NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 64M

The NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 64M is an end-of-life mobile graphics processor built on the Rankine architecture with the NV34B chip at a 150 nm process node. It holds the 50th percentile position among all GPUs tracked in the database, though its average benchmark score is 0, indicating no recorded benchmark entries exist for this part. Released on 2003-02-28, this GPU was designed for portable systems, and its specification sheet defines a modest feature set that aligns with early DirectX 9-era software.

Benchmark Performance

The FX Go5200 64M has no recorded benchmark scores in the database; the average benchmark score sits at 0, and the benchmarks array is empty. This absence is typical for early-2000s mobile GPUs, which were rarely subjected to the standardized desktop benchmark suites that populate modern databases. The percentile vs all GPUs is 50, meaning the part sits exactly at the median of the tracked GPU population — a position that reflects its specification sheet rather than any measured performance data.

The theoretical performance ceilings are defined by the pixel rate of 1.000 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1.000 GTexel/s. With 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs, the chip can dispatch one texture operation and one pixel operation per clock per unit. These figures place it in the entry-level segment of its generation. The memory clock of 250 MHz (500 Mbps effective) combined with a 128-bit bus yields 8.000 GB/s of bandwidth, which is the primary constraint for fill-rate-bound workloads.

Because no synthetic or game benchmarks are recorded, the percentile ranking is derived from the hardware specification alone. A 50th percentile placement indicates that half of all GPUs in the database are slower and half are faster, which for a 2003 mobile part is a reasonable mid-pack standing. The 45 million transistors on a 91 mm² die with a transistor density of 494.5K per mm² reflect the modest complexity of the NV34B design. The 150 nm process from TSMC was a mature node at the time, and the chip's small die size kept manufacturing costs low, though the database does not include pricing information.

The pixel rate and texture rate are exactly matched at 1.000 GPixel/s and 1.000 GTexel/s, which indicates a balanced fixed-function pipeline. This balance means neither the ROP stage nor the TMU stage is a disproportionate bottleneck for simple scenes. However, the 64 MB memory capacity and 8.000 GB/s bandwidth will limit performance once textures exceed the framebuffer, a scenario common in higher-detail settings of the era.

How It Compares

vs. Predecessor (GeForce4 Go): The FX Go5200 64M introduces the Rankine architecture over the older GeForce4 Go design. The move to DirectX 9.0a support is the key architectural differentiator, as the GeForce4 Go line was built around DirectX 8-era capabilities. The 150 nm process and 45 million transistor count represent a generational step forward in feature support, even if raw pixel throughput remains modest. The 128-bit memory bus and 8.000 GB/s bandwidth are notable improvements that allow the newer architecture to feed its 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs more effectively.

vs. Successor (GeForce Go 6): The GeForce Go 6 series supersedes the FX Go5200 with a newer architecture generation. The FX Go5200's OpenGL 1.5 (full) and 2.0 (partial) support is a limiting factor for later titles, while the successor line would expand API coverage. The 64 MB DDR memory configuration and 8.000 GB/s bandwidth were already at the lower end by the time the GeForce Go 6 arrived, and the 250 MHz memory clock reflects the conservative power envelope of the 2003 design.

Position in the Database: With no nearest rivals listed in the database, the FX Go5200 64M occupies an isolated position. Its 50th percentile standing is the only comparative data point available. The lack of recorded benchmark scores means any direct comparison to contemporaries must be inferred from the specification sheet: 4 TMUs, 4 ROPs, and a 128-bit memory bus. The production status is end-of-life, confirming that this GPU has no relevance in current product stacks.

Power and Cooling

The FX Go5200 64M has no TDP listed in the database, and it requires no power connectors — the "None" entry for power connectors confirms that the card draws all power through its AGP 8x slot interface. This is characteristic of low-power mobile GPUs of the 2003 era, where thermal and power budgets were tightly constrained by laptop chassis design.

The 150 nm process node from TSMC with 45 million transistors produces a die of 91 mm². The transistor density of 494.5K per mm² is modest by modern standards but was typical for the era. The lack of a suggested PSU rating in the database indicates that the GPU was not intended for desktop power supply calculations; as a portable-device component, the system integrator would handle power delivery. The display output is "Portable Device Dependent," meaning the GPU relies on the laptop's integrated display panel and does not drive standard desktop monitor outputs directly.

Cooling requirements are not specified, but the absence of power connectors and the low transistor count imply a passive or low-profile cooling solution. The AGP 8x bus interface provides the data pathway between the GPU and the host system, and the 250 MHz memory clock indicates a conservative operating point that minimizes heat generation.

