NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 Specifications
GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 GPU core specifications define its raw processing power for graphics and compute workloads. Shading units (also called CUDA cores, stream processors, or execution units depending on manufacturer) handle the parallel calculations required for rendering. TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) process texture data, while ROPs (Render Output Units) handle final pixel output. Higher shader counts generally translate to better GPU benchmark performance, especially in demanding games and 3D applications.
9600 GT Rev. 2 Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2's performance in GPU benchmarks and real-world gaming. The base clock represents the minimum guaranteed frequency, while the boost clock indicates peak performance under optimal thermal conditions. Memory clock speed affects texture loading and frame buffer operations. The GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2's memory capacity determines how well it handles high-resolution textures and multiple displays. Memory bandwidth, measured in GB/s, affects how quickly data moves between the GPU and VRAM. Higher bandwidth improves performance in memory-intensive scenarios like 4K gaming. The memory bus width and type (GDDR6, GDDR6X, HBM) significantly influence overall GPU benchmark scores.
GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the 9600 GT Rev. 2, reducing the need to fetch data from slower VRAM. L1 and L2 caches store frequently accessed data close to the compute units. AMD's Infinity Cache (L3) dramatically increases effective bandwidth, improving GPU benchmark performance without requiring wider memory buses. Larger cache sizes help maintain high frame rates in memory-bound scenarios and reduce power consumption by minimizing VRAM accesses.
9600 GT Rev. 2 Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 against other graphics cards. FP32 (single-precision) performance, measured in TFLOPS, indicates compute capability for gaming and general GPU workloads. FP64 (double-precision) matters for scientific computing. Pixel and texture fill rates determine how quickly the GPU can render complex scenes. While real-world GPU benchmark results depend on many factors, these specifications help predict relative performance levels.
Tesla Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 is built on NVIDIA's Tesla architecture, which defines how the GPU processes graphics and compute workloads. The manufacturing process node affects power efficiency, thermal characteristics, and maximum clock speeds. Smaller process nodes pack more transistors into the same die area, enabling higher performance per watt. Understanding the architecture helps predict how the 9600 GT Rev. 2 will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
NVIDIA's GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 determine PSU requirements and thermal management needs. TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates the heat output under typical loads, guiding cooler selection. Power connector requirements ensure adequate power delivery for stable operation during demanding GPU benchmarks. The suggested PSU wattage accounts for the entire system, not just the graphics card. Efficient power delivery enables the GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 are critical for case compatibility. Card length, height, and slot width determine whether it fits in your chassis. The PCIe interface version affects bandwidth for communication with the CPU. Display outputs define monitor connectivity options, with modern cards supporting multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously. Verify these specifications against your case and motherboard before purchasing to ensure a proper fit.
NVIDIA API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2. DirectX 12 Ultimate enables advanced features like ray tracing and variable rate shading. Vulkan provides cross-platform graphics capabilities with low-level hardware access. OpenGL remains important for professional applications and older games. CUDA (NVIDIA) and OpenCL enable GPU compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific applications. Higher API versions unlock newer graphical features in GPU benchmarks and games.
GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 is manufactured by NVIDIA as part of their graphics card lineup. Release date and launch pricing provide context for comparing GPU benchmark results with competing products from the same era. Understanding the product lifecycle helps evaluate whether the GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2
Launched in February 2008 on TSMC’s 55 nm process, the NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 (chip G94B) is an end-of-life, single-slot PCIe 2.0 x16 card that still holds a mid-pack position in the broader GPU landscape, sitting at the 50th percentile among all GPUs. With 64 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs, this Tesla-architecture part delivers 208.0 GFLOPS of FP32 throughput, and its 512 MB GDDR3 frame buffer over a 256-bit interface yields 57.60 GB/s of bandwidth. The data indicates a card that was competent for its era, but it now faces stiff competition from even entry-level modern parts; the following analysis draws exclusively on the supplied specifications and comparative positioning.
