GeForce FX 5600 Ultra vs RADEON 9800 SE

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 RADEON 9800 SE 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 RADEON 9800 SE: 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

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (17 vs 24).
❌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.
❌190.9% higher power demand at 160W vs 55W.

RADEON 9800 SE

2025

Why buy it

✅+41.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (256 MB vs 128 MB).
✅Better long-term bet: RDNA 3.5 (2024−2025) on 4nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅Draws 55W instead of 160W, a 105W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 0.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

RADEON 9800 SE is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 41.2% in PassMark G3D (24 vs 17), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

RADEON 9800 SE is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 256 MB vs 128 MB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 4nm process instead of 40nm, and 40 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 FX 5600 Ultra makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce FX 5600 Ultra is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, RADEON 9800 SE has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce FX 5600 Ultra vs RADEON 9800 SE 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.

RADEON 9800 SE

The RADEON 9800 SE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 6 2025. It features the RDNA 3.5 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1295 MHz to 2900 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 55W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 40 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 24 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce FX 5600 Ultra scores 17 versus the RADEON 9800 SE's 24 — the RADEON 9800 SE leads by 41.2%. The GeForce FX 5600 Ultra is built on Rankine while the RADEON 9800 SE uses RDNA 3.5, both on 40 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce FX 5600 Ultra) vs 2,560 (RADEON 9800 SE). Raw compute: 1.263 TFLOPS (GeForce FX 5600 Ultra) vs 14.85 TFLOPS (RADEON 9800 SE).

Feature	GeForce FX 5600 Ultra	RADEON 9800 SE
G3D Mark Score	17	24+41%
Architecture	Rankine	RDNA 3.5
Process Node	40 nm	4 nm
Shading Units	384	2560+567%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.263 TFLOPS	14.85 TFLOPS+1076%
ROPs	32	64+100%
TMUs	64	160+150%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	8 MB+1500%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce FX 5600 Ultra gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The RADEON 9800 SE leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce FX 5600 Ultra	RADEON 9800 SE
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 FX 5600 Ultra has 128 MB of VRAM, while the RADEON 9800 SE carries 256 MB. RADEON 9800 SE 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 FX 5600 Ultra and 64-bit on the RADEON 9800 SE. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce FX 5600 Ultra) vs 8 MB (RADEON 9800 SE) — the RADEON 9800 SE has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce FX 5600 Ultra	RADEON 9800 SE
VRAM Capacity	0.125 GB	0.25 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	8 MB+1500%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce FX 5600 Ultra draws 160W versus the RADEON 9800 SE's 55W — a 97.7% difference. The RADEON 9800 SE is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce FX 5600 Ultra) vs 350W (RADEON 9800 SE). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy.

Feature	GeForce FX 5600 Ultra	RADEON 9800 SE
TDP	160W	55W-66%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	Legacy
Length	190mm	—
Slots	1	—
Perf/Watt	0.1	0.4+300%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce FX 5600 Ultra came in at $199, while the RADEON 9800 SE launched at $0. On MSRP, RADEON 9800 SE was 100+% cheaper ($199 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.1 (GeForce FX 5600 Ultra) vs Infinity (RADEON 9800 SE) — the RADEON 9800 SE offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is RADEON 9800 SE (2025 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce FX 5600 Ultra	RADEON 9800 SE
MSRP	$199	$0-100%
Performance per Dollar	0.1	Infinity
Codename	GF114	Strix Halo
Release	January 25 2011	January 6 2025
Ranking	#580	#98

Search GeForce FX 5600 Ultra on Amazon

Search RADEON 9800 SE on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.