NVIDIA GeForce 405M
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA GeForce 405M Specifications
GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA GeForce 405M 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.
405M Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the GeForce 405M'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 405M by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's GeForce 405M Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The GeForce 405M'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 405M by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the 405M, 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.
405M Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA GeForce 405M 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 405M 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 405M will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce 405M 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 405M to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
GeForce 405M by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA GeForce 405M 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 405M. 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 405M Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA GeForce 405M 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 405M by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
About NVIDIA GeForce 405M
The NVIDIA GeForce 405M is an end-of-life mobile graphics processor built on the GT218 chip with Tesla 2.0 architecture, fabricated by TSMC on a 40 nm process with 260 million transistors in a 57 mm² die. This GeForce 400M-generation part is designed for portable devices, as its display outputs are "Portable Device Dependent." With 16 shading units, 8 texture mapping units, and 4 render output units, it delivers 46.98 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, a 2.424 GPixel/s pixel rate, and a 4.848 GTexel/s texture rate. The data records a 50th percentile placement among all GPUs and a 14 W TDP with an IGP slot width, making it a low-power integrated-class solution.
Benchmark Performance
The benchmark data for the GeForce 405M is minimal: the average benchmark score is recorded as 0, and no individual benchmark entries exist. What the fact pack provides instead is the raw throughput profile, which tells the performance story. The FP32 compute rate of 46.98 GFLOPS is derived from the 16 shading units, and it is a hard ceiling on all compute workloads. The pixel fill rate of 2.424 GPixel/s comes from the 4 ROPs, while the 4.848 GTexel/s texture rate comes from the 8 TMUs. These are entry-level figures that cap the card's ability to handle anything beyond basic 3D rendering.
The percentile placement is the only comparative metric available: the 405M sits at the 50th percentile of all GPUs in the database. This means exactly half of all tracked GPUs are faster and half are slower. That median position, however, must be interpreted with caution. The database includes a wide mix of integrated and discrete parts across many generations, so a 50th percentile ranking does not indicate gaming competence. It simply reflects the aggregate distribution. Within its own GeForce 400M generation, the 405M's 16 shading units and sub-47 GFLOPS compute place it at the entry-level tier.
The absence of recorded benchmark scores (average score of 0) means no workload-specific quantitative analysis is possible. The data instead shows a compute ceiling: 46.98 GFLOPS is the maximum FP32 throughput, and the 4.848 GTexel/s texture rate caps texturing-heavy scenarios. For comparison, workloads that require hundreds of GFLOPS are entirely out of reach. The 2.424 GPixel/s pixel rate further limits fill-bound operations. These figures are consistent with a part designed for lightweight, low-resolution tasks, not for sustained 3D rendering.
Memory Subsystem
The memory configuration is modest and tightly constrained. The 405M pairs 1024 MB of GDDR3 with a 64-bit memory bus, producing a bandwidth of 12.64 GB/s. The memory clock is 790 MHz, with an effective data rate of 1580 Mbps. This is a narrow, low-speed memory path that defines the card's high-resolution behavior.
The 64-bit bus width is the primary bottleneck. At 12.64 GB/s, the bandwidth is sufficient only for small framebuffers and low-detail textures. The 1024 MB capacity is adequate for basic framebuffers at lower resolutions, but the bandwidth ceiling will saturate quickly under any workload that requires frequent texture reads or large data transfers. For high resolutions, the implications are direct: a 64-bit bus and sub-13 GB/s bandwidth cannot sustain the memory traffic demanded by 1080p or higher framebuffers with detailed textures. The effective 1580 Mbps data rate, while standard for GDDR3 of its era, is far below what wider-bus or higher-clocked memory configurations provide.
The memory subsystem also interacts with the card's pixel throughput. With only 4 ROPs writing at 2.424 GPixel/s, the card's ability to write pixels to the framebuffer is limited, compounding the bandwidth constraint. At lower resolutions with reduced texture detail, the memory subsystem may suffice for lightweight 2D and basic 3D workloads. At higher resolutions, both the bandwidth and the pixel rate become severe limiting factors.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The 405M has no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores. This is expected for a Tesla 2.0 architecture part from 2011, but the absence is significant for modern software. Hardware-accelerated ray tracing is not available, and the lack of tensor cores means no AI-based features such as denoising or DLSS-style upscaling. Any ray-traced workload would have to run entirely on the 16 shading units, which are already limited to 46.98 GFLOPS of FP32 compute.
