GeForce FX 5900XT vs RADEON 9600 XT

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 RADEON 9600 XT 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 RADEON 9600 XT: 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

✅+14.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.

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.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 0.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
❌21.7% higher power demand at 365W vs 300W.

RADEON 9600 XT

2022

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (256 MB vs 128 MB).
✅Better long-term bet: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅Draws 300W instead of 365W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (35 vs 40).

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?

RADEON 9600 XT 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 5nm process instead of 40nm, and 84 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?

RADEON 9600 XT 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 5900XT vs RADEON 9600 XT Technical Specifications

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

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.

RADEON 9600 XT

The RADEON 9600 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 3 2022. It features the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1387 MHz to 2394 MHz. It has 5376 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 84 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 35 points. Launch price was $899.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce FX 5900XT scores 40 versus the RADEON 9600 XT's 35 — the GeForce FX 5900XT leads by 14.3%. The GeForce FX 5900XT is built on Rankine while the RADEON 9600 XT uses RDNA 3.0, both on 40 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce FX 5900XT) vs 5,376 (RADEON 9600 XT). Raw compute: 1.244 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce FX 5900XT) vs 51.48 TFLOPS (RADEON 9600 XT).

Feature	GeForce FX 5900XT	RADEON 9600 XT
G3D Mark Score	40+14%	35
Architecture	Rankine	RDNA 3.0
Process Node	40 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	1024 ×2	5376+425%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.244 TFLOPS ×2	51.48 TFLOPS+4038%
ROPs	48 ×2	192+300%
TMUs	64 ×2	336+425%
L1 Cache	1 MB	3 MB+200%
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	6 MB+700%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce FX 5900XT gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The RADEON 9600 XT leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce FX 5900XT	RADEON 9600 XT
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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce FX 5900XT has 128 MB of VRAM, while the RADEON 9600 XT carries 256 MB. RADEON 9600 XT 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 5900XT and 64-bit on the RADEON 9600 XT. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (GeForce FX 5900XT) vs 6 MB (RADEON 9600 XT) — the RADEON 9600 XT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce FX 5900XT	RADEON 9600 XT
VRAM Capacity	0.125 GB	0.25 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	6 MB+700%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce FX 5900XT draws 365W versus the RADEON 9600 XT's 300W — a 19.5% difference. The RADEON 9600 XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce FX 5900XT) vs 350W (RADEON 9600 XT). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy.

Feature	GeForce FX 5900XT	RADEON 9600 XT
TDP	365W	300W-18%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	Legacy
Length	218mm	—
Slots	1	—
Perf/Watt	0.1	0.1

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce FX 5900XT came in at $0, while the RADEON 9600 XT launched at $199. On MSRP, GeForce FX 5900XT was 100+% cheaper ($199 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (GeForce FX 5900XT) vs 0.2 (RADEON 9600 XT) — the GeForce FX 5900XT offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is RADEON 9600 XT (2022 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce FX 5900XT	RADEON 9600 XT
MSRP	$0-100%	$199
Performance per Dollar	Infinity	0.2
Codename	GF110	Navi 31
Release	March 24 2011	November 3 2022
Ranking	#555	#21

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