ATI Mobility Radeon 7500C

Benchmark Performance

The ATI Mobility Radeon 7500C, based on the Rage 7 architecture with the M7 chip, occupies a percentile rank of 50 among all GPUs tracked in the database. This places it squarely at the median of the historical performance distribution — a machine designed for mainstream laptop duties in its era, not for high-end desktop replacement workloads. The benchmark results indicate a pixel rate of 230.0 MPixel/s and a texture rate of 460.0 MTexel/s, figures that reflect the modest configuration of 2 texture mapping units and 1 raster output pipeline.

Memory bandwidth is a critical constraint for this part. The 16 MB DDR frame buffer runs at 183 MHz, producing 366 Mbps effective data rate across a 64-bit bus. This yields a total bandwidth of 2.928 GB/s. For context, this is a narrow pipe even by early-2000s standards; the 64-bit interface halves the potential throughput compared to wider implementations, and the 16 MB capacity limits texture detail and resolution headroom in contemporary 3D titles. The 60 million transistors on a 150 nm TSMC process, with a die size of 68 mm², indicate a compact, power-efficient design — the transistor density works out to 882.4K per square millimeter, which is reasonable for the process node.

The average benchmark score is 0, meaning no standardized performance data from the database’s suite is available for direct numerical comparison. However, the percentile rank of 50 is informative: it suggests that when the aggregate of all historical GPU scores is considered, this chip lands exactly in the middle. There are no nearest rivals listed in the data pack, so all comparative analysis must rely on the architectural specifications and the percentile placement. The absence of a base or boost clock for the core further limits clock-for-clock analysis, but the memory clock and the fixed pipeline configuration provide enough to gauge its position.

How It Compares

Because the nearestRivals array is empty, direct percentage deltas against specific competing products cannot be cited. The data pack provides no rival names, scores, or deltaPct values. What can be stated is the architectural lineage: the Mobility 7500C is the successor to the M6 and the predecessor to the M9. This places it in a mid-cycle position within ATI’s mobile lineup, bridging the gap between two generations. The M7 chip’s 150 nm process and 60 million transistors are typical for a mainstream mobile part of its release vintage, and the 27 W TDP confirms it was designed for thin-and-light portables rather than desktop replacements.

The lack of benchmark scores means the percentile rank of 50 is the only quantitative positioning tool. That rank implies the 7500C is neither a laggard nor a leader among all GPUs ever tracked — it sits in the middle of the pack, which for a mobile chip of its time is a sensible outcome. The 64-bit memory bus and 16 MB frame buffer would have been entry-level specifications even in 2001, so the performance ceiling is inherently limited by memory subsystem constraints. The AGP 4x bus interface is another indicator of its era; this was the standard interconnect for discrete graphics at the time, though it would later be supplanted by PCI Express.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Mobility 7500C has no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores listed in the data pack. This is entirely consistent with its DirectX 7.0 API support, which predates any hardware-accelerated ray tracing or AI-based upscaling technologies. The API surface is minimal: DirectX 7.0 and OpenGL 1.3 are the only supported graphics APIs, and there is no Vulkan support whatsoever. This means the card is limited to fixed-function pipeline rendering — no programmable shaders in the modern sense, as DirectX 7 predates the unified shader model by several years.

The pixel and texture rates (230.0 MPixel/s and 460.0 MTexel/s) are the practical throughput limits for any 3D workload. These figures are derived from the 1 ROP and 2 TMU configuration at a hypothetical core clock that the data pack does not specify. The display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," which is a standard description for mobile GPUs where the laptop manufacturer decides the actual ports (VGA, DVI, or proprietary connectors) based on the chassis design. DirectX 7.0 support means the card can handle era-appropriate titles like early DirectX 7 games, but it will not run DirectX 8 or later titles with their advanced pixel shaders.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory configuration of the Mobility 7500C?

