GeForce 6500 vs RADEON 9500

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 RADEON 9500 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 RADEON 9500: 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

✅Costs $79 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).
✅Delivers 88.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.4 vs 0.2 G3D/$ ($100 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (256 MB vs 128 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

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.

RADEON 9500

2015

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.
❌2015 hardware with 128 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
79% HIGHER MSRP
$179 MSRPvs$100 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.2 vs 0.4 G3D/$ ($179 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce 6500 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 5.6% in PassMark G3D (38 vs 36), 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. 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 to buy today. It is $79 cheaper on MSRP at $100 vs $179, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 88.9% (0.4 vs 0.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce 6500 vs RADEON 9500 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.

RADEON 9500

The RADEON 9500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 29 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 735 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 95W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 36 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce 6500 scores 38 versus the RADEON 9500's 36 — the GeForce 6500 leads by 5.6%. The GeForce 6500 is built on Kepler while the RADEON 9500 uses GCN 3.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 6500) vs 2,048 (RADEON 9500). Raw compute: 0.8125 TFLOPS (GeForce 6500) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (RADEON 9500).

Feature	GeForce 6500	RADEON 9500
G3D Mark Score	38+6%	36
Architecture	Kepler	GCN 3.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	384	2048+433%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.8125 TFLOPS	4.096 TFLOPS+404%
ROPs	16	32+100%
TMUs	32	128+300%
L1 Cache	32 KB	512 KB+1500%
L2 Cache	256 KB	512 KB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce 6500 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The RADEON 9500 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce 6500	RADEON 9500
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 6500 has 256 MB of VRAM, while the RADEON 9500 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 64-bit on the RADEON 9500. L2 Cache: 256 KB (GeForce 6500) vs 512 KB (RADEON 9500) — the RADEON 9500 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce 6500	RADEON 9500
VRAM Capacity	0.25 GB+100%	0.125 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	256 KB	512 KB+100%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 6500 draws 65W versus the RADEON 9500's 95W — a 37.5% difference. The GeForce 6500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 6500) vs 350W (RADEON 9500). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy.

Feature	GeForce 6500	RADEON 9500
TDP	65W-32%	95W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	Legacy
Length	168mm	—
Height	100mm	—
Slots	1	—
Temp (Load)	65°C	—
Perf/Watt	0.6+50%	0.4

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 6500 came in at $100, while the RADEON 9500 launched at $179. On MSRP, GeForce 6500 was 44.1% cheaper ($79 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.4 (GeForce 6500) vs 0.2 (RADEON 9500) — the GeForce 6500 offers 100% better value. The newer card here is RADEON 9500 (2015 vs 2012).

Feature	GeForce 6500	RADEON 9500
MSRP	$100-44%	$179
Performance per Dollar	0.4+100%	0.2
Codename	GK107	Amethyst
Release	September 6 2012	September 29 2015
Ranking	#719	#420

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