API support is restricted. The card supports DirectX 11.1, but only at the 10_1 feature level. This means the card can run DirectX 11.1 APIs, but the hardware feature set is capped at the earlier 10_1 specification. OpenGL support is 3.3. Vulkan is not supported at all. This combination excludes the card from modern rendering pipelines. Titles that require DirectX 11 feature levels beyond 10_1, or that rely on Vulkan, will not run on this hardware.
The DirectX 11.1 (10_1) designation is a hybrid: the API version is newer than the hardware feature level, so the card cannot take advantage of DirectX 11-specific features such as hardware tessellation. The lack of Vulkan is particularly limiting for longevity, as many current titles and emulators depend on Vulkan. The card is effectively restricted to legacy DirectX 10_1 and OpenGL 3.3 workloads.
Power and Cooling
The 405M is a very low-power part, with a TDP of 14 W. The slot width is listed as IGP, indicating an integrated graphics package rather than a discrete expansion card. It has no power connectors, and no suggested PSU is listed. The 14 W figure means cooling requirements are minimal; a simple passive solution would be adequate.
The bus interface is PCIe 2.0 x16, a standard connection, but the IGP form factor suggests the card is integrated into a portable device's motherboard rather than installed as a separate component. The display outputs being "Portable Device Dependent" confirms this: the card does not offer standard desktop video outputs. For system builders, the absence of power connectors and a PSU recommendation means the card draws all power from the motherboard or PCIe slot. The 14 W TDP is well within standard slot power limits, and thermal management should be trivial given the low draw.
Who Should Consider It
The data defines a narrow use case. With 46.98 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, 12.64 GB/s memory bandwidth, and a 2.424 GPixel/s pixel rate, the 405M is suited only for the lightest graphics workloads. It is end-of-life, so new purchases are not a realistic scenario; the relevant question is whether existing units in portable devices remain useful for any purpose.
For users running legacy software — early DirectX 10_1 titles, OpenGL 3.3 applications, or basic 2D desktop environments — the 405M can handle these at modest resolutions and settings. The 1024 MB VRAM is sufficient for framebuffers at lower resolutions. However, any modern 3D game, any Vulkan-based application, or any workload requiring DirectX 11 feature levels will not run. The 50th percentile ranking is a median position across all GPUs, but it does not translate to gaming capability. The absence of RT cores, tensor cores, and Vulkan support excludes the card from entire categories of modern software. At high resolutions, the 12.64 GB/s bandwidth and 64-bit bus will be severe bottlenecks. This card is for legacy compatibility only, not for current-generation gaming.
FAQ
Q: Does the NVIDIA GeForce 405M support ray tracing?
A: No. The fact pack lists no ray tracing cores, so hardware-accelerated ray tracing is not available.
Q: What is the maximum memory bandwidth of the 405M?
A: The memory bandwidth is 12.64 GB/s, based on a 64-bit bus and 790 MHz GDDR3 memory running at 1580 Mbps effective.
Q: Does the 405M support Vulkan?
A: No. The API list includes DirectX 11.1 (10_1) and OpenGL 3.3, but Vulkan is not listed.
Q: What is the TDP of the 405M?
A: The TDP is 14 W, with no power connectors required and an IGP slot width.
Q: When was the 405M released?
A: The release date is January 4, 2011. The production status is end-of-life.
Q: How much VRAM does the 405M have?
A: It has 1024 MB of GDDR3 memory.
How It Compares
The fact pack provides no nearest rival entries for the GeForce 405M, so direct comparison data against competing GPUs — including names, scores, and delta percentages — is unavailable. The card's position must be understood through its own lineage. Its predecessor is the GeForce 300M and its successor is the GeForce 500M. Within the GeForce 400M generation, the 405M sits at the entry-level tier, with 16 shading units and 46.98 GFLOPS representing the low end of the product stack. The 50th percentile ranking places it at the midpoint of all GPUs in the database, but without rival scores, no delta percentages can be reported. The data instead shows a part defined by its constraints: a 14 W TDP, a 64-bit memory bus delivering 12.64 GB/s, no RT or tensor cores, and no Vulkan support. These specifications position the 405M as a legacy-oriented, low-power mobile solution with a narrow range of applicable workloads.
Detailed benchmark scores and charts for the NVIDIA GeForce 405M are below.
Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
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