ATI Radeon 9550

The ATI Radeon 9550 is an end-of-life graphics card manufactured by AMD, built around the RV350 chip and the R300 architecture. Fabricated by TSMC on a 130 nm process node, the chip integrates 60 million transistors on a 76 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 789.5K per mm². Released on 2003-09-30, it belongs to the Radeon R300 (9500) generation, sitting between the Radeon R200 as its predecessor and the Radeon R400 AGP as its successor. The card's database standing is defined by a 50th percentile rank among all GPUs and an average benchmark score of 0. With no benchmark entries and no nearest-rival data, the card's performance profile must be reconstructed from its architectural specifications, including a 128-bit memory bus, 4 TMUs, 4 ROPs, and a 200 MHz memory clock. The 130 nm process node and 76 mm² die size place it in an era of relatively large transistors, while the 60 million transistor count and 789.5K per mm² density indicate a mid-range chip design. The card supports AGP 8x, a bus interface that was standard for its time, and offers a single-slot form factor with no auxiliary power connectors.

How It Compares

The FACT PACK provides no nearest-rival entries for the Radeon 9550, meaning the database holds no direct score comparisons or deltaPct values against named competitors. Consequently, this section cannot report percentage leads or deficits relative to specific cards. The only positioning metric available is the 50th percentile rank among all GPUs, which places the card exactly at the median of the entire population of graphics cards tracked by the database. This median standing suggests that half of all GPUs perform better and half perform worse, though the absence of benchmark scores means this rank is not derived from actual test runs but from the card's structural attributes. The card's generation, Radeon R300 (9500), places it in a specific architectural lineage, with the Radeon R200 as its predecessor and the Radeon R400 AGP as its successor. These adjacent generations are not accompanied by performance numbers in the FACT PACK, so no cross-generational deltas can be computed. The Radeon 9550's position is therefore defined by its absolute specifications rather than relative comparisons. The 50th percentile rank is a neutral indicator, placing it squarely in the middle of the database, but without benchmark scores, this rank carries limited interpretative weight. The lack of rival data means that any claims about being faster or slower than a specific card would be unsupported by the FACT PACK.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Radeon 9550 offers no dedicated ray tracing hardware. The FACT PACK explicitly lists no RT cores and no tensor cores, indicating that the card lacks hardware acceleration for ray-traced effects and AI-based features such as deep learning super sampling. Its API support is limited to DirectX 9.0 (9_0) and OpenGL 2.0; Vulkan is not supported, which is consistent with its 2003 release. The rendering pipeline is fixed-function, with 4 texture mapping units and 4 raster operation units. The pixel rate is 1.000 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 1.000 GTexel/s, indicating a balanced fill-rate capability for its era. The memory subsystem comprises 64 MB of DDR memory on a 128-bit bus, clocked at 200 MHz (400 Mbps effective), which yields a bandwidth of 6.400 GB/s. This bandwidth is a direct result of the 128-bit bus width and the DDR memory type, which doubles the effective data rate. The absence of tensor cores means no AI-accelerated workloads are supported, and the absence of RT cores means ray tracing is entirely software-based or unavailable. The DirectX 9.0 (9_0) support indicates a Shader Model 2.0 era feature set, while OpenGL 2.0 provides compatibility with a wide range of legacy applications. The lack of Vulkan support is expected for a 2003 card, as Vulkan is a modern API that postdates the card's release.

Power and Cooling

The thermal design power (TDP) for the Radeon 9550 is not specified in the FACT PACK, so no wattage figure can be reported. However, the suggested power supply is 200 W, which is the only power-related figure provided in the data. The card requires no auxiliary power connectors, meaning it draws all its operating power from the AGP 8x slot. This is a significant design choice, as it eliminates the need for additional power cables and simplifies installation in systems with limited PSU headroom. The card is a single-slot design, indicating a compact cooler footprint that occupies only one expansion slot. The absence of power connectors and the modest 200 W PSU recommendation suggest a low power draw, though the exact TDP remains unlisted. The AGP 8x bus interface is the sole power delivery path, and the card's single-slot profile implies a passive or low-profile cooling solution, though the FACT PACK does not specify the cooler type. The 200 W suggested PSU is a system-level recommendation, accounting for the entire build rather than just the card. Since the card draws no additional power through connectors, the load on the PSU is minimal, making the 200 W recommendation a conservative figure. The single-slot design also means that the card does not obstruct adjacent slots, a practical advantage for systems with multiple expansion cards.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory configuration of the ATI Radeon 9550?

A: It has 64 MB of DDR memory on a 128-bit bus, clocked at 200 MHz (400 Mbps effective), providing 6.400 GB/s of bandwidth. This configuration is typical for a mid-range card of its era.

Q: Does the card support ray tracing or tensor cores?

A: No. The FACT PACK lists no RT cores and no tensor cores, so it lacks dedicated hardware for ray tracing and AI acceleration. Ray tracing is not supported, and AI features are unavailable.

Q: What display outputs does the Radeon 9550 offer?

A: It provides 1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video outputs, covering analog and digital connectivity. This allows connection to a variety of monitors and TVs.

Q: What power supply is recommended for this card?

A: The suggested PSU is 200 W. The card uses no power connectors, drawing power solely from the AGP 8x slot. This means no additional cables are required.

Q: What is the production status and release date?

A: The card is marked as end-of-life. Its release date is 2003-09-30, with the Radeon R200 as predecessor and Radeon R400 AGP as successor.

Q: What APIs does the card support?

A: It supports DirectX 9.0 (9_0) and OpenGL 2.0. Vulkan is not supported, limiting it to older graphics APIs. This is consistent with its 2003 release.

Benchmark Performance

The FACT PACK contains no benchmark scores for the Radeon 9550, and no nearest-rival data is available, so there are no percentage deltas to report. The average benchmark score is listed as 0, and the percentile vs all GPUs is 50, placing the card at the exact median of the database. The only quantitative performance metrics are the pixel rate of 1.000 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1.000 GTexel/s, which are identical, reflecting a symmetric fixed-function pipeline with 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs. Memory bandwidth stands at 6.400 GB/s, derived from the 128-bit bus and 200 MHz DDR clock. These figures suggest that the card's fill-rate capabilities are balanced between pixel and texture processing, a common trait for mid-range cards of its generation. The 50th percentile rank indicates a middle-of-the-road standing, but without benchmark scores, this rank is not backed by actual test data. The 0 average benchmark score suggests that no runnable benchmark results are recorded in the database, leaving the fill-rate and bandwidth figures as the primary indicators of performance capability. The pixel rate of 1.000 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1.000 GTexel/s are numerically equal, which is notable because it implies that the card processes pixels and textures at the same rate, a design that avoids bottlenecks in either stage. The memory bandwidth of 6.400 GB/s, while modest by modern standards, is consistent with the 128-bit DDR interface and the 200 MHz clock. In the absence of rival comparisons, these absolute metrics serve as the sole quantitative basis for assessing the card's performance. The 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs align with the 1.000 GTexel/s and 1.000 GPixel/s rates, respectively, confirming that each TMU and ROP contributes equally to the output. The 64 MB memory size is a limiting factor for modern workloads, but the 128-bit bus provides a reasonable bandwidth-to-capacity ratio. The 200 MHz memory clock, doubled by DDR, yields the 400 Mbps effective rate, which is the basis for the 6.400 GB/s bandwidth calculation.