8600 GS) vs No (GeForce GT 120). Decoder: PureVideo HD vs PureVideo HD VP3. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,WMV9 (GeForce 8600 GS) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (GeForce GT 120).

Feature	GeForce 8600 GS	GeForce GT 120
Encoder	PureVideo HD	No
Decoder	PureVideo HD	PureVideo HD VP3
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,WMV9	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 8600 GS draws 150W versus the GeForce GT 120's 30W — a 133.3% difference. The GeForce GT 120 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 8600 GS) vs 350W (GeForce GT 120). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 170mm vs 168mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 78°C vs 65°C.

Feature	GeForce 8600 GS	GeForce GT 120
TDP	150W	30W-80%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	170mm	168mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	1	1
Temp (Load)	78°C	65°C-17%
Perf/Watt	1.2	6.3+425%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 8600 GS came in at $100, while the GeForce GT 120 launched at $100. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.8 (GeForce 8600 GS) vs 1.9 (GeForce GT 120) — the GeForce GT 120 offers 5.6% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GT 120 (2017 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 8600 GS	GeForce GT 120
MSRP	$100	$100
Performance per Dollar	1.8	1.9+6%
Codename	NB9E-GTX	GP108
Release	July 15 2008	May 17 2017
Ranking	#825	#641

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