NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 PCI
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 PCI Specifications
GeForce FX 5200 PCI GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 PCI 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.
FX 5200 PCI Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the GeForce FX 5200 PCI'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 GeForce FX 5200 PCI by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's GeForce FX 5200 PCI Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The GeForce FX 5200 PCI'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.
FX 5200 PCI Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 PCI 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.
Rankine Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 PCI is built on NVIDIA's Rankine 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 FX 5200 PCI will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
NVIDIA's GeForce FX 5200 PCI Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 PCI 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 GeForce FX 5200 PCI to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
GeForce FX 5200 PCI by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 PCI 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.
NVIDIA API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 PCI. 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.
GeForce FX 5200 PCI Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 PCI is manufactured by NVIDIA 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 GeForce FX 5200 PCI by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
GeForce FX 5200 PCI Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 PCI
NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 PCI is an entry-level graphics card from the GeForce FX generation, built on the Rankine architecture with a 150 nm TSMC process. It targets legacy PCI systems, offering 256 MB of DDR memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 6.400 GB/s of bandwidth. With 4 texture mapping units and 4 raster output pipelines, its pixel and texture rates both reach 1.000 GPixel/s and 1.000 GTexel/s, respectively. The card supports DirectX 9.0a and OpenGL 1.5 (full) with partial 2.0, making it a basic option for older software titles. Its production status is end-of-life, and it occupies a single slot with a length of 152 mm (6 inches), requiring no auxiliary power connectors and a suggested PSU of 200 W.
Who Should Consider It
The GeForce FX 5200 PCI is suited for users maintaining older PCI-based systems, where upgrading to AGP or PCIe is not an option. Benchmark results indicate its performance sits at the 50th percentile among all GPUs, meaning it falls squarely in the mid-low range of historical hardware. For 2D desktop work, legacy office applications, and early 2000s games that rely on DirectX 8 or earlier, the card provides adequate functionality. Its 256 MB memory capacity is generous for its era, but the 6.400 GB/s bandwidth and 1.000 GPixel/s fill rate cap its ability to handle higher resolutions or texture-heavy scenes.
At resolutions like 1024x768, users can expect playable frame rates in older titles with reduced detail settings. For 1280x1024 or higher, the data suggests significant strain, as the pixel rate and texture rate are identical at 1.000 — indicating no headroom for anisotropic filtering or anti-aliasing without substantial performance drops. The card supports DirectX 9.0a, but its hardware is not optimized for shader-heavy effects common in later DirectX 9 titles; thus, it is best reserved for games released around 2003 or earlier. The lack of any benchmark scores in the fact pack means quantitative comparisons are limited, but the 50th percentile rank clarifies that it is neither a high-end nor a bottom-tier part.
For users with a 200 W PSU and no auxiliary power connectors, this card is a drop-in solution for basic video output. It does not require external power, making it one of the simplest upgrades for old PCI slots. However, if the system’s primary use involves modern web browsing, video playback, or any GPU-accelerated compute, this card will struggle due to its limited API support and absence of modern features. The 1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video outputs cover standard display connections of that period, but no digital-only high refresh rate support is implied.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The GeForce FX 5200 PCI has no dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as those technologies were introduced much later in GPU architecture evolution. The fact pack lists both rtCores and tensorCores as null, meaning hardware-accelerated ray tracing is entirely absent. Any ray-traced workloads would have to rely on software implementations, which the card’s 1.000 GPixel/s pixel rate cannot handle in real time. This is not a criticism but a reflection of its 2003 release date, where ray tracing was not a consumer feature.
The feature set is defined by its API support: DirectX 9.0a, OpenGL 1.5 (full) and OpenGL 2.0 (partial). DirectX 9.0a allows for pixel shader 2.0 and vertex shader 2.0, but the card’s limited shader throughput (no shading units listed, only 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs) means these features are largely theoretical for gaming. The partial OpenGL 2.0 support suggests some extensions are missing, which can cause compatibility issues with certain OpenGL-based applications. The absence of Vulkan support further restricts modern software compatibility.
