GeForce FX 5500 vs GeForce RTX 4060

NVIDIA

GeForce FX 5500

2021Core: 1065 MHzBoost: 1320 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060

2023Core: 1830 MHzBoost: 2460 MHz

GeForce FX 5500 vs GeForce RTX 4060 Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

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 RTX 4060 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 RTX 4060: 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 $262 less on MSRP ($37 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
  • Draws 25W instead of 115W, a 90W reduction.
  • Measures 171mm instead of 240mm, a 69mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 256 MB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • Older hardware, 256 MB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.2 vs 65.4 G3D/$ ($37 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Why buy it

  • 14784.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 30137.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 0.2 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $37 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 3100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 256 MB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 360% higher power demand at 115W vs 25W.
  • 40.4% longer card at 240mm vs 171mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 4060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 14784.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 244250% in PassMark G3D (19,548 vs 8), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 256 MB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce FX 5500 is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 12nm, and 24 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 4060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $262 more expensive on MSRP at $299 vs $37, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 30137.3% (65.4 vs 0.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce FX 5500 vs GeForce RTX 4060 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060

The GeForce RTX 4060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1830 MHz to 2460 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 24 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,548 points. Launch price was $299.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce FX 5500 scores 8 versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 19,548 — the GeForce RTX 4060 leads by 244250%. The GeForce FX 5500 is built on Rankine while the GeForce RTX 4060 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 12 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce FX 5500) vs 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060). Raw compute: 2.703 TFLOPS (GeForce FX 5500) vs 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060). Boost clocks: 1320 MHz vs 2460 MHz.

FeatureGeForce FX 5500GeForce RTX 4060
G3D Mark Score
8
19,548+244250%
Architecture
Rankine
Ada Lovelace
Process Node
12 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
1024
3072+200%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.703 TFLOPS
15.11 TFLOPS+459%
Boost Clock
1320 MHz
2460 MHz+86%
ROPs
16
48+200%
TMUs
32
96+200%
L1 Cache
2 MB
3 MB+50%
L2 Cache
2 MB
24 MB+1100%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4060 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce FX 5500 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce FX 5500 is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce FX 5500GeForce RTX 4060
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce FX 5500 has 256 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 4060 gives you 3100% 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 FX 5500 and 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 4060. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce FX 5500) vs 24 MB (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce FX 5500GeForce RTX 4060
VRAM Capacity
0.25 GB
8 GB+3100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
272 GB/s
Bus Width
128-bit
128-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB
24 MB+1100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9.0a (GeForce FX 5500) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060). Vulkan: None vs 1.3. OpenGL: 1.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce FX 5500GeForce RTX 4060
DirectX
9.0a
12 Ultimate+33%
Vulkan
None
1.3
OpenGL
1.5
4.6+207%
Max Displays
2
4+100%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce FX 5500) vs NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4060). Decoder: No vs NVDEC 5th gen.

FeatureGeForce FX 5500GeForce RTX 4060
Encoder
No
NVENC 8th gen
Decoder
No
NVDEC 5th gen
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce FX 5500 draws 25W versus the GeForce RTX 4060's 115W — a 128.6% difference. The GeForce FX 5500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce FX 5500) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 4060). Power connectors: Legacy vs 8-pin. Card length: 171mm vs 240mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 73°C.

FeatureGeForce FX 5500GeForce RTX 4060
TDP
25W-78%
115W
Recommended PSU
350W-36%
550W
Power Connector
Legacy
8-pin
Length
171mm
240mm
Height
111mm
111mm
Slots
1-50%
2
Temp (Load)
70°C-4%
73°C
Perf/Watt
0.3
170.0+56567%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce FX 5500 came in at $37, while the GeForce RTX 4060 launched at $299. On MSRP, GeForce FX 5500 was 87.6% cheaper ($262 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.2 (GeForce FX 5500) vs 65.4 (GeForce RTX 4060) — the GeForce RTX 4060 offers 32600% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4060 (2023 vs 2021).

FeatureGeForce FX 5500GeForce RTX 4060
MSRP
$37-88%
$299
Performance per Dollar
0.2
65.4+32600%
Codename
TU117S
AD107
Release
December 17 2021
May 18 2023
Ranking
#468
#84

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