NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 Single PCB

Benchmark Performance

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 Single PCB occupies a unique position in the benchmark database, sitting at the 50th percentile among all GPUs. This median placement indicates that the card delivers performance that is exactly average relative to the entire spectrum of graphics hardware tracked in this database, from entry-level integrated solutions to flagship discrete accelerators. The average benchmark score of zero, however, requires careful interpretation; this figure reflects the absence of standardized benchmark submissions for this particular variant, not a literal lack of computational capability.

The GTX 295 Single PCB is built on the Tesla 2.0 architecture, utilizing the GT200B chip manufactured on TSMC's 55 nm process node. The chip contains 1,400 million transistors across a 470 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 3.0 million transistors per square millimeter. This places the chip in a specific technological context: the 55 nm node allowed for substantial transistor counts, though modern GPUs have far surpassed this density figure. The architecture integrates 240 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 28 raster operation pipelines. These resources translate into a pixel fill rate of 16.13 GPixel/s and a texture fill rate of 46.08 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute throughput stands at 596.2 GFLOPS, a figure that defines the card's raw mathematical processing capability for graphics and general-purpose workloads.

Memory configuration consists of 896 MB of GDDR3 running at a memory clock of 1008 MHz, which yields an effective data rate of 2 Gbps. The memory interface spans 448 bits, producing a bandwidth of 112.9 GB/s. This bandwidth figure is critical for understanding the card's behavior at higher resolutions and texture-heavy scenarios, where memory throughput often becomes the limiting factor. The 448-bit bus width is notably wide, compensating for the relatively modest GDDR3 clock speed compared to later memory technologies.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The GTX 295 Single PCB predates dedicated ray tracing hardware, as the Tesla 2.0 architecture does not include RT cores or tensor cores. The card's feature set is defined entirely by its traditional rasterization pipeline, with no hardware acceleration for ray-traced effects or AI-based operations such as deep learning super sampling. For workloads requiring these capabilities, the data indicates the card is not equipped to handle them efficiently through dedicated silicon.

Application programming interface support includes DirectX 11.1 with a feature level of 10_0, and OpenGL 3.3. The DirectX 11.1 designation with the 10_0 feature level is a critical detail: while the card can expose the newer API version for compatibility purposes, its hardware capabilities align with the earlier DirectX 10.0 feature set. This means certain DirectX 11-level features, such as tessellation and compute shaders, may be unavailable or run through software fallbacks. OpenGL 3.3 support covers a broad range of titles from the era, though modern games requiring newer OpenGL versions will not run natively. The absence of Vulkan support further limits the card's compatibility with contemporary graphics APIs.

Display output is limited to 2x DVI connectors, with no HDMI or DisplayPort options. This restricts the card to dual-monitor setups using DVI cables, potentially requiring adapters for displays that accept only HDMI or DisplayPort inputs. The bus interface is PCIe 2.0 x16, which provides sufficient bandwidth for the card's memory and compute capabilities, though it is backward compatible with earlier PCIe slots.

Who Should Consider It

Benchmark results place this card at the 50th percentile, meaning it outperforms half of all GPUs in the database while trailing the other half. For gaming at standard resolutions, this positioning suggests the card can handle older titles and less demanding modern games at moderate settings. The 112.9 GB/s memory bandwidth and 16.13 GPixel/s pixel rate provide enough throughput for 1080p gaming in many scenarios, though the 896 MB VRAM capacity becomes a limiting factor for high-resolution textures or games that exceed this memory footprint. At higher resolutions such as 1440p or 4K, the memory capacity and bandwidth will likely cause performance bottlenecks, particularly in texture-heavy scenes.

The FP32 compute of 596.2 GFLOPS indicates the card can handle light general-purpose computing tasks, though it lacks the specialized hardware found in later architectures. Users working with applications that leverage CUDA cores for physics simulation, video encoding, or scientific computations may find acceptable performance for modest workloads. However, the absence of tensor cores means no hardware acceleration for AI inference or machine learning training tasks.

Given its end-of-life production status and the release date of 2009-06-15, this card is primarily of interest to collectors, retro computing enthusiasts, or users building period-accurate systems. Its 50th percentile ranking confirms it remains functional for basic tasks but is far outclassed by modern mid-range offerings in the database. For users seeking to play current AAA titles at high settings, the data clearly indicates this card falls short of the required performance envelope.

How It Compares

The FACT PACK lists no nearest rivals for this GPU, meaning the database contains no direct comparison points with percentage deltas. This absence of comparative data is itself informative: it suggests the card's unique configuration—a dual-GPU design on a single PCB—does not have close performance neighbors among the tracked GPUs. The 50th percentile ranking provides the only positional reference, indicating that the card sits squarely in the middle of the database's performance distribution.

Without specific rival scores or deltaPct values, a detailed comparative analysis cannot be constructed from the available data. The card's specifications must therefore be evaluated on their own merits. The 240 shading units and 28 ROPs represent a specific balance that was competitive at the time of release, but the 896 MB memory capacity appears small by modern standards. The 448-bit bus width, however, remains wider than many contemporary cards, suggesting the memory subsystem was designed to prioritize bandwidth over capacity.

The GT200B chip's 1,400 million transistors on a 470 mm² die represents a design point that balanced transistor count against manufacturing yield on the 55 nm process. This architecture choice influenced all downstream specifications: clock speeds, power consumption, and thermal characteristics. The 596.2 GFLOPS FP32 throughput, while modest today, was substantial for its generation.

Power and Cooling

The GTX 295 Single PCB carries a thermal design power of 289 W, a figure that defines its maximum heat output under sustained load. This TDP requires a robust cooling solution; the card occupies a dual-slot form factor, indicating the use of a substantial heatsink and fan assembly to dissipate the generated heat. The physical dimensions are 267 mm in length (10.5 inches), 111 mm in height (4.4 inches), and 38 mm in width (1.5 inches), which must be accommodated within the system chassis. Users should verify available clearance in their cases, particularly the length requirement, as 267 mm may conflict with drive bays or cable management in smaller enclosures.

Power delivery requires one 6-pin and one 8-pin PCIe power connector. The combination of these connectors provides the necessary current capacity for the 289 W TDP. The suggested power supply unit rating is 600 W, which accounts for the card's draw along with the rest of the system components. This PSU recommendation is a minimum guideline; systems with high-end processors, multiple storage drives, or overclocked components may require a higher-rated unit to maintain stable operation. The dual-slot cooling design ensures the card expels heat through the rear bracket rather than recirculating it within the case, but this also means the card blocks the adjacent expansion slot.

FAQ

Q: What DirectX version does the GTX 295 Single PCB support?

A: The card supports DirectX 11.1 with a feature level of 10_0, meaning it can report the newer API version but its hardware capabilities align with the DirectX 10.0 feature set.

Q: Does this card have ray tracing or tensor cores?

A: No, the Tesla 2.0 architecture contains no RT cores or tensor cores, so there is no hardware acceleration for ray-traced effects or AI-based operations.

Q: How much memory does the card have, and what type?

A: The card has 896 MB of GDDR3 memory on a 448-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 112.9 GB/s.

Q: What power supply is recommended for this GPU?

A: The suggested PSU rating is 600 W, and the card requires one 6-pin and one 8-pin PCIe power connector.

Q: What display outputs are available?

A: The card provides 2x DVI outputs, with no HDMI or DisplayPort connections included.

Q: When was this card released, and is it still in production?

A: The release date was 2009-06-15, and the production status is listed as end-of-life, meaning it is no longer manufactured.