NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 Specifications
GeForce GTX 260 GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 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.
GTX 260 Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the GeForce GTX 260'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 GTX 260 by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 260 Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The GeForce GTX 260'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 GTX 260 by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the GTX 260, 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.
GTX 260 Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 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 2.0 Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 is built on NVIDIA's Tesla 2.0 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 GTX 260 will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 260 Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 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 GTX 260 to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
GeForce GTX 260 by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 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 GTX 260. 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 GTX 260 Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 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 GTX 260 by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
GeForce GTX 260 Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
Benchmark Performance
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 occupies the exact midpoint of the GPU performance distribution, sitting at the 50th percentile against all graphics cards in the database. This is a telling position: it is neither a halo product nor an entry-level part, but rather the fulcrum around which mainstream performance pivoted at its time of release. The GTX 260’s raw compute throughput is rated at 476.9 GFLOPS for FP32 operations, a figure that reflects its 192 shading units operating under the Tesla 2.0 architecture on TSMC’s 65 nm process.
The memory subsystem is where the GTX 260 shows its design priorities. It pairs 896 MB of GDDR3 on a 448-bit bus, yielding 111.9 GB/s of memory bandwidth. That bandwidth is the lifeblood for texture-heavy workloads, and the 64 texture mapping units can consume it at a rate of 36.86 GTexel/s. Pixel throughput is comparatively modest at 16.13 GPixel/s, a consequence of having only 28 ROPs. The data suggests a card tuned for geometry and texture work rather than raw fill-rate dominance.
There are no benchmark scores or nearest rivals listed in the fact pack, so direct percentage comparisons against specific competing parts are unavailable. However, the 50th percentile ranking provides a meaningful anchor: half of all GPUs in the database score higher, half score lower. This places the GTX 260 squarely in the middle of the performance bell curve, a position that aligns with its 192 shading units and 1,400 million transistors on a 576 mm² die. The transistor density of 2.4M per mm² is low by modern standards, but that is the nature of a 65 nm part from this era.
The effective memory clock of 1998 Mbps is worth noting. It is not exceptionally fast, but combined with the wide 448-bit interface, the resulting 111.9 GB/s bandwidth is substantial. For context, the card’s texture rate of 36.86 GTexel/s suggests it could feed a 1080p-class display with high-resolution textures without stalling. The FP32 throughput of 476.9 GFLOPS, meanwhile, indicates the card’s ceiling for shader-bound scenes. The data paints a picture of balanced, mid-pack performance that defined the sweet spot of its generation.
How It Compares
The fact pack lists no nearest rivals for the GTX 260, so direct competitive analysis is limited to what the available data supports. The 50th percentile ranking is the primary comparative metric. This means that, in the aggregate benchmark database, the GTX 260 outperforms half of all recorded GPUs and trails the other half. That is a remarkably central position, suggesting the card was engineered to be a generalist rather than a specialist.
Within its own generation, the GTX 260’s data shows a clear hierarchy relative to other parts. The 192 shading units and 64 TMUs place it above entry-level cards that typically halve those counts, while the 28 ROPs and 448-bit bus put it below the top-tier parts that doubled the memory interface width. The 896 MB frame buffer is a middle-ground capacity, sufficient for the resolutions and texture budgets of its era but not oversized.
The successor to the GeForce 9 series, the GTX 260 carries forward that lineage’s strengths while addressing its weaknesses. The move to a 448-bit memory bus from narrower interfaces is a clear step up in bandwidth, and the 65 nm process allows for a higher transistor count of 1,400 million. Compared to what came after, the GeForce 400 series, the GTX 260’s lack of hardware tessellation and newer API features would become apparent, but within its own context, the mid-pack percentile is a fair representation of its standing.
The production status is end-of-life, meaning the card has been fully superseded. Its release date of June 15, 2008, places it in a competitive window where it faced a range of rivals, but without specific rival data in the fact pack, the analysis must rest on the percentile and architectural figures. The launch MSRP was 449 USD, which positioned it as a premium mainstream product rather than a value offering.
Power and Cooling
The GTX 260 draws a thermal design power of 182 W. This is a substantial power requirement for its era, and it has direct implications for system building. The suggested power supply is 450 W, which is a recommendation that accounts for the rest of the system’s draw in addition to the graphics card. Builders should treat that 450 W figure as a baseline, not a ceiling, especially when pairing the card with a high-end CPU.
