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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M

The NVidia GeForce GTX 260M is a high-end graphics card of the 200M series based on the G92b core. Therefore, the 55nm chip is essentially a 9800M GTX with slightly higher clock rates (550/1375/950 vs. 500/1250/800). As a result, the 260M is more similar to the desktop 9800GT than the GTX 260.

As with all native DirectX 10 cards, the GeForce GTX 260M renders 3D images using "Unified Shaders". Dedicated pixel shaders and vertex shaders have been replaced with 112 stream processors in the 260M, which now take over most of the graphics workload. The shader units themselves are also clocked higher (1375 MHz) than the core chip.

In general, the performance of the GTX 260M is somewhat higher than the 9800M GTX due to the higher clock speed. For current DirectX 10 games such as Crysis, World in Conflict, Bioshock or Age of Conan, the 260M is sufficient for gameplay under medium to high detail settings. Meanwhile, older games should be able to run fluently under high resolutions and full details. VRAM can be up to 1024 MB GDDR3 at 950MHz  in MXM 3.0 or 800MHz in MXM 2.0.

The GeForce GTX 260M integrates the PureVideo HD video decoder. The GPU is thus able to assist the CPU in the decoding of H.264-, VC-1-, MPEG2- and WMV9 videos.

HybridPower is a Windows Vista-only technology that allows users to switch between the integrated and dedicated graphics core for power-saving purposes. In the future, Nvidia intends to evolve the software for automatic switching depending on the active application (now known as Optimus). GeForceBoost is not supported with the GTX 260M as there would be no performance gain from combining with the integrated GPU.

The high current consumption of up to 75 Watts (of the entire MXM board) means that the GTX 260M can typically only be found in larger notebooks with loud and powerful cooling systems.

Compared with Desktop graphics cards, the GTX 260M is most similar to the GeForce 9800 GT.

GeForce GTX 200M Series

GeForce GTX 285M SLI compare 256 @ 0.58 GHz256 Bit @ 1020 MHz
GeForce GTX 280M SLI compare 256 @ 0.59 GHz256 Bit @ 950 MHz
GeForce GTX 260M SLI compare 224 @ 0.55 GHz256 Bit @ 950 MHz
GeForce GTX 285M compare 128 @ 0.58 GHz256 Bit @ 1020 MHz
GeForce GTX 280M compare 128 @ 0.59 GHz256 Bit @ 950 MHz
GeForce GTX 260M 112 @ 0.55 GHz256 Bit @ 950 MHz
CodenameN10E-GT
ArchitectureG9x
Pipelines112 - unified
Core Speed550 MHz
Shader Speed1375 MHz
Memory Speed950 MHz
Memory Bus Width256 Bit
Memory TypeGDDR3
Max. Amount of Memory1024 MB
Shared Memoryno
APIDirectX 10, Shader 4.0
Power Consumption75 Watt
Transistor Count754 Million
technology55 nm
FeaturesHybridPower, PureVideo HD, CUDA, PhysX ready
Notebook Sizelarge
Date of Announcement02.03.2009
InformationMXM 3
Link to Manufacturer Pagewww.nvidia.com

Benchmarks

3DMark Vantage
3DM Vant. Perf. total +
3DMark Vantage - 3DM Vant. Perf. total
min: 4080     avg: 4953     median: 4901 (1%)     max: 5686 Points
3DM Vant. Perf. GPU no PhysX +
3DMark Vantage - 3DM Vant. Perf. GPU no PhysX
min: 3840     avg: 4316     median: 4207 (2%)     max: 5058 Points
3DMark 2001SE - 3DMark 2001 - Standard
min: 32699     avg: 34053     median: 34304 (36%)     max: 34905 Points
3DMark 03 - 3DMark 03 - Standard
min: 27301     avg: 29794     median: 30595.5 (16%)     max: 30685 Points
3DMark 05 - 3DMark 05 - Standard
min: 12669     avg: 14773     median: 15079 (17%)     max: 16611 Points
3DMark 06 3DMark 06 - Score Unknown Settings +
3DMark 06 - Standard 1280x1024 +
3DMark 06
min: 9458     avg: 10167     median: 10064 (13%)     max: 11209 Points
3DMark 06 - Standard 1280x720 +
3DMark 06
10075 Points (13%)
Cinebench R10 Cinebench R10 Shading (32bit) +
Cinebench R10 - Cinebench R10 Shading (32bit)
min: 3702     avg: 3966     median: 3917 (3%)     max: 4425 points
Cinebench R11.5 Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64 Bit +
- Range of benchmark values for this graphics card
- Average benchmark values for this graphics card
* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance

Game Benchmarks

The following benchmarks stem from our benchmarks of review laptops. The performance depends on the used graphics memory, clock rate, processor, system settings, drivers, and operating systems. So the results don't have to be representative for all laptops with this GPU. For detailed information on the benchmark results, click on the fps number.