The 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs directly limit texture filtering and pixel output. With a texture rate of 1.000 GTexel/s, the card can process one billion texels per second, which is sufficient for simple textures but inadequate for high-resolution or multi-layered effects. The 128-bit memory bus and 200 MHz memory clock (400 Mbps effective) yield 6.400 GB/s bandwidth — enough for basic framebuffer operations but a bottleneck for any demanding workload. There is no support for hardware video decoding, as that is not detailed in the fact pack, so all video playback would rely on the CPU.
How It Compares
The fact pack lists no nearest rivals, meaning there are no direct comparative scores or deltaPct values to reference. This absence implies that within the benchmark database, the GeForce FX 5200 PCI stands alone in its category for the sampled data. Its 50th percentile ranking indicates that half of all GPUs in the database outperform it, while half are slower or equivalent — but without specific rival names, numeric comparisons cannot be made.
Given its predecessor is GeForce 4 Ti and its successor is GeForce 6 AGP, the FX 5200 PCI sits between those generations. The GeForce 4 Ti was known for strong DirectX 8 performance, while the GeForce 6 AGP introduced Shader Model 3.0. The FX 5200 PCI, with DirectX 9.0a, offers partial feature parity with its successor but lacks the architectural refinements. The 45 million transistors on a 91 mm² die (transistor density 494.5K / mm²) are modest numbers, suggesting a low-cost design.
The only comparison possible is architectural: the FX 5200 PCI's 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs match many entry-level cards of its era, but its PCI bus interface (rather than AGP) limits bandwidth to the system. The 6.400 GB/s memory bandwidth is fixed by the 128-bit bus and DDR memory, which is typical for mid-range cards of 2003 but low by modern standards. The 50th percentile rank is a neutral position — neither a standout performer nor a complete failure, but rather a baseline for legacy systems.
FAQ
Q: Does the GeForce FX 5200 PCI support DirectX 9.0?
A: Yes, it supports DirectX 9.0a, which is an early revision of DirectX 9, enabling pixel shader 2.0 and vertex shader 2.0 features.
Q: What is the maximum memory bandwidth of this card?
A: The memory bandwidth is 6.400 GB/s, derived from a 128-bit bus width and DDR memory running at 200 MHz (400 Mbps effective).
Q: Can this card be used in a modern PC?
A: No, it uses a PCI bus interface, which is not present on most modern motherboards. Additionally, its API support (DirectX 9.0a, OpenGL 1.5/2.0 partial) is too limited for modern software.
Q: Does the card require an external power connector?
A: No, the fact pack lists power connectors as "None," and the suggested PSU is 200 W, making it a low-power solution.
Q: What display outputs are available?
A: The card has 1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video outputs, covering analog and basic digital connections.
Q: How many texture mapping units does it have?
A: It has 4 texture mapping units (TMUs) and 4 raster output pipelines (ROPs), with a texture rate of 1.000 GTexel/s.
Power and Cooling
The GeForce FX 5200 PCI has no listed TDP in the fact pack, but its power requirements are minimal. The suggested PSU is 200 W, and it uses no power connectors, meaning all power is drawn from the PCI slot. This makes it suitable for older systems with small power supplies, as long as the rest of the system stays within the 200 W budget. The card is single-slot, measuring 152 mm (6 inches) in length, and has no auxiliary power needs.
Cooling is not explicitly detailed, but the lack of power connectors and low transistor count (45 million) suggest a passive or low-profile active cooler is sufficient. The die size is 91 mm², which is small, and the process node is 150 nm, indicating lower heat density compared to modern chips. The card’s slot width is single-slot, meaning it will fit in most standard cases without blocking adjacent slots.
The memory operates at 200 MHz (400 Mbps effective), which is conservative for DDR, further reducing power draw. The 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs are minimal, so peak loads are unlikely to stress the power delivery. Users should ensure their system’s PSU meets the 200 W recommendation, but no aftermarket cooling or upgraded power supply is required. The absence of a TDP figure in the fact pack means exact wattage cannot be stated, but the combination of no power connectors and a 200 W PSU recommendation indicates a very low draw.
The AMD Equivalent of GeForce FX 5200 PCI
Looking for a similar graphics card from AMD? The AMD Radeon RX 480 offers comparable performance and features in the AMD lineup.
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