GeForce 9800M GT vs GeForce GT 420M

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 9800M GT vs GeForce GT 420M 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 9800M GT vs GeForce GT 420M: 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 9800M GT

2008

Why buy it

✅57.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($160 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.
❌368.8% higher power demand at 150W vs 32W.

GeForce GT 420M

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 32W instead of 150W, a 118W reduction.
✅More future proof: Kepler (2012−2018) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 9800M GT across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2012 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 2.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $160 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce 9800M GT is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 57.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GT 420M instead at 392 vs 381, 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 9800M GT 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 9800M GT makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce 9800M GT vs GeForce GT 420M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 9800M GT

The GeForce 9800M GT 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: 381 points.

GeForce GT 420M

The GeForce GT 420M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 22 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from Up to 625 MHz to 645 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 32W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 392 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce 9800M GT scores 381 and the GeForce GT 420M reaches 392 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 9800M GT is built on G9x while the GeForce GT 420M uses Kepler, both on 65 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 9800M GT) vs 384 (GeForce GT 420M).

Feature	GeForce 9800M GT	GeForce GT 420M
G3D Mark Score	381	392+3%
Architecture	G9x	Kepler
Process Node	65 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	224	384+71%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 9800M GT	GeForce GT 420M
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 9800M GT and 128-bit on the GeForce GT 420M.

Feature	GeForce 9800M GT	GeForce GT 420M
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.0 (GeForce 9800M GT) vs 11.0 (GeForce GT 420M). Vulkan: None vs None. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.0. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 1.

Feature	GeForce 9800M GT	GeForce GT 420M
DirectX	10.0	11.0+10%
Vulkan	None	None
OpenGL	3.3	4.0+21%
Max Displays	1	1

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 9800M GT) vs No (GeForce GT 420M). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP3 vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (GeForce 9800M GT) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 420M).

Feature	GeForce 9800M GT	GeForce GT 420M
Encoder	No	No
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP3	PureVideo HD VP4
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 9800M GT draws 150W versus the GeForce GT 420M's 32W — a 129.7% difference. The GeForce GT 420M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 9800M GT) vs 350W (GeForce GT 420M). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 0mm vs 0mm, occupying 0 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 90°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce 9800M GT	GeForce GT 420M
TDP	150W	32W-79%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	0mm	0mm
Height	0mm	0mm
Slots	0	0
Temp (Load)	90°C	75°C-17%
Perf/Watt	2.5	12.3+392%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GT 420M (2012 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 9800M GT	GeForce GT 420M
MSRP	$160	—
Codename	NB9E-GTX	GK107
Release	July 15 2008	March 22 2012
Ranking	#825	#909

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