GeForce 9800 S vs GeForce GTX 280M SLI

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 GTX 280M SLI 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 GTX 280M SLI: 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

✅3.2% 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

❌2008 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce GTX 280M SLI

2009

Why buy it

✅More future proof: G9x (2007−2010) on 55nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 9800 S across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2009 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 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 3.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2.4% in PassMark G3D (636 vs 621), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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 GTX 280M SLI 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 GTX 280M SLI

The GeForce GTX 280M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 2 2009. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 585 MHz. It has 256 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 621 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 9800 S scores 636 and the GeForce GTX 280M SLI reaches 621 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 9800 S is built on G9x while the GeForce GTX 280M SLI uses G9x, both on 65 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 9800 S) vs 256 (GeForce GTX 280M SLI).

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTX 280M SLI
G3D Mark Score	636+2%	621
Architecture	G9x	G9x
Process Node	65 nm	55 nm
Shading Units	224	256+14%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTX 280M SLI
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)

Both cards ship with 512 MB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce 9800 S and 64-bit on the GeForce GTX 280M SLI.

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTX 280M SLI
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	64-bit	64-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce 9800 S) vs 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTX 280M SLI). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTX 280M SLI
DirectX	11.1 (10_0)	11.1 (10_0)
OpenGL	3.3	3.3
Max Displays	2	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No NVENC (Tesla) (GeForce 9800 S) vs PureVideo HD VP2 (GeForce GTX 280M SLI). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs PureVideo HD VP2. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce 9800 S) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 280M SLI).

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTX 280M SLI
Encoder	No NVENC (Tesla)	PureVideo HD VP2
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP2	PureVideo HD VP2
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 9800 S draws 150W versus the GeForce GTX 280M SLI's 150W — a 0% difference. The GeForce GTX 280M SLI is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 9800 S) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 280M SLI). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 95°C.

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTX 280M SLI
TDP	150W	150W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Slots	0	0
Temp (Load)	85°C-11%	95°C
Perf/Watt	4.2+2%	4.1

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 280M SLI (2009 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 9800 S	GeForce GTX 280M SLI
MSRP	$150	—
Codename	NB9E-GTX	N10E-GTX
Release	July 15 2008	March 2 2009
Ranking	#825	#793

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