GeForce 9600 GS vs GeForce GT 520M

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 9600 GS vs GeForce GT 520M 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 9600 GS vs GeForce GT 520M: 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 9600 GS

2008

Why buy it

✅37.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 768 MB vs 1 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.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 4.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $60 MSRP).
❌200% higher power demand at 150W vs 50W.

GeForce GT 520M

2013

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 4.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($60 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 768 MB).
✅Draws 50W instead of 150W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 9600 GS 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 9600 GS is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 37.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GT 520M instead at 284 vs 282, 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 9600 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 520M 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 520M is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce 9600 GS has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 9600 GS vs GeForce GT 520M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 9600 GS

The GeForce 9600 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: 282 points.

GeForce GT 520M

The GeForce GT 520M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 9 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 941 MHz to 967 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 284 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce 9600 GS scores 282 and the GeForce GT 520M reaches 284 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 9600 GS is built on G9x while the GeForce GT 520M uses Kepler, both on 65 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 9600 GS) vs 384 (GeForce GT 520M).

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	GeForce GT 520M
G3D Mark Score	282	284
Architecture	G9x	Kepler
Process Node	65 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	224	384+71%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	GeForce GT 520M
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 9600 GS has 768 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GT 520M carries 1 GB. GeForce GT 520M gives you 33.3% 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 9600 GS and 128-bit on the GeForce GT 520M.

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	GeForce GT 520M
VRAM Capacity	0.75 GB	1 GB+33%
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 9600 GS) vs 11.0 (GeForce GT 520M). Vulkan: N/A vs None. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.0. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 1.

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	GeForce GT 520M
DirectX	11.1 (10_0)	11.0
Vulkan	N/A	None
OpenGL	3.3	4.0+21%
Max Displays	2+100%	1

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 9600 GS) vs No (GeForce GT 520M). Decoder: VP2 vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce 9600 GS) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 520M).

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	GeForce GT 520M
Encoder	None	No
Decoder	VP2	PureVideo HD VP4
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 9600 GS draws 150W versus the GeForce GT 520M's 50W — a 100% difference. The GeForce GT 520M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 9600 GS) vs 350W (GeForce GT 520M). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 229mm vs 0mm, occupying 1 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 90 vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	GeForce GT 520M
TDP	150W	50W-67%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	229mm	0mm
Height	111mm	0mm
Slots	1	0-100%
Temp (Load)	90	70°C-22%
Perf/Watt	1.9	5.7+200%

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 9600 GS came in at $0, while the GeForce GT 520M launched at $60. On MSRP, GeForce 9600 GS was 100+% cheaper ($60 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (GeForce 9600 GS) vs 4.7 (GeForce GT 520M) — the GeForce 9600 GS offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GT 520M (2013 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	GeForce GT 520M
MSRP	$0-100%	$60
Performance per Dollar	Infinity	4.7
Codename	NB9E-GTX	GK107
Release	July 15 2008	January 9 2013
Ranking	#825	#792

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