GeForce 9800 S vs GeForce GTS 360M

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 S vs GeForce GTS 360M 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 S vs GeForce GTS 360M: 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 S

2008

Why buy it

✅82.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 4.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

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.
❌233.3% higher power demand at 150W vs 45W.

GeForce GTS 360M

2012

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 150W, a 105W reduction.
✅More future proof: Kepler (2012−2018) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 9800 S across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2012 hardware with 1 GB 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 4.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $150 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce 9800 S is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 82.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTS 360M instead at 641 vs 636, 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 9800 S 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 9800 S makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce 9800 S vs GeForce GTS 360M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 9800 S

The GeForce 9800 S 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: 636 points.

GeForce GTS 360M

The GeForce GTS 360M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 22 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from Up to 900 MHz to 950 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 641 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce 9800 S scores 636 and the GeForce GTS 360M reaches 641 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 9800 S is built on G9x while the GeForce GTS 360M uses Kepler, both on 65 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 9800 S) vs 384 (GeForce GTS 360M).

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTS 360M
G3D Mark Score	636	641
Architecture	G9x	Kepler
Process Node	65 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	224	384+71%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTS 360M
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 9800 S has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTS 360M carries 1 GB. GeForce GTS 360M 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 S and 128-bit on the GeForce GTS 360M.

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTS 360M
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	1 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce 9800 S) vs 11.1 (10_1) (GeForce GTS 360M). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTS 360M
DirectX	11.1 (10_0)	11.1 (10_1)
OpenGL	3.3	3.3
Max Displays	2	2

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No NVENC (Tesla) (GeForce 9800 S) vs PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTS 360M). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce 9800 S) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTS 360M).

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTS 360M
Encoder	No NVENC (Tesla)	PureVideo HD VP4
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP2	PureVideo HD VP4
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 9800 S draws 150W versus the GeForce GTS 360M's 45W — a 107.7% difference. The GeForce GTS 360M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 9800 S) vs 350W (GeForce GTS 360M). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 90°C.

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTS 360M
TDP	150W	45W-70%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	Legacy
Slots	0	0
Temp (Load)	85°C-6%	90°C
Perf/Watt	4.2	14.2+238%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTS 360M (2012 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTS 360M
MSRP	$150	—
Codename	NB9E-GTX	GK107
Release	July 15 2008	March 22 2012
Ranking	#825	#828

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