GeForce 9700M GTS vs GRID K120Q

NVIDIA

GeForce 9700M GTS

2008Core: 500 MHz
Similar parts
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VS

GRID K120Q

2013Core: 745 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce 9700M GTS vs GRID K120Q 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 9700M GTS vs GRID K120Q: 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 9700M GTS

2008

Why buy it

  • Draws 150W instead of 225W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 2008 hardware with 512 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 2.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $125 MSRP).

GRID K120Q

2013

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($125 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • More future proof: Kepler (2012−2018) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 2013 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 50% higher power demand at 225W vs 150W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce 9700M GTS is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 6.5% in PassMark G3D (312 vs 293), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce 9700M GTS 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?
GRID K120Q 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, GRID K120Q is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce 9700M GTS has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 9700M GTS vs GRID K120Q Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce 9700M GTS

The GeForce 9700M GTS 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: 312 points.

NVIDIA

GRID K120Q

The GRID K120Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 28 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 745 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 293 points. Launch price was $937.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce 9700M GTS scores 312 versus the GRID K120Q's 293 — the GeForce 9700M GTS leads by 6.5%. The GeForce 9700M GTS is built on G9x while the GRID K120Q uses Kepler, both on 65 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 9700M GTS) vs 1,536 (GRID K120Q).

FeatureGeForce 9700M GTSGRID K120Q
G3D Mark Score
312+6%
293
Architecture
G9x
Kepler
Process Node
65 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
224
1536+586%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce 9700M GTS gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The GRID K120Q leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce 9700M GTSGRID K120Q
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards ship with 512 MB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce 9700M GTS and 64-bit on the GRID K120Q.

FeatureGeForce 9700M GTSGRID K120Q
VRAM Capacity
0.5 GB
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce 9700M GTS) vs 12 (11_0) (GRID K120Q). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.2. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 0.

FeatureGeForce 9700M GTSGRID K120Q
DirectX
11.1 (10_0)
12 (11_0)+8%
Vulkan
N/A
1.2
OpenGL
3.3
4.6+39%
Max Displays
2
0
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 9700M GTS) vs NVENC 1 (GRID K120Q). Decoder: VP2 vs NVDEC 1. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce 9700M GTS) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GRID K120Q).

FeatureGeForce 9700M GTSGRID K120Q
Encoder
None
NVENC 1
Decoder
VP2
NVDEC 1
Codecs
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 9700M GTS draws 150W versus the GRID K120Q's 225W — a 40% difference. The GeForce 9700M GTS is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 9700M GTS) vs 350W (GRID K120Q). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce 9700M GTSGRID K120Q
TDP
150W-33%
225W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
PCIe-powered
Length
0mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0
0
Temp (Load)
90
Perf/Watt
2.1+62%
1.3
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 9700M GTS came in at $0, while the GRID K120Q launched at $125. On MSRP, GeForce 9700M GTS was 100+% cheaper ($125 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (GeForce 9700M GTS) vs 2.3 (GRID K120Q) — the GeForce 9700M GTS offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is GRID K120Q (2013 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce 9700M GTSGRID K120Q
MSRP
$0-100%
$125
Performance per Dollar
Infinity
2.3
Codename
NB9E-GTX
GK104
Release
July 15 2008
June 28 2013
Ranking
#825
#589

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