FAQ

Q: What architecture does the FX Go5200 64M use?

A: It uses the Rankine architecture with the NV34B chip, manufactured by TSMC on a 150 nm process with 45 million transistors on a 91 mm² die.

Q: How much memory does it have and what type?

A: It has 64 MB of DDR memory on a 128-bit bus, with a memory clock of 250 MHz (500 Mbps effective) and 8.000 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Does it support DirectX 9?

A: Yes, it supports DirectX 9.0a. For OpenGL, it offers version 1.5 (full) and version 2.0 (partial) support. No Vulkan support is listed.

Q: What power connectors does it require?

A: None. The card draws power through the AGP 8x slot and requires no additional power connectors.

Q: What is the production status and release date?

A: The production status is end-of-life. It was released on 2003-02-28 and has been succeeded by the GeForce Go 6 series, with the GeForce4 Go as its predecessor.

Q: What is the pixel and texture throughput?

A: The pixel rate is 1.000 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 1.000 GTexel/s, driven by 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs.

Who Should Consider It

The FX Go5200 64M is not a candidate for modern gaming or demanding workloads. With 64 MB of DDR memory and 8.000 GB/s of bandwidth, the GPU is suited only for early-2000s titles and basic 2D desktop acceleration. The 50th percentile standing among all GPUs suggests it is a mid-pack performer, but the absence of recorded benchmark scores means real-world gaming performance cannot be quantified from the database.

Users with legacy software that targets DirectX 9.0a will find the feature set adequate. The 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs deliver 1.000 GTexel/s and 1.000 GPixel/s respectively, which is sufficient for low-detail settings in games from the 2003 era. The 128-bit memory bus provides 8.000 GB/s, which is the bandwidth ceiling; any workload that exceeds this will bottleneck. The 64 MB framebuffer is the most limiting factor — larger textures and higher color depths will quickly exhaust it, forcing the GPU to re-fetch data from system memory over the AGP 8x bus.

Given the end-of-life status and the lack of modern API support (no Vulkan, partial OpenGL 2.0), this GPU is only relevant for vintage system restoration or period-correct builds. The AGP 8x interface limits compatibility to older motherboards, and the "Portable Device Dependent" display output means it was never intended for desktop use.

Memory Subsystem

The memory subsystem consists of 64 MB of DDR memory on a 128-bit bus. The memory clock is 250 MHz, with an effective data rate of 500 Mbps, yielding a total bandwidth of 8.000 GB/s. This bandwidth figure is the key constraint for the GPU's performance at higher resolutions and detail settings.

A 128-bit bus is relatively wide for a 2003 entry-level mobile GPU, but the 64 MB capacity limits the available framebuffer for large textures and high-resolution buffers. The 8.000 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for the pixel rate of 1.000 GPixel/s — the two are roughly balanced. In practice, this means the GPU can sustain its fill rate only when textures fit within the 64 MB framebuffer and the memory clock is not the bottleneck.

For high-resolution workloads, the 64 MB capacity will be exhausted quickly, forcing texture thrashing and reduced performance. The DDR type provides a modest improvement over single-data-rate SDRAM, but the effective 500 Mbps rate is low by later standards. The 250 MHz memory clock is the base operating frequency; no boost or game clock is listed in the database.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The FX Go5200 64M has no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores — these are absent from the specification. The architecture is Rankine, which predates any hardware-accelerated ray tracing or AI-assisted features. The GPU's feature set is defined entirely by its fixed-function pipeline and programmable shader support through DirectX 9.0a.

API support includes DirectX 9.0a and OpenGL 1.5 (full) with OpenGL 2.0 (partial). The partial OpenGL 2.0 support means some GLSL shader features may be unavailable. No Vulkan support is listed, which is expected for a 2003 GPU. The absence of tensor cores means no DLSS or similar AI upscaling is possible, and the lack of RT cores means any ray-traced workload would require software emulation, which is impractical at this performance level.

The 4 TMUs handle texture filtering and the 4 ROPs handle pixel output. There are no shading units listed, which suggests the shader processing is handled through the DirectX 9.0a pixel and vertex shader pipeline rather than unified shader cores. The texture rate of 1.000 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 1.000 GPixel/s are the measurable throughput limits. For ray tracing, this GPU has no capability — any such workload would require software emulation, which is impractical given the 1.000 GPixel/s pixel throughput. The feature set is firmly rooted in the early DirectX 9 era, with no forward-looking capabilities beyond the partial OpenGL 2.0 support.