GeForce GTS 250M vs GRID K180Q

NVIDIA

GeForce GTS 250M

2010Core: 783 MHz
VS

GRID K180Q

2013Core: 745 MHz

GeForce GTS 250M vs GRID K180Q Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

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 GTS 250M vs GRID K180Q: 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 GTS 250M

2010

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).
  • Draws 106W instead of 225W, a 119W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 2010 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 0.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $1,000 MSRP).

GRID K180Q

2013

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($1,000 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • More future proof: Kepler (2012−2018) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2013 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 112.3% higher power demand at 225W vs 106W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GRID K180Q is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.7% in PassMark G3D (534 vs 520), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTS 250M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GRID K180Q makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GRID K180Q is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTS 250M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTS 250M vs GRID K180Q Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTS 250M

The GeForce GTS 250M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 13 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 783 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 106W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 520 points. Launch price was $129.

NVIDIA

GRID K180Q

The GRID K180Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 28 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 745 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 534 points. Launch price was $1,875.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTS 250M scores 520 and the GRID K180Q reaches 534 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTS 250M is built on Fermi while the GRID K180Q uses Kepler, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 192 (GeForce GTS 250M) vs 1,536 (GRID K180Q). Raw compute: 0.6013 TFLOPS (GeForce GTS 250M) vs 2.289 TFLOPS (GRID K180Q).

FeatureGeForce GTS 250MGRID K180Q
G3D Mark Score
520
534+3%
Architecture
Fermi
Kepler
Process Node
40 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
192
1536+700%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.6013 TFLOPS
2.289 TFLOPS+281%
ROPs
16
32+100%
TMUs
32
128+300%
L1 Cache
256 KB+100%
128 KB
L2 Cache
256 KB
512 KB+100%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTS 250M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The GRID K180Q leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTS 250MGRID K180Q
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTS 250M has 1 GB of VRAM, while the GRID K180Q carries 512 MB. GeForce GTS 250M gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTS 250M and 64-bit on the GRID K180Q. L2 Cache: 256 KB (GeForce GTS 250M) vs 512 KB (GRID K180Q) — the GRID K180Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTS 250MGRID K180Q
VRAM Capacity
1 GB+100%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
256 KB
512 KB+100%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTS 250M draws 106W versus the GRID K180Q's 225W — a 71.9% difference. The GeForce GTS 250M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTS 250M) vs 350W (GRID K180Q). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTS 250MGRID K180Q
TDP
106W-53%
225W
Recommended PSU
300W-14%
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
PCIe-powered
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
85°C
Perf/Watt
4.9+104%
2.4
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GRID K180Q (2013 vs 2010).

FeatureGeForce GTS 250MGRID K180Q
MSRP
$1000
Codename
GF106
GK104
Release
September 13 2010
June 28 2013
Ranking
#791
#595

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