ATI Radeon X1950 XTX

The ATI Radeon X1950 XTX, manufactured by AMD, is built on the R580+ chip using the Ultra-Threaded SE architecture. Fabricated on a 90 nm process at TSMC, the die measures 352 mm² and contains 384 million transistors, resulting in a transistor density of 1.1M per mm². The memory subsystem operates at 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective) and is composed of 512 MB of GDDR4 on a 256-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 64.00 GB/s. The card features 16 texture mapping units and 16 render output units, achieving a pixel rate of 10.40 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 10.40 GTexel/s. It draws a maximum of 125 W, requires a 300 W power supply, and uses a single 6-pin power connector. The card is a dual-slot design with a length of 230 mm (9.1 inches), and it connects via PCIe 1.0 x16. It was released on October 16, 2006, with a launch MSRP of 449 USD.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark database reports an average benchmark score of 0 for this GPU, and the benchmarks array is empty, indicating that no specific synthetic or game-based tests have been recorded. The percentile rank against all GPUs is 50, placing the card exactly at the median of the tracked population. This means that half of all GPUs in the database perform better and half perform worse, though the lack of individual scores prevents a finer-grained analysis. The raw rasterization metrics provide the only quantitative basis for performance. The pixel rate of 10.40 GPixel/s and the texture rate of 10.40 GTexel/s are numerically identical, which indicates a balanced pipeline where each of the 16 ROPs and 16 TMUs is equally utilized. This symmetry suggests that the card will not bottleneck on either texturing or pixel fill in most workloads. The memory bandwidth of 64.00 GB/s, derived from the 256-bit bus and the 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective) memory clock, is a critical factor. With a 512 MB frame buffer, the card can store a substantial amount of texture and geometry data, but the 64.00 GB/s bandwidth limits how quickly that data can be streamed to the shading units. The 50th percentile rank implies a mid-pack performance level, but without a specific score, it is impossible to quantify the gap to the nearest competitors. The 50th percentile is a relative measure, but it does not translate to a specific frame rate or compute throughput. The card's 10.40 GPixel/s pixel rate is a hard limit for fill-bound scenes, while the 10.40 GTexel/s texture rate is the ceiling for texture sampling. The 64.00 GB/s bandwidth is shared across all memory accesses, including frame buffer reads and writes, which can become a bottleneck in high-resolution textures. The 16 ROPs are responsible for blending and write-back, and the 16 TMUs handle filtering and sampling. The absence of any benchmark entries means that the database has no data to validate these theoretical rates against real-world workloads. The identical pixel and texture rates are a hallmark of a well-balanced design, and the memory bandwidth is sufficient for the DirectX 9.0c feature set that the card supports.

Who Should Consider It

The ATI Radeon X1950 XTX is positioned for users who operate within the DirectX 9.0c (9_3) feature set, as that is the highest DirectX version the card supports. The 512 MB frame buffer and 64.00 GB/s bandwidth indicate that the card can handle texture-rich scenes, but the 10.40 GPixel/s pixel rate sets a ceiling on how many pixels can be filled per second. For users targeting standard resolutions of the era, the card provides a balanced fill rate. The 50th percentile ranking suggests that it sits in the middle of the performance distribution, making it a suitable choice for users who require a functional DirectX 9.0c experience without demanding the highest settings. The card's 16 TMUs and 16 ROPs are adequate for games that are optimized for the 9_3 shader model. The memory clock of 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective) is a high speed for the GDDR4 type, and the 256-bit bus ensures that the 64.00 GB/s bandwidth is delivered efficiently. Users who play games that are not heavily dependent on pixel fill rates will find the card adequate. However, the lack of dedicated ray tracing or tensor cores means that any workload requiring those features is not supported. The card's end-of-life production status indicates that it is no longer manufactured, but for legacy systems running DirectX 9.0c applications, the 50th percentile rank places it as a median performer. The dual-slot design and 230 mm length require a chassis that can accommodate these physical dimensions. The 2x DVI and 1x S-Video outputs provide connectivity for analog and digital displays, which is typical for the period. The card's 512 MB frame buffer is a fixed capacity, and while it is sufficient for the DirectX 9.0c era, it limits the ability to load very large texture sets. The 2x DVI outputs allow for dual-monitor setups, while the 1x S-Video output is for legacy analog displays. Users who prioritize a median level of performance and have a 300 W power supply will find the card compliant with their system requirements.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The ATI Radeon X1950 XTX has no dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as indicated by the null values in the specification. This means the card relies entirely on the fixed-function rasterization pipeline and the programmable shaders of the DirectX 9.0c (9_3) specification. The API support is limited to DirectX 9.0c (9_3) and OpenGL 2.1 (full), with OpenGL 3.0 only partially supported. This partial OpenGL 3.0 support means that certain OpenGL 3.0 features may not function correctly, while OpenGL 2.1 applications will run as intended. The absence of ray tracing hardware means that any real-time ray tracing effects are not possible, and the card is strictly a rasterization-based solution. The feature set is anchored on the 9_3 shader model, which supports pixel shader 3.0 and vertex shader 3.0. The display outputs consist of 2x DVI and 1x S-Video, providing dual digital outputs and one analog video output. The card's architecture, Ultra-Threaded SE, is designed to manage multiple threads in the shader units, though without tensor cores, there is no dedicated AI acceleration. The 16 TMUs and 16 ROPs are the core of the rasterization process, and the 10.40 GPixel/s pixel rate is the maximum fill rate. The memory bandwidth of 64.00 GB/s is shared across the 256-bit bus, and the 512 MB GDDR4 frame buffer is the only memory pool. For users who require hardware-accelerated ray tracing or tensor-based features, this card does not offer those capabilities. The API list is strictly limited to the DirectX 9.0c and OpenGL versions noted, with no Vulkan support listed. The lack of Vulkan support is a notable omission, as the card cannot run applications that require the Vulkan API. The OpenGL 3.0 partial support means that only a subset of the OpenGL 3.0 specification is implemented, which may cause compatibility issues with newer OpenGL applications. The Ultra-Threaded SE architecture is the foundation for the shader processing, and it manages threads in a way that maximizes the utilization of the 16 TMUs and 16 ROPs.

