GeForce GT 520M vs GeForce 9600 GS

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The GeForce GT 520M is positioned at rank #253 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GT 520M

#243

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

574%

#245

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

520%

#246

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

519%

#250

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

472%

#251

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

468%

#253

GeForce GT 520M

MSRP: $60|Avg: N/A

100%

#254

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 3 3200GE

MSRP: $99|Avg: $60

100%

#257

GeForce GTX 770M SLI

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $80

99%

#262

GeForce 945A

MSRP: $100|Avg: $25

98%

#263

Intel UHD Graphics P630

MSRP: $100|Avg: $50

98%

#264

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

MSRP: $300|Avg: $75

97%

#265

Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

MSRP: $300|Avg: $100

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce GT 520M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.7% higher G3D Mark score and 33.3% more VRAM (1 GB vs 768 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce 9600 GS.

Insight	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce 9600 GS
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+0.7%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.7%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / Kepler (2012−2018))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / G9x (2007−2010))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GT 520M remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.

Performance Check

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GT 520M Benchmark Check

GeForce 9600 GS Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GT 520M and GeForce 9600 GS

GeForce GT 520M

The GeForce GT 520M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 9 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 941 MHz to 967 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 284 points.

GeForce 9600 GS

The GeForce 9600 GS 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: 282 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GT 520M scores 284 and the GeForce 9600 GS reaches 282 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 520M is built on Kepler while the GeForce 9600 GS uses G9x, both on 28 nm vs 65 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 520M) vs 224 (GeForce 9600 GS).

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce 9600 GS
G3D Mark Score	284	282
Architecture	Kepler	G9x
Process Node	28 nm	65 nm
Shading Units	384+71%	224

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce 9600 GS
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GT 520M comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce 9600 GS has 768 MB. The GeForce GT 520M offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit.

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce 9600 GS
VRAM Capacity	1 GB+33%	0.75 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GT 520M) vs 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce 9600 GS). Vulkan: None vs N/A. OpenGL: 4.0 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce 9600 GS
DirectX	11.0	11.1 (10_0)
Vulkan	None	N/A
OpenGL	4.0+21%	3.3
Max Displays	1	2+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce GT 520M) vs None (GeForce 9600 GS). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs VP2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 520M) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce 9600 GS).

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce 9600 GS
Encoder	No	None
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP4	VP2
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 520M draws 50W versus the GeForce 9600 GS's 150W — a 100% difference. The GeForce GT 520M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 520M) vs 350W (GeForce 9600 GS). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Legacy. Card length: 0mm vs 229mm, occupying 0 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 90.

Feature	GeForce GT 520M	GeForce 9600 GS
TDP	50W-67%	150W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	Legacy
Length	0mm	229mm
Height	0mm	111mm
Slots	0-100%	1
Temp (Load)	70°C-22%	90
Perf/Watt	5.7+200%	1.9

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GT 520M launched at $60 MSRP, while the GeForce 9600 GS launched at $0 and now averages $0. The GeForce GT 520M is the newer GPU (2013 vs 2008).