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 8800 GS vs GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT 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 8800 GS vs GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT: 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 8800 GS

2008

Why buy it

✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (768 MB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2008 hardware with 768 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
76.5% HIGHER MSRP
$150 MSRPvs$85 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.2 vs 3.8 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $85 MSRP).
❌25% higher power demand at 150W vs 120W.

GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT

2017

Why buy it

✅1.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $65 less on MSRP ($85 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅Delivers 73.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 3.8 vs 2.2 G3D/$ ($85 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅Draws 120W instead of 150W, a 30W reduction.
✅Measures 168mm instead of 229mm, a 61mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 768 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌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 GT 120 / 9500 GT is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 1.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce 8800 GS instead at 330 vs 325, 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 8800 GS is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 768 MB vs 512 MB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT makes the most sense to buy today. It is $65 cheaper on MSRP at $85 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 73.8% (3.8 vs 2.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce 8800 GS has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 8800 GS vs GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 8800 GS

The GeForce 8800 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: 330 points.

GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT

The GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 26 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1709 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 325 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce 8800 GS scores 330 and the GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT reaches 325 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 8800 GS is built on G9x while the GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT uses Pascal, both on 65 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 8800 GS) vs 1,280 (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT).

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT
G3D Mark Score	330+2%	325
Architecture	G9x	Pascal
Process Node	65 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	224	1280+471%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT
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 8800 GS has 768 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT carries 512 MB. GeForce 8800 GS gives you 50% 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 8800 GS and 64-bit on the GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT.

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT
VRAM Capacity	0.75 GB+50%	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 8800 GS) vs 10.0 (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT). Vulkan: None vs N/A. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT
DirectX	10.0	10.0
Vulkan	None	N/A
OpenGL	3.3	3.3
Max Displays	2	4+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 8800 GS) vs None (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs PureVideo VP2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce 8800 GS) vs MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264 (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT).

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT
Encoder	No	None
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP2	PureVideo VP2
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264	MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 8800 GS draws 150W versus the GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT's 120W — a 22.2% difference. The GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 8800 GS) vs 350W (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT). Power connectors: Legacy vs None. Card length: 229mm vs 168mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75.

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT
TDP	150W	120W-20%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	None
Length	229mm	168mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	1	1
Temp (Load)	85°C	75-12%
Perf/Watt	2.2	2.7+23%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 8800 GS came in at $150, while the GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT launched at $85. On MSRP, GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT was 43.3% cheaper ($65 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.2 (GeForce 8800 GS) vs 3.8 (GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT) — the GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT offers 72.7% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT (2017 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 120 / 9500 GT
MSRP	$150	$85-43%
Performance per Dollar	2.2	3.8+73%
Codename	NB9E-GTX	GP106
Release	July 15 2008	December 26 2017
Ranking	#825	#289

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