ATI Radeon X1550 AGP

The ATI Radeon X1550 AGP is an end-of-life graphics card from AMD, built on the 90 nm process at TSMC and utilizing the RV505 chip. It is part of the Radeon R500 AGP generation, succeeding the Radeon R400 AGP and preceding the Radeon R600. The card features an Ultra-Threaded SE architecture, a die size of 100 mm², and houses 107 million transistors, resulting in a transistor density of 1.1 million per square millimeter. Benchmark data places this card at the 50th percentile among all GPUs, though its average benchmark score is zero, and it has no listed nearest rivals. This analysis interprets the available specifications and their implications for legacy systems.

Benchmark Performance

The ATI Radeon X1550 AGP holds a percentile rank of 50 among all GPUs, a position that indicates it sits exactly at the median of the historical performance distribution. However, the average benchmark score for this card is recorded as zero, which suggests that no standardized benchmark results have been captured for this specific model in the database. The absence of nearest rivals and delta percentage values means that direct quantitative comparisons against other cards cannot be made from the available data. The card’s pixel rate is 2.400 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 2.400 GTexel/s, both figures being identical, which implies balanced output between the 4 render output units (ROPs) and 4 texture mapping units (TMUs). This symmetry in rates suggests that the card is not bottlenecked in one direction over the other, but the absolute numbers are modest by any modern standard, reflecting its legacy positioning. The 50th percentile ranking, in the absence of a score, might be interpreted as a placeholder or a default classification rather than a measured outcome, which is a critical caveat when evaluating this product. For users of the AGP 8x interface, the X1550 would have been an entry-level option, but the data here offers no performance deltas to substantiate any claims of superiority or inferiority against specific rivals. The lack of benchmark entries is itself a statement: this card was not a high-volume or heavily tested product in the database’s history, and its performance characteristics must be inferred from its architectural specifications rather than empirical tests.

Power and Cooling

The thermal design power (TDP) for the ATI Radeon X1550 AGP is stated as 27 W, a figure that classifies it as a low-power component, especially when compared to the higher wattage requirements of contemporary cards from its era. The suggested power supply unit (PSU) for a system housing this card is 200 W, which is a modest recommendation that aligns with the low TDP and indicates that the card is suitable for basic desktop systems without high-capacity power supplies. The card requires no power connectors, as the power connectors field is listed as "None," meaning it draws all its power from the AGP 8x slot itself. This eliminates the need for additional 6-pin or 8-pin PCIe power cables, simplifying installation in older chassis that may lack such connections. The cooling solution is described as a single-slot design, which occupies only one expansion slot in the case, leaving adjacent slots free for other expansion cards. The combination of a 27 W TDP and no external power connectors suggests that the X1550 generates minimal heat, and a simple passive or low-profile active cooler would suffice, though the exact cooler type is not specified in the data. This power profile makes it an attractive option for upgrading legacy AGP systems where the existing power supply is aged or has limited headroom. The absence of dimensions (length, height, width) in the specifications means that physical fit in small form factor cases cannot be precisely assessed, but the single-slot width and low power draw imply a compact card. Overall, the power and cooling requirements are minimal, making installation straightforward for users familiar with older AGP platforms.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The ATI Radeon X1550 AGP does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as these fields are listed as null. This absence is expected given the card’s architecture and generation, which predates the introduction of hardware-accelerated ray tracing in consumer GPUs. The card’s API support includes DirectX 9.0c (with shader model 9_3) and OpenGL 2.1, but no Vulkan support is listed, again reflecting its era of release. The feature set is therefore limited to the capabilities of the Ultra-Threaded SE architecture, which was designed for the R500 generation and focused on traditional rasterization techniques rather than compute-heavy workloads like ray tracing. The 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs, combined with a texture rate of 2.400 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 2.400 GPixel/s, indicate that the card can handle basic texture mapping and pixel output, but it lacks the hardware units necessary for modern rendering features such as variable rate shading, mesh shaders, or hardware-accelerated ray tracing. For games and applications that rely solely on DirectX 9.0c or OpenGL 2.1 APIs, the X1550 can provide functional support, but any title requiring DirectX 10 or higher, or Vulkan, will be incompatible. The card’s display outputs include 1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video, which were standard for the time, allowing connection to CRT monitors, early LCDs, and televisions via S-Video. The absence of tensor cores also means no AI-accelerated features like DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) are available, further cementing its status as a purely rasterization-focused product. In summary, the feature set is strictly limited to the standards of the mid-2000s, with no forward-looking hardware for ray tracing or machine learning.

