GeForce 9500 GT vs Radeon HD 6230

NVIDIA

GeForce 9500 GT

2008Core: 500 MHz
VS
AMD

Radeon HD 6230

2011Core: 750 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce 9500 GT vs Radeon HD 6230 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 9500 GT vs Radeon HD 6230 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 9500 GT vs Radeon HD 6230: 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 9500 GT

2008

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).
  • Draws 150W instead of 186W, a 36W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 6230 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 2008 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 98% HIGHER MSRP
    $99 MSRPvs$50 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.9 vs 3.6 G3D/$ ($99 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).

Radeon HD 6230

2011

Why buy it

  • 1.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $49 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
  • Delivers 88.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 3.6 vs 1.9 G3D/$ ($50 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
  • Measures 168mm instead of 175mm, a 7mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2011 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 24% higher power demand at 186W vs 150W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon HD 6230 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 1.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce 9500 GT 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 9500 GT is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 GB 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?
Radeon HD 6230 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $49 cheaper on MSRP at $50 vs $99, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 88.5% (3.6 vs 1.9), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 6230 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce 9500 GT has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 9500 GT vs Radeon HD 6230 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce 9500 GT

The GeForce 9500 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: 188 points.

AMD

Radeon HD 6230

The Radeon HD 6230 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 1 2011. It features the TeraScale 3 architecture. The core clock speed is 750 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 186W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 179 points. Launch price was $180.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce 9500 GT scores 188 versus the Radeon HD 6230's 179 — the GeForce 9500 GT leads by 5%. The GeForce 9500 GT is built on G9x while the Radeon HD 6230 uses TeraScale 3, both on 65 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 9500 GT) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 6230).

FeatureGeForce 9500 GTRadeon HD 6230
G3D Mark Score
188+5%
179
Architecture
G9x
TeraScale 3
Process Node
65 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
224
1280+471%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce 9500 GT gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 6230 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce 9500 GTRadeon HD 6230
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 9500 GT has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6230 carries 512 MB. GeForce 9500 GT gives you 100% 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 9500 GT and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 6230.

FeatureGeForce 9500 GTRadeon HD 6230
VRAM Capacity
1 GB+100%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
64-bit
128-bit+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.0 (GeForce 9500 GT) vs 11.2 (Radeon HD 6230). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce 9500 GTRadeon HD 6230
DirectX
10.0
11.2+12%
Max Displays
2
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 9500 GT) vs UVD 2.2 (Radeon HD 6230). Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP2) vs UVD 2.2.

FeatureGeForce 9500 GTRadeon HD 6230
Encoder
None
UVD 2.2
Decoder
PureVideo HD (VP2)
UVD 2.2
Codecs
MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 9500 GT draws 150W versus the Radeon HD 6230's 186W — a 21.4% difference. The GeForce 9500 GT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 9500 GT) vs 350W (Radeon HD 6230). Power connectors: Legacy vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 175mm vs 168mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots.

FeatureGeForce 9500 GTRadeon HD 6230
TDP
150W-19%
186W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
1x 6-pin
Length
175mm
168mm
Height
111mm
Slots
1
1
Temp (Load)
80
Perf/Watt
1.3+30%
1.0
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 9500 GT came in at $99, while the Radeon HD 6230 launched at $50. On MSRP, Radeon HD 6230 was 49.5% cheaper ($49 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.9 (GeForce 9500 GT) vs 3.6 (Radeon HD 6230) — the Radeon HD 6230 offers 89.5% better value. The newer card here is Radeon HD 6230 (2011 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce 9500 GTRadeon HD 6230
MSRP
$99
$50-49%
Performance per Dollar
1.9
3.6+89%
Codename
NB9E-GTX
Cayman
Release
July 15 2008
December 1 2011
Ranking
#825
#598

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