GeForce FX 5500 vs GeForce FX 5600

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 FX 5500 vs GeForce FX 5600 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 FX 5500 vs GeForce FX 5600: 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 FX 5500

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $163 less on MSRP ($37 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
✅Delivers 232.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.2 vs 0.1 G3D/$ ($37 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
✅GeForce FX 5600 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce FX 5500 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 25W instead of 150W, a 125W reduction.
✅Measures 171mm instead of 180mm, a 9mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (8 vs 13).
❌Older hardware, 256 MB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.

GeForce FX 5600

2011

Why buy it

✅+62.5% higher PassMark G3D performance.

Trade-offs

❌2011 hardware with 256 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
440.5% HIGHER MSRP
$200 MSRPvs$37 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.1 vs 0.2 G3D/$ ($200 MSRP vs $37 MSRP).
❌500% higher power demand at 150W vs 25W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce FX 5600 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 62.5% in PassMark G3D (13 vs 8), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

GeForce FX 5500 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 12nm process instead of 40nm and a newer 2021 generation instead of 2011. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce FX 5500 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $163 cheaper on MSRP at $37 vs $200, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 232.6% (0.2 vs 0.1), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. GeForce FX 5600 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce FX 5500 vs GeForce FX 5600 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce FX 5500

The GeForce FX 5500 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 17 2021. It features the Rankine architecture. The core clock ranges from 1065 MHz to 1320 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8 points.

GeForce FX 5600

The GeForce FX 5600 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 17 2011. It features the Rankine architecture. The core clock speed is 810 MHz. It has 336 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13 points. Launch price was $199.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce FX 5500 scores 8 versus the GeForce FX 5600's 13 — the GeForce FX 5600 leads by 62.5%. The GeForce FX 5500 is built on Rankine while the GeForce FX 5600 uses Rankine, both on 12 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce FX 5500) vs 336 (GeForce FX 5600). Raw compute: 2.703 TFLOPS (GeForce FX 5500) vs 1.089 TFLOPS (GeForce FX 5600).

Feature	GeForce FX 5500	GeForce FX 5600
G3D Mark Score	8	13+63%
Architecture	Rankine	Rankine
Process Node	12 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	1024+205%	336
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.703 TFLOPS+148%	1.089 TFLOPS
ROPs	16	32+100%
TMUs	32	56+75%
L1 Cache	2 MB+355%	0.44 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce FX 5500	GeForce FX 5600
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards ship with 256 MB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce FX 5500 and 128-bit on the GeForce FX 5600. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce FX 5500) vs 0.5 MB (GeForce FX 5600) — the GeForce FX 5500 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce FX 5500	GeForce FX 5600
VRAM Capacity	0.25 GB	0.25 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9.0a (GeForce FX 5500) vs 9.0a (GeForce FX 5600). Vulkan: None vs None. OpenGL: 1.5 vs 1.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce FX 5500	GeForce FX 5600
DirectX	9.0a	9.0a
Vulkan	None	None
OpenGL	1.5	1.5
Max Displays	2	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce FX 5500) vs No (GeForce FX 5600). Decoder: No vs No.

Feature	GeForce FX 5500	GeForce FX 5600
Encoder	No	No
Decoder	No	No
Codecs		MPEG-2

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce FX 5500 draws 25W versus the GeForce FX 5600's 150W — a 142.9% difference. The GeForce FX 5500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce FX 5500) vs 350W (GeForce FX 5600). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy. Card length: 171mm vs 180mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce FX 5500	GeForce FX 5600
TDP	25W-83%	150W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	Legacy
Length	171mm	180mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	1	1
Temp (Load)	70°C	70°C
Perf/Watt	0.3+200%	0.1

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce FX 5500 came in at $37, while the GeForce FX 5600 launched at $200. On MSRP, GeForce FX 5500 was 81.5% cheaper ($163 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.2 (GeForce FX 5500) vs 0.1 (GeForce FX 5600) — the GeForce FX 5500 offers 100% better value. The newer card here is GeForce FX 5500 (2021 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce FX 5500	GeForce FX 5600
MSRP	$37-82%	$200
Performance per Dollar	0.2+100%	0.1
Codename	TU117S	GF114
Release	December 17 2021	May 17 2011
Ranking	#468	#605

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