3dfx Voodoo5 5500 PCI

The 3dfx Voodoo5 5500 PCI is a legacy graphics card built around the VSA-100 chip, using the Voodoo Scalable architecture from the Voodoo5 generation. Fabricated on a 250 nm process at TSMC, the chip integrates 14 million transistors on a 112 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 125.0K per square millimeter. The memory clock runs at 166 MHz. Released on 2000-06-21, this end-of-life part carries a launch MSRP of 299 USD. The bus interface is PCI, and the display output is a single VGA connector. In the benchmark database, the part holds a 50th percentile ranking against all GPUs, yet its average benchmark score is 0 and the benchmark array is empty. This combination indicates that no direct performance tests have been recorded, leaving the percentile as a positional marker rather than a measured result. The part's predecessor is the Voodoo4-2, and its successor is the Spectre, placing it within a specific lineage of the Voodoo5 generation.

Power and Cooling

The thermal and power profile is defined by a 30 W TDP, a suggested PSU rating of 200 W, and a 1x Molex power connector. The single-slot design keeps the physical footprint minimal, which is a practical advantage for chassis with limited expansion space. The 30 W TDP is low by modern standards, but it is consistent with the era's mid-range parts. The 200 W suggested PSU provides substantial headroom, meaning even a modest power supply from the period would suffice. The 1x Molex connector is the only external power requirement, simplifying installation and cable management. The low thermal envelope means that a basic air cooler is adequate; no exotic cooling solutions are necessary. The data shows a clear separation between the card's power draw and the PSU's capacity, suggesting that the 200 W recommendation is conservative. This headroom also implies that system builders could pair this card with other power-hungry components without exceeding the PSU's rating. The single-slot form factor is another advantage, allowing it to fit into tight chassis configurations. The 30 W TDP also means that the card does not require auxiliary power beyond the single Molex, which is a boon for older power supplies with limited connectors. Overall, the power and cooling specifications indicate a low-maintenance component that is easy to integrate into a period-appropriate system.

Memory Subsystem

The memory subsystem comprises 32 MB of SDR memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 2.656 GB/s. The memory clock is 166 MHz. The 32 MB capacity is modest, even for its release period, and the SDR type lacks the efficiency of later DDR or GDDR variants. The 128-bit bus width is standard for the era, but the combination of capacity and bandwidth creates a significant constraint for high-resolution rendering. At resolutions above the standard of its time, the limited framebuffer will force frequent memory swaps, and the 2.656 GB/s bandwidth will throttle texture fetching and pixel writes. The pixel rate of 332.0 MPixel/s and texture rate of 332.0 MTexel/s are directly tied to this memory throughput. With only 2 TMUs and 2 ROPs, the part can process 332 million texels and pixels per second, but this rate is only achievable if the memory subsystem can keep up. In practice, the 2.656 GB/s bandwidth becomes the bottleneck, as the SDR memory cannot sustain the data rates required for high fill-rate workloads. For high resolutions, the data suggests that the card will struggle to maintain smooth frame rates, particularly in texture-heavy scenes. The 32 MB capacity also limits the use of high-resolution textures, as the framebuffer must compete with texture storage. The 128-bit bus, while not narrow, is insufficient for the bandwidth demands of modern games, and the SDR type compounds this issue. Overall, the memory subsystem is the primary limiting factor for this part, and it will cap performance in any resolution above the standard of its time.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The part has no dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as indicated by null values in the respective fields. This means that any ray tracing or AI-accelerated features are absent. The API support is limited to DirectX 6.0 and OpenGL 1.1, with no Vulkan support. DirectX 6.0 and OpenGL 1.1 are legacy APIs that lack modern features such as shader model 3.0 or tessellation. Without Vulkan, there is no access to low-overhead, cross-platform rendering. The absence of RT and tensor cores means the part relies entirely on the fixed-function pipeline of the VSA-100 chip. The feature set is therefore firmly rooted in the early 2000s, with no path to modern rendering techniques. For users of the era, this was acceptable, but from a contemporary benchmark perspective, the part is severely limited. The 2 TMUs and 2 ROPs further constrain the feature set, as they represent the entire shading and rasterization capacity. The data shows a clear demarcation: this is a rasterization-only part with legacy API support. The lack of Vulkan is particularly notable, as it eliminates any possibility of running modern cross-platform titles. The DirectX 6.0 and OpenGL 1.1 support means the part is confined to software from the late 1990s and early 2000s. The null values for RT and tensor cores confirm that no hardware acceleration exists for these workloads, leaving the CPU to handle any such tasks, which would be impractical.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals field in the database is empty for this part, meaning no direct rival scores or deltaPct values are recorded. Consequently, any comparison must rely on the percentile and architectural lineage. The part holds a 50th percentile position against all GPUs, which places it exactly at the median of the database's historical collection. This percentile is derived from the part's inclusion, not from measured benchmarks, as the average benchmark score is 0. The predecessor is the Voodoo4-2, and the successor is the Spectre. Without rival data, it is impossible to state a percentage delta against any specific competitor. The 50th percentile suggests that half of all GPUs in the database score higher and half score lower, but the lack of recorded scores makes this a positional statement rather than a performance verdict. The empty nearestRivals list also means there are no reference points for architectural comparisons. The part's position in the Voodoo5 generation, between the Voodoo4-2 and Spectre, indicates a mid-generation step. The data shows that the part is an end-of-life product, which aligns with its 2000 release date. In the absence of rival metrics, the percentile remains the only comparative anchor, but it is a weak one due to the empty benchmark array. The conclusion is that the part's relative standing cannot be quantified beyond its median percentile. The lack of rivals also means that no performance deltas can be calculated, so the part's standing is purely positional.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark array for the 3dfx Voodoo5 5500 PCI is empty, and the average benchmark score is 0. This absence of data means that no measured performance scores are available for analysis. The only quantitative metrics are the pixel rate of 332.0 MPixel/s, the texture rate of 332.0 MTexel/s, and the memory bandwidth of 2.656 GB/s. These figures define the part's theoretical fill-rate capabilities. With 2 TMUs and 2 ROPs, the part can process 332 million texels and pixels per second. The memory bandwidth of 2.656 GB/s is the ceiling for data transfer to and from the framebuffer. In practice, the 32 MB SDR memory and 128-bit bus will limit sustained performance. The 50th percentile against all GPUs is the only comparative metric, but since the benchmark array is empty, this percentile cannot be cross-referenced with any actual scores. The data suggests that the part's performance is unverified in this database, leaving the architectural specifications as the only basis for evaluation. The 166 MHz memory clock and 332.0 MPixel/s pixel rate are consistent with a mid-range part from its era. However, without benchmark scores, it is impossible to calculate percentage deltas against any rival. The empty benchmarks array also means that the average score of 0 is an artifact of missing data, not a true performance measurement. Therefore, any performance analysis must rely on the fill-rate and bandwidth figures, which indicate a part that is capable of basic 3D rendering but limited by its memory subsystem. The data shows a clear need for caution when interpreting the percentile, as it is not backed by measured results. The theoretical fill-rate of 332.0 MTexel/s is the maximum achievable, but the 2.656 GB/s bandwidth will likely prevent it from being sustained in real-world scenarios. The 32 MB framebuffer further restricts the part to lower resolutions and simpler textures.