
RADEON 9800 vs GeForce FX 5950 Ultra

RADEON 9800
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GeForce FX 5950 Ultra
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The RADEON 9800 is positioned at rank #740 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar RADEON 9800
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The RADEON 9800 is significantly newer (2025 vs 2011). The RADEON 9800 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce FX 5950 Ultra lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce FX 5950 Ultra is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.7% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (256 MB vs 128 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the RADEON 9800.
| Insight | RADEON 9800 | GeForce FX 5950 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.7%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.7%) |
| Longevity | RDNA 3.5 (2024−2025) (4nm) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / Fermi 2.0 (2010−2014)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of RADEON 9800 and GeForce FX 5950 Ultra

RADEON 9800
The RADEON 9800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 6 2025. It features the RDNA 3.5 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1295 MHz to 2900 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 55W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 40 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 58 points.

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.
Graphics Performance
The RADEON 9800 scores 58 and the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra reaches 59 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The RADEON 9800 is built on RDNA 3.5 while the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra uses Rankine, both on 4 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (RADEON 9800) vs 192 (GeForce FX 5950 Ultra). Raw compute: 14.85 TFLOPS (RADEON 9800) vs 0.6912 TFLOPS (GeForce FX 5950 Ultra).
| Feature | RADEON 9800 | GeForce FX 5950 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 58 | 59+2% |
| Architecture | RDNA 3.5 | Rankine |
| Process Node | 4 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 2560+1233% | 192 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 14.85 TFLOPS+2048% | 0.6912 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 64+167% | 24 |
| TMUs | 160+400% | 32 |
| L2 Cache | 8 MB+2005% | 0.38 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | RADEON 9800 | GeForce FX 5950 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The RADEON 9800 comes with 128 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra has 256 MB. The GeForce FX 5950 Ultra offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 8 MB (RADEON 9800) vs 0.38 MB (GeForce FX 5950 Ultra) — the RADEON 9800 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | RADEON 9800 | GeForce FX 5950 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.125 GB | 0.25 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 128-bit+100% |
| L2 Cache | 8 MB+2005% | 0.38 MB |
Power & Dimensions
The RADEON 9800 draws 55W versus the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra's 116W — a 71.3% difference. The RADEON 9800 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (RADEON 9800) vs 350W (GeForce FX 5950 Ultra). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy.
| Feature | RADEON 9800 | GeForce FX 5950 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 55W-53% | 116W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | Legacy | Legacy |
| Length | — | 229mm |
| Slots | — | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 75°C |
| Perf/Watt | 1.1+120% | 0.5 |
Value Analysis
The RADEON 9800 launched at $399 MSRP and currently averages $399, while the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra launched at $0 and now averages $0. The GeForce FX 5950 Ultra costs 100+% less ($399 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 0.1 (RADEON 9800) vs Infinity (GeForce FX 5950 Ultra) — the GeForce FX 5950 Ultra offers Infinity% better value. The RADEON 9800 is the newer GPU (2025 vs 2011).
| Feature | RADEON 9800 | GeForce FX 5950 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $399 | $0-100% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $399 | $0-100% |
| Performance per Dollar | 0.1 | Infinity |
| Codename | Strix Halo | GF116 |
| Release | January 6 2025 | March 15 2011 |
| Ranking | #98 | #761 |
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