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 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ vs GeForce GTS 250 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 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ vs GeForce GTS 250: 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 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+

2008

Why buy it

✅46.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2008 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
77.5% HIGHER MSRP
$229 MSRPvs$129 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.5 vs 4.4 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).
❌41.5% higher power demand at 150W vs 106W.

GeForce GTS 250

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($129 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅Delivers 76.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 4.4 vs 2.5 G3D/$ ($129 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Draws 106W instead of 150W, a 44W reduction.
✅Measures 229mm instead of 267mm, a 38mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2010 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 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 46.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.4% in PassMark G3D (571 vs 569), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ 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 GTS 250 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $100 cheaper on MSRP at $129 vs $229, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 76.9% (4.4 vs 2.5), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTS 250 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ vs GeForce GTS 250 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+

The GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ 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: 571 points.

GeForce GTS 250

The GeForce GTS 250 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 13 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 783 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 106W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 569 points. Launch price was $129.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ scores 571 and the GeForce GTS 250 reaches 569 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ is built on G9x while the GeForce GTS 250 uses Fermi, both on 65 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+) vs 192 (GeForce GTS 250).

Feature	GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+	GeForce GTS 250
G3D Mark Score	571	569
Architecture	G9x	Fermi
Process Node	65 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	224+17%	192

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+	GeForce GTS 250
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTS 250 carries 1 GB. GeForce GTS 250 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 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ and 128-bit on the GeForce GTS 250.

Feature	GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+	GeForce GTS 250
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	1 GB+100%
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 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+) vs 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTS 250). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+	GeForce GTS 250
DirectX	11.1 (10_0)	11.1 (10_0)
OpenGL	3.3	3.3
Max Displays	2	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No NVENC (G92) (GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+) vs PureVideo HD VP5 (GeForce GTS 250). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs PureVideo HD VP5. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-1,MPEG-2,WMV (GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTS 250).

Feature	GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+	GeForce GTS 250
Encoder	No NVENC (G92)	PureVideo HD VP5
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP2	PureVideo HD VP5
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-1,MPEG-2,WMV	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ draws 150W versus the GeForce GTS 250's 106W — a 34.4% difference. The GeForce GTS 250 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+) vs 450W (GeForce GTS 250). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 229mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 90°C.

Feature	GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+	GeForce GTS 250
TDP	150W	106W-29%
Recommended PSU	350W-22%	450W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	1x 6-pin
Length	267mm	229mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C-11%	90°C
Perf/Watt	3.8	5.4+42%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+ came in at $229, while the GeForce GTS 250 launched at $129. On MSRP, GeForce GTS 250 was 43.7% cheaper ($100 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.5 (GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+) vs 4.4 (GeForce GTS 250) — the GeForce GTS 250 offers 76% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GTS 250 (2010 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+	GeForce GTS 250
MSRP	$229	$129-44%
Performance per Dollar	2.5	4.4+76%
Codename	NB9E-GTX	GF106
Release	July 15 2008	September 13 2010
Ranking	#825	#791

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