GeForce FX 5900ZT vs Radeon X1270

NVIDIA

GeForce FX 5900ZT

2011Core: 607 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon X1270

2019Core: 730 MHzBoost: 1024 MHz
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GeForce FX 5900ZT vs Radeon X1270 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 5900ZT vs Radeon X1270 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 5900ZT vs Radeon X1270: 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 5900ZT

2011

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 128 MB vs 512 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.
  • 630% higher power demand at 365W vs 50W.

Radeon X1270

2019

Why buy it

  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (512 MB vs 128 MB).
  • GeForce FX 5900ZT is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon X1270 is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 50W instead of 365W, a 315W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 2019 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce FX 5900ZT is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 6.5% in PassMark G3D (33 vs 31), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon X1270 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 512 MB vs 128 MB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 28nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2019 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 5900ZT 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 5900ZT is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon X1270 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce FX 5900ZT vs Radeon X1270 Technical Specifications

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

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.

AMD

Radeon X1270

The Radeon X1270 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 13 2019. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 730 MHz to 1024 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 31 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce FX 5900ZT scores 33 versus the Radeon X1270's 31 — the GeForce FX 5900ZT leads by 6.5%. The GeForce FX 5900ZT is built on Rankine while the Radeon X1270 uses GCN 3.0, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce FX 5900ZT) vs 384 (Radeon X1270). Raw compute: 1.244 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce FX 5900ZT) vs 0.7864 TFLOPS (Radeon X1270).

FeatureGeForce FX 5900ZTRadeon X1270
G3D Mark Score
33+6%
31
Architecture
Rankine
GCN 3.0
Process Node
40 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
1024 ×2+167%
384
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.244 TFLOPS ×2+58%
0.7864 TFLOPS
ROPs
48 ×2+500%
8
TMUs
64 ×2+167%
24
L1 Cache
1 MB+1011%
0.09 MB
L2 Cache
768 KB+500%
128 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce FX 5900ZT gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon X1270 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce FX 5900ZTRadeon X1270
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 5900ZT has 128 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon X1270 carries 512 MB. Radeon X1270 gives you 300% 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 5900ZT and 64-bit on the Radeon X1270. L2 Cache: 768 KB (GeForce FX 5900ZT) vs 128 KB (Radeon X1270) — the GeForce FX 5900ZT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce FX 5900ZTRadeon X1270
VRAM Capacity
0.125 GB
0.5 GB+300%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
768 KB+500%
128 KB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9.0a (GeForce FX 5900ZT) vs 9_0b (Radeon X1270). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce FX 5900ZTRadeon X1270
DirectX
9.0a
9_0b
Max Displays
2
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce FX 5900ZT) vs Avivo (Radeon X1270). Decoder: None vs Avivo.

FeatureGeForce FX 5900ZTRadeon X1270
Encoder
None
Avivo
Decoder
None
Avivo
Codecs
MPEG-2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce FX 5900ZT draws 365W versus the Radeon X1270's 50W — a 151.8% difference. The Radeon X1270 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce FX 5900ZT) vs 350W (Radeon X1270). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 218mm vs 0mm, occupying 1 vs 0 slots.

FeatureGeForce FX 5900ZTRadeon X1270
TDP
365W
50W-86%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
PCIe-powered
Length
218mm
0mm
Height
111mm
Slots
1
0-100%
Temp (Load)
70
Perf/Watt
0.1
0.6+500%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce FX 5900ZT came in at $0, while the Radeon X1270 launched at $0. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (GeForce FX 5900ZT) vs Infinity (Radeon X1270) — the Radeon X1270 offers NaN% better value. The newer card here is Radeon X1270 (2019 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce FX 5900ZTRadeon X1270
MSRP
$0
$0
Performance per Dollar
Infinity
Infinity
Codename
GF110
Polaris 24
Release
March 24 2011
May 13 2019
Ranking
#555
#898

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