NVIDIA GeForce 315M
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA GeForce 315M Specifications
GeForce 315M GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA GeForce 315M GPU core specifications define its raw processing power for graphics and compute workloads. Shading units (also called CUDA cores, stream processors, or execution units depending on manufacturer) handle the parallel calculations required for rendering. TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) process texture data, while ROPs (Render Output Units) handle final pixel output. Higher shader counts generally translate to better GPU benchmark performance, especially in demanding games and 3D applications.
315M Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the GeForce 315M's performance in GPU benchmarks and real-world gaming. The base clock represents the minimum guaranteed frequency, while the boost clock indicates peak performance under optimal thermal conditions. Memory clock speed affects texture loading and frame buffer operations. The GeForce 315M by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's GeForce 315M Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The GeForce 315M's memory capacity determines how well it handles high-resolution textures and multiple displays. Memory bandwidth, measured in GB/s, affects how quickly data moves between the GPU and VRAM. Higher bandwidth improves performance in memory-intensive scenarios like 4K gaming. The memory bus width and type (GDDR6, GDDR6X, HBM) significantly influence overall GPU benchmark scores.
GeForce 315M by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the 315M, reducing the need to fetch data from slower VRAM. L1 and L2 caches store frequently accessed data close to the compute units. AMD's Infinity Cache (L3) dramatically increases effective bandwidth, improving GPU benchmark performance without requiring wider memory buses. Larger cache sizes help maintain high frame rates in memory-bound scenarios and reduce power consumption by minimizing VRAM accesses.
315M Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA GeForce 315M against other graphics cards. FP32 (single-precision) performance, measured in TFLOPS, indicates compute capability for gaming and general GPU workloads. FP64 (double-precision) matters for scientific computing. Pixel and texture fill rates determine how quickly the GPU can render complex scenes. While real-world GPU benchmark results depend on many factors, these specifications help predict relative performance levels.
Tesla 2.0 Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA GeForce 315M is built on NVIDIA's Tesla 2.0 architecture, which defines how the GPU processes graphics and compute workloads. The manufacturing process node affects power efficiency, thermal characteristics, and maximum clock speeds. Smaller process nodes pack more transistors into the same die area, enabling higher performance per watt. Understanding the architecture helps predict how the 315M will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
NVIDIA's GeForce 315M Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce 315M determine PSU requirements and thermal management needs. TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates the heat output under typical loads, guiding cooler selection. Power connector requirements ensure adequate power delivery for stable operation during demanding GPU benchmarks. The suggested PSU wattage accounts for the entire system, not just the graphics card. Efficient power delivery enables the GeForce 315M to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
GeForce 315M by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA GeForce 315M are critical for case compatibility. Card length, height, and slot width determine whether it fits in your chassis. The PCIe interface version affects bandwidth for communication with the CPU. Display outputs define monitor connectivity options, with modern cards supporting multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously. Verify these specifications against your case and motherboard before purchasing to ensure a proper fit.
NVIDIA API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the NVIDIA GeForce 315M. DirectX 12 Ultimate enables advanced features like ray tracing and variable rate shading. Vulkan provides cross-platform graphics capabilities with low-level hardware access. OpenGL remains important for professional applications and older games. CUDA (NVIDIA) and OpenCL enable GPU compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific applications. Higher API versions unlock newer graphical features in GPU benchmarks and games.
GeForce 315M Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA GeForce 315M is manufactured by NVIDIA as part of their graphics card lineup. Release date and launch pricing provide context for comparing GPU benchmark results with competing products from the same era. Understanding the product lifecycle helps evaluate whether the GeForce 315M by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
GeForce 315M Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About NVIDIA GeForce 315M
The NVIDIA GeForce 315M is an end-of-life integrated graphics processor built on the Tesla 2.0 architecture. It uses the GT218 chip fabricated on a 40 nm process at TSMC, packing 260 million transistors into a 57 mm² die with a transistor density of 4.6M / mm². Released on 2011-01-04, it targets portable devices, with display outputs that are portable device dependent. The database records no benchmark scores for this part (avgBenchmarkScore is 0), and its percentile rank of 50 places it exactly at the midpoint of all GPUs tracked, though this rank is derived from its specification profile rather than direct testing.
