NVIDIA GeForce 310M

The NVIDIA GeForce 310M is a mobile integrated graphics processor based on the Tesla 2.0 architecture, built on TSMC's 40 nm process node. It carries 260 million transistors on a 57 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 4.6M per mm². The part is designated as end-of-life, with a release date of January 9, 2010, and sits between the GeForce 200M predecessor and GeForce 400M successor in the product timeline. It targets the entry-level notebook segment, where its 14 W thermal envelope and IGP (integrated graphics processor) slot width indicate a design focused on minimal power draw rather than raw throughput. The data indicates a chip engineered for basic display output and light computational tasks, not for demanding gaming or professional workloads.

Benchmark Performance

The GeForce 310M's benchmark data is sparse, with an average benchmark score of zero and no entries in the benchmarks array. Its percentile rank against all GPUs is 50, which places it at the exact median of the database's tracked graphics processors. This percentile is notable because it does not reflect performance supremacy, the zero average score confirms that no meaningful synthetic or gaming tests have been recorded for this part. The 50th percentile likely reflects the distribution of all GPUs in the database where many entries have similarly low or unmeasured performance, rather than indicating parity with mid-range desktop cards.

Examining the raw compute specifications reveals the underlying capability limits. The chip has 16 shading units, 8 texture mapping units, and 4 raster output units. This configuration yields a pixel rate of 2.500 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 5.000 GTexel/s. The FP32 throughput is calculated at 48.96 GFLOPS, which is a modest figure for any GPU, even by late-2000s standards. When compared to typical desktop GPUs of that era, which often delivered hundreds of GFLOPS, the 310M's compute capacity is minuscule. The lack of rival data in the nearestRivals field means no direct percentage deltas can be cited, but the absolute numbers position this chip firmly at the bottom of any performance hierarchy.

The clock behavior is also telling. The core base and boost clocks are listed as null, meaning the the benchmark database does not specify them, while the memory clock runs at 790 MHz with an effective data rate of 1580 Mbps. This memory clock is the only clock figure available, and it drives a 64-bit memory bus. The combination of a narrow bus and modest memory clock produces bandwidth of just 12.64 GB/s. For context, even entry-level discrete GPUs from the same period typically exceeded 25 GB/s. The benchmark results, or lack thereof, suggest that the 310M was rarely tested because it was not marketed or purchased for performance-sensitive applications. It exists as a specification sheet entry rather than a competitive gaming part.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

Ray tracing is entirely absent from the GeForce 310M's feature set. The the benchmark database lists no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, meaning the hardware lacks dedicated acceleration for ray-traced lighting or AI-based tensor operations. This is consistent with the Tesla 2.0 architecture, which predates the introduction of such dedicated silicon by several generations. The GPU's API support further constrains its feature set: DirectX 11.1 is supported, but only at the 10_1 feature level, which limits shader model capabilities and excludes many DirectX 11 features. OpenGL 3.3 is the maximum graphics API available, and Vulkan is not supported at all.

The display outputs are described as "Portable Device Dependent," meaning the physical connectors vary by laptop manufacturer, so no universal display interface standard can be cited. The bus interface is PCIe 2.0 x16, which provides adequate bandwidth for the GPU's limited data throughput. The absence of tensor cores is particularly relevant for modern workloads, as any AI-accelerated features, such as DLSS or neural rendering, are impossible on this hardware. Similarly, the lack of RT cores means that even if a game could run on the 310M, ray-traced effects would have to be computed on the general-purpose shading units, which would cripple performance given the 48.96 GFLOPS FP32 budget. The API support, capped at DirectX 10_1 and OpenGL 3.3, means many modern games will refuse to launch or will fall back to low-fidelity rendering paths.

Who Should Consider It

Given the compute specifications, the GeForce 310M is only suitable for basic 2D desktop workloads and very old or extremely lightweight 3D applications. The 512 MB GDDR3 memory, while small by modern standards, is paired with a 64-bit bus that limits effective memory throughput to 12.64 GB/s. This bandwidth is insufficient for modern game textures, even at 720p resolution. The pixel rate of 2.500 GPixel/s and texture rate of 5.000 GTexel/s suggest that any resolution above 1366x768 would cause immediate framerate collapses in 3D scenes. For 2D productivity tasks like document editing, spreadsheet work, or web browsing, the GPU is more than adequate, as these workloads stress the CPU and memory controller more than the graphics core.

For gaming, the realistic ceiling is pre-2005 titles with reduced settings at 800x600 or 1024x768 resolution. The lack of benchmark scores in the the benchmark database prevents citing specific framerate figures, but the raw numbers imply this. The 48.96 GFLOPS of FP32 throughput is roughly equivalent to a mid-range GPU from 2004, so any game that requires DirectX 10 features will be unavailable due to the 10_1 API limitation. Users with this GPU should not expect to run any game released after 2008 at playable settings. The GPU's role is best understood as a display adapter for office notebooks, where its 14 W power draw contributes to battery life rather than performance. It is not a consideration for gamers, content creators, or anyone requiring hardware acceleration for modern APIs.