The card requires two 6-pin PCIe power connectors. This is a dual-connector arrangement that was standard for high-performance GPUs of the time. The 2x 6-pin configuration means the card cannot be powered by the motherboard slot alone; a power supply with at least two dedicated PCIe cables is mandatory. The 182 W TDP is the thermal envelope that cooling solutions must handle, and the card’s dual-slot design reflects that requirement.
Physical dimensions are listed at 267 mm in length, or 10.5 inches. This is a long card, and case compatibility must be checked before installation. The dual-slot cooler occupies two expansion brackets, which means adjacent PCIe slots are blocked. The 2x 6-pin power connectors are located at the top edge of the card, a common layout that keeps cables manageable. The 450 W PSU recommendation is notably higher than the card’s own 182 W TDP, indicating that the system-level power draw, including CPU and peripherals, is expected to approach that threshold. Users with power supplies below 450 W should upgrade before considering this card.
FAQ
Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the GTX 260?
A: The GTX 260 has a memory bandwidth of 111.9 GB/s, achieved through a 448-bit bus running GDDR3 at an effective speed of 1998 Mbps.
Q: How many shading units does the GTX 260 have?
A: The card features 192 shading units, which provide a FP32 compute throughput of 476.9 GFLOPS.
Q: What is the recommended power supply wattage for this GPU?
A: The suggested PSU rating is 450 W. The card itself has a TDP of 182 W and requires two 6-pin power connectors.
Q: What process node is the GTX 260 built on?
A: The GT200 chip is fabricated on a 65 nm process at TSMC, integrating 1,400 million transistors on a 576 mm² die.
Q: What display outputs are available on the GTX 260?
A: The card provides 2x DVI and 1x S-Video output. There is no HDMI or DisplayPort connectivity listed.
Q: What is the DirectX version supported by the GTX 260?
A: The card supports DirectX 11.1 (10_0 feature level) and OpenGL 3.3. It does not support Vulkan.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The GTX 260 does not include dedicated ray tracing or tensor cores. The fact pack lists null values for rtCores and tensorCores, indicating that this architecture predates those hardware units. Ray tracing, if performed at all, would fall to the shader units — a task they are not optimized for. The 192 shading units are general-purpose FP32 cores that handle traditional rasterization workloads.
The API support is where the GTX 260’s feature set is most clearly defined. It supports DirectX 11.1, but only at the 10_0 feature level. This is a critical distinction: the card can run DirectX 11.1 applications, but it does not support the full DirectX 11 feature set. The 10_0 feature level means it is limited to DirectX 10-era shader models and rendering techniques. OpenGL support is 3.3, which is a mature version of that API but lacks newer extensions. There is no Vulkan support listed, meaning the card cannot run modern Vulkan-based games or applications.
The texture and pixel rates reflect the card’s rasterization-focused design. With 64 TMUs, the texture rate of 36.86 GTexel/s is the card’s strongest throughput figure. The 28 ROPs deliver a pixel rate of 16.13 GPixel/s, which is adequate for the display resolutions common at the card’s release. The memory configuration of 896 MB GDDR3 on a 448-bit bus provides the bandwidth to feed those units, but the lack of RT and tensor cores places this firmly in the pre-ray-tracing era of GPU design.
The Tesla 2.0 architecture, as featured in this card, is built around traditional shader processing. There is no hardware acceleration for ray tracing, no AI acceleration via tensor cores, and no variable-rate shading. The feature set is entirely focused on rasterization. The DirectX 11.1 (10_0) support is the most modern API feature, and it is a partial implementation at that. This card is best suited for legacy applications and older games that do not require beyond-DirectX-10 features.
The 2x DVI and 1x S-Video output configuration is also reflective of its era, predating the widespread adoption of HDMI and DisplayPort. The card’s PCIe 2.0 x16 interface provides adequate bandwidth for its 111.9 GB/s memory subsystem. The absence of RT and tensor cores, combined with the limited API support, clearly delineates the GTX 260’s capabilities for modern workloads: it is a rasterization-only part with no path forward for ray-traced content.
The AMD Equivalent of GeForce GTX 260
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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