Who Should Consider It

Given the benchmark data showing a 50th percentile rank and zero average score, the ATI Radeon X1550 AGP is not a candidate for modern gaming or high-resolution workloads. The card’s pixel rate of 2.400 GPixel/s and texture rate of 2.400 GTexel/s suggest it can handle resolutions up to 1024x768 or 1280x1024 at low to medium settings in games from its own generation, provided those games are compatible with DirectX 9.0c. Users with legacy AGP 8x motherboards who require a basic display adapter for office tasks, 2D applications, or older 3D titles from the early 2000s would find this card sufficient. The low TDP of 27 W and the lack of power connectors make it easy to install in aging systems without upgrading the power supply, and the single-slot design preserves space for other components. However, for any user expecting to play games released after 2006 or utilize modern APIs like Vulkan, this card will be inadequate due to its limited API support (DirectX 9.0c and OpenGL 2.1 only). The 256 MB DDR2 memory and 64-bit bus width further restrict its ability to handle large textures or high-resolution framebuffers, so it is best suited for 800x600 or 1024x768 resolutions with reduced texture quality. Enthusiasts seeking to build a period-correct retro PC for Windows XP-era gaming might consider this card, but they should temper expectations regarding performance, as the zero benchmark score indicates no measured data to confirm its capabilities. In contrast, users with AGP slots who need a reliable output for a server or secondary machine, where 3D performance is irrelevant, could use the X1550 for its DVI and VGA outputs without concern. Ultimately, this card is for those who prioritize compatibility with legacy hardware over any form of modern performance.

Memory Subsystem

The memory subsystem of the ATI Radeon X1550 AGP consists of 256 MB of DDR2 memory, connected via a 64-bit bus width. The memory clock is 330 MHz, which translates to 660 Mbps effective data rate, yielding a total bandwidth of 5.280 GB/s. This bandwidth is a critical bottleneck for the card, as the 64-bit bus is half the width of many contemporaries, which typically used 128-bit interfaces. For high-resolution gaming, the combination of 256 MB VRAM and 5.280 GB/s bandwidth means the card will struggle to store and stream the larger textures and framebuffers required at resolutions above 1024x768. At lower resolutions, such as 800x600, the limited bandwidth is less of a constraint, but even then, the card’s 4 ROPs and 2.400 GPixel/s pixel rate will cap fill rate performance. The DDR2 type memory was common for budget cards of this era, but the 64-bit bus severely limits memory throughput compared to 128-bit designs. The 256 MB capacity is sufficient for early DirectX 9 games with modest texture sizes, but later titles with high-resolution texture packs would quickly exhaust the framebuffer, causing stuttering or texture thrashing. The 5.280 GB/s bandwidth also affects performance in memory-intensive operations like anti-aliasing, where the card would need to read and write additional pixel data, further straining the narrow bus. For users, this memory subsystem dictates that the card is best utilized at 1024x768 or lower with anti-aliasing disabled. The effective 660 Mbps data rate per pin is adequate for the era, but the overall bandwidth figure of 5.280 GB/s is a clear indicator of the card’s entry-level positioning. In summary, the memory subsystem is the most limiting factor after the API support, and it firmly caps the card’s usability to low-resolution, low-detail scenarios.

FAQ

Q: What is the TDP of the ATI Radeon X1550 AGP and what PSU is recommended?

A: The TDP is 27 W, and the suggested power supply is 200 W.

Q: Does this card require any external power connectors?

A: No, the power connectors field is listed as "None," so it draws all power from the AGP 8x slot.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth and bus width of the card?

A: The memory bandwidth is 5.280 GB/s, achieved over a 64-bit bus with DDR2 memory running at 330 MHz (660 Mbps effective).

Q: Which APIs does the ATI Radeon X1550 AGP support?

A: It supports DirectX 9.0c (shader model 9_3) and OpenGL 2.1, with no Vulkan support.

Q: How many TMUs and ROPs does this card have?

A: The card has 4 texture mapping units (TMUs) and 4 render output units (ROPs).

Q: What is the pixel rate and texture rate of the card?

A: The pixel rate is 2.400 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 2.400 GTexel/s.

Q: What display outputs are available on the ATI Radeon X1550 AGP?

A: The card offers 1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video outputs.

How It Compares

The ATI Radeon X1550 AGP has no nearest rivals listed in the database, and its average benchmark score is zero, which precludes any quantitative comparison. The percentile rank of 50 places it at the median of all GPUs, but without a score or rival data, this is a nominal figure rather than a measured one. The card’s predecessor, the Radeon R400 AGP, is noted as a prior generation, but no specifications or performance deltas are provided for it, so a direct comparison is impossible. The successor, the Radeon R600, is also listed without any data in this pack, meaning the evolutionary gap cannot be quantified. In the absence of rival scores and deltaPct values, the X1550’s position must be assessed purely on its own specs: 27 W TDP, 256 MB DDR2 on a 64-bit bus, and 4 TMUs/ROPs. Against hypothetical cards of its era, the 64-bit bus would place it below 128-bit counterparts, but the low power draw and single-slot design offer advantages in compatibility. The lack of any benchmark entries suggests that this card was rarely tested or reviewed, making it a niche product. Users comparing this card to others would need to rely on the raw specifications, such as the 5.280 GB/s bandwidth and 2.400 GPixel/s pixel rate, to gauge relative performance. Without rival data, the analysis must remain qualitative, noting that the X1550 is a low-end legacy part, not a performance-oriented solution. The zero benchmark score also implies that any claims of performance superiority over other cards are unsupported by the database. Therefore, the X1550 occupies a unique, data-poor position where its 50th percentile rank is the only comparative metric, and even that is of questionable validity given the lack of a non-zero score.