Power and Cooling

The GeForce 310M has a thermal design power (TDP) of just 14 W, which is exceptionally low and aligns with its IGP form factor. This power figure means the chip can be cooled by a simple heatsink or even passively in some chassis, as it generates minimal heat. The slot width is listed as "IGP," confirming that it is integrated into the motherboard rather than a removable expansion card. Power connectors are listed as "None," meaning the GPU draws all its power from the motherboard's PCIe slot or an onboard regulator, requiring no auxiliary power cables. No suggested PSU is listed in the the benchmark database, which is typical for integrated parts where the system's existing power supply is always sufficient.

The 14 W TDP is significant because it reflects the entire graphics subsystem's power draw, including memory. This low figure allows notebook manufacturers to pair the 310M with low-wattage CPUs and small batteries, prioritizing portability and runtime over performance. The absence of a power connector also simplifies system design, as there is no need for extra cabling. For cooling, the 40 nm process node from TSMC helps reduce leakage current, keeping heat generation in check. The practical implication is that users will not encounter thermal throttling or fan noise from this GPU, as its power envelope is well within the cooling capacity of any laptop chassis. The trade-off is that this efficiency comes at the cost of compute capability, as the next sections will quantify.

FAQ

Q: What is the maximum DirectX version supported by this GPU?

A: The GeForce 310M supports DirectX 11.1, but only at the 10_1 feature level, which limits shader model capabilities and excludes many DirectX 11 features.

Q: Does the GeForce 310M support Vulkan or ray tracing?

A: No. Vulkan support is not listed, and the GPU has no ray tracing cores or tensor cores, so hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI tensor operations are unavailable.

Q: How much video memory does the 310M have, and what type is it?

A: It has 512 MB of GDDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 12.64 GB/s.

Q: What is the power draw of this GPU, and does it need a power connector?

A: The TDP is 14 W, and power connectors are listed as "None," meaning it draws power from the motherboard without external cables.

Q: What is the production status of the GeForce 310M?

A: The production status is "End-of-life," indicating it is no longer manufactured, with a release date of January 9, 2010.

Q: What is the FP32 compute performance of this chip?

A: The FP32 throughput is 48.96 GFLOPS, derived from 16 shading units operating at the unspecified core clock.

Memory Subsystem

The memory subsystem is a critical bottleneck for the GeForce 310M. The GPU is equipped with 512 MB of GDDR3 memory, which was a common capacity for entry-level parts in 2010. The memory type is GDDR3, a mature standard at the time, running at 790 MHz with an effective data rate of 1580 Mbps. The bus width is 64 bit, which is the narrowest configuration seen in dedicated GPUs and is typically reserved for the lowest tier of products. The combination of these factors produces a memory bandwidth of 12.64 GB/s.

This bandwidth figure is the single most limiting factor for high-resolution workloads. To put it in perspective, a 1080p frame buffer with 32-bit color requires approximately 8.3 MB of memory, and updating it at 60 fps requires a sustained bandwidth of about 500 MB/s just for the framebuffer. The 310M's 12.64 GB/s is technically sufficient for that task, but when texture sampling, geometry data, and shader constants are added, the bandwidth is quickly exhausted. At higher resolutions like 1440p or 4K, the bandwidth requirement scales roughly linearly with pixel count, and the 310M would need to compress or drop textures to cope. The 512 MB capacity also limits texture detail, as modern game assets exceed this size.

The 64-bit bus is the key architectural constraint. Wider buses, such as 128-bit or 256-bit, allow more data to be transferred per clock cycle, but the 310M's narrow bus means the memory clock must be very high to compensate. At 1580 Mbps effective, the memory is already running near the practical limits of GDDR3, so there is no headroom for improvement. The result is that the memory subsystem is balanced for low-resolution, low-detail workloads, and it will cap the GPU's performance even if the shading units were faster. For the 310M, the memory is the limiting factor, not the compute cores.

How It Compares

The the benchmark database lists no nearest rivals for the GeForce 310M, meaning there are no direct competitor GPUs with recorded scores or deltaPct values in the database. This absence of comparative data is itself informative, as it indicates that the 310M occupies a niche where benchmarking was rarely performed. Without rival scores, the only quantitative comparisons are against the broader database, where the 310M sits at the 50th percentile among all GPUs. This percentile is misleading, however, because the average benchmark score is zero, suggesting that the 50th percentile reflects the large number of untested or low-performing GPUs in the database rather than any meaningful performance ranking.

The predecessor and successor are known, but their specifications are not in the the benchmark database. The GeForce 200M is the predecessor, and the GeForce 400M is the successor, but no performance deltas are provided. Qualitatively, the jump from the 200M to the 310M represents a process node shrink to 40 nm and a new memory clock configuration, but the core architecture remains Tesla 2.0. The successor, GeForce 400M, likely brought architectural changes, but without data, no specific claims can be made. The lack of rival data means the 310M must be evaluated on its absolute specifications alone, which clearly place it at the entry level of the 2010 mobile GPU market. Any comparison to contemporary Intel integrated graphics or AMD equivalents is impossible without the the benchmark database's nearestRivals field, so this analysis must rest on the internal specs and the 50th percentile rank.