Benchmark Performance
The data shows that the GeForce 315M has no recorded benchmark scores, meaning any performance assessment must rely on its raw specification metrics. The FP32 compute rate is 38.78 GFLOPS, a figure that indicates a very low throughput for general-purpose or gaming workloads. The pixel rate of 2.424 GPixel/s and texture rate of 4.848 GTexel/s further reinforce this position, as these rates are consistent with a part designed for basic 2D acceleration and minimal 3D rendering rather than demanding applications. With 16 shading units, 8 texture mapping units, and 4 ROPs, the execution resources are minimal.
The memory bandwidth of 12.64 GB/s is a critical constraint. Combined with a 64-bit bus and 512 MB of GDDR3, this bandwidth limits the amount of data that can be moved between the GPU and frame buffer. In the absence of nearest rivals, the percentile rank of 50 provides the only comparative anchor. This rank suggests that, within the database's population of GPUs, the 315M sits at the median by classification, but that median position is misleading because the part lacks the compute and memory resources to handle modern workloads. The 38.78 GFLOPS figure is the dominant indicator: it is roughly an order of magnitude below what even entry-level discrete GPUs of the same era would deliver, though no rival numbers are available to quantify that gap. The texture rate of 4.848 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 2.424 GPixel/s mean that even simple scenes with multiple layers of texture filtering will quickly saturate the available resources.
Who Should Consider It
The GeForce 315M is an integrated graphics processor (slot width is listed as IGP), and its display outputs are portable device dependent. This makes it suitable only for legacy laptops or ultraportable systems where a dedicated GPU is absent. The 512 MB GDDR3 frame buffer, paired with a 64-bit bus and 12.64 GB/s bandwidth, restricts the part to low resolutions and low detail settings. Users attempting to run any 3D application will find that the pixel rate of 2.424 GPixel/s and the limited memory bandwidth create a hard ceiling on visual complexity. The part supports DirectX 11.1 with a feature level of 10_1, which means it can execute DirectX 10-era shaders but not the full DirectX 11 feature set. This limits compatibility to older titles or software that explicitly targets the 10_1 feature level.
For those with a system that already contains this GPU, the practical use case is limited to office productivity, video playback, and very old or lightweight 2D games. The lack of any Vulkan support (the field is null) further narrows its software compatibility. Given that the production status is end-of-life, new purchases are not a consideration; the part exists only in legacy hardware. The 14 W TDP and lack of power connectors make it a low-power component, but the performance is correspondingly low. In short, this is a part for basic computing, not for gaming or creative workloads, and even at low resolutions, users should expect significant compromises in frame rates and visual quality.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The GeForce 315M has no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, as both fields are null in the specification data. This means the hardware offers no support for ray-traced effects or any AI-accelerated features such as DLSS. The API support consists of DirectX 11.1 with a feature level of 10_1, and OpenGL 3.3. The DirectX 11.1 designation is qualified by the 10_1 feature level, which indicates that while the driver may expose the DirectX 11.1 interface, the hardware only implements the capabilities of the DirectX 10.1 specification. This is a significant limitation for modern titles that expect at least DirectX 11 feature level 11_0. OpenGL 3.3 support is similarly dated, limiting compatibility with OpenGL-based applications that require newer versions.
Vulkan support is absent, which eliminates the possibility of running modern cross-platform engines that rely on Vulkan for low-level access. The lack of tensor cores also means no support for any form of machine learning inference on the GPU. The feature set is therefore strictly legacy, and any application that requires DirectX 11.1 feature level 11_0 or higher, or any Vulkan feature, will not run on this hardware. The 16 shading units and 4 ROPs are the only execution units available, and they operate without any dedicated acceleration for ray tracing or tensor operations. In summary, the feature set is minimal and firmly rooted in the DirectX 10.1 era, with no path forward to modern graphics APIs.
