GeForce FX 5900 vs GeForce FX 5900XT

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 5900 vs GeForce FX 5900XT 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 5900 vs GeForce FX 5900XT: 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 5900

2011

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (35 vs 40).
❌2011 hardware with 128 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce FX 5900XT

2011

Why buy it

✅+14.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.

Trade-offs

❌2011 hardware with 128 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 0.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce FX 5900XT is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 14.3% in PassMark G3D (40 vs 35), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

GeForce FX 5900 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce FX 5900 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. GeForce FX 5900XT still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce FX 5900 vs GeForce FX 5900XT Technical Specifications

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

GeForce FX 5900

The GeForce FX 5900 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: 35 points. Launch price was $699.

GeForce FX 5900XT

The GeForce FX 5900XT 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: 40 points. Launch price was $699.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce FX 5900 scores 35 versus the GeForce FX 5900XT's 40 — the GeForce FX 5900XT leads by 14.3%. The GeForce FX 5900 is built on Rankine while the GeForce FX 5900XT uses Rankine, both on a 40 nm process. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce FX 5900) vs 1,024 (GeForce FX 5900XT). Raw compute: 1.244 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce FX 5900) vs 1.244 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce FX 5900XT).

Feature	GeForce FX 5900	GeForce FX 5900XT
G3D Mark Score	35	40+14%
Architecture	Rankine	Rankine
Process Node	40 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	1024 ×2	1024 ×2
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.244 TFLOPS ×2	1.244 TFLOPS ×2
ROPs	48 ×2	48 ×2
TMUs	64 ×2	64 ×2
L1 Cache	1 MB	1 MB
L2 Cache	768 KB	768 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce FX 5900	GeForce FX 5900XT
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 128 MB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce FX 5900 and 128-bit on the GeForce FX 5900XT.

Feature	GeForce FX 5900	GeForce FX 5900XT
VRAM Capacity	0.125 GB	0.125 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	768 KB	768 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9.0a (GeForce FX 5900) vs 9.0a (GeForce FX 5900XT). OpenGL: 1.5 vs 1.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 1.

Feature	GeForce FX 5900	GeForce FX 5900XT
DirectX	9.0a	9.0a
OpenGL	1.5	1.5
Max Displays	2+100%	1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce FX 5900 draws 365W versus the GeForce FX 5900XT's 365W — a 0% difference. The GeForce FX 5900XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce FX 5900) vs 350W (GeForce FX 5900XT). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy. Card length: 218mm vs 218mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots.

Feature	GeForce FX 5900	GeForce FX 5900XT
TDP	365W	365W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	Legacy
Length	218mm	218mm
Slots	1	1
Perf/Watt	0.1	0.1

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce FX 5900 came in at $399, while the GeForce FX 5900XT launched at $0. On MSRP, GeForce FX 5900XT was 100+% cheaper ($399 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.1 (GeForce FX 5900) vs Infinity (GeForce FX 5900XT) — the GeForce FX 5900XT offers Infinity% better value.

Feature	GeForce FX 5900	GeForce FX 5900XT
MSRP	$399	$0-100%
Performance per Dollar	0.1	Infinity
Codename	GF110	GF110
Release	March 24 2011	March 24 2011
Ranking	#555	#555

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