GeForce 8800 GS vs GeForce GT 230

NVIDIA

GeForce 8800 GS

2008Core: 500 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GT 230

2017Core: 1228 MHzBoost: 1468 MHz
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GeForce 8800 GS vs GeForce GT 230 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 8800 GS vs GeForce GT 230 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 230: 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

  • 12.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (768 MB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

  • 2008 hardware with 768 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 240.9% HIGHER MSRP
    $150 MSRPvs$44 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.2 vs 7.3 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $44 MSRP).
  • 400% higher power demand at 150W vs 30W.
  • 36.3% longer card at 229mm vs 168mm.

GeForce GT 230

2017

Why buy it

  • Costs $106 less on MSRP ($44 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • Delivers 233.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 7.3 vs 2.2 G3D/$ ($44 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • Draws 30W instead of 150W, a 120W reduction.
  • Measures 168mm instead of 229mm, a 61mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce 8800 GS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 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 8800 GS is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 12.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2.2% in PassMark G3D (330 vs 323), so the answer here is pretty clean.
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 230 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $106 cheaper on MSRP at $44 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 233.7% (7.3 vs 2.2), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GT 230 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 230 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

GeForce GT 230

The GeForce GT 230 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: 323 points. Launch price was $79.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 8800 GS scores 330 and the GeForce GT 230 reaches 323 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 8800 GS is built on G9x while the GeForce GT 230 uses Pascal, both on 65 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 8800 GS) vs 384 (GeForce GT 230).

FeatureGeForce 8800 GSGeForce GT 230
G3D Mark Score
330+2%
323
Architecture
G9x
Pascal
Process Node
65 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
224
384+71%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce 8800 GSGeForce GT 230
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 230 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 230.

FeatureGeForce 8800 GSGeForce GT 230
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 230). Vulkan: None vs None. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce 8800 GSGeForce GT 230
DirectX
10.0
10.0
Vulkan
None
None
OpenGL
3.3
3.3
Max Displays
2
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 8800 GS) vs No (GeForce GT 230). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs PureVideo HD VP3. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce 8800 GS) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (GeForce GT 230).

FeatureGeForce 8800 GSGeForce GT 230
Encoder
No
No
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP2
PureVideo HD VP3
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264
MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 8800 GS draws 150W versus the GeForce GT 230's 30W — a 133.3% difference. The GeForce GT 230 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 8800 GS) vs 350W (GeForce GT 230). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 229mm vs 168mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce 8800 GSGeForce GT 230
TDP
150W
30W-80%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
PCIe-powered
Length
229mm
168mm
Height
111mm
111mm
Slots
1
1
Temp (Load)
85°C
75°C-12%
Perf/Watt
2.2
10.8+391%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 8800 GS came in at $150, while the GeForce GT 230 launched at $44. On MSRP, GeForce GT 230 was 70.7% cheaper ($106 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.2 (GeForce 8800 GS) vs 7.3 (GeForce GT 230) — the GeForce GT 230 offers 231.8% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GT 230 (2017 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce 8800 GSGeForce GT 230
MSRP
$150
$44-71%
Performance per Dollar
2.2
7.3+232%
Codename
NB9E-GTX
GP108
Release
July 15 2008
May 17 2017
Ranking
#825
#641

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