ATI Radeon X600 SE

Benchmark Performance

The ATI Radeon X600 SE occupies an unusual position in the benchmark database: it carries a percentile rank of 50 against all GPUs, placing it at the exact median of recorded hardware. This is a striking result for a card built on the R300 architecture, as it suggests the X600 SE is not a low-end afterthought but rather a middle-of-the-pack performer within the context of every GPU ever benchmarked by this database. However, the average benchmark score of 0 indicates that no direct performance samples were captured for this specific SKU; the percentile is derived from architectural characteristics and market positioning rather than empirical runs.

The X600 SE's computational throughput is defined by its modest fixed-function pipeline. With 4 texture mapping units and 4 render output units, the card delivers a pixel rate of 1.300 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1.300 GTexel/s. These figures are identical, which is typical for a balanced, low-width design—each ROP can process one pixel per clock, and each TMU can fetch one texel per clock, both operating at the same effective frequency. The memory subsystem is the more restrictive element: a 64-bit bus paired with 128 MB of DDR memory running at 250 MHz (500 Mbps effective) yields a bandwidth of exactly 4.000 GB/s. That bandwidth is the single hardest ceiling on performance; even if the GPU cores could push more, the narrow bus starves them in fill-rate-bound scenes.

Interpreting the percentile: a rank of 50 means half of all GPUs in the database are faster and half are slower. For a 2004-era entry-level part, this is surprisingly competitive, but the lack of nearestRivals data means there are no direct deltaPct values to cite. The X600 SE's performance profile is therefore best understood through its raw specifications: it is a card designed for 32-bit color at moderate resolutions, not for high-detail 3D acceleration. The 1.300 GPixel/s fill rate is sufficient for games of its era at 800x600 or 1024x768 with reduced detail settings, but it will struggle with anisotropic filtering or anti-aliasing, both of which multiply the per-pixel workload beyond what the 4.000 GB/s bus can feed.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The X600 SE has no dedicated ray tracing cores and no tensor cores; the fact pack lists both as null. This is expected for a GPU from the R300 generation, which predates any hardware acceleration for ray tracing by nearly two decades. The card's feature set is anchored entirely in the fixed-function and programmable shader pipeline of DirectX 9.0. It supports DirectX 9.0 and OpenGL 2.0, with no Vulkan support listed—again, a product of its era.

Within that DirectX 9.0 feature set, the X600 SE offers pixel shader 2.0 and vertex shader 2.0 capabilities, which were the mainstream standard for 2004 titles. The R300 architecture was AMD's first to fully support DirectX 9.0, and the X600 SE is a cut-down implementation of that design. The absence of tensor cores means no machine learning acceleration, no DLSS-style upscaling, and no AI denoising—features that did not exist in this generation. The absence of RT cores means any ray-traced effects must be computed in software, which is impractical given the 1.300 GTexel/s texture rate and 36 W TDP.

The display outputs are minimal: one DVI port and one S-Video connector. There is no HDMI, no DisplayPort, and no VGA natively—users would need an adapter for analog monitors. The card supports a single-slot form factor and connects via PCIe 1.0 x16, which was the cutting-edge bus interface at launch. For the time, this feature set was adequate for office productivity, 2D desktop acceleration, and light 3D gaming, but it lacks any forward-looking capabilities.

How It Compares

The fact pack lists no nearest rivals, which means there are no direct competitor names, scores, or deltaPct values to analyze. This absence is itself informative: the X600 SE was positioned in a segment where the database has not captured comparative benchmarks. Without rival data, the card's positioning must be inferred from its percentile rank of 50 and its raw specifications.

What can be said is that the X600 SE sits between the Radeon R200 series (its predecessor) and the Radeon R400 AGP (its successor). The R200 series lacked full DirectX 9.0 support, making the X600 SE a generational leap in shader capability. The R400 AGP successor would bring architectural improvements, but the X600 SE's PCIe 1.0 x16 interface was forward-looking, while the R400 AGP would cling to the older bus.

Against hypothetical contemporaries, the 64-bit memory bus is the clear differentiator. Most cards in the X600's performance class used 128-bit buses, which would double bandwidth to roughly 8 GB/s at similar memory clocks. The X600 SE's 4.000 GB/s bandwidth is half that, which means it would trail those rivals in any texture-heavy scenario. However, the 110 nm process node and 107 million transistors on a 74 mm² die give it a transistor density of 1.4M per mm², which is efficient for the era and keeps thermals low enough for a single-slot cooler with no power connectors.

Power and Cooling

The X600 SE has a thermal design power of just 36 W. This is a remarkably low figure, even for 2004, and it drives every aspect of the card's power and cooling requirements. The card is single-slot and requires no auxiliary power connectors—it draws all its power from the PCIe 1.0 x16 slot, which supplies up to 75 W. With a 36 W TDP, the card operates well within that envelope, leaving ample headroom for the rest of the system.

The suggested power supply is 200 W. This is a modest recommendation that reflects the card's low draw; any PSU from the era with a credible 200 W rating on the +12 V rail would suffice. There are no power connectors on the card, so installation is straightforward: insert into the PCIe slot, secure the bracket, and it runs. The 110 nm process node from TSMC, with 107 million transistors, is efficient enough that the single-slot cooler—presumably a small fan or passive heatsink—handles the thermal load without issue.

The absence of power connectors also means no cable management concerns and no risk of exceeding PSU rail limits. For a system builder, this is a drop-in card for any desktop with a free PCIe x16 slot. The 36 W TDP also has implications for system airflow: it generates minimal heat inside the case, so it does not require aggressive case ventilation. The fact pack does not list a length or height, so physical dimensions are unknown, but the single-slot designation suggests a compact profile compatible with most chassis.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the ATI Radeon X600 SE?

A: The card has a 64-bit memory bus with 128 MB of DDR memory running at 250 MHz (500 Mbps effective), yielding a bandwidth of exactly 4.000 GB/s.

Q: Does the X600 SE support ray tracing or tensor operations?

A: No. The fact pack lists no RT cores and no tensor cores. The card is limited to DirectX 9.0 and OpenGL 2.0 features, with no Vulkan support.

Q: What power supply do I need for this card?

A: The suggested PSU rating is 200 W. The card has a 36 W TDP and requires no auxiliary power connectors, drawing all power from the PCIe 1.0 x16 slot.

Q: What display outputs are available on the X600 SE?

A: The card provides one DVI port and one S-Video connector. There is no HDMI, DisplayPort, or native VGA output.

Q: What is the manufacturing process and transistor count?

A: The GPU, codenamed RV370, is built on a 110 nm process at TSMC, containing 107 million transistors on a 74 mm² die, which gives a transistor density of 1.4 million per square millimeter.

Q: What is the pixel and texture fill rate?

A: The card achieves a pixel rate of 1.300 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1.300 GTexel/s, driven by 4 texture mapping units and 4 render output units.

Q: Is the X600 SE still in production?

A: No, the production status is listed as end-of-life. It was released on August 31, 2004, and has been succeeded by the Radeon R400 AGP.