ATI Mobility Radeon 9600

The ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 is an end-of-life mobile graphics processor built on the R300 architecture, fabricated by TSMC on a 130 nm process. It integrates 76 million transistors on a 92 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 826.1K per mm². In the benchmark database, it holds the 50th percentile position among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 0, indicating a median standing but no recorded performance data. The card features 128 MB of DDR memory on a 64-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 3.200 GB/s, and is designed for the AGP 8x interface.

How It Compares

The FACT PACK lists no nearest rivals for this GPU, so direct score comparisons are unavailable. Instead, the data shows its position relative to the entire GPU population: the 50th percentile places it exactly at the median, meaning half of all GPUs in the database perform better and half perform worse. This median standing is notable given its modest specifications, but the zero benchmark score suggests that no actual performance runs have been recorded, so the percentile may reflect its specification-based ranking rather than measured results. Its predecessor is the M9 and its successor is the M2x, indicating a mid-generation placement within the M1x (Mobility 9000) generation. The R300 architecture and 130 nm process node are shared with its generation, but the lack of rival scores means the analysis relies on its own metrics. The 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs, combined with a pixel rate of 1.200 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1.200 GTexel/s, define its raw throughput. Since no rival deltas are provided, the card's standing is best understood through its percentile and its memory subsystem.

Memory Subsystem

The memory subsystem consists of 128 MB of DDR memory connected via a 64-bit bus. The memory clock is 200 MHz, yielding an effective data rate of 400 Mbps, which translates to a bandwidth of 3.200 GB/s. This 64-bit bus width is a significant constraint; with only 3.200 GB/s of bandwidth, high-resolution textures and large frame buffers will quickly saturate the interface. For resolutions above 1024x768, the limited bandwidth becomes a bottleneck, as the GPU cannot fetch texture data fast enough to keep up with the pixel and texture rates. The 128 MB capacity further restricts the ability to store large geometry and texture sets, making the card more suited to older games and lower resolution settings. The memory clock of 200 MHz is modest for its era, and the effective 400 Mbps data rate means that each memory transaction carries limited data. When compared to the pixel rate of 1.200 GPixel/s, the bandwidth of 3.200 GB/s is sufficient for a fillrate of 1.200 GPixel/s only if each pixel requires roughly 2.67 bytes of data, which is feasible for 32-bit color at moderate resolutions but becomes strained with higher color depths or anisotropic filtering.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The FACT PACK lists no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores for this GPU. Consequently, hardware-accelerated ray tracing is not supported. The API support includes DirectX 9.0 (9_0) and OpenGL 2.0, but no Vulkan support is listed. This feature set is characteristic of the fixed-function pipeline era, where shading and lighting are handled through the DirectX 9.0 shader model. Without tensor cores, any AI-accelerated features such as DLSS are absent. The card's capabilities are thus limited to the DirectX 9.0 feature set, which is sufficient for games from its release period but lacks modern features like mesh shaders or variable rate shading. The absence of RT cores means that any ray-traced effects would need to be computed on the CPU, which is impractical for real-time rendering. The OpenGL 2.0 support allows for a range of legacy applications, but the lack of Vulkan precludes modern cross-platform titles.

Who Should Consider It

Given the 128 MB VRAM and 64-bit bus, the Mobility Radeon 9600 is best suited for low-resolution gaming, such as 800x600 or 1024x768, with reduced detail settings. The 1.200 GPixel/s pixel rate and 1.200 GTexel/s texture rate indicate a balanced fillrate, but the memory bandwidth of 3.200 GB/s caps performance in texture-heavy scenes. Users with legacy systems or retro game collections will find it adequate for titles released around its 2004 launch. It is not suitable for modern high-resolution gaming, as the memory capacity and bandwidth are insufficient. The card is end-of-life, so it should be considered only for historical or compatibility purposes. For users who need to run software that requires DirectX 9.0, the card provides the necessary API support, but the 128 MB VRAM will limit texture quality. The 50th percentile ranking suggests it is not an outlier in either direction, but the zero benchmark score means there is no empirical evidence of its performance in the database.

Benchmark Performance

The average benchmark score is 0, and the percentile is 50. Since no rival scores are provided, the analysis must rely on the raw specifications. The pixel rate of 1.200 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1.200 GTexel/s are identical, suggesting that the 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs are balanced in throughput. With a memory bandwidth of 3.200 GB/s, the card can theoretically sustain a fillrate of 1.200 GPixel/s, but in practice, the 64-bit bus will limit sustained performance. The 50th percentile ranking indicates a median performance level among all GPUs, but the zero benchmark score implies that no actual benchmark runs have been recorded in the database. This lack of data makes it difficult to establish a definitive performance profile, though the specifications suggest a modest capability. The 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs are a low count by modern standards, but they align with the pixel and texture rates. The memory bandwidth of 3.200 GB/s is the primary limiting factor, as it is only slightly higher than the pixel rate, meaning that any increase in resolution or texture detail will cause the bandwidth to become the bottleneck. Without rival deltas, the card's performance is best characterized by its fillrates and memory bandwidth, which place it in the mid-range of its generation.

Power and Cooling

The FACT PACK does not provide a TDP, slot width, power connector requirements, or a suggested PSU for this GPU. The bus interface is AGP 8x, which supplies power directly through the slot, eliminating the need for auxiliary power connectors. Without a TDP figure, the power draw cannot be quantified, but the 130 nm process node and 76 million transistors imply a moderate power envelope for its time. Cooling requirements are unspecified, but as a mobile GPU, it would rely on the laptop's thermal solution. The absence of power connector data suggests that the card is designed to operate within the AGP slot's power delivery limits. The 92 mm² die size is relatively small, which may contribute to lower heat generation, but this is speculative without a TDP value. The 130 nm process is less efficient than modern nodes, but the low transistor count of 76 million keeps the thermal load manageable. Users should ensure that their system's AGP slot can provide adequate power, as no external connectors are listed.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the ATI Mobility Radeon 9600?

A: The memory bandwidth is 3.200 GB/s, derived from a 128 MB DDR memory on a 64-bit bus with a memory clock of 200 MHz (400 Mbps effective).

Q: Which APIs does this GPU support?

A: It supports DirectX 9.0 (9_0) and OpenGL 2.0. Vulkan support is not listed.

Q: What is the process node and transistor count?

A: It is fabricated on a 130 nm process at TSMC, with 76 million transistors on a 92 mm² die.

Q: How many texture mapping units and ROPs does it have?

A: It has 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs, yielding a pixel rate of 1.200 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1.200 GTexel/s.

Q: What is the bus interface for this card?

A: It uses the AGP 8x bus interface.

Q: What is the production status of the ATI Mobility Radeon 9600?

A: It is marked as end-of-life, with a release date of May 2004.