GeForce GTX 260 vs Quadro FX 5800

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 GTX 260 vs Quadro FX 5800 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 GTX 260 vs Quadro FX 5800: 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 GTX 260

2008

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,050 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $3,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 672.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.7 vs 0.3 G3D/$ ($449 MSRP vs $3,499 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Quadro FX 5800 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 896 MB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2008 hardware with 896 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quadro FX 5800

2008

Why buy it

✅2.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅357.1% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 896 MB).
✅More future proof: Tesla 2.0 (2007−2013) on 55nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌2008 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
679.3% HIGHER MSRP
$3,499 MSRPvs$449 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.3 vs 2.7 G3D/$ ($3,499 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Quadro FX 5800 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 2.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.9% in PassMark G3D (1,211 vs 1,200), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 260 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 GTX 260 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $3,050 cheaper on MSRP at $449 vs $3,499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 672.2% (2.7 vs 0.3), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. Quadro FX 5800 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 260 vs Quadro FX 5800 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 260

The GeForce GTX 260 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: 1,200 points. Launch price was $449.

Quadro FX 5800

The Quadro FX 5800 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 11 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 610 MHz. It has 240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 189W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,211 points. Launch price was $3,499.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 260 scores 1,200 and the Quadro FX 5800 reaches 1,211 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 260 is built on Tesla 2.0 while the Quadro FX 5800 uses Tesla 2.0, both on 65 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 192 (GeForce GTX 260) vs 240 (Quadro FX 5800). Raw compute: 0.4769 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 260) vs 0.6221 TFLOPS (Quadro FX 5800).

Feature	GeForce GTX 260	Quadro FX 5800
G3D Mark Score	1,200	1,211
Architecture	Tesla 2.0	Tesla 2.0
Process Node	65 nm	55 nm
Shading Units	192	240+25%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.4769 TFLOPS	0.6221 TFLOPS+30%
ROPs	28	32+14%
TMUs	64	80+25%
L2 Cache	224 KB	256 KB+14%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 260 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Quadro FX 5800 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 260	Quadro FX 5800
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 GTX 260 has 896 MB of VRAM, while the Quadro FX 5800 carries 4 GB. Quadro FX 5800 gives you 357.1% 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 GTX 260 and 64-bit on the Quadro FX 5800. L2 Cache: 224 KB (GeForce GTX 260) vs 256 KB (Quadro FX 5800) — the Quadro FX 5800 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 260	Quadro FX 5800
VRAM Capacity	0.875 GB	4 GB+357%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	224 KB	256 KB+14%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 260 draws 182W versus the Quadro FX 5800's 189W — a 3.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 260 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 260) vs 350W (Quadro FX 5800). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce GTX 260	Quadro FX 5800
TDP	182W-4%	189W
Recommended PSU	500W	350W-30%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	267mm	—
Slots	2	—
Perf/Watt	6.6+3%	6.4

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 260 came in at $449, while the Quadro FX 5800 launched at $3499. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 260 was 87.2% cheaper ($3050 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.7 (GeForce GTX 260) vs 0.3 (Quadro FX 5800) — the GeForce GTX 260 offers 800% better value.

Feature	GeForce GTX 260	Quadro FX 5800
MSRP	$449-87%	$3499
Performance per Dollar	2.7+800%	0.3
Codename	GT200	GT200B
Release	June 16 2008	November 11 2008
Ranking	#821	#815

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