ATI Radeon X1700 FSC

Memory Subsystem

The ATI Radeon X1700 FSC ships with 256 MB of GDDR3 memory across a 128-bit bus. The memory clock runs at 695 MHz, translating to an effective data rate of 1390 Mbps. This configuration yields a peak bandwidth of 22.24 GB/s. For the era in which this card was positioned, that bandwidth figure is modest, and it directly constrains how the GPU behaves at higher resolutions.

At 1080p or above, the 256 MB frame buffer becomes a limiting factor. Many contemporary games of the R500 generation could exceed that capacity when loading high-resolution textures, forcing the card to spill over to system memory over the PCIe 1.0 x16 interface. The 22.24 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 720p-class workloads with moderate settings, but benchmark data indicates that the card's overall percentile ranking sits at the 50th mark among all GPUs. That midpoint placement suggests the memory subsystem is adequate for its intended segment, not exceptional.

The 128-bit bus width is a deliberate design choice to keep the card compact and power-efficient, but it halves the theoretical memory throughput compared to wider-bus alternatives. When paired with the 4 texture mapping units and 4 render output units, the memory pipeline delivers a pixel rate of 2.348 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 2.348 GTexel/s. These figures are balanced — neither the pixel fill rate nor the texture rate is a bottleneck relative to the other. The effective memory speed of 1390 Mbps is standard for GDDR3 of that period, yet the narrow bus means the card cannot leverage high memory clocks to compensate for the limited bus width.

For high-resolution gaming, the data suggests a hard ceiling. The combination of 256 MB VRAM and 22.24 GB/s bandwidth will struggle with 1440p or 4K textures, where even modest settings can exceed the frame buffer. The card is better matched to 1024x768 or 1280x1024 panels, where the memory capacity and bandwidth align with the GPU's compute capabilities. Users targeting higher resolutions should expect significant frame pacing issues and texture pop-in, as the memory subsystem becomes the primary constraint.

Who Should Consider It

The ATI Radeon X1700 FSC is a legacy product, now end-of-life, and its benchmark percentile of 50 places it exactly at the median of all GPUs ever tested. That positioning makes it suitable for a narrow set of use cases. For gamers running at 1280x1024 or below with DirectX 9.0c titles, the card can deliver playable frame rates at medium detail settings. The 256 MB frame buffer is adequate for that resolution class, and the 2.348 GPixel/s pixel rate can keep up with older game engines that are not texture-heavy.

This card is not for modern AAA titles. DirectX 9.0c (9_3) support and OpenGL 2.1 limit the API compatibility to roughly mid-2000s software. Users with a library of games from that era — early Source engine titles, older Unreal Engine 2/3 games, or strategy titles with modest graphics demands — will find the X1700 FSC serviceable. The absence of Vulkan support further cements its status as a period piece.

For productivity, the card offers 1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video outputs, making it viable for basic office work, legacy software, or multi-monitor setups with older displays. The single-slot design and lack of power connectors mean it can slot into older prebuilt systems without PSU upgrades. However, users seeking to play anything released after 2008 should look elsewhere — the memory subsystem and API support will not cope.

At 50th percentile, the card sits in a no-man's land: too slow for modern gaming, but too capable to be a pure display adapter. The best fit is a retro gaming rig or a secondary machine for legacy software. Enthusiasts building a period-correct system from the 2007-2008 era will find the X1700 FSC appropriate for 1024x768 gaming, where its 22.24 GB/s bandwidth and 4 ROPs are sufficient. For anything more demanding, the data recommends against it.

Benchmark Performance

The FACT PACK provides no direct benchmark scores or nearest rival comparisons for the ATI Radeon X1700 FSC. The avgBenchmarkScore field is 0, and the nearestRivals array is empty. This absence of comparative data is itself informative — the card is so far removed from contemporary performance baselines that it cannot be positioned against modern GPUs in any meaningful way.

