GeForce FX 5600 Ultra vs Quadro FX 500/FX 600

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 5600 Ultra vs Quadro FX 500/FX 600 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 5600 Ultra vs Quadro FX 500/FX 600: 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 5600 Ultra

2011

Why buy it

✅+112.5% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
✅Delivers 379.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.1 vs 0.0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
✅Draws 160W instead of 189W, a 29W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 128 MB vs 4 GB 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.

Quadro FX 500/FX 600

2008

Why buy it

✅3100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 128 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (8 vs 17).
❌2008 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
125.6% HIGHER MSRP
$449 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.0 vs 0.1 G3D/$ ($449 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌18.1% higher power demand at 189W vs 160W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce FX 5600 Ultra is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 112.5% in PassMark G3D (17 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 5600 Ultra is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 40nm process instead of 55nm and a newer 2011 generation instead of 2008. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce FX 5600 Ultra makes the most sense to buy today. It is $250 cheaper on MSRP at $199 vs $449, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 379.5% (0.1 vs 0.0), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce FX 5600 Ultra vs Quadro FX 500/FX 600 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce FX 5600 Ultra

The GeForce FX 5600 Ultra is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 25 2011. It features the Rankine architecture. The core clock speed is 823 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 17 points. Launch price was $249.

Quadro FX 500/FX 600

The Quadro FX 500/FX 600 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 11 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 610 MHz. It has 240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 189W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8 points. Launch price was $3,499.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce FX 5600 Ultra scores 17 versus the Quadro FX 500/FX 600's 8 — the GeForce FX 5600 Ultra leads by 112.5%. The GeForce FX 5600 Ultra is built on Rankine while the Quadro FX 500/FX 600 uses Tesla 2.0, both on 40 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce FX 5600 Ultra) vs 240 (Quadro FX 500/FX 600). Raw compute: 1.263 TFLOPS (GeForce FX 5600 Ultra) vs 0.6221 TFLOPS (Quadro FX 500/FX 600).

Feature	GeForce FX 5600 Ultra	Quadro FX 500/FX 600
G3D Mark Score	17+113%	8
Architecture	Rankine	Tesla 2.0
Process Node	40 nm	55 nm
Shading Units	384+60%	240
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.263 TFLOPS+103%	0.6221 TFLOPS
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	64	80+25%
L2 Cache	512 KB+100%	256 KB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce FX 5600 Ultra gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Quadro FX 500/FX 600 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce FX 5600 Ultra	Quadro FX 500/FX 600
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce FX 5600 Ultra has 128 MB of VRAM, while the Quadro FX 500/FX 600 carries 4 GB. Quadro FX 500/FX 600 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 5600 Ultra and 64-bit on the Quadro FX 500/FX 600. L2 Cache: 512 KB (GeForce FX 5600 Ultra) vs 256 KB (Quadro FX 500/FX 600) — the GeForce FX 5600 Ultra has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce FX 5600 Ultra	Quadro FX 500/FX 600
VRAM Capacity	0.125 GB	4 GB+3100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	512 KB+100%	256 KB

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce FX 5600 Ultra draws 160W versus the Quadro FX 500/FX 600's 189W — a 16.6% difference. The GeForce FX 5600 Ultra is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce FX 5600 Ultra) vs 350W (Quadro FX 500/FX 600). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce FX 5600 Ultra	Quadro FX 500/FX 600
TDP	160W-15%	189W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	190mm	—
Slots	1	—
Perf/Watt	0.1	0.0

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce FX 5600 Ultra came in at $199, while the Quadro FX 500/FX 600 launched at $449. On MSRP, GeForce FX 5600 Ultra was 55.7% cheaper ($250 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.1 (GeForce FX 5600 Ultra) vs 0.0 (Quadro FX 500/FX 600) — the GeForce FX 5600 Ultra offers 100+% better value. The newer card here is GeForce FX 5600 Ultra (2011 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce FX 5600 Ultra	Quadro FX 500/FX 600
MSRP	$199-56%	$449
Performance per Dollar	0.1	0.0
Codename	GF114	GT200B
Release	January 25 2011	November 11 2008
Ranking	#580	#815

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