GeForce 6500 vs GeForce FX 5900XT

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce 6500 vs GeForce FX 5900XT FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce 6500 vs GeForce FX 5900XT: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce 6500

2012

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($100 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (256 MB vs 128 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 365W, a 300W reduction.
✅Measures 168mm instead of 218mm, a 50mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌2012 hardware with 256 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce FX 5900XT

2011

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 128 MB vs 256 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2011 hardware with 128 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 0.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌461.5% higher power demand at 365W vs 65W.
❌29.8% longer card at 218mm vs 168mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce FX 5900XT is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 5.3% in PassMark G3D (40 vs 38), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce 6500 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 256 MB vs 128 MB of VRAM, a 28nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2012 generation instead of 2011. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce 6500 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. GeForce FX 5900XT still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce 6500 vs GeForce FX 5900XT Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce 6500

The GeForce 6500 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 6 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 1058 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 65W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 38 points. Launch price was $109.

GeForce FX 5900XT

The GeForce FX 5900XT is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 24 2011. It features the Rankine architecture. The core clock speed is 607 MHz. It has 1024 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 365W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 40 points. Launch price was $699.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce 6500 scores 38 versus the GeForce FX 5900XT's 40 — the GeForce FX 5900XT leads by 5.3%. The GeForce 6500 is built on Kepler while the GeForce FX 5900XT uses Rankine, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 6500) vs 1,024 (GeForce FX 5900XT). Raw compute: 0.8125 TFLOPS (GeForce 6500) vs 1.244 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce FX 5900XT).

Feature	GeForce 6500	GeForce FX 5900XT
G3D Mark Score	38	40+5%
Architecture	Kepler	Rankine
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	384	1024 ×2+167%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.8125 TFLOPS	1.244 TFLOPS ×2+53%
ROPs	16	48 ×2+200%
TMUs	32	64 ×2+100%
L1 Cache	0.03 MB	1 MB+3233%
L2 Cache	256 KB	768 KB+200%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 6500	GeForce FX 5900XT
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 6500 has 256 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce FX 5900XT carries 128 MB. GeForce 6500 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce 6500 and 128-bit on the GeForce FX 5900XT. L2 Cache: 256 KB (GeForce 6500) vs 768 KB (GeForce FX 5900XT) — the GeForce FX 5900XT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce 6500	GeForce FX 5900XT
VRAM Capacity	0.25 GB+100%	0.125 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	256 KB	768 KB+200%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9.0c (GeForce 6500) vs 9.0a (GeForce FX 5900XT). OpenGL: 2.1 vs 1.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 1.

Feature	GeForce 6500	GeForce FX 5900XT
DirectX	9.0c	9.0a
OpenGL	2.1+40%	1.5
Max Displays	2+100%	1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 6500 draws 65W versus the GeForce FX 5900XT's 365W — a 139.5% difference. The GeForce 6500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 6500) vs 350W (GeForce FX 5900XT). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy. Card length: 168mm vs 218mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots.

Feature	GeForce 6500	GeForce FX 5900XT
TDP	65W-82%	365W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	Legacy
Length	168mm	218mm
Height	100mm	—
Slots	1	1
Temp (Load)	65°C	—
Perf/Watt	0.6+500%	0.1

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 6500 came in at $100, while the GeForce FX 5900XT launched at $0. On MSRP, GeForce FX 5900XT was 100+% cheaper ($100 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.4 (GeForce 6500) vs Infinity (GeForce FX 5900XT) — the GeForce FX 5900XT offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is GeForce 6500 (2012 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce 6500	GeForce FX 5900XT
MSRP	$100	$0-100%
Performance per Dollar	0.4	Infinity
Codename	GK107	GF110
Release	September 6 2012	March 24 2011
Ranking	#719	#555

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