GeForce 8800 GS vs GeForce GT 520

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 520 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 520: 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

✅2.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 768 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2008 hardware with 768 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
154.2% HIGHER MSRP
$150 MSRPvs$59 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.2 vs 5.5 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $59 MSRP).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 150W vs 90W.

GeForce GT 520

2015

Why buy it

✅Costs $91 less on MSRP ($59 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅Delivers 148.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.5 vs 2.2 G3D/$ ($59 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 768 MB).
✅Draws 90W instead of 150W, a 60W reduction.
✅Measures 145mm instead of 229mm, a 84mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 8800 GS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2015 hardware with 2 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 8800 GS is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 2.1% 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 because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GT 520 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $91 cheaper on MSRP at $59 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 148.8% (5.5 vs 2.2), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GT 520 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 520 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 520

The GeForce GT 520 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 20 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1024 MHz to 1188 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 90W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 323 points. Launch price was $159.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce 8800 GS scores 330 and the GeForce GT 520 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 520 uses Maxwell 2.0, both on 65 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 8800 GS) vs 768 (GeForce GT 520).

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 520
G3D Mark Score	330+2%	323
Architecture	G9x	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	65 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	224	768+243%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 520
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 520 carries 2 GB. GeForce GT 520 gives you 166.7% 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 520.

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 520
VRAM Capacity	0.75 GB	2 GB+167%
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 11.0 (GeForce GT 520). Vulkan: None vs None. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.1. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 520
DirectX	10.0	11.0+10%
Vulkan	None	None
OpenGL	3.3	4.1+24%
Max Displays	2	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 8800 GS) vs No (GeForce GT 520). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce 8800 GS) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 520).

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 520
Encoder	No	No
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP2	PureVideo HD VP4
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 8800 GS draws 150W versus the GeForce GT 520's 90W — a 50% difference. The GeForce GT 520 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 8800 GS) vs 250W (GeForce GT 520). Power connectors: Legacy vs None. Card length: 229mm vs 145mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 65°C.

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 520
TDP	150W	90W-40%
Recommended PSU	350W	250W-29%
Power Connector	Legacy	None
Length	229mm	145mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	1	1
Temp (Load)	85°C	65°C-24%
Perf/Watt	2.2	3.6+64%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 8800 GS came in at $150, while the GeForce GT 520 launched at $59. On MSRP, GeForce GT 520 was 60.7% cheaper ($91 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.2 (GeForce 8800 GS) vs 5.5 (GeForce GT 520) — the GeForce GT 520 offers 150% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GT 520 (2015 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 8800 GS	GeForce GT 520
MSRP	$150	$59-61%
Performance per Dollar	2.2	5.5+150%
Codename	NB9E-GTX	GM206
Release	July 15 2008	August 20 2015
Ranking	#825	#425

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