GeForce FX 5700 Ultra vs GeForce FX 5900ZT

NVIDIA

GeForce FX 5700 Ultra

2022Core: 832 MHzBoost: 1155 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce FX 5900ZT

2011Core: 607 MHz

GeForce FX 5700 Ultra vs GeForce FX 5900ZT 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 5700 Ultra vs GeForce FX 5900ZT 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 5700 Ultra vs GeForce FX 5900ZT: 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 5700 Ultra

2022

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (256 MB vs 128 MB).
  • GeForce FX 5900ZT is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce FX 5700 Ultra is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 25W instead of 365W, a 340W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Older hardware, 256 MB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.

GeForce FX 5900ZT

2011

Why buy it

  • Measures 218mm instead of 229mm, a 11mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • 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.
  • 1360% higher power demand at 365W vs 25W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce FX 5700 Ultra is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 3% in PassMark G3D (34 vs 33), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce FX 5700 Ultra is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 256 MB vs 128 MB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 40nm, 16 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2022 generation instead of 2011. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce FX 5700 Ultra makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce FX 5700 Ultra vs GeForce FX 5900ZT Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce FX 5700 Ultra

The GeForce FX 5700 Ultra is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in Maio 2022. It features the Rankine architecture. The core clock ranges from 832 MHz to 1155 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 34 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce FX 5900ZT

The GeForce FX 5900ZT is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 24 2011. It features the Rankine architecture. The core clock speed is 607 MHz. It has 1024 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 365W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 33 points. Launch price was $699.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce FX 5700 Ultra scores 34 and the GeForce FX 5900ZT reaches 33 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce FX 5700 Ultra is built on Rankine while the GeForce FX 5900ZT uses Rankine, both on 8 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (GeForce FX 5700 Ultra) vs 1,024 (GeForce FX 5900ZT). Raw compute: 4.731 TFLOPS (GeForce FX 5700 Ultra) vs 1.244 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce FX 5900ZT).

FeatureGeForce FX 5700 UltraGeForce FX 5900ZT
G3D Mark Score
34+3%
33
Architecture
Rankine
Rankine
Process Node
8 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
2048+100%
1024 ×2
Compute (TFLOPS)
4.731 TFLOPS+280%
1.244 TFLOPS ×2
ROPs
40
48 ×2+20%
TMUs
64
64 ×2
L1 Cache
2 MB+100%
1 MB
L2 Cache
2 MB+167%
0.75 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce FX 5700 UltraGeForce FX 5900ZT
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)

The GeForce FX 5700 Ultra has 256 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce FX 5900ZT carries 128 MB. GeForce FX 5700 Ultra 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 5700 Ultra and 128-bit on the GeForce FX 5900ZT. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce FX 5700 Ultra) vs 0.75 MB (GeForce FX 5900ZT) — the GeForce FX 5700 Ultra has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce FX 5700 UltraGeForce FX 5900ZT
VRAM Capacity
0.25 GB+100%
0.125 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
128-bit
128-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+167%
0.75 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9.0a (GeForce FX 5700 Ultra) vs 9.0a (GeForce FX 5900ZT). OpenGL: 2.1 vs 2.1. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce FX 5700 UltraGeForce FX 5900ZT
DirectX
9.0a
9.0a
OpenGL
2.1
2.1
Max Displays
2
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: Integrated Decoder ONLY (GeForce FX 5700 Ultra) vs None (GeForce FX 5900ZT). Decoder: Integrated MPEG-2 Decoder vs None. Supported codecs: MPEG-2 (GeForce FX 5700 Ultra) vs MPEG-2 (GeForce FX 5900ZT).

FeatureGeForce FX 5700 UltraGeForce FX 5900ZT
Encoder
Integrated Decoder ONLY
None
Decoder
Integrated MPEG-2 Decoder
None
Codecs
MPEG-2
MPEG-2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce FX 5700 Ultra draws 25W versus the GeForce FX 5900ZT's 365W — a 174.4% difference. The GeForce FX 5700 Ultra is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce FX 5700 Ultra) vs 350W (GeForce FX 5900ZT). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy. Card length: 229mm vs 218mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 70.

FeatureGeForce FX 5700 UltraGeForce FX 5900ZT
TDP
25W-93%
365W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
Legacy
Length
229mm
218mm
Height
111mm
111mm
Slots
1
1
Temp (Load)
75°C
70-7%
Perf/Watt
1.4+1300%
0.1
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce FX 5700 Ultra came in at $0, while the GeForce FX 5900ZT launched at $0. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (GeForce FX 5700 Ultra) vs Infinity (GeForce FX 5900ZT) — the GeForce FX 5900ZT offers NaN% better value. The newer card here is GeForce FX 5700 Ultra (2022 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce FX 5700 UltraGeForce FX 5900ZT
MSRP
$0
$0
Performance per Dollar
Infinity
Infinity
Codename
GA107
GF110
Release
Maio 2022
March 24 2011
Ranking
#387
#555

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.