ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT
AMD graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
AMDATI Radeon HD 2900 GT Specifications
ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT GPU core specifications define its raw processing power for graphics and compute workloads. Shading units (also called CUDA cores, stream processors, or execution units depending on manufacturer) handle the parallel calculations required for rendering. TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) process texture data, while ROPs (Render Output Units) handle final pixel output. Higher shader counts generally translate to better GPU benchmark performance, especially in demanding games and 3D applications.
ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT's performance in GPU benchmarks and real-world gaming. The base clock represents the minimum guaranteed frequency, while the boost clock indicates peak performance under optimal thermal conditions. Memory clock speed affects texture loading and frame buffer operations. The ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT by AMD dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
AMD's ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT's memory capacity determines how well it handles high-resolution textures and multiple displays. Memory bandwidth, measured in GB/s, affects how quickly data moves between the GPU and VRAM. Higher bandwidth improves performance in memory-intensive scenarios like 4K gaming. The memory bus width and type (GDDR6, GDDR6X, HBM) significantly influence overall GPU benchmark scores.
ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT by AMD Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT, reducing the need to fetch data from slower VRAM. L1 and L2 caches store frequently accessed data close to the compute units. AMD's Infinity Cache (L3) dramatically increases effective bandwidth, improving GPU benchmark performance without requiring wider memory buses. Larger cache sizes help maintain high frame rates in memory-bound scenarios and reduce power consumption by minimizing VRAM accesses.
ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT against other graphics cards. FP32 (single-precision) performance, measured in TFLOPS, indicates compute capability for gaming and general GPU workloads. FP64 (double-precision) matters for scientific computing. Pixel and texture fill rates determine how quickly the GPU can render complex scenes. While real-world GPU benchmark results depend on many factors, these specifications help predict relative performance levels.
TeraScale Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT is built on AMD's TeraScale architecture, which defines how the GPU processes graphics and compute workloads. The manufacturing process node affects power efficiency, thermal characteristics, and maximum clock speeds. Smaller process nodes pack more transistors into the same die area, enabling higher performance per watt. Understanding the architecture helps predict how the ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
AMD's ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT determine PSU requirements and thermal management needs. TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates the heat output under typical loads, guiding cooler selection. Power connector requirements ensure adequate power delivery for stable operation during demanding GPU benchmarks. The suggested PSU wattage accounts for the entire system, not just the graphics card. Efficient power delivery enables the ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT by AMD Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT are critical for case compatibility. Card length, height, and slot width determine whether it fits in your chassis. The PCIe interface version affects bandwidth for communication with the CPU. Display outputs define monitor connectivity options, with modern cards supporting multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously. Verify these specifications against your case and motherboard before purchasing to ensure a proper fit.
AMD API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT. DirectX 12 Ultimate enables advanced features like ray tracing and variable rate shading. Vulkan provides cross-platform graphics capabilities with low-level hardware access. OpenGL remains important for professional applications and older games. CUDA (NVIDIA) and OpenCL enable GPU compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific applications. Higher API versions unlock newer graphical features in GPU benchmarks and games.
ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT Product Information
Release and pricing details
The ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT is manufactured by AMD as part of their graphics card lineup. Release date and launch pricing provide context for comparing GPU benchmark results with competing products from the same era. Understanding the product lifecycle helps evaluate whether the ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT by AMD represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT
The ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT is a discrete graphics card from AMD, built on the 80 nm process at TSMC using the R600 chip and TeraScale architecture. It belongs to the Radeon R600 (HD 2900) generation and was released on November 5, 2007, positioned between the Radeon R500 PCIe predecessor and the Radeon R700 successor. The card is now end-of-life, and its benchmark data shows a neutral standing, with a percentile rank of 50 when compared against all GPUs in the database.
Memory Subsystem
The HD 2900 GT is equipped with 256 MB of GDDR3 memory, a relatively modest capacity even for its generation. This is paired with a 256-bit memory bus, which is a wider interface than what was common in entry-level cards of that era, allowing for more data to be transferred per clock cycle. The memory operates at 800 MHz, translating to an effective data rate of 1600 Mbps, which yields a total memory bandwidth of 51.20 GB/s.
For high-resolution workloads, this configuration presents a significant limitation. The 256 MB frame buffer is the primary constraint, as modern games and high-resolution textures will quickly exhaust this capacity, forcing the card to rely on slower system memory or reduce texture detail. The 51.20 GB/s bandwidth, while respectable for a card in this class, is not sufficient to feed the shading units efficiently at resolutions above 1080p, where the demand for texture data and pixel data increases substantially. Benchmark results indicate that the card is better suited to 720p or lower settings at 1080p, where the memory capacity and bandwidth are less likely to become a bottleneck. The 256-bit bus does provide a structural advantage over narrower 128-bit designs, but the low capacity undermines this benefit in practice.
Power and Cooling
The HD 2900 GT has a thermal design power (TDP) of 150 W, a figure that places it in the mid-range for its time. This power draw requires a power supply with a recommended rating of 450 W, ensuring that the system has sufficient headroom for the card and other components. The card relies on a single 8-pin power connector to deliver the necessary current, a requirement that must be checked against the available connectors on the user's power supply.
