NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GS

The NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GS is an end-of-life graphics card built on the NV40 chip, using the Curie architecture on a 130 nm process at TSMC. It packs 222 million transistors on a 287 mm² die, with a transistor density of 773.5K per square millimeter. Released on December 7, 2005, it sits in the GeForce 6 AGP generation, following the GeForce FX and preceding the GeForce 7 AGP. The card uses an AGP 8x bus interface and comes in a single-slot design. In the benchmark database, it holds a 50th percentile position across all GPUs, though its average benchmark score is recorded as zero, indicating a lack of aggregated benchmark entries rather than a literal performance floor.

Who Should Consider It

The 6800 GS is aimed squarely at users still operating on AGP 8x motherboards, offering a drop-in upgrade path for aging systems. With 256 MB of GDDR3 memory and a 256-bit bus delivering 32.00 GB/s, this card is best suited for standard-definition gaming at moderate settings. The 12 texture mapping units and 12 raster output pipelines yield a pixel rate of 4.200 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 4.200 GTexel/s, which suggests it can handle DirectX 9.0c titles from its era without strain. Users upgrading from a GeForce FX will find a substantial architectural leap, as the Curie architecture and NV40 chip bring a newer feature set. However, the 256 MB frame buffer limits high-resolution texture work, so gamers seeking high-detail textures at large resolutions will need to lower settings. The card's single-slot form factor makes it a practical fit for older systems with limited space. Since the card is end-of-life, it is a legacy purchase, best for those maintaining a period-correct system or needing an AGP upgrade path. The data indicates a balanced fill-rate profile, making it a capable choice for high color depth rendering and older shader models. For users with a 200 W power supply, the card's requirements are modest, as detailed in the power section. Those expecting modern features like ray tracing or AI acceleration should look elsewhere, as this card lacks the dedicated hardware for those tasks.

Memory Subsystem

The memory subsystem consists of 256 MB of GDDR3 on a 256-bit bus. The memory clock runs at 500 MHz, translating to 1000 Mbps effective, and yields a bandwidth of 32.00 GB/s. This bandwidth is the primary conduit for texture streaming and frame buffer writes. For a card of this generation, 256 MB was a standard capacity, but it means that games with large texture sets will encounter swapping or reduced detail levels. The 256-bit bus width is a strong point, as it allows the 32.00 GB/s to be delivered efficiently even at the modest memory clock. The pixel rate of 4.200 GPixel/s and texture rate of 4.200 GTexel/s are directly tied to the memory bandwidth; at high resolutions, the bandwidth becomes the limiting factor. The 12 ROPs and 12 TMUs are well matched to the memory interface, providing a balanced pipeline. The data shows no overclocking headroom figures, but the 500 MHz memory clock is the stated operational speed. For users running at standard resolutions, the 32.00 GB/s is sufficient, but for high-resolution anti-aliasing, the bandwidth may be stretched. The absence of any larger memory options in the data means that 256 MB is the definitive capacity, and texture-heavy scenarios will expose this limitation.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The 6800 GS does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores; these fields are absent from the data. Instead, the card relies on the Curie architecture's fixed-function pipeline. Its API support includes DirectX 9.0c with shader model 9_3, and OpenGL 2.0.3 (full) with OpenGL 2.1 (partial). There is no Vulkan support listed. This means the card is limited to the feature set of the mid-2000s. Ray tracing, as a hardware-accelerated feature, is not present. The absence of tensor cores also means no AI-accelerated features. For users interested in modern graphics features, this card is not suitable. The DirectX 9.0c support does enable the pixel shader and vertex shader models of that era, which is the core of its gaming capability. The partial OpenGL 2.1 support suggests some compatibility with later OpenGL titles, but not full compliance. The display outputs include one DVI, one VGA, and one S-Video, allowing connection to a range of monitors and TVs. The card's feature set is firmly rooted in its 2005 release window, and the data confirms that it offers no path to modern graphics APIs.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory size and type on the 6800 GS?

