NVIDIA Quadro4 500 XGL

The NVIDIA Quadro4 500 XGL is an end-of-life workstation graphics card built on the Celsius architecture, using the NV17 chip fabricated at TSMC on a 150 nm process. The data shows a 50th percentile ranking across all GPUs in the database, placing it exactly at the median of the performance distribution. Released on February 18, 2002, it sits between the Quadro2 Celcius and the Quadro FX Rankine in the product lineup. The card integrates 29 million transistors on a 65 mm² die, yielding a density of 446.2K transistors per square millimeter. With 128 MB of SDR memory on a 128-bit bus, it delivers 2.656 GB/s of bandwidth, a figure that defines its practical limits for any workload.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals list for this card is empty, meaning the database contains no direct comparison points. There are no rival names, scores, or delta percentages to reference. The only comparative metric available is the 50th percentile ranking, which indicates that the card outperforms half of all GPUs in the database and underperforms the other half. This is a neutral position, but the context of its release date (2002-02-18) suggests that the database likely includes many older and weaker parts. Its predecessor, the Quadro2 Celcius, and its successor, the Quadro FX Rankine, are listed in the data, but no benchmark scores are provided for either. The card belongs to the Quadro4 Celcius (x00) generation, which is a distinct product family. Without rival data, the comparison must rely on the card's own specifications. The AGP 4x interface and 1x LFH60 display output are typical of early 2000s workstations. The 50th percentile is a broad measure, but it places the card in the middle of the pack, not at the top or bottom. The absence of rivals also means that the card's performance is not directly comparable to any other product in this database, making the percentile the only yardstick for relative positioning.

Memory Subsystem

The memory subsystem is defined by three numbers: 128 MB of SDR memory, a 128-bit bus width, and a 166 MHz memory clock. The resulting bandwidth is 2.656 GB/s. This is the single most limiting factor for high-resolution work. SDR memory is a single-data-rate type, meaning it transfers data once per clock cycle. The 128-bit bus provides a wide path, but the 166 MHz clock keeps the throughput low. For a card from 2002, this was acceptable, but for modern high-resolution displays, the 2.656 GB/s bandwidth would be exhausted quickly. Texture mapping units (4) and ROPs (4) operate at a pixel rate of 1.000 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 1.000 GTexel/s. These rates are aligned with the memory bandwidth, suggesting a balanced design. However, the 128 MB framebuffer is small, and at high resolutions with heavy textures, the card would run out of memory. The data does not specify a maximum resolution, but the memory characteristics imply that 1080p or higher would be a struggle. For 2D CAD or simple 3D wireframes, the memory is adequate. The 128-bit bus is a positive factor, as it allows more data to move per clock than a 64-bit bus, but the SDR type and 166 MHz clock negate much of that advantage, resulting in a bandwidth figure that is a hard ceiling for all data movement.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The card has no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores; both fields are null in the data. This means hardware-accelerated ray tracing is not possible. The API support is limited to DirectX 7.0 and OpenGL 1.5. DirectX 7.0 supports a fixed-function pipeline and basic texture blending, but it lacks programmable shaders. OpenGL 1.5 adds some extensions but remains a legacy standard. No Vulkan support is listed, which rules out any modern cross-platform API usage. The feature set is therefore confined to what these older APIs allow. The 4 TMUs and 4 ROPs are the core of the rendering pipeline. The pixel rate of 1.000 GPixel/s and texture rate of 1.000 GTexel/s are the maximum output rates. Without RT or tensor cores, any advanced lighting or AI-based effects are impossible. The card is purely a fixed-function rasterizer. For professional applications that rely on OpenGL 1.5, such as early CAD software, this card can work. But it cannot run any modern game or GPU-accelerated compute task. The lack of tensor cores also means no DLSS or similar upscaling technology is available, and the DirectX 7.0 support precludes any shader model beyond the earliest iterations.

Who Should Consider It

This card is for users with legacy AGP 4x motherboards who need a workstation GPU for older software. The 128 MB memory and DirectX 7.0 / OpenGL 1.5 support align with software from the early 2000s. The single LFH60 output limits it to one display, which is fine for a basic workstation. The 168 mm length (6.6 inches) fits in most cases, and the single-slot design saves space. The suggested PSU of 200 W means it can run on very modest power supplies. The 50th percentile ranking indicates it is not a high-performance card, but it is not the worst either. For users who need to run legacy CAD or 2D design applications that do not require modern features, this card is a functional option. It is end-of-life, so it is only available on the used market. Anyone expecting modern gaming or GPU rendering will be disappointed, as the data shows no benchmark scores and the API support is outdated. The card's low power draw and compact size make it a good fit for small form factor systems that still have AGP slots, and the lack of power connectors simplifies installation in older cases with limited cable management.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark array is empty, and the average benchmark score is 0. This indicates that no performance tests have been recorded for this card in the database. Without scores, the only quantitative performance data comes from the pixel rate (1.000 GPixel/s) and texture rate (1.000 GTexel/s). These rates are derived from the 4 ROPs and 4 TMUs, but the core clock is not specified. The memory bandwidth of 2.656 GB/s is the theoretical maximum for data transfer. In a balanced system, the pixel and texture rates should not exceed what the memory can feed. Here, 1.000 GPixel/s at 32-bit color would require 4 GB/s of bandwidth, which exceeds the 2.656 GB/s available. This suggests that the pixel rate is not fully achievable in practice, or that the memory is the bottleneck. The 50th percentile ranking is the only comparative metric. It places the card in the middle of the database, but without rival deltas, a precise comparison is impossible. The data simply does not support a detailed performance analysis. The lack of any recorded benchmark scores means that any claims about real-world performance are speculative, and the card's actual behavior must be inferred from its architectural limits.

Power and Cooling

The data does not list a TDP for this card. However, the suggested PSU is 200 W, which is a low requirement. The card has no power connectors, drawing all power from the AGP 4x slot. This is a benefit for older systems with limited power headers. The card is single-slot, so it occupies one expansion slot. Its length is 168 mm (6.6 inches), which is standard for AGP cards. The low power draw and lack of connectors mean that cooling is minimal. A passive heatsink or a small fan is likely sufficient, though the data does not specify the cooling solution. The single-slot design ensures it does not block adjacent slots. For a system with a 200 W PSU, this card is a drop-in replacement. The low power consumption also means low heat output, which is good for compact cases. The absence of power connectors simplifies installation, as no additional cables are needed, and the 200 W PSU recommendation is low enough to be compatible with almost any period-appropriate power supply.