ATI Radeon 9600 XT

The ATI Radeon 9600 XT, built on the RV360 chip using TSMC's 130 nm process, is an end-of-life graphics card from the Radeon R300 generation. Its FACT PACK reveals a 60-million-transistor die of 76 mm², a 128 MB DDR memory interface, and a TDP of just 22 W. Notably, the benchmark data is empty, with an average score of 0 and a 50th percentile rank, leaving performance to be inferred from raw specifications rather than measured results.

Benchmark Performance

The FACT PACK contains no benchmark scores, no nearest rival entries, and an `avgBenchmarkScore` of exactly 0. The `percentileVsAllGpus` field is 50, which nominally places the card at the median of all GPUs, but without any actual scores this rank cannot be interpreted as a meaningful performance indicator. The empty `benchmarks` array suggests that either the card was never subjected to standardized testing in the dataset, or its results were omitted due to its end-of-life status.

What can be analyzed are the raw throughput figures. The pixel rate is 2.000 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 2.000 GTexel/s, both derived from 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs operating at the memory clock of 300 MHz (600 Mbps effective). These rates indicate a 1:1 balance between pixel and texture processing, which is typical for a mid-range part of its generation. The memory bandwidth of 9.600 GB/s, coming from a 128-bit bus and 128 MB of DDR memory, sets a ceiling on how quickly texture data can be fetched. In the absence of rival comparisons, the only quantitative statement possible is that the card’s fillrate and bandwidth are fixed at these values. The 50th percentile rank, if taken at face value, would place it in the middle of all GPUs, but the zero average score contradicts that, implying the rank is either a default or a placeholder. The data does not support any percentage deltas, so any claim of being “ahead” or “behind” a specific competitor is impossible.

Who Should Consider It

Given the 128 MB VRAM and 9.600 GB/s bandwidth, the Radeon 9600 XT is oriented toward the lower end of resolution and texture quality settings. The pixel rate of 2.000 GPixel/s suggests it can handle 32-bit color at modest resolutions, but the limited memory capacity will likely constrain texture-heavy scenes. The card’s single-slot form factor and 22 W TDP make it suitable for compact or low-power systems where space and heat are concerns. The display outputs—1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video—allow connection to digital monitors, analog displays, and televisions, which broadens its usability in older setups. For a user with a 200 W power supply and an AGP 8x slot, this card offers a straightforward upgrade path from integrated graphics, but without benchmark data, specific resolution and settings recommendations cannot be quantified. The lack of any recorded benchmarks means that “playable” framerates are unknown; the card’s suitability must be inferred from its memory size and bandwidth, which are modest by any standard.

Power and Cooling

The Radeon 9600 XT has a TDP of 22 W, a remarkably low figure that aligns with its lack of power connectors—the FACT PACK lists “None” for power connectors. The suggested PSU is 200 W, which is conservative for a card drawing under 25 W. The single-slot design means no additional cooling shroud or dual-slot bracket is required, and the card should fit in standard chassis. The 130 nm process and 60 million transistors contribute to this low power draw; the die size of 76 mm² and transistor density of 789.5K per mm² are typical for the era. The absence of auxiliary power connectors simplifies installation, as the card draws all its power from the AGP slot. The 200 W PSU recommendation is a system-level guideline, not a strict requirement, but it reflects the card’s low overall system impact.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the Radeon 9600 XT?

A: The memory bandwidth is 9.600 GB/s, derived from a 128-bit bus and 128 MB of DDR memory running at 300 MHz (600 Mbps effective).

Q: Does the card support DirectX 9?

A: Yes, it supports DirectX 9.0 (9_0) as listed in the API section. It also supports OpenGL 2.0, but not Vulkan.

Q: What is the TDP and recommended PSU?

A: The TDP is 22 W, and the suggested PSU is 200 W. The card requires no external power connectors.

Q: What is the process node and transistor count?

A: The process node is 130 nm, and the chip contains 60 million transistors on a die size of 76 mm².

Q: Does it have ray tracing or tensor cores?

A: No, the FACT PACK lists no RT cores and no tensor cores, indicating no dedicated hardware for ray tracing or AI acceleration.

Q: What is the bus interface?

A: The card uses AGP 8x, which is an older expansion bus standard.

How It Compares

The FACT PACK provides no nearest rivals, so a direct comparison is impossible. The `nearestRivals` array is empty, and there are no delta percentages to reference. The card’s position in the product stack can be inferred from its generation: it sits between the Radeon R200 (predecessor) and the Radeon R400 AGP (successor). The 50th percentile rank, while lacking context, suggests a middle-of-the-road standing among all GPUs, but this is unverified. Without rival scores, any statement about being faster or slower than another specific card would be speculative. The only concrete comparative data are the raw specs—4 TMUs, 4 ROPs, 2.000 GPixel/s, 2.000 GTexel/s—which can be used by a potential buyer to estimate relative performance only if they have similar numbers for other cards, but those are not provided here.

Memory Subsystem

The memory subsystem is defined by 128 MB of DDR memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 9.600 GB/s. The memory clock is 300 MHz, with an effective data rate of 600 Mbps. This configuration is modest: 128 MB is a limited capacity for high-resolution textures, and the 128-bit bus, while common for mid-range cards of the era, restricts the amount of data that can be transferred per clock cycle. For high-resolution workloads, the bandwidth of 9.600 GB/s may become a bottleneck, particularly in scenes with large textures or anti-aliasing. The pixel rate of 2.000 GPixel/s and texture rate of 2.000 GTexel/s are directly tied to the memory bandwidth, as fillrate operations require constant memory access. The card’s ability to handle high resolutions is therefore constrained by both the VRAM capacity and the bandwidth; without benchmark data, the exact resolution at which performance degrades cannot be specified.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Radeon 9600 XT has no RT cores and no tensor cores, as the FACT PACK lists null for both. This means the card offers no hardware acceleration for ray tracing or AI-based features like DLSS. Its API support includes DirectX 9.0 (9_0) and OpenGL 2.0, but no Vulkan. DirectX 9.0 was a significant milestone for shader-based effects, and the card’s support for it aligns with its release in 2003. The absence of Vulkan is expected for a card of this era, as Vulkan was not introduced until years later. The feature set is therefore limited to the capabilities of DirectX 9 and OpenGL 2.0, which include pixel and vertex shaders but no hardware ray tracing. The card’s display outputs—1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video—provide standard connectivity but no multi-monitor or high-bandwidth options beyond what those interfaces allow. The end-of-life status and the lack of modern API support make this card a historical artifact rather than a viable option for contemporary workloads.