GeForce GT 540 vs GeForce 8800 GT

Speed and memory

In our performance index the GeForce GT 540 scores 0.9 and the GeForce 8800 GT scores 0.8, which makes the GeForce GT 540 about 13% faster. That is a visible but modest gap, usually 5 to 10 fps in a game that runs at 60.

The GeForce GT 540 has 1 GB of video memory and the GeForce 8800 GT has shared GB. That is a small difference and unlikely to decide anything.

In our estimates for popular games at 1080p on High, the biggest gap is in Red Dead Redemption 2 (2 against 4 fps), and the smallest is in Fortnite (13 against 12 fps). Games that are light enough to run above 200 fps on both cards show little difference at all.

Power and value

The GeForce GT 540 is rated at 50 W and the GeForce 8800 GT at 105 W. With a mid-range processor that means a power supply of about 450 W for the first and 450 W for the second. The power draw is close enough that cooling and noise will be similar.

At launch the GeForce GT 540 cost $79 and the GeForce 8800 GT $199. Per dollar, the GeForce GT 540 gave more performance (1.1 points per $100 against 0.4). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the GeForce GT 540 if you want the faster card, and it also has at least as much memory. It makes the most sense at 1440p and above, or on a monitor with a high refresh rate.

Choose the GeForce 8800 GT if the price gap matters more than the 13% speed difference. Whichever you pick, check reviews for the games you play, because two cards with similar scores can differ in individual titles.