ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2300

How It Compares

The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2300 occupies a unique position in the benchmark database: it sits at the 50th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 0. This places it exactly at the median of the distribution, though the absence of any nearest rivals in the data means there are no direct comparison points from the same generation or performance class to anchor against. The chip represents the entry point of the M7x generation, built on the Ultra-Threaded SE architecture, which was AMD's design philosophy for the Mobility HD 2000 series.

Without nearestRivals data, the comparison must be framed by the hardware specifications themselves. The HD 2300 pairs 4 texture mapping units with 4 render output units, producing a pixel rate of 1.920 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1.920 GTexel/s. These figures are modest by any standard, and the 128 MB DDR2 memory on a 128-bit bus delivers 12.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock runs at 400 MHz, which translates to 800 Mbps effective due to DDR2's double-data-rate nature. The transistor count of 107 million on an 80 nm TSMC process yields a die size of 100 mm², giving a transistor density of 1.1M per square millimeter.

The architecture's predecessor, M6x, and successor, M8x, frame the HD 2300 as a transitional product. The M7x generation introduced improvements over M6x, but the HD 2300 sits at the bottom of that stack. Its production status is end-of-life, and the release date of 2007-02-28 places it in the early wave of DirectX 9.0c mobile parts. The bus interface is PCIe 1.0 x16, which was standard for the era but limits bandwidth compared to later revisions.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The HD 2300 does not include any ray tracing cores or tensor cores — these are not present in the FACT PACK, and the architecture predates such dedicated hardware by well over a decade. Instead, the Ultra-Threaded SE architecture relies on the shading units and fixed-function hardware for all rendering tasks. The API support confirms this positioning: DirectX 9.0c (9_3) and OpenGL 2.1 are the maximum available graphics APIs. There is no Vulkan support listed, which is expected given the 2007 release window.

The DirectX 9.0c (9_3) feature level is significant because it represents the highest tier of the DirectX 9 generation. The 9_3 feature level includes support for Shader Model 3.0, which enables longer shader programs, dynamic branching, and better control flow compared to earlier shader models. However, this is a far cry from the hardware-accelerated ray tracing found in modern GPUs. The 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs handle texture filtering and pixel output respectively, and the 12.80 GB/s memory bandwidth is the data conduit for these operations. The pixel fill rate of 1.920 GPixel/s and texture fill rate of 1.920 GTexel/s are the practical limits for what this GPU can render per second.

OpenGL 2.1 support means the HD 2300 can run applications using that API, but again, no modern features like compute shaders or tessellation are available. The feature set is strictly legacy — suitable for the DirectX 9 era of games and applications that were current at the time of its release. The lack of tensor cores is particularly notable in a modern context, as those are essential for AI-accelerated features like DLSS, which did not exist in any form when this GPU launched.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark data for the HD 2300 is stark: zero benchmarks are listed, and the average benchmark score is 0. The percentile rank of 50 indicates the database places it at the midpoint of all GPUs tracked, but this is likely a positional artifact rather than a performance measurement, given the absence of actual benchmark scores. Without nearestRivals data, there are no deltaPct values or rival scores to analyze. This means the performance analysis must rely entirely on the architectural specifications and fill rates.

The pixel rate of 1.920 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1.920 GTexel/s are identical, which is typical for a GPU where the ROP and TMU counts are the same (4 each) and the clock speeds are synchronized. The memory bandwidth of 12.80 GB/s is the other critical constraint. For context, a modern entry-level GPU would have bandwidth measured in hundreds of GB/s, making the HD 2300's figure roughly two orders of magnitude lower. The 128 MB memory capacity is also a limiting factor for texture storage and framebuffer requirements, even for the games of its era.

The 50th percentile rank must be interpreted cautiously. In a database that includes integrated GPUs, older parts, and professional cards, a 50th percentile position could mean the HD 2300 outperforms half of all tracked GPUs — but those would primarily be older or lower-end integrated solutions. Against any discrete GPU from the last decade, the HD 2300 would be substantially slower. The absence of benchmark scores means this is a qualitative assessment based on the fill rates and memory subsystem, not a measured result. The 107 million transistors on 80 nm process represents a modest chip by modern standards, and the 1.1M transistors per square millimeter density reflects the older process node's limitations.

FAQ

Q: What DirectX version does the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2300 support?

A: The HD 2300 supports DirectX 9.0c with the 9_3 feature level, which includes Shader Model 3.0 capabilities.

Q: How much memory does the HD 2300 have, and what type is it?

A: The GPU comes with 128 MB of DDR2 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 12.80 GB/s.

Q: What is the process node and die size for this chip?

A: The M71 chip is manufactured on an 80 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 100 mm² and 107 million transistors.

Q: Does the HD 2300 support Vulkan or ray tracing?

A: No. The HD 2300 does not support Vulkan, and it has no ray tracing cores or tensor cores. The maximum API support is DirectX 9.0c (9_3) and OpenGL 2.1.

Q: What is the pixel and texture fill rate of the HD 2300?

A: The pixel rate is 1.920 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 1.920 GTexel/s, both derived from the 4 ROPs and 4 TMUs operating in tandem.

Q: What is the production status of this GPU?

A: The ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2300 is end-of-life, with a release date of 2007-02-28. Its predecessor is the M6x generation and its successor is the M8x generation.

Power and Cooling

The FACT PACK does not list a TDP value for the HD 2300, nor does it specify a suggested PSU or power connector requirements. This absence is notable but not unusual for a mobile GPU from 2007, where power consumption was often dictated by the laptop chassis design rather than a standalone card specification. The 80 nm process node and 107 million transistors give a rough indication of the power envelope — this is a low-power part by modern standards, fitting into the mobility segment that prioritizes battery life.

The bus interface is PCIe 1.0 x16, which provides up to 75 watts of power through the slot in typical desktop implementations, but for a mobile part, the power delivery is integrated into the motherboard design. The memory clock of 400 MHz (800 Mbps effective) on DDR2 is modest, contributing to a lower overall power draw compared to faster memory types. The absence of a suggested PSU rating in the FACT PACK means no specific wattage recommendation can be made; the data simply does not include that information.

Cooling requirements are likewise unspecified. For a mobile GPU of this era, passive cooling or a small fan was typically sufficient, given the low fill rates and transistor count. The 100 mm² die size generates relatively little heat compared to larger desktop GPUs, and the Ultra-Threaded SE architecture was not known for high power consumption. The end-of-life status and the fact that this is a mobility part suggest that it was designed for thin-and-light laptops where thermal headroom is constrained. Without a TDP figure, the analysis can only note that the specifications point to a modest power profile, consistent with the entry-level positioning of the HD 2300 within the M7x generation.