NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500

The NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500, built on the NV34B chip under the Rankine architecture, occupies a specific entry-level position in the AGP 8x era. Fabricated by TSMC on a 150 nm process, the GPU integrates 45 million transistors on a 91 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 494.5K per mm². With a memory clock of 166 MHz (332 Mbps effective) and a 128-bit bus, it delivers 5.312 GB/s of bandwidth from its 64 MB DDR frame buffer. The part features 4 texture mapping units and 4 render output units, producing a pixel rate of 1.080 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1.080 GTexel/s. This analysis relies solely on the provided fact pack, which includes no benchmark scores or nearest rival data; therefore, performance interpretation must focus on the architectural specifications and relative positioning derived from the listed fields.

Benchmark Performance

The FACT PACK for the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500 contains an empty `benchmarks` array, an `avgBenchmarkScore` of 0, and a `percentileVsAllGpus` of 50. Without concrete synthetic or game scores, the raw performance cannot be quantified against any other GPU. The `nearestRivals` list is also empty, meaning no direct percentage deltas or rival names are available for comparison.

What the data does provide is a set of fixed throughput ceilings. The 1.080 GPixel/s pixel rate and 1.080 GTexel/s texture rate are identical, indicating a balanced design where each of the 4 ROPs and 4 TMUs operates at the same effective clock. The memory subsystem delivers 5.312 GB/s, which is derived from the 128-bit interface and 166 MHz memory clock (332 Mbps effective per pin). This bandwidth is the single most important limiter in older DirectX 9 titles, as the 64 MB frame buffer (type DDR) constrains both resolution and texture detail.

The percentile field of 50 places the FX 5500 exactly at the median of all GPUs tracked by this database, but with a zero average score, that percentile likely reflects the absence of data rather than a meaningful performance ranking. In practical terms, the combination of 150 nm process, 4 TMUs, and 4 ROPs suggests a design targeting 1024x768 or lower resolutions with reduced settings. The lack of any FP32 or FP16 throughput figures means vertex and pixel shader performance cannot be estimated from the pack. The zero benchmark score is not a measure of failure; it is a placeholder indicating that no standardized tests have been recorded for this part.

How It Compares

The `nearestRivals` array is empty, so no direct comparisons to specific competitors are possible from the FACT PACK. The predecessor field lists "GeForce 4 Ti" and the successor is "GeForce 6 AGP," but no scores or deltas accompany these labels. Without rival names or percentage differences, the FX 5500 cannot be positioned against the GeForce 4 Ti (which was generally a higher-tier product) or the later GeForce 6 AGP series.

The absence of rival data forces a qualitative assessment. The FX 5500 uses the NV34B chip, a cut-down version of the NV34 core, which was designed for low-cost AGP boards. Its 64 MB memory and 128-bit bus are typical of entry-level parts from that generation, but the 5.312 GB/s bandwidth is modest even for 2004. The GeForce 4 Ti, as a predecessor, likely offered higher fill rates and more memory bandwidth, but no numbers are provided to confirm that. The successor GeForce 6 AGP introduced Shader Model 3.0 support, which the FX 5500 lacks due to its DirectX 9.0a API level. This generational gap is significant, but again, no quantitative data exists in the pack to express it.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The FX 5500 has no `rtCores` and no `tensorCores` fields populated; both are null in the FACT PACK. Ray tracing acceleration is therefore entirely absent from this GPU. The architecture (Rankine, NV34B) predates any hardware ray tracing support by over a decade. Similarly, tensor cores, which are used for AI workloads and DLSS in modern GPUs, are not present. The chip is purely a fixed-function and programmable shader part from the DirectX 9 era.

The API support is explicitly listed: DirectX 9.0a and OpenGL 1.5 (full) with OpenGL 2.0 (partial). DirectX 9.0a is an early revision of the DirectX 9 specification, lacking some later features like Shader Model 3.0 (introduced in 9.0c). This means the FX 5500 can run early DirectX 9 titles but will fail or degrade on games that require 9.0c or higher. The OpenGL support is partial for version 2.0, which limits compatibility with later OpenGL applications. No Vulkan support is listed, as Vulkan did not exist at the time. The display outputs are 1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video, which is a standard analog-era configuration.

The feature set is further constrained by the lack of FP32 or FP16 throughput numbers. In practice, this means the shader units, if any, are not quantified. The `shadingUnits` field is null, so the number of pixel shader processors is unknown. The 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs are the only fixed-function units specified. The texture rate of 1.080 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 1.080 GPixel/s indicate that both are clocked to the same value, which is typical for a low-end part where the memory bandwidth is the bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500?

A: The memory bandwidth is 5.312 GB/s, achieved with a 128-bit bus and DDR memory clocked at 166 MHz (332 Mbps effective).

Q: Does the GeForce FX 5500 support DirectX 9.0a?

A: Yes, the API list includes DirectX 9.0a. It also supports OpenGL 1.5 (full) and OpenGL 2.0 (partial). No Vulkan support is present.

Q: What is the pixel fill rate of this GPU?

A: The pixel rate is 1.080 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is also 1.080 GTexel/s, based on 4 ROPs and 4 TMUs.

Q: How much memory does the FX 5500 have, and what type is it?

A: It has 64 MB of DDR memory on a 128-bit bus. The memory clock is 166 MHz, yielding 332 Mbps effective per pin.

Q: What process node is the NV34B chip fabricated on?

A: The chip is manufactured by TSMC on a 150 nm process. It contains 45 million transistors on a 91 mm² die.

Q: Is there any ray tracing or tensor core support?

A: No. Both `rtCores` and `tensorCores` fields are null. The GPU has no dedicated hardware for ray tracing or AI tensor operations.

Q: What are the display outputs?

A: The card provides 1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video outputs. It uses an AGP 8x bus interface and is a single-slot design with no power connectors.

Who Should Consider It

Based purely on the FACT PACK, the GeForce FX 5500 is a legacy part that is now end-of-life (production status). Its release date is 2004-03-16. The combination of 64 MB memory, 5.312 GB/s bandwidth, and 1.080 GPixel/s fill rate indicates it was designed for low-resolution gaming and basic 2D/3D acceleration. Users considering this GPU today should target 1024x768 or lower resolutions, with texture detail and anti-aliasing disabled. The DirectX 9.0a support limits it to early 2000s titles; anything requiring DirectX 9.0c will not run. The OpenGL 1.5 (full) support means older OpenGL games are playable, but OpenGL 2.0 applications will only work partially.

The 200 W suggested PSU is a modest requirement, and the lack of power connectors means it draws only from the AGP slot. The card's 152 mm length (6 inches) fits most cases of that era. For collectors or retro-build enthusiasts, the FX 5500 can serve as a functional AGP 8x card for Windows XP-era software. However, the empty benchmark array and zero average score mean there is no objective performance data to recommend it for any modern workload. The 50th percentile ranking is ambiguous without scores. The absence of a launch MSRP further prevents any value assessment. In essence, the FX 5500 is a historical artifact: its 4 TMUs, 4 ROPs, and 64 MB frame buffer define a hard ceiling that no driver or overclock can overcome. If the goal is to play games from 2003-2004 at minimal settings, the data supports that use case; for anything else, the specifications clearly indicate it is inadequate.