GeForce FX 5900XT vs GeForce RTX 2060

NVIDIA

GeForce FX 5900XT

2011Core: 607 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 2060

2019Core: 1365 MHzBoost: 1680 MHz
RTX family
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GeForce FX 5900XT vs GeForce RTX 2060 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 5900XT vs GeForce RTX 2060 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 5900XT vs GeForce RTX 2060: 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 5900XT

2011

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 128 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 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 40.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $349 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 2060

2019

Why buy it

  • 11874.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 4700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 128 MB).
  • Better long-term bet: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 2060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 11874.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 35185% in PassMark G3D (14,114 vs 40), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 2060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 128 MB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 12nm process instead of 40nm, and 30 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 2060 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce FX 5900XT vs GeForce RTX 2060 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 2060

The GeForce RTX 2060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 7 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1365 MHz to 1680 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 30 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 14,114 points. Launch price was $349.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce FX 5900XT scores 40 versus the GeForce RTX 2060's 14,114 — the GeForce RTX 2060 leads by 35185%. The GeForce FX 5900XT is built on Rankine while the GeForce RTX 2060 uses Turing, both on 40 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce FX 5900XT) vs 1,920 (GeForce RTX 2060). Raw compute: 1.244 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce FX 5900XT) vs 6.451 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2060).

FeatureGeForce FX 5900XTGeForce RTX 2060
G3D Mark Score
40
14,114+35185%
Architecture
Rankine
Turing
Process Node
40 nm
12 nm
Shading Units
1024 ×2
1920+88%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.244 TFLOPS ×2
6.451 TFLOPS+419%
ROPs
48 ×2
48
TMUs
64 ×2
120+88%
L1 Cache
1 MB
1.9 MB+90%
L2 Cache
0.75 MB
3 MB+300%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 2060 supports the newer DLSS 2 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce FX 5900XT is capped at Upscaling support.

FeatureGeForce FX 5900XTGeForce RTX 2060
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce FX 5900XT has 128 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 2060 carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 2060 gives you 4700% 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 5900XT and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 2060. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (GeForce FX 5900XT) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 2060) — the GeForce RTX 2060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce FX 5900XTGeForce RTX 2060
VRAM Capacity
0.125 GB
6 GB+4700%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
336 GB/s
Bus Width
128-bit
192-bit+50%
L2 Cache
0.75 MB
3 MB+300%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9.0a (GeForce FX 5900XT) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 2060). OpenGL: 1.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce FX 5900XTGeForce RTX 2060
DirectX
9.0a
12 Ultimate (12_2)+33%
OpenGL
1.5
4.6+207%
Max Displays
1
4+300%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce FX 5900XT draws 365W versus the GeForce RTX 2060's 160W — a 78.1% difference. The GeForce RTX 2060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce FX 5900XT) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 2060). Power connectors: Legacy vs 8-pin. Card length: 218mm vs 229mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots.

FeatureGeForce FX 5900XTGeForce RTX 2060
TDP
365W
160W-56%
Recommended PSU
350W-30%
500W
Power Connector
Legacy
8-pin
Length
218mm
229mm
Height
113mm
Slots
1-50%
2
Temp (Load)
72
Perf/Watt
0.1
88.2+88100%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce FX 5900XT came in at $0, while the GeForce RTX 2060 launched at $349. On MSRP, GeForce FX 5900XT was 100+% cheaper ($349 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (GeForce FX 5900XT) vs 40.4 (GeForce RTX 2060) — the GeForce FX 5900XT offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 2060 (2019 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce FX 5900XTGeForce RTX 2060
MSRP
$0-100%
$349
Performance per Dollar
Infinity
40.4
Codename
GF110
TU106
Release
March 24 2011
January 7 2019
Ranking
#555
#168

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