NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GS
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA GeForce 9800M GS Specifications
GeForce 9800M GS GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GS 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.
9800M GS Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the GeForce 9800M GS'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 9800M GS by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's GeForce 9800M GS Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The GeForce 9800M GS'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 9800M GS by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the 9800M GS, 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.
9800M GS Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GS 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 9800M GS 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 9800M GS will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
NVIDIA's GeForce 9800M GS Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GS 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 9800M GS to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
GeForce 9800M GS by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GS 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 9800M GS. 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 9800M GS Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GS 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 9800M GS by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
GeForce 9800M GS Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GS
The NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GS is a mobile graphics processor from the GeForce 9M generation, built on the Tesla architecture around the G94 chip. Fabricated by TSMC on a 65 nm process, the die contains 505 million transistors across 240 mm², giving a transistor density of 2.1M per mm². Released on 2008-10-31, the part is now end-of-life. In the database, it holds the 50th percentile position among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 0 and no recorded benchmark entries.
Memory Subsystem
The 9800M GS pairs 512 MB of GDDR3 memory with a 256-bit memory interface. The memory clock is 800 MHz, translating to 1600 Mbps effective data rate. This configuration yields a memory bandwidth of 51.20 GB/s.
For high-resolution workloads, the 512 MB capacity is the primary constraint. At the time of release, 512 MB was a common configuration for mainstream mobile parts, but it limits texture detail and frame buffer allocation at higher resolutions. The 256-bit bus is the more notable feature: it allows the memory controller to fetch 256 bits of data per clock cycle, which is why a modest 800 MHz clock can still produce 51.20 GB/s of bandwidth. A narrower bus would require a significantly higher memory clock to achieve the same throughput.
The balance between the memory subsystem and the compute units is evident in the pixel and texture rates. The 16 ROPs produce a pixel rate of 8.480 GPixel/s, and the 32 TMUs produce a texture rate of 16.96 GTexel/s. These rates are well-matched to the 51.20 GB/s bandwidth — the ROPs and TMUs can be kept busy without the memory bus becoming a bottleneck. The 60 W TDP suggests that the memory subsystem is not pushed to extreme clocks, keeping power draw within mobile constraints.
The choice of GDDR3 rather than a newer memory type also reflects the part's 2008-era positioning. The 256-bit interface compensates for the relatively moderate 1600 Mbps effective data rate, ensuring that the memory subsystem does not starve the 64 shading units. In practice, the 51.20 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for the pixel and texture throughput the chip can generate, making the memory subsystem a balanced component of the overall design.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The 9800M GS does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores. The Tesla architecture predates hardware-accelerated ray tracing by multiple generations, so any ray-traced workload would execute on the 64 shading units using the FP32 pipeline, which peaks at 169.6 GFLOPS. This is far below what modern ray tracing workloads require, and the lack of dedicated hardware means the 9800M GS is not suitable for ray-traced rendering.
API support includes DirectX 11.1 with a 10_0 feature level. This is a nuance worth understanding: the driver exposes the DirectX 11.1 runtime, but the hardware is limited to DirectX 10-class features. Games that require DirectX 11 feature levels will not run at full functionality. OpenGL 3.3 is supported, which covers many titles from the 2008-2010 period. Vulkan is not supported.
The compute configuration is 64 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The FP32 throughput is 169.6 GFLOPS, the pixel rate is 8.480 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 16.96 GTexel/s. The bus interface is PCIe 2.0 x16, and the display outputs are portable-device dependent, as expected for a mobile part. Power is supplied without external connectors, consistent with the 60 W TDP.
The absence of tensor cores also means no hardware acceleration for AI workloads such as deep learning inference or DLSS-style upscaling. Any such tasks would fall back to the general-purpose shaders, with performance bounded by the 169.6 GFLOPS FP32 rate. For the era in which this GPU was released, this was not a significant omission, but it does limit the part's usefulness in modern applications that rely on these features.
How It Compares
The FACT PACK provides no nearest rival entries for the GeForce 9800M GS. As a result, direct comparisons against specific competing GPUs cannot be made from the available data. The only positional metric is the percentile vs all GPUs, which is 50 — exactly the median of the database. This means that half of all GPUs in the database rank higher, and half rank lower.
In terms of product lineage, the 9800M GS sits between the GeForce 8M series (predecessor) and the GeForce 100M series (successor). It is part of the GeForce 9M generation. The 50th percentile placement is consistent with a mainstream mobile GPU — not a high-end part, but not an entry-level one either.
The absence of benchmark scores (average benchmark score of 0) means that the percentile is derived from the database's overall distribution rather than from direct measurement. This limits the depth of positional analysis, but the 50th percentile is still a meaningful indicator of the part's standing. Without rival data, no percentage deltas can be stated, and the analysis must rely on the raw compute metrics and the percentile ranking.
FAQ
Q: How much memory does the GeForce 9800M GS have?
A: 512 MB of GDDR3.
Q: What is the memory bus width and bandwidth?
A: The bus width is 256 bit, and the bandwidth is 51.20 GB/s.
Q: Does the 9800M GS support hardware ray tracing?
A: No. It has no RT cores, and the Tesla architecture predates hardware ray tracing.
Q: What API levels are supported?
A: DirectX 11.1 with a 10_0 feature level, and OpenGL 3.3. Vulkan is not supported.
Q: What is the TDP of this GPU?
A: 60 W.
Q: What is the production status?
A: End-of-life.
Q: What is the process node and foundry?
A: 65 nm, fabricated at TSMC.
Benchmark Performance
The benchmark data for the 9800M GS is minimal. The average benchmark score is 0, and the benchmarks array is empty. The only performance positioning metric available is the percentile vs all GPUs, which is 50.
The raw compute metrics provide the only quantitative analysis possible. FP32 performance is 169.6 GFLOPS, derived from 64 shading units. The pixel rate is 8.480 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 16.96 GTexel/s. These are directly tied to the 16 ROPs and 32 TMUs respectively.
Without rival scores, exact percentage deltas cannot be computed. The 50th percentile is the sole comparative figure. For a mobile GPU released on 2008-10-31, the 50th percentile position across the entire database — which includes GPUs from many generations — indicates that the 9800M GS was a mid-range part in its era. The 60 W TDP reinforces this: it is neither a power-hungry flagship nor a low-power entry-level chip.
The compute-to-memory balance is worth noting. The 169.6 GFLOPS FP32 rate, 8.480 GPixel/s pixel rate, and 16.96 GTexel/s texture rate are all consistent with a chip that has 64 shading units, 16 ROPs, and 32 TMUs operating at the clocks implied by the 65 nm process. The 51.20 GB/s memory bandwidth is sufficient to feed these units without creating a bottleneck. In the context of the database's 50th percentile ranking, the 9800M GS represents a typical mainstream mobile GPU of its generation — capable, but not exceptional.
The AMD Equivalent of GeForce 9800M GS
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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