A: It has 16 MB of DDR memory on a 64-bit bus, running at 183 MHz with an effective data rate of 366 Mbps, providing 2.928 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Does this GPU support hardware ray tracing?

A: No. The data pack lists no RT cores, and the DirectX 7.0 API support predates any ray tracing hardware by roughly two decades.

Q: What is the transistor count and die size?

A: The chip contains 60 million transistors on a 68 mm² die, manufactured by TSMC on a 150 nm process. This works out to a transistor density of 882.4K per square millimeter.

Q: What is the thermal design power (TDP)?

A: The TDP is 27 W, which is modest and suitable for portable systems, though the data pack does not specify a suggested power supply rating.

Q: What graphics APIs are supported?

A: The card supports DirectX 7.0 and OpenGL 1.3. There is no Vulkan support listed.

Q: What is the production status and release date?

A: The production status is end-of-life, and the release date is November 30, 2001.

Who Should Consider It

Given the 50th percentile ranking and the absence of benchmark scores, this is not a GPU for modern gaming or demanding 3D workloads. The 16 MB frame buffer and 2.928 GB/s bandwidth restrict practical resolutions to 800x600 or 1024x768 at best, with reduced texture quality. For early-2000s titles that target DirectX 7, the card is capable of playable frame rates at low to medium detail settings, but the 1 ROP limits fill-rate-bound scenarios like heavy alpha blending or large particle effects. The 2 TMUs mean texture-heavy scenes will also show strain; the 460.0 MTexel/s texture rate is a hard ceiling.

The intended audience is twofold. First, collectors and retro-enthusiasts seeking an authentic period-correct mobile GPU for benchmarking or historical comparison — the 50th percentile rank makes it a useful baseline for what a mainstream laptop GPU offered in late 2001. Second, users of vintage laptops who need a compatible replacement part for a system that originally shipped with the M7 chip; the AGP 4x interface and "Portable Device Dependent" display outputs mean it will drop into a matching chassis without modification. For any modern use case, the lack of Vulkan and the DirectX 7.0 ceiling preclude running contemporary software, so this is strictly a legacy component.

Resolution guidance from the data: because the pixel rate is 230.0 MPixel/s, the card can theoretically push that many pixels per second, but the memory bandwidth will throttle actual performance well before that limit in most 3D scenes. At 800x600, the bandwidth is less of a bottleneck than at 1024x768, where 16 MB of VRAM becomes restrictive for larger textures. Users should plan for low-resolution, low-detail settings.

Power and Cooling

The Mobility 7500C has a TDP of 27 W. This is a moderate figure for a mobile GPU of its generation, indicating that a basic cooling solution — typically a small heatsink with a fan or passive cooling in a well-ventilated chassis — would suffice. The data pack does not specify a suggested PSU rating, which is expected for a mobile component that draws power from the laptop’s main power brick rather than a desktop power supply. The power connectors are also unspecified, consistent with a mobile chip that is soldered or mounted via a proprietary interface.

The AGP 4x bus interface is the only interconnect listed, which for a mobile part means the card communicates with the system through the AGP slot or a dedicated mobile AGP implementation. The 27 W draw is low enough that it does not require supplemental power beyond what the AGP slot and motherboard provide. For thermal management, the data indicates a 150 nm process, which is less efficient than modern nodes, so the 27 W TDP translates to real heat output that must be dissipated. In a thin laptop chassis, this would require careful airflow design, but it is not an extreme thermal load by desktop standards.

The end-of-life production status means replacement parts are scarce, and the 27 W TDP remains the only power metric available. Users servicing vintage laptops should verify that their system’s cooling assembly is in good condition — a failing fan or clogged heatsink will cause thermal throttling or failure, as the chip has no modern power management features to compensate for inadequate cooling. The memory runs at 183 MHz, which is a low clock speed, so memory cooling is not a concern; the core, with no specified clock, will operate within the 27 W envelope under typical loads.