NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT

Launched in late 2007 on the 65 nm TSMC process, the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT is a single-slot, end-of-life graphics card built around the G92 chip and Tesla architecture. It sits at the 50th percentile of all GPUs in the database, indicating that its performance is exactly mid-pack when compared against the entire spectrum of historical hardware. With 112 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs, the card delivers a peak FP32 throughput of 336.0 GFLOPS, a texture rate of 33.60 GTexel/s, and a pixel rate of 9.600 GPixel/s. The data shows a card that was a decisive mid-generation refresh, offering a meaningful performance tier above its predecessor, the GeForce 7 PCIe series, while being positioned below the subsequent GeForce 9 generation.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark data for the 8800 GT is limited; the avgBenchmarkScore is listed as 0, and there are no entries in the benchmarks array. Consequently, direct synthetic score comparisons against specific rivals are not possible from the fact pack. However, the percentileVsAllGpus field places this card at the 50th percentile, which means that in the database's ranking of all GPUs, half of all other cards score higher and half score lower. This is a useful anchor point: the 8800 GT is not a top-tier performer by modern or even contemporary high-end standards, but it is not a weak entry either.

Given the lack of nearestRivals data, the analysis must rely on the card's internal specifications to infer its relative standing. The 336.0 GFLOPS FP32 rate, combined with 16 ROPs and a 256-bit memory bus, suggests that the card was engineered for 1080p gaming at medium to high settings in its era, but the absence of benchmark scores prevents any precise percentage deltas. The card's position at the 50th percentile implies that it would be roughly on par with the median GPU in the database, meaning it should handle older titles or lower resolutions comfortably, but it will struggle with modern, demanding workloads. The 9.600 GPixel/s pixel rate and 33.60 GTexel/s texture rate further indicate that the card's fillrate capabilities are modest by current standards, which aligns with its mid-pack percentile ranking.

Power and Cooling

The GeForce 8800 GT has a thermal design power (TDP) of 125 W, which is moderate for its generation but notable for a single-slot card. The fact pack specifies a suggested PSU rating of 300 W, meaning that a system with this card should have a power supply of at least that capacity to ensure stable operation. The card requires a single 6-pin power connector, which is a standard requirement for mid-range GPUs of that era. The slot width is listed as single-slot, which is an advantage for compact builds, but the physical length is 229 mm (9 inches), so case clearance should be checked before installation.

Cooling is not explicitly detailed in the fact pack, but the single-slot design implies a blower-style cooler that exhausts hot air out of the case. Given the 125 W TDP, the card produces a moderate amount of heat, and the single-slot cooler must be adequate to manage it, though the fact pack does not provide temperature data or noise levels. The PCIe 2.0 x16 bus interface is backward compatible with PCIe 1.0 slots, but the card's power draw should be considered when pairing it with older motherboards. For users upgrading from a GeForce 7 PCIe series card, the 8800 GT's 125 W TDP is a significant increase, so verifying the PSU's 6-pin connector availability and 300 W rating is essential.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The 8800 GT predates dedicated ray tracing and tensor cores; the fact pack lists both rtCores and tensorCores as null. This means the card has no hardware acceleration for ray tracing or AI-based features like DLSS. Instead, the card relies on traditional rasterization techniques. The API support is a key differentiator: the card supports DirectX 11.1 (feature level 10_0) and OpenGL 3.3. The DirectX 11.1 support is notable because it allows the card to run many modern DirectX 11 titles, albeit at the 10_0 feature level, which means some advanced DirectX 11 features like tessellation may be limited or unavailable.

Vulkan is not supported, which is a significant omission for modern games that leverage this low-overhead API. The lack of Vulkan means that many recent titles will either not run or will fall back to OpenGL 3.3, which is an older standard with less efficient draw call handling. The 112 shading units are the core of the rendering pipeline, and they operate at the card's base clock, which is not listed in the fact pack. The memory clock is 900 MHz, with an effective data rate of 1800 Mbps. This feature set, while outdated by modern standards, was competitive at launch for its time, but the absence of RT and tensor cores means the card cannot handle any ray-traced effects or AI-driven upscaling.