FAQ
Q: What is the memory size and type of the GeForce 315M?
A: It has 512 MB of GDDR3 memory.
Q: What is the TDP of this GPU?
A: The TDP is 14 W.
Q: Does the GeForce 315M support Vulkan?
A: No, the Vulkan API field is null, indicating no support.
Q: What is the process node used for the GT218 chip?
A: The process node is 40 nm, fabricated at TSMC.
Q: What is the bus interface of this GPU?
A: It uses a PCIe 2.0 x16 bus interface.
Q: Is the GeForce 315M still in production?
A: No, its production status is end-of-life.
Power and Cooling
The GeForce 315M has a TDP of 14 W, which is exceptionally low for a graphics processor. This low power envelope is consistent with its integrated nature, as the slot width is listed as IGP, meaning it is not a discrete expansion card. The power connector requirement is listed as "None," so the GPU draws all its power from the motherboard slot. The suggested PSU field is null, which means the database does not provide a power supply recommendation; given the 14 W TDP and the lack of connectors, a dedicated PSU is unnecessary. Cooling is also not a concern for a discrete solution, but for a portable device, the 14 W TDP implies a modest thermal load that can be handled by the system's existing cooling solution. The lack of any power connectors simplifies installation, but the part is not user-serviceable in the traditional sense because it is integrated. The 14 W figure is the only power-related number available, and it indicates that this GPU will not strain a laptop battery or require a beefy power supply. Users should ensure their system's cooling is adequate for sustained operation, but the low TDP means passive or low-speed fan solutions are likely sufficient.
Memory Subsystem
The memory subsystem of the GeForce 315M consists of 512 MB of GDDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 12.64 GB/s. The memory clock is 790 MHz, with an effective data rate of 1580 Mbps. This configuration is extremely modest by any standard. The 64-bit bus width is the primary bottleneck, as it limits the number of memory transactions that can occur simultaneously. The 12.64 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for basic frame buffer operations at low resolutions, but it becomes a severe constraint when rendering scenes with high texture detail or large framebuffers. For a GPU with only 16 shading units and 4 ROPs, the memory bandwidth is actually well matched to the compute capabilities, neither side of the pipeline is dramatically faster than the other. However, for any modern game or application, the 512 MB capacity is insufficient for high-resolution textures, and the bandwidth will cause stuttering or texture thrashing. The effective data rate of 1580 Mbps is a characteristic of GDDR3, which is an older memory type compared to GDDR5 or GDDR6, but no comparison numbers are available in the data. In practical terms, this memory subsystem limits the GPU to low-resolution, low-detail workloads, and the 12.64 GB/s figure is the key number to remember when assessing any performance expectation.
How It Compares
The database lists no nearest rivals for the GeForce 315M, meaning there are no direct competitor scores or deltaPct values to reference. This absence is notable because it prevents a quantitative comparison. However, the part's position in the product stack is clear from its generation and predecessor/successor relationships. It belongs to the GeForce 300M generation, with the GeForce 200M as its predecessor and the GeForce 400M as its successor. Without specification data for those parts, only a qualitative comparison is possible. The 315M uses the Tesla 2.0 architecture, which is an older architecture than what the GeForce 400M would presumably use, but no details are provided. The lack of rivals also means that the percentile rank of 50 is the only comparative metric available. This rank is ambiguous because it does not account for the fact that the GPU is an integrated solution with a 14 W TDP, which places it in a different performance class than most discrete GPUs. In a broader context, the 315M's 38.78 GFLOPS FP32 rate and 12.64 GB/s bandwidth are the defining characteristics, and any comparison to a rival would require those rivals to have similarly low figures. Since no such rivals are listed, the analysis must conclude that this GPU is a low-end legacy part with no direct peers in the current database, and its position relative to its predecessor and successor is purely sequential rather than performance-based.
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