NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4800 SE

The NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4800 SE is a Kelvin-architecture graphics card built on TSMC's 150 nm process, packing 63 million transistors into a 142 mm² die for a density of 443.7K transistors per square millimeter. Released on February 15, 2003, it sits between the GeForce 4 MX and the GeForce FX in NVIDIA's lineup, and the data marks it as end-of-life. With a 50th percentile rank among all GPUs in the database, it occupies a middle ground—neither a flagship nor an entry-level part, but a card that defined the mid-range of its generation.

Benchmark Performance

The data contains no synthetic benchmark scores for the GeForce4 Ti 4800 SE; the average benchmark score is recorded as 0. This absence is notable, but the theoretical performance figures provide a clear picture. The pixel rate is 1.100 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 2.200 GTexel/s. The texture rate is exactly double the pixel rate, which aligns with the hardware configuration of 8 texture mapping units and 4 render output units. In a typical frame, the 4 ROPs will limit pixel throughput, while the 8 TMUs can process texture data at a higher rate. The 50th percentile rank suggests that in real-world workloads of its era, the card would have been a competent mid-tier performer, but not a top-tier one. The lack of benchmark data means we cannot quantify a delta against any specific rival, but the theoretical rates indicate a card that could handle standard resolutions of the early 2000s with moderate settings. The 50th percentile is a useful anchor: it is neither a low-end part nor a high-end part, but a balanced middle.

How It Compares

The GeForce4 Ti 4800 SE occupies a specific niche in NVIDIA's early-2000s lineup. Its predecessor is the GeForce 4 MX, a series that lacked the full feature set of the Ti line. The successor is the GeForce FX, which introduced a new architecture. The 4800 SE uses the NV28 chip and the Kelvin architecture, which is a refinement of the earlier GeForce 4 Ti design. The data shows no nearest rivals, so a direct comparison with other cards is not possible. However, the 50th percentile rank places it at the midpoint of the overall GPU population, which suggests it was neither a flagship nor a budget part. The 150 nm process node and 63 million transistors are modest by later standards, but the 142 mm² die size and 443.7K / mm² density are consistent with a mid-range card of that generation. The card was released in 2003, and its end-of-life status indicates it had a relatively short production run. It bridges the MX and FX series, offering a Kelvin-based alternative to the upcoming FX line.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The GeForce4 Ti 4800 SE has no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores; the data lists these fields as null. This is expected for a card from 2003, as ray tracing hardware did not exist in consumer GPUs at that time. The API support is limited to DirectX 8.1 and OpenGL 1.5, with no Vulkan support. DirectX 8.1 was the standard for the era, and it supports pixel shaders, though the data does not specify the exact shader model. The absence of Vulkan is unsurprising, as Vulkan was not introduced until 2016. The display outputs are 1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video, which is a standard set for the time. The card has no tensor cores, so any AI or machine learning features are not applicable. The feature set is firmly rooted in the early 2000s, with no modern capabilities. The API support is a key limitation: DirectX 8.1 means it cannot run games that require DirectX 9 or later, and OpenGL 1.5 is similarly dated.

Power and Cooling

The data does not list a TDP for the GeForce4 Ti 4800 SE, so a specific wattage cannot be stated. However, the suggested power supply is 200 W, which is a modest requirement. The card requires no power connectors, meaning it draws all power from the AGP 8x slot. The slot width is single-slot, and the card measures 216 mm or 8.5 inches in length. This makes it a compact card that fits in most standard cases of its era. The lack of power connectors and the 200 W PSU recommendation suggest a low-to-moderate power draw. The single-slot design does not occupy an adjacent slot, which is useful for system builders. The cooling solution is not specified in the data, but a single-slot card with no power connectors typically relies on a passive or small active cooler. The 150 nm process node is relatively efficient for the time, but the lack of a TDP means we cannot quantify the thermal output.

Who Should Consider It

Given the 128 MB memory and the 50th percentile rank, the GeForce4 Ti 4800 SE is best suited for gaming at lower resolutions and moderate settings. The 8.800 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 32-bit color at resolutions like 1024x768 or 1280x1024, but not for higher resolutions with heavy anti-aliasing. The pixel rate of 1.100 GPixel/s and texture rate of 2.200 GTexel/s indicate that it can handle early 2000s titles at moderate settings. The card supports DirectX 8.1, so it can run games that require DX8 features, but it cannot run modern games due to the outdated API. The 50th percentile rank suggests it is a balanced card for its time, but not a high-end one. For users who want to play games from the 2000-2003 era at standard resolutions, this card would be a reasonable choice. The 128 MB memory is a limitation for large textures, but it was a common size in 2003. The card is not suitable for modern gaming, but for retro or period-specific use, it is a viable option.

Memory Subsystem

The memory subsystem is a 128 MB DDR memory with a 128-bit bus width. The memory clock is 275 MHz, which translates to 550 Mbps effective data rate. The bandwidth is calculated as 8.800 GB/s. This is a straightforward calculation: 128 bits divided by 8 gives 16 bytes per cycle, multiplied by 275 million transfers per second, resulting in 8.8 billion bytes per second. The 128-bit bus is a narrow width for the era, but the DDR memory doubles the effective rate per cycle. The 128 MB capacity is a moderate amount for a mid-range card in 2003. The 8.800 GB/s bandwidth is a limiting factor for high resolutions and high-quality textures. With 4 ROPs and 8 TMUs, the card can sustain 1.100 GPixel/s and 2.200 GTexel/s, but the memory bandwidth must keep up with texture data and pixel writes. The 8.800 GB/s is sufficient for the pixel rate, but it can become a bottleneck when using large textures or high resolutions. The 128-bit bus is a common width for the time, and the DDR memory doubles the data rate per cycle, making it a balanced memory subsystem for the card's performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the release date of the NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4800 SE?

A: The card was released on February 15, 2003.

Q: What is the memory size and type?

A: It has 128 MB of DDR memory with a 128-bit bus width.

Q: What is the effective memory bandwidth?

A: The memory clock is 275 MHz, with an effective data rate of 550 Mbps, resulting in 8.800 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Does the card support ray tracing?

A: No, the data lists no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores.

Q: What is the suggested power supply wattage?

A: The suggested power supply is 200 W, and the card requires no power connectors.

Q: What are the display outputs?

A: The card has 1x DVI, 1x VGA, and 1x S-Video outputs.

Q: What is the bus interface?

A: The card uses an AGP 8x bus interface.

Q: What is the pixel rate and texture rate?

A: The pixel rate is 1.100 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 2.200 GTexel/s.