GeForce GTX 580 vs Radeon Sky 500

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 580

2010Core: 772 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon Sky 500

2013Core: 950 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 580 vs Radeon Sky 500 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 GTX 580 vs Radeon Sky 500 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 GTX 580 vs Radeon Sky 500: 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 GTX 580

2010

Why buy it

  • 10.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $1 less on MSRP ($499 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 2010 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 62.7% higher power demand at 244W vs 150W.

Radeon Sky 500

2013

Why buy it

  • Draws 150W instead of 244W, a 94W reduction.
  • More future proof: GCN 1.0 (2012−2020) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 580 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 580 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 10.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon Sky 500 instead at 4,723 vs 4,634, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 580 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 3 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon Sky 500 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1 more expensive on MSRP at $500 vs $499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1.7% (9.4 vs 9.3), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon Sky 500 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 580 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 580 vs Radeon Sky 500 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 580

The GeForce GTX 580 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 9 2010. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 772 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 244W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,634 points. Launch price was $499.

AMD

Radeon Sky 500

The Radeon Sky 500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 27 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 950 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,723 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 580 scores 4,634 and the Radeon Sky 500 reaches 4,723 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 580 is built on Fermi 2.0 while the Radeon Sky 500 uses GCN 1.0, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 512 (GeForce GTX 580) vs 1,280 (Radeon Sky 500). Raw compute: 1.581 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 580) vs 2.432 TFLOPS (Radeon Sky 500).

FeatureGeForce GTX 580Radeon Sky 500
G3D Mark Score
4,634
4,723+2%
Architecture
Fermi 2.0
GCN 1.0
Process Node
40 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
512
1280+150%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.581 TFLOPS
2.432 TFLOPS+54%
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
64
80+25%
L1 Cache
1 MB+223%
0.31 MB
L2 Cache
768 KB+50%
512 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 580 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon Sky 500 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 580Radeon Sky 500
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 GTX 580 has 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Sky 500 carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 580 gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 384-bit on the GeForce GTX 580 and 64-bit on the Radeon Sky 500. L2 Cache: 768 KB (GeForce GTX 580) vs 512 KB (Radeon Sky 500) — the GeForce GTX 580 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 580Radeon Sky 500
VRAM Capacity
3 GB+50%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
384-bit+500%
64-bit
L2 Cache
768 KB+50%
512 KB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 580 draws 244W versus the Radeon Sky 500's 150W — a 47.7% difference. The Radeon Sky 500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce GTX 580) vs 350W (Radeon Sky 500). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 580Radeon Sky 500
TDP
244W
150W-39%
Recommended PSU
550W
350W-36%
Power Connector
6-pin + 8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
267mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
85 C
Perf/Watt
19.0
31.5+66%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 580 came in at $499, while the Radeon Sky 500 launched at $500. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 580 was 0.2% cheaper ($1 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 9.3 (GeForce GTX 580) vs 9.4 (Radeon Sky 500) — the Radeon Sky 500 offers 1.1% better value. The newer card here is Radeon Sky 500 (2013 vs 2010).

FeatureGeForce GTX 580Radeon Sky 500
MSRP
$499
$500
Performance per Dollar
9.3
9.4+1%
Codename
GF110
Pitcairn
Release
November 9 2010
March 27 2013
Ranking
#458
#455

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