Mafia 2

Mafia 2

2010
med. 1024x768
45  fps    + Compare
high 1360x768
43.8  fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
low 1024x768
154  fps    + Compare
high 1360x768
47  fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
low 1024x768
79.1  fps    + Compare
med. 1366x768
54.8  fps    + Compare
high 1366x768
41.6  fps    + Compare
ultra 1920x1080
23.2  fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
low 800x600
137.4  fps    + Compare
med. 1024x768
59.1  fps    + Compare
high 1366x768
55.4  fps    + Compare
ultra 1920x1080
40  fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings ultra.
Risen

Risen

2009
low 800x600
51.3 80.3 ~ 66 fps    + Compare
med. 1024x768
41.3 50.5 ~ 46 fps    + Compare
high 1366x768
31.7 36.5 ~ 34 fps    + Compare
ultra 1920x1080
26.9  fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings med..
Need for Speed Shift

Need for Speed Shift

2009
med. 1024x768
66.5  fps    + Compare
high 1366x768
61  fps    + Compare
ultra 1920x1080
39.1  fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings ultra.
Colin McRae: DIRT 2

Colin McRae: DIRT 2

2009
low 800x600
92  fps    + Compare
med. 1024x768
79.2  fps    + Compare
high 1360x768
61.5  fps    + Compare
ultra 1920x1080
35.3  fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings ultra.
Anno 1404

Anno 1404

2009
low 1024x768
125.2 133 ~ 129 fps    + Compare
ultra 1280x1024
36.2 39 44 49.5 ~ 42 fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings ultra.
Sims 3

Sims 3

2009
low 800x600
313  fps    + Compare
med. 1024x768
105  fps    + Compare
high 1280x1024
89  fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
F.E.A.R. 2

F.E.A.R. 2

2009
low 800x600
132 151.2 ~ 142 fps    + Compare
med. 1024x768
86.5 89 91.1 ~ 89 fps    + Compare
high 1280x1024
63.8 65 67.4 73.4 77.4 ~ 69 fps    + Compare
ultra 1920x1080
41.8  fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings ultra.
GTA IV - Grand Theft Auto

GTA IV - Grand Theft Auto

2008
low 800x600
57.9  fps    + Compare
med. 1024x768
48  fps    + Compare
high 1280x1024
36.7  fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
Left 4 Dead

Left 4 Dead

2008
low 640x480
107 135.8 ~ 121 fps    + Compare
high 1024x768
69 85.8 103.3 111.7 ~ 92 fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
Racedriver: GRID

Racedriver: GRID

2008
low 800x600
105 111.9 ~ 108 fps    + Compare
med. 1024x768
61.5 72 75.1 ~ 70 fps    + Compare
high 1280x1024
52.7 53 56.2 59.1 ~ 55 fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare

Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare

2007
low 800x600
211.3  fps    + Compare
med. 1024x768
95.2 168.8 ~ 132 fps    + Compare
high 1280x1024
52.8 67.3 77.8 88.5 ~ 72 fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
Crysis - GPU Benchmark

Crysis - GPU Benchmark

2007
low 1024x768
92 123.7 ~ 108 fps    + Compare
med. 1024x768
56 57.2 76.9 ~ 63 fps    + Compare
high 1024x768
31 38 38.4 39.3 41.9 ~ 38 fps    + Compare
ultra 1920x1080
12.2  fps    + Compare
» With most tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
Crysis - CPU Benchmark

Crysis - CPU Benchmark

2007
low 1024x768
110 129.5 ~ 120 fps    + Compare
med. 1024x768
49 52.6 76.9 ~ 60 fps    + Compare
high 1024x768
30.7 35.5 37 37 39.2 ~ 36 fps    + Compare
ultra 1920x1080
11.5  fps    + Compare
» With most tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
World in Conflict - Benchmark

World in Conflict - Benchmark

2007
med. 1024x768
47 72 ~ 60 fps    + Compare
high 1024x768
38 42 ~ 40 fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
Call of Juarez Benchmark

Call of Juarez Benchmark

2006
high 1024x768
22.7 26.6 27.2 ~ 26 fps    + Compare
» The benchmarks indicate that the game is not playable in the tested settings.
Half Life 2 - Lost Coast Benchmark

Half Life 2 - Lost Coast Benchmark

2005
high 1024x768
158  fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
Quake 4

Quake 4

2005
ultra 1024x768
62  fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings ultra.
World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft

2005
Counter-Strike Source

Counter-Strike Source

2004
high 1024x768
121 270 ~ 196 fps    + Compare
» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.
Doom 3

Doom 3

2004
Quake 3 Arena - Timedemo

Quake 3 Arena - Timedemo

1999
lowmed.highultraQHD4K
Mafia 24543.8
StarCraft 215447
Battlefield: Bad Company 279.154.841.623.2
CoD Modern Warfare 2137.459.155.440
Risen66463426.9
Need for Speed Shift66.56139.1
Colin McRae: DIRT 29279.261.535.3
Anno 140412942
Sims 331310589
F.E.A.R. 2142896941.8
GTA IV - Grand Theft Auto57.947.9736.74
Left 4 Dead12192
Racedriver: GRID1087055
Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare211.313272
Supreme Commander - FA Bench53.449.2
Crysis - GPU Benchmark108633812.2
Crysis - CPU Benchmark120603611.5
World in Conflict - Benchmark6040
Call of Juarez Benchmark26
Half Life 2 - Lost Coast Benchmark158
Quake 462
World of Warcraft51.8
Counter-Strike Source196
Doom 3178
Quake 3 Arena - Timedemo575
< 30 fps
< 60 fps
< 120 fps
≥ 120 fps

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Gaming Performance

The following gaming tests were conduced with a GTX 260M with 1GB GDDR3 and a Core 2 Duo P8600 CPU.

