ATI FireGL V5100

The ATI FireGL V5100 is an AMD-manufactured workstation GPU built around the R423 chip on the R400 architecture. TSMC fabricated the 130 nm die, which contains 160 million transistors across 289 mm², for a transistor density of 553.6K per mm². Released on 2004-04-30 and now end-of-life, the card belongs to the FireGL (Vx100) generation and uses a PCIe 1.0 x16 interface. The specification sheet lists 128 MB of DDR memory, a 256-bit bus, 12 TMUs, 12 ROPs, and a 50th percentile all-GPU standing.

Who Should Consider It

The benchmark array for this board is empty, and its average benchmark score is 0. Without measured frame-rate data, recommendations must be inferred from the fixed hardware limits. The 128 MB frame buffer is small, and the 22.40 GB/s bandwidth is modest. Those figures point toward workloads from the era of the card’s 2004 release, especially DirectX 9.0b applications. The display outputs are 2x DVI and 1x S-Video, suggesting multi-monitor professional use rather than a single-consumer display path. The pixel rate is 5.400 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 5.400 GTexel/s, which means the GPU is balanced between pixel fill and texture sampling. The 12 TMUs and 12 ROPs match this balance.

A user running legacy software that respects the 128 MB memory limit could still find the card workable at lower resolutions. Modern high-resolution textures would quickly exceed the frame buffer. The lack of Vulkan support removes current-API options, and the absence of RT and tensor core counts further narrows the audience to non-ray-traced, non-AI workloads. In short, the data implies a card that is most at home in older, fill-rate-bound scenes where resolution and texture size are kept modest.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

No RT core count and no tensor core count are provided in the data, so there is no documented hardware acceleration for ray tracing or tensor operations. The API support is limited to DirectX 9.0b (9_2) and OpenGL 2.1; no Vulkan API is listed. The R423 chip is part of the R400 architecture, placing it in the FireGL (Vx100) generation. The feature set also includes a PCIe 1.0 x16 bus interface, a single-slot form factor, and outputs of 2x DVI and 1x S-Video. The memory clock is 350 MHz with a 700 Mbps effective data rate.

Without a shading unit count, the shader array cannot be quantified; the only structural units available are 12 TMUs and 12 ROPs. The supported API level of DirectX 9.0b (9_2) indicates a fixed-function and early-shader era. OpenGL 2.1 support extends compatibility with some workstation applications. The absence of Vulkan means no modern cross-platform low-overhead path is available. The lack of RT and tensor core data distinguishes this card from later architectures that include dedicated acceleration blocks for those workloads.

Benchmark Performance

The data shows no benchmark entries for the FireGL V5100 and an average benchmark score of 0. Its percentileVsAllGpus value is 50, which places it at the median of all GPUs in the database. The nearestRivals list is empty, so no exact performance delta against any specific competitor can be computed. The available throughput figures are 5.400 GPixel/s pixel rate and 5.400 GTexel/s texture rate. The equality of these two numbers implies a design where pixel output and texture fetch are intentionally matched. The 12 TMUs and 12 ROPs provide the structural basis for that match. Memory bandwidth of 22.40 GB/s serves as the overall feeding constraint.

Because there are no nearestRivals, the percentile is the sole relative metric. A 50th percentile standing suggests a typical or average position in the tracked GPU population, but it is not backed by any concrete benchmark score. The empty benchmark array means the percentile may be derived from specification data rather than measured performance; the data does not clarify the source. The identical pixel and texture rates are the strongest internal performance clue available for this card.

Power and Cooling

The specification sheet does not include a TDP figure, so the thermal envelope is unquantified. The suggested PSU is 200 W. The card lists no power connectors, which means no auxiliary PCIe power cables are required for installation. It is a single-slot board, with a length of 211 mm (8.3 inches) and a height of 111 mm (4.4 inches). The manufacturing process is 130 nm at TSMC, and the die contains 160 million transistors across 289 mm². These are the only physical data points relevant to cooling.

The single-slot form factor is the stated mechanical constraint. The lack of auxiliary connectors simplifies power delivery planning. The 200 W recommendation provides an explicit system-level power budget. The 130 nm process and 160 million transistor count are the manufacturing facts that would influence heat, although no wattage is listed. For a workstation chassis, the 211 mm length and single-slot width are the key installation measurements.

FAQ

Q: What memory configuration is used?

A: The FireGL V5100 has 128 MB of DDR memory on a 256-bit bus, with a 350 MHz memory clock (700 Mbps effective) and 22.40 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which APIs can software use?

A: DirectX 9.0b (9_2) and OpenGL 2.1 are listed, with no Vulkan support in the data.

Q: Does it require an external power connector?

A: No power connectors are listed, and the suggested PSU is 200 W.

Q: What display outputs are present?

A: The card provides 2x DVI and 1x S-Video outputs.

Q: What is the bus interface?

A: It uses PCIe 1.0 x16.

Q: Is this product still in production?

A: No; production status is end-of-life, and the release date is 2004-04-30.

Memory Subsystem

The memory subsystem is defined by 128 MB of DDR memory, a 256-bit bus width, and 22.40 GB/s bandwidth. The memory clock is 350 MHz with a 700 Mbps effective data rate. The 256-bit bus is wide, which helps compensate for the relatively low memory clock. At high resolutions, the capacity limit of 128 MB is likely to bind before the bandwidth limit. Large textures, high color depths, or multi-buffering could exceed the frame buffer. The 22.40 GB/s bandwidth determines how quickly data can move once it is in the buffer.

The 5.400 GPixel/s pixel rate and 5.400 GTexel/s texture rate define the shading and fill work that the memory subsystem must serve. With 12 TMUs and 12 ROPs, the card can generate moderate fill rates, but the memory ceiling may prevent sustaining them in complex scenes. The 128 MB capacity is the strongest constraint for modern high-resolution use. The wide bus does help move larger blocks of data per transaction, but the effective data rate is still limited by the 350 MHz memory clock.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals list is empty, so there are no rival names, scores, or deltaPct values to analyze. The only comparative data in the specification is percentileVsAllGpus, which is 50. That places the card at the median of all GPUs in the database. The predecessor is Fire GL, and the successor is FirePro Terascale, but neither has benchmark scores in the data. The average benchmark score of 0 and empty benchmark array further limit direct comparison.

Without nearestRivals, percentage deltas cannot be stated. The card’s position is therefore defined by a single percentile rather than by head-to-head measurements. The data implies a mid-tier historical standing, but the lack of benchmark entries leaves the precise competitive picture unresolved. The only relative conclusion available from the data is that the FireGL V5100 sits exactly at the midpoint of the tracked GPU population.