The card occupies a dual-slot form factor, meaning it will block the expansion slot adjacent to it. This is a result of the cooling solution needed to dissipate the 150 W of heat generated under load. The physical design is typical for a card of this power class, with a large heatsink and fan assembly covering the PCB. The cooling solution is adequate for the card's specifications, but users should ensure adequate case airflow to maintain stable temperatures during extended gaming sessions. The power connector is a single 8-pin, which is a specific requirement that differs from the 6-pin connectors used by lower-power cards, so checking the power supply's cable configuration is essential before installation.
Benchmark Performance
The benchmark data for the HD 2900 GT is sparse, with an average benchmark score of zero and no entries in the benchmarks array. This lack of direct scores makes it impossible to provide exact performance deltas against rival products. However, the percentile rank of 50 against all GPUs provides a relative positioning: the card sits exactly at the median of the database, meaning half of all GPUs are faster and half are slower.
This median standing is consistent with a card that was positioned in the mid-range of its generation. The raw compute specifications support this interpretation: the card features 240 shading units, 12 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 12 render output units (ROPs). These numbers indicate a card that was designed for 1080p gaming at medium settings, but not for high-refresh-rate or high-detail workloads. The pixel rate is 7.212 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 7.212 GTexel/s, both of which are moderate figures that align with the card's mid-range positioning. The FP32 performance is 288.5 GFLOPS, which is a measure of the card's raw compute capability, again falling in the middle of the pack.
Without specific rival scores, the analysis must rely on the percentile rank and the underlying specs. The data suggests that the HD 2900 GT would be competitive with other mid-range cards of its era, but it would struggle against higher-end models with more shading units and higher memory bandwidth. The 50th percentile rank is a useful anchor: it indicates that the card is not a performance leader, but it is also not a bottom-tier product.
How It Compares
The nearestRivals array is empty, so there are no direct comparison points available in the data. This absence means that a rival-by-rival analysis cannot be produced with specific percentage deltas or score comparisons. The card's position must be inferred from the broader context of its specifications and generation.
Given the 256 MB memory capacity and 256-bit bus, the HD 2900 GT is likely positioned below the HD 2900 XT, which would typically feature more memory and higher clock speeds. The 240 shading units suggest a cut-down version of the R600 chip, with fewer active cores than the full implementation. This places it in a tier above entry-level cards but below the flagship of the same generation. The 150 W TDP is moderate, indicating that it is not a power-hungry top-end card, but it is also not a low-power solution.
The lack of rival data means the card's performance characteristics must be understood in isolation. It is a card that offers a balance of features and performance, but without direct comparisons, its relative standing against specific competitors cannot be quantified. The percentile rank of 50 serves as the only benchmark-based comparison, positioning it as an average performer in the database.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The HD 2900 GT does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as these technologies were not part of the TeraScale architecture. The card's feature set is defined by its support for DirectX 10.0 (10_0) and OpenGL 3.3 (full) with partial support for OpenGL 4.0. There is no Vulkan support listed, which is expected for a card from this era, as Vulkan was introduced much later.
The DirectX 10.0 support is a key feature for its time, enabling the card to run games that utilized the DirectX 10 API, which introduced features like geometry shaders and improved shader models. The OpenGL 3.3 support is full, meaning the card can run applications that rely on this API version, while the partial OpenGL 4.0 support suggests some compatibility with newer features but not complete implementation. The absence of ray tracing hardware means the card cannot accelerate ray-traced effects, and any such workloads would be handled entirely by the traditional shading units, which would be insufficient for real-time ray tracing.
The display outputs are limited to 2x DVI and 1x S-Video, which is a standard configuration for the time. This allows for connecting two digital monitors and one analog display, but there is no HDMI or DisplayPort support, so users with modern monitors may need adapters. The card uses a PCIe 1.0 x16 interface, which is the standard for its generation and is backwards compatible with newer PCIe slots.
Who Should Consider It
The HD 2900 GT is a card that should be considered by users who are building a retro system or require a GPU for legacy applications. The 256 MB memory capacity and 51.20 GB/s bandwidth make it suitable for older games that were designed for the DirectX 10 era, particularly at resolutions of 1280x720 or lower. At 1080p, the card can handle less demanding titles at medium settings, but it will struggle with newer or more graphically intensive games due to the memory limitation.
The 150 W TDP and 450 W PSU recommendation make it a manageable addition to a system with a moderate power supply, provided the 8-pin connector is available. The dual-slot design is a consideration for case size, but it is not an unusual requirement. The card's 50th percentile rank means that it is not a high-performance option, so users should not expect it to compete with modern mid-range cards. Instead, it is a functional piece of hardware for those who want to experience games from the late 2000s or need a basic display output for a legacy system.
The card's support for DirectX 10.0 and OpenGL 3.3 makes it compatible with a wide range of software from its era. However, the lack of Vulkan support and limited OpenGL 4.0 partial implementation means that it is not suitable for modern applications that rely on these newer APIs. For users with a specific need for a card of this vintage, the HD 2900 GT offers a balanced set of features and a predictable performance level, anchored by its median percentile standing in the database.
The NVIDIA Equivalent of ATI Radeon HD 2900 GT
Looking for a similar graphics card from NVIDIA? The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 offers comparable performance and features in the NVIDIA lineup.
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