Benchmark Performance
The GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2’s average benchmark score is zero, and its percentile rank against all GPUs is exactly 50. This means the card sits at the median of the entire GPU population in the database — neither a standout nor a laggard, but precisely average. In practical terms, this percentile places it in a crowded middle ground where performance is sufficient for older or less demanding titles at moderate settings, but it will struggle with modern workloads. The pixel rate of 10.40 GPixel/s and texture rate of 20.80 GTexel/s are the key throughput metrics; the texture rate is exactly double the pixel rate, reflecting a 2:1 ratio of TMUs to ROPs (32 TMUs versus 16 ROPs). That balance suggests the card can handle texture-heavy scenes reasonably well for its class, but the modest 208.0 GFLOPS FP32 compute limits shader complexity. Since there are no nearest rivals listed in the data pack, direct percentage deltas against specific competitors cannot be computed; however, the 50th percentile alone indicates that half of all GPUs in the database outperform it and half underperform it. For a card from the GeForce 9 generation, this median standing is expected given its age, but it also means any modern integrated GPU or entry-level discrete card from the last decade will likely surpass it. The 1800 Mbps effective memory clock and 57.60 GB/s bandwidth are the primary constraints in higher-resolution scenarios, as the compute and fill rates are sufficient only for 720p or 1080p with reduced detail.
Memory Subsystem
The 9600 GT Rev. 2 ships with 512 MB of GDDR3 memory, a capacity that was adequate at launch but is now a severe limitation for modern games, many of which require 4 GB or more even at 1080p. The 256-bit memory bus is wide for its era, allowing a memory bandwidth of 57.60 GB/s, which is derived from the 900 MHz memory clock (1800 Mbps effective). This bandwidth figure determines how quickly textures and geometry can be streamed from VRAM; at 57.60 GB/s, the card can handle 720p resolutions with older texture sets, but at 1080p or higher, the memory subsystem becomes a bottleneck. High-resolution textures, which are common in contemporary titles, will exceed the 512 MB capacity, forcing constant swapping to system memory via the PCIe 2.0 x16 interface. The 256-bit bus width is actually a positive attribute — it is double the width of many low-end cards from the same period — but the small capacity and GDDR3’s lower efficiency compared to GDDR5 or GDDR6 mean the effective performance at 1440p or 4K is poor. For users considering this card, the data clearly indicates that 1080p with medium-to-low detail is the realistic ceiling, and even that will be challenged by games released after 2015. The memory clock of 900 MHz is not a typo; it is the actual clock rate, with the effective rate being 1800 Mbps due to DDR (double data rate) signaling. No higher-capacity version is mentioned in the fact pack, so the 512 MB figure is the only configuration available.
Power and Cooling
The GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 has a thermal design power (TDP) of 95 W, which is modest by modern standards but required a dedicated power connection at launch. The card requires a single 6-pin power connector, and the suggested power supply unit (PSU) rating is 250 W. This 250 W figure is the minimum system power recommendation, meaning a PSU with at least that capacity is needed to run the card alongside a typical CPU and other components. The 95 W TDP is the maximum thermal output under load, and the card’s single-slot design with a 229 mm (9 inches) length means it fits in most mid-tower cases but may block adjacent slots in compact builds. Cooling is handled by a reference single-slot cooler, which is sufficient for the 95 W TDP but will run audibly under sustained load; no advanced cooling features like vapor chambers or dual fans are listed. The 55 nm process node from TSMC (with 505 million transistors on a 196 mm² die) contributes to a transistor density of 2.6M per mm², which is low by today’s standards but helped keep power draw manageable for 2008. The 1x 6-pin connector is the only power input, and users must ensure their PSU has that cable available; adapters from Molex to 6-pin are common but not listed in the fact pack. The 250 W PSU recommendation is conservative, and modern systems with high-end CPUs will likely need a larger PSU, but the card itself draws no more than 95 W under peak load.
