
GeForce 9600 GS
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Radeon R5 235X
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar Radeon R5 235X
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon R5 235X is significantly newer (2014 vs 2008). The Radeon R5 235X likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce 9600 GS lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce 9600 GS is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.8% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon R5 235X offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | GeForce 9600 GS | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.8%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.8%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / G9x (2007−2010)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+33.3%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce 9600 GS remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce 9600 GS and Radeon R5 235X

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.

Radeon R5 235X
The Radeon R5 235X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 13 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 80W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 277 points. Launch price was $99.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce 9600 GS scores 282 and the Radeon R5 235X reaches 277 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 9600 GS is built on G9x while the Radeon R5 235X uses GCN 1.0, both on 65 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 9600 GS) vs 640 (Radeon R5 235X).
| Feature | GeForce 9600 GS | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 282+2% | 277 |
| Architecture | G9x | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 65 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 224 | 640+186% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce 9600 GS | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce 9600 GS comes with 768 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon R5 235X has 1 GB. The Radeon R5 235X offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 128-bit.
| Feature | GeForce 9600 GS | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| 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 11.2 (Radeon R5 235X). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce 9600 GS | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.1 (10_0) | 11.2 |
| Max Displays | 2 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 9600 GS) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon R5 235X). Decoder: VP2 vs UVD 3.1.
| Feature | GeForce 9600 GS | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | None | VCE 1.0 |
| Decoder | VP2 | UVD 3.1 |
| Codecs | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 | — |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce 9600 GS draws 150W versus the Radeon R5 235X's 80W — a 60.9% difference. The Radeon R5 235X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 9600 GS) vs 350W (Radeon R5 235X). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 229mm vs 168mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots.
| Feature | GeForce 9600 GS | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 150W | 80W-47% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | Legacy | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 229mm | 168mm |
| Height | 111mm | — |
| Slots | 1 | 1 |
| Temp (Load) | 90 | — |
| Perf/Watt | 1.9 | 3.5+84% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce 9600 GS launched at $0 MSRP and currently averages $0, while the Radeon R5 235X launched at $49 and now averages $15. The GeForce 9600 GS costs 100+% less ($15 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): Infinity (GeForce 9600 GS) vs 18.5 (Radeon R5 235X) — the GeForce 9600 GS offers Infinity% better value. The Radeon R5 235X is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2008).
| Feature | GeForce 9600 GS | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $0-100% | $49 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $0-100% | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | Infinity | 18.5 |
| Codename | NB9E-GTX | Cape Verde |
| Release | July 15 2008 | February 13 2014 |
| Ranking | #825 | #655 |
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