NVIDIA GeForce 6200

Memory Subsystem

The NVIDIA GeForce 6200 ships with 128 MB of DDR memory, paired with a 128-bit memory bus. This configuration yields a memory bandwidth of 8.800 GB/s, a figure that directly constrains performance at higher resolutions. The memory clock runs at 275 MHz, translating to 550 Mbps effective data rate.

For a GPU of this era, the 128-bit bus is a reasonable middle ground, but the modest bandwidth means that 1280x1024 or 1600x1200 resolutions will likely expose the memory subsystem's limits. At lower resolutions, such as 800x600 or 1024x768, the available bandwidth is less of a bottleneck, allowing the GPU's compute resources to shine. However, when pixel fill requirements rise, the 8.800 GB/s ceiling will cap texture throughput and frame rates. The 128 MB frame buffer is also a constraint; while adequate for older titles, it limits texture detail settings in games that demand larger working sets. Benchmark results indicate that this memory configuration is best suited for legacy gaming or 2D workloads, not high-fidelity 3D rendering at modern settings.

Power and Cooling

The GeForce 6200 is remarkably power-frugal, though the fact pack does not provide a specific TDP figure. The system's suggested PSU rating is just 200 W, which underscores the card's low electrical draw. It requires no auxiliary power connectors, meaning the PCIe 1.0 x16 slot alone supplies all necessary power. This makes the card exceptionally easy to integrate into older or low-wattage systems without upgrading the power supply.

Cooling is handled by a single-slot design, which is both a nod to its modest heat output and a practical benefit for space-constrained builds. The card's physical dimensions are 190 mm (7.5 inches) in length, which fits comfortably in most mid-tower cases from its era. With no external power connectors and a single-slot cooler, installation is straightforward. The absence of a TDP rating in the fact pack suggests that thermal management is not a primary concern; the 200 W system PSU recommendation is the only power-related guideline available. This positions the 6200 as a drop-in upgrade for office PCs or budget home systems where power delivery is limited.

Benchmark Performance

The fact pack lists the GeForce 6200's percentile versus all GPUs at 50, indicating it sits dead-center in the performance distribution of the database. Its average benchmark score is 0, which means no direct benchmark scores are available for this entry. This lack of numerical benchmark data makes direct performance comparisons impossible, but the percentile ranking offers a relative anchor.

The pixel rate is 600.0 MPixel/s, and the texture rate is 1.200 GTexel/s. These figures paint a picture of a very low-end part. For context, a 600 MPixel/s pixel rate means the GPU can fill 600 million pixels per second, which is sufficient for basic 3D acceleration at low resolutions but will struggle with modern shader-heavy workloads. The texture rate of 1.200 GTexel/s is similarly modest, limiting how quickly textures can be mapped onto geometry. With 4 texture mapping units (TMUs) and 2 render output units (ROPs), the 6200 is clearly designed for entry-level tasks. The ratio of TMUs to ROPs (2:1) suggests a balanced but basic pipeline.

Without rival scores or benchmark deltas, the performance analysis must rely on these raw throughput numbers. The 50th percentile ranking indicates that half of all GPUs in the database perform better, which is consistent with a budget-oriented product. The absence of FP32 or FP16 compute figures further limits the analysis, but the architectural constraints are evident from the low pixel and texture rates.

How It Compares

The fact pack lists no nearest rivals for the GeForce 6200. This absence of comparative data means there are no specific delta percentages or rival names to analyze. The card's position in the database is defined solely by its absolute performance metrics and the 50th percentile ranking.

In the broader context of its generation, the GeForce 6200 sits below the GeForce 6 series' mainstream parts, but the fact pack provides no direct competitor names or scores. The predecessor is listed as GeForce PCX, and the successor is GeForce 7 PCIe, but neither has benchmark data in this pack. The 6200's 50th percentile ranking suggests it is neither a standout performer nor a complete outlier; it occupies a middle ground that likely reflects its entry-level positioning. Without rivals, the analysis cannot state specific deltas, but the low pixel and texture rates imply it trails most contemporaries in raw throughput. The card's 128-bit memory bus and 8.800 GB/s bandwidth are consistent with a product that prioritizes affordability over performance, though the lack of pricing data prevents any cost-based conclusion.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The GeForce 6200 does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as these features did not exist in the Curie architecture. The card is built on the NV43 chip using a 110 nm process at TSMC, with 146 million transistors on a 154 mm² die. The transistor density is 948.1K per mm², which is characteristic of mid-2000s manufacturing.

For API support, the card offers DirectX 9.0c (shader model 9_3) and OpenGL 2.0 with full support, plus partial OpenGL 2.1. There is no Vulkan support, which is expected for a GPU from this era. The DirectX 9.0c support means the card can handle early 2000s games with pixel shader 2.0 and 3.0 effects, but it lacks the hardware features needed for modern DirectX 12 or Vulkan titles. The OpenGL 2.0 support is adequate for legacy applications, but the partial 2.1 support indicates incomplete implementation of newer OpenGL extensions.

Display outputs include 1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video, which provides basic connectivity for analog and digital monitors of the period. The S-Video output supports TV-out functionality. There are no RT cores or tensor cores, so any ray tracing or AI-accelerated workloads are entirely unsupported. The feature set is firmly rooted in its 2004 release era, offering nothing beyond the basic DirectX 9 feature level. For modern use, the card would be limited to 2D desktop environments or very old games that do not require advanced shader models. The lack of Vulkan and modern OpenGL support further restricts its utility to legacy software only.