Power and Cooling

The ATI Radeon X1950 XTX has a thermal design power (TDP) of 125 W, which dictates the cooling solution and power delivery requirements. The suggested power supply rating is 300 W, and the card requires a single 6-pin power connector. This means that a power supply with at least 300 W capacity and one 6-pin PCIe power cable is necessary for operation. The card is a dual-slot design, which indicates that the cooler occupies two expansion slots to dissipate the 125 W of heat. The physical dimensions are 230 mm in length, equivalent to 9.1 inches, which must be accommodated by the chassis. The 125 W TDP is the maximum power draw under load, and the 300 W PSU recommendation provides a margin for the rest of the system. The single 6-pin connector is a standard interface for GPUs of this power class. The dual-slot cooler is required to manage the thermal output, and the 230 mm length means that users must verify clearance in their cases. The card uses PCIe 1.0 x16 for the bus interface, which is the first generation of PCIe. The power draw of 125 W is a fixed specification, and the cooling solution must be capable of handling that load continuously. The 300 W suggested PSU is a minimum recommendation, and users with more powerful CPUs or additional peripherals may require a higher-rated supply, though the specification only lists 300 W. The dual-slot form factor and 230 mm length are the key physical constraints for installation. The 125 W TDP is a specification that determines the thermal envelope, and the dual-slot cooler is designed to keep the card within safe temperatures. The 300 W suggested PSU is a guideline, and the single 6-pin connector is the only external power interface. The 230 mm length is a physical constraint that must be checked against the chassis, and the 9.1 inch measurement provides a conversion for users who work in imperial units.

How It Compares

The dataset lists no nearest rivals for the ATI Radeon X1950 XTX, meaning there are no direct comparison scores or deltaPct values available. This absence of rival data means that the card's performance cannot be quantified relative to other specific GPUs. However, the card's position in the product hierarchy is defined by its predecessor, the Radeon R400 PCIe, and its successor, the Radeon R600. The 50th percentile rank against all GPUs places it at the median of the entire database, which is the only comparative metric available. Without rival scores, the analysis must rely on the absolute specifications. The pixel rate of 10.40 GPixel/s and texture rate of 10.40 GTexel/s are the primary performance indicators, along with the 64.00 GB/s memory bandwidth. The 512 MB GDDR4 frame buffer on a 256-bit bus is a defining feature of this model, and the 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective) memory clock is the source of its bandwidth. In the context of the Radeon R500 PCIe generation, the X1950 XTX represents a specific configuration with 16 TMUs and 16 ROPs. The end-of-life production status indicates that it has been succeeded by the Radeon R600, and the release date of October 16, 2006, places it in the product timeline. The lack of a benchmark array means that no frame-rate or synthetic scores are recorded, so the 50th percentile is the only quantitative position. The card's performance is thus characterized by its rasterization throughput and memory bandwidth, rather than by any direct comparison to rivals. The absence of ray tracing and tensor cores further distinguishes it from modern GPUs, but within its own generation, it sits at the median of all GPUs tracked by the database. The predecessor, Radeon R400 PCIe, and the successor, Radeon R600, bracket this card in the product line, but no specific performance deltas are provided. The 50th percentile rank is a global measure, and without rival scores, it is the only quantitative comparison available. The card's position in the database is thus defined by its absolute metrics and its percentile rank, rather than by any head-to-head comparisons.