GeForce 9800M GT vs GeForce GTX 260M

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 GTX 260M 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 GTX 260M: 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

✅12.1% 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).
✅Draws 150W instead of 182W, a 32W reduction.

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.

GeForce GTX 260M

2008

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).
✅More future proof: Tesla 2.0 (2007−2013) on 65nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 9800M GT across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2008 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 2.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌21.3% higher power demand at 182W vs 150W.

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 12.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 260M instead at 382 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 GTX 260M 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 GTX 260M

The GeForce GTX 260M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 16 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 576 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 182W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 382 points. Launch price was $449.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce 9800M GT scores 381 and the GeForce GTX 260M reaches 382 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 9800M GT is built on G9x while the GeForce GTX 260M uses Tesla 2.0, both on a 65 nm process. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 9800M GT) vs 192 (GeForce GTX 260M).

Feature	GeForce 9800M GT	GeForce GTX 260M
G3D Mark Score	381	382
Architecture	G9x	Tesla 2.0
Process Node	65 nm	65 nm
Shading Units	224+17%	192

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 9800M GT	GeForce GTX 260M
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 9800M GT has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 260M carries 1 GB. GeForce GTX 260M 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 9800M GT and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 260M.

Feature	GeForce 9800M GT	GeForce GTX 260M
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: 10.0 (GeForce 9800M GT) vs 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTX 260M). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 9800M GT	GeForce GTX 260M
DirectX	10.0	11.1 (10_0)+11%
OpenGL	3.3	3.3
Max Displays	1	2+100%

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 9800M GT) vs PureVideo HD VP2 (GeForce GTX 260M). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP3 vs PureVideo HD VP2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (GeForce 9800M GT) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 260M).

Feature	GeForce 9800M GT	GeForce GTX 260M
Encoder	No	PureVideo HD VP2
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP3	PureVideo HD VP2
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 9800M GT draws 150W versus the GeForce GTX 260M's 182W — a 19.3% difference. The GeForce 9800M GT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 9800M GT) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 260M). Power connectors: Legacy vs None. Typical load temperature: 90°C vs 85°C.