GeForce FX 5950 Ultra vs GeForce RTX 4070

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 5950 Ultra vs GeForce RTX 4070 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 5950 Ultra vs GeForce RTX 4070: 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 5950 Ultra

2011

Why buy it

✅Draws 116W instead of 200W, a 84W reduction.
✅Measures 229mm instead of 304mm, a 75mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 256 MB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌2011 hardware with 256 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 44.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4070

2023

Why buy it

✅19124.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅4700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 256 MB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌72.4% higher power demand at 200W vs 116W.
❌32.8% longer card at 304mm vs 229mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 4070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 19124.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 45525.4% in PassMark G3D (26,919 vs 59), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 4070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 12 GB vs 256 MB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) and DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce FX 5950 Ultra is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 40nm, and 46 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 4070 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce FX 5950 Ultra vs GeForce RTX 4070 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce FX 5950 Ultra

The GeForce FX 5950 Ultra is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 15 2011. It features the Rankine architecture. The core clock speed is 900 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 116W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 59 points. Launch price was $149.

GeForce RTX 4070

The GeForce RTX 4070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1920 MHz to 2475 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,919 points. Launch price was $599.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra scores 59 versus the GeForce RTX 4070's 26,919 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 45525.4%. The GeForce FX 5950 Ultra is built on Rankine while the GeForce RTX 4070 uses Ada Lovelace, both on 40 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 192 (GeForce FX 5950 Ultra) vs 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070). Raw compute: 0.6912 TFLOPS (GeForce FX 5950 Ultra) vs 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070).

Feature	GeForce FX 5950 Ultra	GeForce RTX 4070
G3D Mark Score	59	26,919+45525%
Architecture	Rankine	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	40 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	192	5888+2967%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.6912 TFLOPS	29.15 TFLOPS+4117%
ROPs	24	64+167%
TMUs	32	184+475%
L1 Cache	0.25 MB	5.8 MB+2220%
L2 Cache	0.38 MB	36 MB+9374%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4070 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce FX 5950 Ultra does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 supports the newer DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution, whereas the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra is capped at Upscaling support.

Feature	GeForce FX 5950 Ultra	GeForce RTX 4070
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
Frame Generation	Not Supported	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	Yes (DLSS 3.5)
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce FX 5950 Ultra has 256 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4070 carries 12 GB. GeForce RTX 4070 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 5950 Ultra and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 4070. L2 Cache: 0.38 MB (GeForce FX 5950 Ultra) vs 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) — the GeForce RTX 4070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce FX 5950 Ultra	GeForce RTX 4070
VRAM Capacity	0.25 GB	12 GB+4700%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6X
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	504 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	0.38 MB	36 MB+9374%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9.0a (GeForce FX 5950 Ultra) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4070). OpenGL: 1.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce FX 5950 Ultra	GeForce RTX 4070
DirectX	9.0a	12.2+36%
OpenGL	1.5	4.6+207%
Max Displays	2	4+100%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce FX 5950 Ultra draws 116W versus the GeForce RTX 4070's 200W — a 53.2% difference. The GeForce FX 5950 Ultra is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce FX 5950 Ultra) vs 650W (GeForce RTX 4070). Power connectors: Legacy vs 8-pin. Card length: 229mm vs 304mm, occupying 2 vs 3 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce FX 5950 Ultra	GeForce RTX 4070
TDP	116W-42%	200W
Recommended PSU	350W-46%	650W
Power Connector	Legacy	8-pin
Length	229mm	304mm
Height	—	137mm
Slots	2-33%	3
Temp (Load)	75°C-6%	80°C
Perf/Watt	0.5	134.6+26820%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra came in at $0, while the GeForce RTX 4070 launched at $599. On MSRP, GeForce FX 5950 Ultra was 100+% cheaper ($599 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (GeForce FX 5950 Ultra) vs 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) — the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4070 (2023 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce FX 5950 Ultra	GeForce RTX 4070
MSRP	$0-100%	$599
Performance per Dollar	Infinity	44.9
Codename	GF116	AD104
Release	March 15 2011	April 12 2023
Ranking	#761	#32

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