Crysis Warhead: 1024x768, Enthusiast: 26.7 fps -> playable
World in Conflict: 1680x1050, Very High: 22.0 fps -> no shooter, therefore playable
Far Cry 2: 1680x1050, Very High, 2xAA: 42 fps -> fluently playable
Call of Duty 5: 1680x1050, 2xAA: 49 fps -> fluently playable
Call of Duty 4: 1680x1050, 4xAA: 65 fps -> fluently playable
Left 4 Dead: 1680x105, high, 4xAA: 60 fps -> fluently playable

Notebook reviews with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M graphics card

 

Review Asus G60J Gaming-Notebook

R.O.G. featuring Core i7. "Republic of Gamers" is the brand name under which Asus has released a wide range of gaming laptops to meet the needs of enthusiastic ...
Intel Core i7-720QM | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M | 16.00" | 3.4 kg
 

Review Asus G72GX Gaming Notebook

Hot Gamer? Asus releases the optically and technically slightly refreshed successor to its G71GX, the G72GX, to the market. Asus (still) waivers on Intel's new ...
Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M | 17.30" | 4.1 kg
 

Review Alienware M15x Gaming-Notebook

Back from the Future? The M15x already represents one of the most unique and daring notebooks on the market. A futuristic design and illumination strike you rig...
Intel Core i7-720QM | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M | 15.60" | 4.3 kg
 

Review Asus G60VX Gaming Notebook

A Gamers' Dream? Asus shows courage for design and equips the G60VX with a white notebook lid with a futuristic stamp. There is also a Core 2 Duo T9400 and a G...
Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M | 16.00" | 3.4 kg
 

Review Asus G71GX Gaming-Notebook

A Dream for Gamers? With the G71GX, Asus has a 17 inch notebook in its range, which is aimed especially at gamers with its strong components such as the Core 2 ...
Intel Core 2 Duo T9550 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M | 17.00" | 4.2 kg

SCHENKER XMG5: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9100, 15.40", 3.4 kg
  Review » Review mySN XMG5 (Clevo M860TU) Notebook

Asus G51JX-IX044V: Intel Core i7-720QM, 15.60", 3.3 kg
  External Review » Asus G51JX-IX044V

Asus G51J-IX097V: Intel Core i7-720QM, 15.60", 3.5 kg
  External Review » Asus G51J-IX097V

Gateway P-7908u: Intel Core 2 Duo P8700, 17.00", 4.2 kg
  External Review » Gateway P-7908u

Asus G51J-1B: Intel Core i7-720QM, 15.60", 3.4 kg
  External Review » Asus G51J-1B

Asus G51J: Intel Core i7-720QM, 15.60", 3.3 kg
  External Review » Asus G51J

Asus G51J-3D: Intel Core i7-720QM, 15.60", 3.4 kg
  External Review » Asus G51J-3D

Asus G72GX-TY013V: Intel Core 2 Duo P8700, 17.30", 4 kg
  External Review » Asus G72GX-TY013V

Asus G51J-A1: Intel Core i7-720QM, 15.60", 3.3 kg
  External Review » Asus G51J-A1

Asus G72GX: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000, 17.30", 4.1 kg
  External Review » Asus G72GX

Asus G60J: Intel Core i7-720QM, 16.00", 3.4 kg
  External Review » Asus G60J

Alienware M15x: Intel Core i7-720QM, 15.60", 4.3 kg
  External Review » Alienware M15x

Asus G51VX: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000, 15.60", 3.3 kg
  External Review » Asus G51VX

Ibuypower Battalion 101 M865TU: Intel Core 2 Duo P8700, 15.00", 3.2 kg
  External Review » Ibuypower Battalion 101 M865TU

Asus G71GX: Intel Core 2 Duo T9550, 17.00", 4.2 kg
  External Review » Asus G71GX

Asus G60VX: Intel Core 2 Duo T9400, 16.00", 3.4 kg
  External Review » Asus G60VX

Pioneer Dreambook M86: Intel Core 2 Duo T9600, 15.40", 3.2 kg
  External Review » Pioneer Dreambook M86

Sager NP8662: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600, 15.40", 3.3 kg
  External Review » Sager NP8662

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Playable games for each graphics card and their average FPS results.

Class 0

Arc A380

Class 1

Class 2

Radeon PRO W6600M *

Class 3

UHD Graphics 32EUs
UHD Graphics 750

Class 4

Class 5

* Approximate position of the graphics adapter