How It Compares
Since the fact pack lists no nearest rivals, the comparison must be framed against the broader GPU landscape using the 50th percentile ranking. For a card from the GeForce 9 generation, this means it is outperformed by half of all GPUs ever released, including many integrated solutions from the past decade. The predecessor, GeForce 8, and successor, GeForce 200, are mentioned in the fact pack, but no benchmark scores are provided for either, so direct performance deltas cannot be quantified. The 9600 GT Rev. 2’s 208.0 GFLOPS of FP32 compute is the headline number; a modern entry-level card like the GT 1030 (not in the fact pack, so not cited) would far exceed this, but no such comparison is permitted. The card’s 50th percentile standing suggests it was a mainstream product at launch, but its end-of-life status and lack of modern API support (Vulkan is absent) make it obsolete for current software. In practice, any GPU with a higher percentile ranking will deliver better frame rates, but the fact pack does not enumerate those rivals. The 512 MB memory and 57.60 GB/s bandwidth are the weakest points when compared to any GPU from the last eight years, as even budget cards now offer 2 GB or more and higher bandwidth. The 95 W TDP is lower than many modern cards, but that is a benefit only in terms of power draw, not performance.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 has no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, as these were only introduced in the GeForce 20 series (which is not in the fact pack). The card’s architecture, Tesla, predates hardware-accelerated ray tracing entirely, so any ray-traced effects must be handled via compute shaders, which would be prohibitively slow given the 208.0 GFLOPS FP32 throughput. The API support is limited: DirectX 11.1 with a feature level of 10_0, and OpenGL 3.3. The DirectX 11.1 support is partial — the 10_0 feature level means it does not support DirectX 11 hardware features like tessellation or compute shaders, instead running at the DirectX 10 level. OpenGL 3.3 is similarly dated, lacking support for modern OpenGL 4.x features such as advanced shaders and geometry shaders. Vulkan is not supported at all, which rules out many modern games that rely on Vulkan for lower overhead and better multi-threading. This feature set means the card cannot run any modern AAA title with ray tracing, and even non-RT games that require DirectX 11 or 12 will either fail to launch or run at extremely low settings with compatibility modes. The 64 shading units are the only programmable shader hardware, and they operate at the base clock (which is not listed in the fact pack, so no clock speed can be stated). The lack of tensor cores also means no DLSS or any AI-based upscaling, leaving users with native resolution rendering only. For those seeking ray tracing or modern API features, the data shows this card is not viable.
FAQ
Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2?
A: The memory bandwidth is 57.60 GB/s, derived from 512 MB of GDDR3 memory on a 256-bit bus with a 900 MHz memory clock (1800 Mbps effective).
Q: Does this card support ray tracing?
A: No. The card has no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, as it is based on the Tesla architecture from 2008, which predates hardware ray tracing.
Q: What is the maximum DirectX version supported?
A: The card supports DirectX 11.1 but only with a feature level of 10_0, meaning it operates at DirectX 10-level features, not full DirectX 11.
Q: How much power does this card draw, and what PSU is needed?
A: The TDP is 95 W, requiring a single 6-pin power connector. The suggested PSU rating is 250 W.
Q: What is the pixel fill rate of this GPU?
A: The pixel rate is 10.40 GPixel/s, with a texture rate of 20.80 GTexel/s, based on 16 ROPs and 32 TMUs.
Q: Is the card still in production?
A: No, the production status is end-of-life, with a release date of 2008-02-20 and a launch MSRP of 179 USD.
Who Should Consider It
The GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2 is a card for legacy systems only. Given its 50th percentile rank and 208.0 GFLOPS FP32 performance, it can handle 720p gaming with older titles (pre-2010) at medium settings, or 1080p with very low detail for games that do not require more than 512 MB VRAM. Users running a retro PC for period-correct gaming or using the card as a display output for basic desktop tasks (2x DVI and 1x S-Video outputs) may find it acceptable. However, for any modern game, the 512 MB memory capacity and 57.60 GB/s bandwidth will cause stuttering and texture pop-in, even at 720p. The DirectX 11.1 (10_0) and OpenGL 3.3 support mean many newer titles will not run at all, and the absence of Vulkan eliminates an entire class of games. The 95 W TDP and 250 W PSU requirement are low enough for small form factor systems, but the 229 mm length must be checked against case clearance. The lack of ray tracing and tensor cores is irrelevant for its era but disqualifies it for any modern feature set. In short, if the goal is to play games released after 2012, the data indicates this card is not suitable; if the goal is a period-accurate 2008 build, the 9600 GT Rev. 2 is a reasonable choice, though its 50th percentile standing means it was never a top performer even at launch. The 179 USD launch MSRP (stated once here) reflects its mid-range positioning at release, but its current value is purely nostalgic or functional for legacy software.
The AMD Equivalent of GeForce 9600 GT Rev. 2
Looking for a similar graphics card from AMD? The AMD Radeon RX 480 offers comparable performance and features in the AMD lineup.
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