GeForce 9600 GS vs NVS 310

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 NVS 310 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 NVS 310: 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

✅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.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 1.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $159 MSRP).
❌120.6% higher power demand at 150W vs 68W.
❌57.9% longer card at 229mm vs 145mm.

NVS 310

2015

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 1.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($159 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 68W instead of 150W, a 82W reduction.
✅Measures 145mm instead of 229mm, a 84mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 768 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2015 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 9600 GS is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.5% in PassMark G3D (282 vs 275), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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. 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?

NVS 310 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, NVS 310 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 NVS 310 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.

NVS 310

The NVS 310 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 4 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 902 MHz to 1033 MHz. It has 512 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 68W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 275 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce 9600 GS scores 282 and the NVS 310 reaches 275 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 9600 GS is built on G9x while the NVS 310 uses Maxwell, both on 65 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 9600 GS) vs 512 (NVS 310).

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	NVS 310
G3D Mark Score	282+3%	275
Architecture	G9x	Maxwell
Process Node	65 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	224	512 ×2+129%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce 9600 GS gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The NVS 310 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	NVS 310
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 9600 GS has 768 MB of VRAM, while the NVS 310 carries 512 MB. GeForce 9600 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 9600 GS and 64-bit on the NVS 310.

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	NVS 310
VRAM Capacity	0.75 GB+50%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	64-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce 9600 GS) vs 12 (11_0) (NVS 310). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	NVS 310
DirectX	11.1 (10_0)	12 (11_0)+8%
OpenGL	3.3	4.6+39%
Max Displays	2	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 9600 GS) vs Fermi NVENC (NVS 310). Decoder: VP2 vs VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce 9600 GS) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (NVS 310).

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	NVS 310
Encoder	None	Fermi NVENC
Decoder	VP2	VP4
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 9600 GS draws 150W versus the NVS 310's 68W — a 75.2% difference. The NVS 310 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 9600 GS) vs 350W (NVS 310). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 229mm vs 145mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 90 vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	NVS 310
TDP	150W	68W-55%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	229mm	145mm
Height	111mm	69mm
Slots	1	1
Temp (Load)	90	75°C-17%
Perf/Watt	1.9	4.0+111%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 9600 GS came in at $0, while the NVS 310 launched at $159. On MSRP, GeForce 9600 GS was 100+% cheaper ($159 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (GeForce 9600 GS) vs 1.7 (NVS 310) — the GeForce 9600 GS offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is NVS 310 (2015 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 9600 GS	NVS 310
MSRP	$0-100%	$159
Performance per Dollar	Infinity	1.7
Codename	NB9E-GTX	GM107
Release	July 15 2008	November 4 2015
Ranking	#825	#826

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