GeForce 8600M GT vs GeForce GT 325M

NVIDIA

GeForce 8600M GT

2008Core: 500 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GT 325M

2013Core: 980 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce 8600M GT vs GeForce GT 325M Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

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 8600M GT vs GeForce GT 325M 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 8600M GT vs GeForce GT 325M: 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 8600M GT

2008

Why buy it

  • 17.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 256 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2008 hardware with 256 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 200% higher power demand at 150W vs 50W.

GeForce GT 325M

2013

Why buy it

  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 256 MB).
  • Draws 50W instead of 150W, a 100W reduction.
  • More future proof: Kepler (2012−2018) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce 8600M GT across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 2013 hardware with 1 GB 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 8600M GT is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 17.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GT 325M instead at 170 vs 164, 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 8600M GT 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 325M makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GT 325M is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce 8600M GT has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 8600M GT vs GeForce GT 325M Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce 8600M GT

The GeForce 8600M GT 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: 164 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce GT 325M

The GeForce GT 325M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 25 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 980 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 170 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 8600M GT scores 164 and the GeForce GT 325M reaches 170 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 8600M GT is built on G9x while the GeForce GT 325M uses Kepler, both on 65 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 8600M GT) vs 384 (GeForce GT 325M).

FeatureGeForce 8600M GTGeForce GT 325M
G3D Mark Score
164
170+4%
Architecture
G9x
Kepler
Process Node
65 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
224
384+71%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce 8600M GTGeForce GT 325M
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)

The GeForce 8600M GT has 256 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GT 325M carries 1 GB. GeForce GT 325M gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce 8600M GT and 128-bit on the GeForce GT 325M.

FeatureGeForce 8600M GTGeForce GT 325M
VRAM Capacity
0.25 GB
1 GB+300%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
64-bit
128-bit+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce 8600M GT) vs 11 (10_1) (GeForce GT 325M). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.2. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce 8600M GTGeForce GT 325M
DirectX
11.1 (10_0)
11 (10_1)
OpenGL
3.3+3%
3.2
Max Displays
2
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP2) vs PureVideo VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce 8600M GT) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (GeForce GT 325M).

FeatureGeForce 8600M GTGeForce GT 325M
Encoder
CUDA
Decoder
PureVideo HD (VP2)
PureVideo VP4
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 8600M GT draws 150W versus the GeForce GT 325M's 50W — a 100% difference. The GeForce GT 325M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 8600M GT) vs 350W (GeForce GT 325M). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce 8600M GTGeForce GT 325M
TDP
150W
50W-67%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
PCIe-powered
Slots
0
0
Temp (Load)
85°C
Perf/Watt
1.1
3.4+209%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GT 325M (2013 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce 8600M GTGeForce GT 325M
MSRP
$0
Codename
NB9E-GTX
GK107
Release
July 15 2008
June 25 2013
Ranking
#825
#726

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