How It Compares

vs. GeForce 7 PCIe (predecessor): The 8800 GT represents a generational leap over the GeForce 7 PCIe series. The architecture shift to Tesla, combined with a 65 nm process (down from older nodes), allows for higher transistor density and improved efficiency. The fact pack does not provide specific benchmark deltas, but the 8800 GT's 112 shading units and 336.0 GFLOPS FP32 output are indicative of a substantial performance increase over the older series. The 8800 GT also adds DirectX 11.1 support, whereas the GeForce 7 series was limited to older DirectX versions, making the 8800 GT more compatible with modern software.

vs. GeForce 9 (successor): The GeForce 9 series is the direct successor to the 8800 GT, and the fact pack indicates that the 8800 GT is the predecessor to that line. Without benchmark scores for either card, the comparison is based on positioning: the 8800 GT sits at the 50th percentile, while the GeForce 9 series would likely occupy higher percentiles given its newer architecture. The 8800 GT's 125 W TDP and single-slot design are likely similar to early GeForce 9 cards, but the latter would have improved clock speeds or more shading units, though these specifics are not in the fact pack.

vs. all GPUs (percentile): At the 50th percentile, the 8800 GT is exactly average in the database. This means it outperforms half of all GPUs ever benchmarked and underperforms the other half. For a card from 2007, this is a strong showing, as it remains faster than many older or low-end cards. However, it is far behind modern mid-range and high-end GPUs, which would occupy the 90th percentile or higher. The lack of nearestRivals data prevents a more granular comparison, but the percentile field provides a clear, if broad, verdict.

Memory Subsystem

The 8800 GT is equipped with 512 MB of GDDR3 memory, which is a modest capacity by modern standards but was typical for high-end cards of its time. The memory operates on a 256-bit bus, which is a wide interface that helps mitigate the relatively low memory clock. The memory clock is 900 MHz, with an effective data rate of 1800 Mbps, yielding a total memory bandwidth of 57.60 GB/s. This bandwidth figure is the key metric for high-resolution performance.

At resolutions like 1080p, 57.60 GB/s is sufficient for the era's games, but the 512 MB VRAM capacity is a bottleneck for modern titles that require more than 2 GB. At higher resolutions, such as 1440p or 4K, the 256-bit bus and 57.60 GB/s bandwidth will struggle to feed the 112 shading units, leading to frame rate drops. The pixel rate of 9.600 GPixel/s further limits the card's ability to drive high-resolution displays. For users with a 1080p monitor, the card can handle older games and esports titles at medium settings, but for modern AAA games, the memory subsystem will be the primary constraint. The 512 MB VRAM is particularly problematic for texture-heavy scenes, as the card will have to swap data to system memory, causing stuttering.

Who Should Consider It

Given the 50th percentile ranking and the lack of modern API support (no Vulkan), the 8800 GT is best suited for users who are building a retro PC or need a basic display adapter for non-gaming tasks. For gaming, the card is only viable for titles from its launch era (around 2007) or older, and it can handle those at 1080p with medium to high settings. The 336.0 GFLOPS FP32 performance is enough for light workloads like 2D rendering, video playback, or older 3D games.

For users considering this card for modern gaming, the data is clear: the 512 MB VRAM and 57.60 GB/s bandwidth will cause severe limitations at 1080p in any game released after 2010. The DirectX 11.1 (10_0) support is a partial help, but the lack of Vulkan and the low feature level mean that many newer titles will not run optimally. The 125 W TDP and 300 W PSU requirement are manageable, but the card's age and end-of-life status mean that driver support is likely minimal. In summary, this card is a collector's item or a stopgap for a legacy system, not a practical choice for modern workloads. Users with any expectation of playing recent games should look to GPUs from the GeForce 9 generation or later, which offer better performance and more modern features.

FAQ

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the 8800 GT?

A: The launch MSRP is 349 USD.

Q: Does the 8800 GT support ray tracing?

A: No, the 8800 GT has no RT cores; rtCores are listed as null in the fact pack.

Q: What is the maximum memory bandwidth of the 8800 GT?

A: The memory bandwidth is 57.60 GB/s, achieved via a 256-bit bus with GDDR3 memory running at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective).

Q: What power supply is recommended for the 8800 GT?

A: The suggested PSU is 300 W, and the card requires a single 6-pin power connector.

Q: Does the 8800 GT support Vulkan?

A: No, Vulkan support is not listed; the card supports DirectX 11.1 (10_0) and OpenGL 3.3.

Q: How much VRAM does the 8800 GT have?

A: The card has 512 MB of GDDR3 memory, which is a limiting factor for high-resolution gaming.

Q: What is the transistor count of the G92 chip?

A: The G92 chip contains 754 million transistors on a 324 mm² die, with a density of 2.3M transistors per mm².