What the data does show is a 50th percentile ranking across all GPUs. This is a median placement, meaning half of all GPUs ever tested score higher and half score lower. However, that percentile is based on the card's historical performance context, not current hardware. The RV535 chip with 157 million transistors on an 80 nm TSMC process delivers a pixel rate of 2.348 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 2.348 GTexel/s. These figures are internally consistent — the card can perform exactly one pixel and one texture operation per clock cycle across its 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs.

Without rival scores, the benchmark analysis must rely on architectural context. The Radeon R500 generation followed the R400 series and preceded the R600. The X1700 FSC is a mid-range part in that lineage, but its 128-bit memory bus and 256 MB VRAM are entry-level specs for the generation. The 44 W TDP and lack of auxiliary power connectors indicate a card designed for low-power slots, not high-performance segments.

The effective memory speed of 1390 Mbps is the only clock-derived performance metric available. Combined with the 128-bit bus, this yields 22.24 GB/s — a figure that was competitive in 2007 but is now several orders of magnitude below modern standards. The absence of FP32 or FP16 throughput data further underscores that this card was never designed for compute workloads. The 50th percentile ranking should be interpreted as a historical artifact: among GPUs released through its era, it sits in the middle, but against any modern baseline, it falls far behind.

Power and Cooling

The ATI Radeon X1700 FSC has a thermal design power of 44 W. This is a low figure by any standard, and it has direct implications for system integration. The card is single-slot, meaning it occupies one expansion slot and does not require a dual-slot cooler. The cooling solution is not specified in the data, but the 44 W TDP can be managed by a passive heatsink or a small active cooler without difficulty.

The power connector situation is equally simple: the card requires no auxiliary power connectors. All power is drawn from the PCIe 1.0 x16 slot, which supplies up to 75 W. With a 44 W TDP, the card stays within the slot's power budget with a comfortable margin. The suggested PSU rating is 200 W, which is modest and compatible with most systems from the card's release period.

For builders considering this card today, the power requirements are a non-issue. A 200 W PSU is far below what modern systems require, and the absence of power connectors simplifies installation. The single-slot design also means it can fit in compact cases where dual-slot cards would not. The 80 nm process node, while large by modern standards, contributes to the low power draw because the transistor count is a modest 157 million across a 131 mm² die.

The transistor density of 1.2M per mm² is low, which reduces thermal density and allows for simpler cooling. The card's end-of-life production status means it will not be found in new systems, but for retro builds, the power and cooling profile is one of its strengths. The lack of a power connector also means no cable management concerns, and the 200 W PSU recommendation can be met by virtually any ATX power supply from the past two decades. The 44 W TDP also means the card generates minimal heat inside the case, reducing the load on case fans.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals array in the FACT PACK is empty, meaning no direct comparative data is available for the ATI Radeon X1700 FSC against specific GPUs. The percentileVsAllGpus field of 50 provides a general position — exactly median among all GPUs in the database. Without rival names, scores, or deltaPct values, a rival-by-rival comparison cannot be constructed from the FACT PACK.

What can be said is positional. The card sits between the Radeon R400 PCIe series (its predecessor) and the Radeon R600 series (its successor). The R400 would be slower, and the R600 would be faster, but no quantitative deltas are provided. The 50th percentile ranking indicates the card outperforms roughly half of all GPUs in the database and underperforms the other half. This places it in the middle of the performance spectrum, but that spectrum includes many older and weaker parts, so the absolute performance level is low.

The absence of benchmark data means the card cannot be ranked against contemporaries like Nvidia's mid-range offerings of the same period. The FACT PACK provides no such names or scores. The only architectural comparison points are internal: the RV535 chip, 4 TMUs, 4 ROPs, and 22.24 GB/s bandwidth. These specs are consistent with a low-end to mid-range part of its generation, but without rival data, any further positioning would require inference beyond the FACT PACK.

The 50th percentile is the single most informative comparator. It tells users that the card is neither a standout performer nor a complete failure — it is the statistical middle child of the GPU landscape. For a card with 256 MB VRAM and a 128-bit bus, that median placement is arguably better than expected, suggesting the low power draw and efficient architecture compensate for the modest memory subsystem. However, the lack of rival data means this percentile cannot be decomposed into specific wins or losses against named competitors.