NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GS Low Profile

The NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GS Low Profile is a 90 nm, end-of-life GPU from the GeForce 7 series, built on the G72 chip with 112 million transistors on an 81 mm² die. It is a single-slot, low-profile card that connects via PCIe 1.0 x16 and requires no auxiliary power connectors. Released on 2006-01-17, this part targets entry-level desktop systems of its era, with a modest feature set and minimal power draw.

Memory Subsystem

The card ships with 256 MB of DDR2 memory on a 64-bit bus, yielding a peak bandwidth of 4.256 GB/s. The memory clock runs at 266 MHz, which translates to 532 Mbps effective. These figures are extremely modest by modern standards. For high-resolution workloads, the combination of small capacity and narrow bus width becomes a hard ceiling: 256 MB is insufficient for large textures or framebuffers, and 4.256 GB/s of bandwidth limits fill-rate-heavy scenes. In practice, this means the card is best suited to low resolutions and older titles that fit within its memory footprint. The 64-bit interface also halves the data transfer rate compared to 128-bit parts of the same generation, so any game that pushes many textures will quickly saturate the bus. The pixel rate of 900.0 MPixel/s and texture rate of 1.800 GTexel/s further reinforce the idea that this is a very early-2000s level of performance, not a card for modern high-detail rendering.

How It Compares

The database places this GPU at the 50th percentile among all GPUs, which indicates a middle-of-the-road position in the overall distribution—though this percentile is based on specifications rather than actual benchmark scores, as the benchmark list is empty. Its predecessor is the GeForce 6 PCIe series, and its successor is GeForce 8; the 7300 GS sits between those generations, offering a modest step forward in features but trailing the later architecture significantly. Without any nearest rivals specified, the comparison must rely on the card's own metrics. Its 4 TMUs and 2 ROPs are low counts, even for its time, and the 64-bit memory bus is a clear bottleneck. The 90 nm process and 112 million transistors are typical for mid-2000s entry-level parts, but the die size of 81 mm² is compact, reflecting a stripped-down design. The card supports DirectX 9.0c (shader model 9_3) and OpenGL 2.1, which places it firmly in the era of early DirectX 9 games, but it lacks any modern API support such as Vulkan. In essence, it is a low-end part that competes only with other legacy hardware from its release period.

Who Should Consider It

This GPU is not for anyone expecting playable performance in modern titles. Its 256 MB VRAM and 64-bit bus make it suitable only for very low resolutions and undemanding 2D workloads. Users who still run legacy operating systems or have older games that require only DirectX 9.0c might find it adequate, provided they keep resolution and detail settings minimal. The card's low power draw (23 W) and no external power connector make it an easy drop-in for old office PCs or small form factor systems that lack PCIe power headers. For emulation of early 3D games or as a basic display adapter for a retro build, the 7300 GS can serve, but it will struggle with anything beyond 1024×768 (though that resolution is not specified in the data, it is implied by the card's limitations). The 4.256 GB/s bandwidth and 900.0 MPixel/s pixel rate are the hard limits; any scene that requires high fill rates will cause frame drops. The card's end-of-life status also means driver support is stagnant, so users should not expect fixes for modern issues.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory size and type of the GeForce 7300 GS Low Profile?

A: It has 256 MB of DDR2 memory.

Q: What is the memory bus width and resulting bandwidth?

A: The bus is 64-bit wide, providing a maximum bandwidth of 4.256 GB/s.

Q: Does this card require a separate power connector?

A: No, it uses no power connectors and draws only 23 W.

Q: What is the recommended power supply wattage for a system with this GPU?

A: The suggested PSU is 200 W.

Q: Which DirectX and OpenGL versions does it support?

A: It supports DirectX 9.0c (9_3) and OpenGL 2.1.

Q: What is the process node and transistor count?

A: The chip is fabricated on a 90 nm process with 112 million transistors.

Q: What is the card's release date?

A: It was released on 2006-01-17.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark list for this GPU is empty, and the average benchmark score is 0, so no direct performance measurements exist in the database. Instead, we can analyze the theoretical throughput figures. The pixel rate of 900.0 MPixel/s means the card can fill 900 million pixels per second at best, which is sufficient for low-resolution rendering but quickly becomes a bottleneck at higher resolutions or with anti-aliasing. The texture rate of 1.800 GTexel/s, combined with 4 TMUs, gives a per-TMU rate of 450 MTexel/s per unit—again, a very low number. The 2 ROPs further limit the output to 900 MPixel/s, so the card is essentially balanced for its intended low-end role. Memory bandwidth of 4.256 GB/s is the most restrictive factor: even a modest 1024×768 32-bit framebuffer requires about 3.1 GB/s to refresh at 60 Hz, leaving little headroom for textures or shader data. The 50th percentile ranking, while not based on actual scores, suggests that this card sits exactly in the middle of the entire GPU spectrum—but that spectrum includes integrated graphics and ancient parts, so the absolute performance is still very low. Compared to its successor, the GeForce 8 series, the 7300 GS is far behind in every metric, but it does offer a clear upgrade over the GeForce 6 PCIe line in terms of feature support. In practice, users should expect playable frame rates only in games from around 2003–2005 at 800×600 or lower, with all detail settings reduced.

Power and Cooling

The GeForce 7300 GS Low Profile has a TDP of just 23 W, making it one of the lowest-power discrete GPUs ever produced. It requires no auxiliary power connectors, drawing all power from the PCIe slot. The suggested PSU is 200 W, which is well within the capability of any modern power supply, even those from older systems. The single-slot, low-profile design means it fits in most compact cases, and the lack of a cooling fan (implied by the low TDP, though not explicitly stated) suggests passive or very quiet operation. Because the card consumes so little power, thermal management is a non-issue; any case airflow will suffice. The 90 nm process contributes to the low power draw, as does the modest transistor count of 112 million. For builders of retro or office machines, this GPU is a safe choice that will not stress a PSU or generate noticeable heat. However, its end-of-life status means that replacements are scarce, and the card's capabilities are so limited that it is only worth considering for very specific legacy use cases.