GPU Wiki

Riva TNT2 vs GeForce 256

Select up to four GPU Wiki entries to compare matching specifications row by row. The comparison uses the site database and keeps generation-specific specs visibly separate.

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Key Differences

  • GeForce 256 has more Memory size (32 MB typical; some later board-partner variants used 64 MB vs 16 MB or 32 MB depending on board).
  • GeForce 256 has more Memory bandwidth (2.656 GB/s on SDR boards; 4.8 GB/s on DDR boards vs About 2.4 GB/s on standard TNT2).
  • Boost clock: Riva TNT2 has 125 MHz; GeForce 256 has Not applicable.
  • TDP / TBP / board power: Riva TNT2 has Not consistently specified in public board data; GeForce 256 has About 12 to 13 W class, depending on SDR or DDR board design.
  • Architecture: Riva TNT2 has NV5 / RIVA TNT2 fixed function 2D, video, and 3D accelerator; GeForce 256 has Celsius / NV10 fixed-function DirectX 7 GPU with hardware transform and lighting.
  • Launch date: Riva TNT2 has 1999-03-15; GeForce 256 has 1999-10-11.
Row order:
Muted cells indicate unavailable, not applicable, or not directly comparable specifications.
Spec Riva TNT2 GeForce 256
Overview
Product name NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 NVIDIA GeForce 256
Architecture NV5 / RIVA TNT2 fixed function 2D, video, and 3D accelerator Celsius / NV10 fixed-function DirectX 7 GPU with hardware transform and lighting
Generation / family RIVA TNT2 Series GeForce 256
GPU codename NV5 NV10
Launch date 1999-03-15 1999-10-11
Launch MSRP Board pricing varied by partner and variant About $249 to $299 for early 32 MB boards, depending on partner and memory type
Market segment Consumer desktop 2D/3D graphics accelerator High-end desktop gaming and enthusiast 3D graphics
Board type / entry type Reference GPU Reference GPU
GPU
Process node TSMC 250 nm class TSMC 220 nm
Die size About 90 mm2 About 139 mm2
Transistor count About 15 million About 17 million in GPU database sources; some launch-era coverage quoted nearly 23 million for the broader GeForce 256 chip description
GPU chip NV5 NV10
SM / multiprocessor count 0 0
CUDA Cores 0 0
ROPs 2 Unknown
TMUs 2 Unknown
Clocks
Base / Core clock 125 MHz on standard TNT2 class boards 120 MHz
Boost clock 125 MHz Not applicable
Memory clock 150 MHz class on standard TNT2 boards 166 MHz SDR on SDR boards; 150 MHz DDR clock, 300 MT/s effective, on DDR boards
Memory
Memory size 16 MB or 32 MB depending on board 32 MB typical; some later board-partner variants used 64 MB
Memory type SDRAM SDR SDRAM or SGRAM on early cards; DDR SDRAM or DDR SGRAM on later DDR cards
Memory bus width 128-bit on standard TNT2 128-bit
Memory bandwidth About 2.4 GB/s on standard TNT2 2.656 GB/s on SDR boards; 4.8 GB/s on DDR boards
Bus / Interface
Bus interface AGP 4x, AGP 2x, or PCI depending on board AGP 2x / AGP 4x depending on board and platform
AGP / PCI / PCIe distinction AGP Legacy graphics interface. AGP Legacy graphics interface.
Power
TDP / TBP / board power Not consistently specified in public board data About 12 to 13 W class, depending on SDR or DDR board design
Recommended PSU 200 W Unknown
Power connectors None None
Slot width Single slot Single slot
Cooling type Passive or small active cooling depending on partner and variant Small active fan cooler on many boards; some partner designs vary
Display / Media
Display outputs 15-pin VGA on typical boards.
Some partner boards included TV-out or VIVO. 		15-pin VGA on typical boards.
Some board-partner designs exposed or provisioned DVI, S-Video or TV-out.
Features
DirectX support Direct3D 6.0 class DirectX 7.0 with hardware transform and lighting
OpenGL support OpenGL 1.2 class OpenGL 1.2 class in period drivers
Vulkan support Not supported Not supported
CUDA support Not applicable Not applicable. This predates CUDA.

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