A: It has 256 MB of GDDR3 memory on a 256-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 32.00 GB/s.

Q: Does the card support DirectX 10 or Vulkan?

A: No. The card supports DirectX 9.0c (9_3) and OpenGL 2.0.3 (full) with OpenGL 2.1 (partial). Vulkan is not listed.

Q: What power supply is suggested for this card?

A: The suggested PSU is 200 W, and it requires a single Molex power connector.

Q: What is the bus interface of the 6800 GS?

A: It uses an AGP 8x bus interface.

Q: Is this card still in production?

A: No, its production status is end-of-life.

Q: What are the display outputs available?

A: It offers one DVI, one VGA, and one S-Video output.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark data records an average score of zero for the 6800 GS, which places it at the 50th percentile across all GPUs in the database. A zero score typically indicates that no standardized benchmark entries have been aggregated for this specific card, rather than a literal performance measurement. The theoretical peak rates are 4.200 GPixel/s for pixel fill and 4.200 GTexel/s for texture fill, driven by 12 ROPs and 12 TMUs. These numbers suggest a balanced architecture where pixel and texture throughput are equal. The memory bandwidth of 32.00 GB/s is a key constraint; at 1000 Mbps effective memory clock, the 256-bit bus delivers this figure. Since no nearest rivals are listed in the data, direct percentage comparisons are unavailable. However, the 50th percentile indicates that this card sits exactly in the middle of the performance distribution of all GPUs tracked by the database. This is a notable position for a card from the GeForce 6 AGP generation. The zero benchmark score means that the card's real-world performance must be inferred from its fill rates and memory subsystem. The pixel rate of 4.200 GPixel/s is a hard ceiling for frame buffer writes, and the texture rate of 4.200 GTexel/s limits texture-heavy scenes. In the context of its era, these figures are competitive for high color depth rendering. The data does not provide any overclocking or boost clocks, so the base clocks are the only reference points.

Power and Cooling

The power and cooling requirements for the 6800 GS are modest. The suggested power supply is 200 W, and the card draws power through a single Molex connector. The TDP is not listed in the data, but the 130 nm process node and 222 million transistors imply a moderate thermal output. The card is a single-slot design, indicating that it does not require an oversized cooler. The 200 W PSU recommendation suggests that this card is suitable for older systems with limited power delivery. The single Molex connector is a straightforward requirement, and the single-slot form factor means it can fit in most cases without blocking adjacent slots. The absence of a TDP figure in the data means that users should rely on the 200 W PSU suggestion as the primary power guideline. The 130 nm process is relatively large by modern standards, but for its time, it was standard. The die size of 287 mm² and transistor density of 773.5K per square millimeter provide context for the thermal envelope, though no specific thermal design power is given. For cooling, the single-slot cooler is likely adequate for the card's power draw, but the data does not specify fan noise or thermal limits.

How It Compares

The data set lists no nearest rivals for the 6800 GS, so direct comparisons to specific competing cards are not available. Instead, the card's position can be understood through its lineage and percentile. As the successor to the GeForce FX, the 6800 GS represents a significant architectural upgrade, moving to the NV40 chip and Curie architecture. The GeForce FX predecessor likely offered lower fill rates, though the data does not provide specific numbers for that card. The 6800 GS is followed by the GeForce 7 AGP, which would be a newer generation with presumably enhanced features. In the broader database, the 50th percentile places it at the median of the database's GPU distribution, meaning it sits exactly in the middle of all tracked GPUs. This is a neutral position, reflecting a card that was mid-range in its era. The 256 MB memory and 32.00 GB/s bandwidth are typical for a card of this class. The lack of nearest rivals means that the 6800 GS stands alone in the data, but its percentile provides a global context. Users moving from a GeForce FX will see a clear step up, while those considering a GeForce 7 AGP will be looking at a more advanced part. The end-of-life status confirms that this is a legacy product, and its performance should be evaluated within the context of 2005-era software.