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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 780 Ti

2013

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
251.3% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 13.5 vs 48.3 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Radeon RX 6500 XT

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $500 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 256.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 48.3 vs 13.5 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).
✅More future proof: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 6nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

GeForce GTX 780 Ti

2013

Radeon RX 6500 XT

2022

Why buy it

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

Why buy it

✅Costs $500 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 256.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 48.3 vs 13.5 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).
✅More future proof: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 6nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
251.3% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 13.5 vs 48.3 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon RX 6500 XT better than GeForce GTX 780 Ti?

Yes. Radeon RX 6500 XT is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 9,603 vs 9,469 in G3D Mark. On top of that, Radeon RX 6500 XT is a 2022 card with FSR 3 + AFMF, while GeForce GTX 780 Ti is a 2013 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon RX 6500 XT is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2013, more VRAM at 4 GB instead of 3 GB, better upscaling support with FSR 3 (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 6nm process instead of 28nm. That extra memory headroom makes it the safer pick for newer games, heavier textures, and higher settings over time.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

Radeon RX 6500 XT can still make sense if you find it at the right price, especially around $199 MSRP. Radeon RX 6500 XT is still the smarter buy for most people, though, because the raw performance is close while the overall package is cleaner. Radeon RX 6500 XT is about $500 cheaper on MSRP at $199 MSRP versus $699 MSRP, and you are getting 1.4% higher G3D Mark. Moving to $199 MSRP gets you newer hardware, lower power draw (107W vs 250W), and FSR 3 + AFMF.

Is GeForce GTX 780 Ti still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce GTX 780 Ti is still a strong gaming card in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. Price is really the swing factor here. If you find it at or below $699 MSRP, it remains a very sensible buy. Radeon RX 6500 XT is still the safer recommendation for most fresh builds because it offers a cleaner overall package with newer hardware and FSR 3 + AFMF.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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.

GeForce GTX 780 Ti Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 6500 XT Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 6500 XT
1080p
low	89 FPS	107 FPS
medium	74 FPS	94 FPS
high	59 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	40 FPS	67 FPS
1440p
low	71 FPS	95 FPS
medium	59 FPS	80 FPS
high	43 FPS	67 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	56 FPS
4K
low	29 FPS	47 FPS
medium	26 FPS	44 FPS
high	19 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	16 FPS	29 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 780 Ti Open Radeon RX 6500 XT

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 6500 XT
1080p
low	171 FPS	184 FPS
medium	143 FPS	143 FPS
high	113 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	69 FPS
1440p
low	114 FPS	119 FPS
medium	85 FPS	92 FPS
high	65 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	48 FPS
4K
low	49 FPS	58 FPS
medium	39 FPS	45 FPS
high	34 FPS	37 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	25 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 780 Ti Open Radeon RX 6500 XT

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 6500 XT
1080p
low	426 FPS	359 FPS
medium	341 FPS	315 FPS
high	284 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	213 FPS	189 FPS
1440p
low	320 FPS	291 FPS
medium	256 FPS	257 FPS
high	213 FPS	196 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	213 FPS	166 FPS
medium	170 FPS	145 FPS
high	142 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	70 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 780 Ti Open Radeon RX 6500 XT

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 6500 XT
1080p
low	145 FPS	325 FPS
medium	115 FPS	251 FPS
high	96 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	186 FPS
1440p
low	105 FPS	231 FPS
medium	85 FPS	173 FPS
high	71 FPS	145 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	118 FPS
4K
low	63 FPS	115 FPS
medium	47 FPS	87 FPS
high	37 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	59 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 780 Ti Open Radeon RX 6500 XT

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 780 Ti and Radeon RX 6500 XT

GeForce GTX 780 Ti

The GeForce GTX 780 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 7 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 875 MHz to 928 MHz. It has 2880 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,469 points. Launch price was $699.

Radeon RX 6500 XT

The Radeon RX 6500 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 19 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2610 MHz to 2815 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 107W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,603 points. Launch price was $199.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 780 Ti scores 9,469 and the Radeon RX 6500 XT reaches 9,603 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 780 Ti is built on Kepler while the Radeon RX 6500 XT uses RDNA 2.0, both on 28 nm vs 6 nm. Shader units: 2,880 (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 1,024 (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Raw compute: 5.345 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 5.765 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Boost clocks: 928 MHz vs 2815 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 6500 XT
G3D Mark Score	9,469	9,603+1%
Architecture	Kepler	RDNA 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	6 nm
Shading Units	2880+181%	1024
Compute (TFLOPS)	5.345 TFLOPS	5.765 TFLOPS+8%
Boost Clock	928 MHz	2815 MHz+203%
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	240+275%	64
L1 Cache	240 KB	256 KB+7%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB+50%	1 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 6500 XT is support for FSR Frame Generation + AFMF. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 780 Ti lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce GTX 780 Ti gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon RX 6500 XT relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 6500 XT
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR 3
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR Frame Generation + AFMF
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 780 Ti comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 6500 XT has 4 GB. The Radeon RX 6500 XT offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 144 GB/s (Radeon RX 6500 XT) — a 133.3% advantage for the GeForce GTX 780 Ti. Bus width: 384-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX 6500 XT) — the GeForce GTX 780 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 6500 XT
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	4 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s+133%	144 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit+500%	64-bit
L2 Cache	1.5 MB+50%	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 6500 XT
DirectX	12	12.2+2%
Vulkan	1.2	1.3+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4+100%	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st gen (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs None (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Decoder: NVDEC 1st gen vs VCN 3.0 (Limited). Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs MPEG-2,H.264 (Decode),HEVC (Decode) (Radeon RX 6500 XT).

Feature	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 6500 XT
Encoder	NVENC 1st gen	None
Decoder	NVDEC 1st gen	VCN 3.0 (Limited)
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	MPEG-2,H.264 (Decode),HEVC (Decode)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 780 Ti draws 250W versus the Radeon RX 6500 XT's 107W — a 80.1% difference. The Radeon RX 6500 XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 400W (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 172mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 83°C vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 6500 XT
TDP	250W	107W-57%
Recommended PSU	600W	400W-33%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	267mm	172mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	83°C	70°C-16%
Perf/Watt	37.9	89.7+137%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 780 Ti launched at $699 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 6500 XT launched at $199. The Radeon RX 6500 XT costs 71.5% less ($500 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 13.5 (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 48.3 (Radeon RX 6500 XT) — the Radeon RX 6500 XT offers 257.8% better value. The Radeon RX 6500 XT is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2013).