NVIDIA GeForce 820M
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA GeForce 820M Specifications
GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA GeForce 820M 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.
820M Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the GeForce 820M'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 820M by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's GeForce 820M Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The GeForce 820M'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 820M by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the 820M, 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.
820M Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA GeForce 820M 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.
Kepler Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA GeForce 820M is built on NVIDIA's Kepler 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 820M will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce 820M 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 820M to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
GeForce 820M by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA GeForce 820M 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 820M. 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 820M Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA GeForce 820M 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 820M 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 820M
The NVIDIA GeForce 820M is an end-of-life mobile graphics solution based on the Kepler architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 28 nm process. Its single Geekbench OpenCL score of 2784 places it in the 16th percentile of all GPUs, indicating entry-level positioning within the GeForce 800M generation.
How It Compares
The 820M's benchmark score of 2784 sits within a remarkably tight cluster of rival GPUs, with all deltas under 1%. Against the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti GDDR6X, which averages 2795, the 820M trails by just 0.4% — a negligible margin that suggests the OpenCL workload in question does not differentiate between these vastly different architectures.
Comparing to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 730, the 820M falls 0.5% behind its 2799 average score. This near-parity is notable because the GT 730 is a desktop-oriented part, while the 820M is an MXM module designed for portable devices, yet their compute results are essentially identical.
The AMD Radeon R5 Graphics scores 2801, putting the 820M 0.6% behind. This integrated graphics solution from AMD matches the discrete 820M within statistical noise, raising questions about the 820M's efficiency relative to iGPU solutions of the same era.
The closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030, which averages 2809 and leads the 820M by 0.9%. Even this largest delta in the group represents a sub-1% difference, meaning the data shows no meaningful performance separation among these four cards in this benchmark.
Memory Subsystem
The 820M ships with 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, producing a bandwidth of 28.83 GB/s. The memory clock operates at 901 MHz with an effective data rate of 1802 Mbps. This configuration is typical for entry-level mobile parts of its generation, where power efficiency takes precedence over raw throughput.
The 28.83 GB/s bandwidth is modest by any modern standard, and the data implies this will be a limiting factor at higher resolutions. For 1080p gaming, the 128-bit bus combined with DDR3 speeds may suffice for older titles or those with low texture requirements, but the available bandwidth constrains performance in scenarios demanding large texture fetches. The 2 GB capacity is adequate for basic workloads, though the effective speed of the DDR3 memory will likely bottleneck the GPU's 384 shading units before capacity becomes an issue.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The 820M is built on the Kepler architecture with the GK107 chip, containing 384 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output units. The chip integrates 1,270 million transistors on a die size of 118 mm², yielding a transistor density of 10.8 million per square millimeter. Notably, the FACT PACK lists no RT cores or tensor cores, confirming that this GPU lacks dedicated ray tracing and AI acceleration hardware.
The API support includes DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The DirectX 12 designation with the 11_0 feature level indicates partial support for the newer API but with capabilities aligned to the older feature set. The Vulkan 1.2.175 support is surprisingly current for an end-of-life product, potentially allowing access to modern rendering techniques within the limits of the underlying hardware. The pixel rate is 6.480 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 25.92 GTexel/s, with FP32 compute at 622.1 GFLOPS — figures that contextualize the GPU's throughput capabilities without ray tracing acceleration.
Who Should Consider It
Benchmark results position the 820M firmly in the entry-level segment, with a score that places it at the 16th percentile of all GPUs. The data suggests this card is suitable for basic computing tasks, legacy game titles, and applications that do not demand high fill rates or large memory bandwidth. Users running 720p or 1080p resolutions with low graphical settings may find acceptable performance, but the 28.83 GB/s bandwidth and 622.1 GFLOPS FP32 throughput will struggle with modern games.
The end-of-life production status and 2015 release date indicate that this is not a component for new system builds. Rather, it appears in older portable devices where upgrade paths are limited. The 6.480 GPixel/s pixel rate implies that high-resolution displays will not be driven efficiently, making 1366x768 or similar modest resolutions the practical ceiling. For users with undemanding workloads — office productivity, video playback, or classic games — the 820M remains functional, but the benchmark percentile strongly advises against expecting competitive performance in contemporary titles.
Benchmark Performance
The Geekbench OpenCL score of 2784 provides a single data point for analysis, and its proximity to rival scores demands careful interpretation. The deltaPct values are all negative and sub-1%: -0.4% versus the RTX 3060 Ti GDDR6X, -0.5% versus the GT 730, -0.6% versus the Radeon R5 Graphics, and -0.9% versus the GT 1030. This clustering suggests the benchmark measures a workload where memory bandwidth and compute throughput are not the primary differentiators, or that all four GPUs hit similar performance ceilings in this specific test.
The largest gap — 0.9% behind the GT 1030 — is still smaller than typical batch-to-batch variance in GPU benchmarks. The data indicates that in OpenCL compute, the 820M performs statistically indistinguishably from its rivals, despite architectural differences. The GT 1030, for instance, is a newer generation part, yet the 820M nearly matches it. This could imply that the workload is memory-bound at these low bandwidth levels, or that the 384 shading units of the 820M compensate for other deficiencies. The 16th percentile ranking reinforces that while these cards cluster together, they all sit near the bottom of the global GPU performance distribution.
Power and Cooling
The 820M carries a TDP of 45 W, which is modest for a discrete GPU and appropriate for the MXM module form factor. The slot width is specified as "MXM Module," indicating a removable, standardized mobile graphics card rather than a desktop expansion card. The FACT PACK lists no power connectors and no suggested PSU, which is consistent with an MXM design that draws power through the module interface rather than external cables.
The 45 W TDP means cooling requirements are relatively light, and the data suggests that a capable air cooler within a portable chassis should suffice. Display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," meaning the connectivity is determined by the laptop or mobile workstation rather than the GPU itself. The PCIe 3.0 x16 bus interface provides adequate bandwidth for the GPU's capabilities, and the 28 nm process node from TSMC contributes to the moderate power envelope. The lack of a suggested PSU reflects the mobile nature of the product — end users do not typically select power supplies for MXM-equipped systems.
FAQ
Q: What is the NVIDIA GeForce 820M's benchmark score?
A: The 820M scores 2784 on the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark, placing it in the 16th percentile of all GPUs.
Q: How does the 820M compare to the GeForce GT 1030?
A: The GT 1030 averages 2809, which is 0.9% higher than the 820M's 2784 — the largest delta among its nearest rivals.
Q: How much memory does the 820M have and what type is it?
A: It has 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 28.83 GB/s of bandwidth.
Q: Does the 820M support ray tracing?
A: No, the FACT PACK lists no RT cores or tensor cores, so the GPU lacks dedicated ray tracing and AI acceleration hardware.
Q: What APIs does the 820M support?
A: It supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175.
Q: What is the power consumption of the 820M?
A: The TDP is 45 W, and the card uses an MXM Module slot width with no external power connectors listed.
Detailed benchmark scores and charts for the NVIDIA GeForce 820M are below.
Benchmark Scores
geekbench_openclSource
Geekbench OpenCL tests GPU compute performance using the cross-platform OpenCL API. This shows how NVIDIA GeForce 820M handles parallel computing tasks like video encoding and scientific simulations. OpenCL is widely supported across different GPU vendors and platforms. Higher scores benefit applications that leverage GPU acceleration for non-graphics workloads.
Top 5 Performers
Top 5 PerformersNearby Performers
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