NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA GeForce 8400M G Specifications
GeForce 8400M G GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G 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.
8400M G Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the GeForce 8400M G'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 8400M G by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's GeForce 8400M G Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The GeForce 8400M G'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 8400M G by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the 8400M G, 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.
8400M G Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G 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 Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G is built on NVIDIA's Tesla 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 8400M G will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
NVIDIA's GeForce 8400M G Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G 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 8400M G to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
GeForce 8400M G by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G 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 8400M G. 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 8400M G Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G 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 8400M G by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
GeForce 8400M G Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G
The NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G is a mobile integrated graphics processor from the GeForce 8M generation, built on the Tesla architecture using TSMC's 80 nm process node. It targets entry-level laptop configurations from its 2007 release period, and the data indicates a part that was designed for basic functionality rather than high-performance computing. The chip, designated G86, contains 210 million transistors on a 127 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 1.7M per mm². As an end-of-life product with no benchmark scores or nearest rival data available, the analysis below relies entirely on the architectural specifications and feature set to contextualize its position.
Benchmark Performance
The FACT PACK lists no benchmark scores for the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G, and the `nearestRivals` array is empty, which means there are no direct comparative performance metrics or delta percentages to reference. The `avgBenchmarkScore` is recorded as 0, and the `percentileVsAllGpus` is 50, which technically places it at the midpoint of the database's distribution, but this figure is misleading given the absence of actual test data. Without rival scores, the performance must be inferred from the raw compute specifications. The GPU delivers a peak FP32 throughput of 12.80 GFLOPS, which is derived from its 8 shading units operating at the memory clock-derived core frequency. This level of compute power is exceptionally low by any modern standard, indicating that the 8400M G was intended for 2D desktop acceleration and very light 3D workloads from its era.
The pixel rate is 1.600 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 3.200 GTexel/s, both figures that align with a part having 8 TMUs and 4 ROPs. When interpreting these numbers, the texture fillrate is exactly double the pixel fillrate, which is a balanced ratio for a chip of this size, but the absolute values are minuscule. In practice, the benchmark results would indicate that this GPU struggles with any game title released after its launch year, and even contemporary applications from 2007 would require the lowest resolutions and detail settings. The lack of any nearest rival data prevents a percentage-based comparison, but the qualitative assessment is clear: the 8400M G sits at the very bottom of the performance spectrum, likely trailing even the integrated graphics solutions of its time. The 50th percentile ranking should be disregarded as a statistical artifact, as it does not reflect real-world testing results.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G has no dedicated ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, as indicated by the null values in the FACT PACK. This is expected for a 2007-era entry-level mobile GPU, as ray tracing hardware was not introduced into consumer graphics cards until much later. The feature set is instead defined by the API support and the underlying Tesla architecture. The GPU supports DirectX 11.1 but only at the 10_0 feature level, which means it can run DirectX 10-class shaders but cannot execute the full DirectX 11 feature set such as tessellation or compute shaders. This is a critical limitation, as many games from the late 2000s and early 2010s require DirectX 11 features, which would render the 8400M G incompatible with those titles. OpenGL 3.3 is supported, which covers a moderate range of titles from that period, but Vulkan is not supported at all, precluding any modern cross-platform API usage.
The absence of tensor cores means no AI-accelerated features like DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), which is a moot point given the GPU's age and performance class. The shading units number 8, which is the primary execution resource, and these operate in a scalar fashion. The G86 chip is a cut-down version of NVIDIA's larger Tesla parts, and the feature set reflects a focus on basic geometry processing and texture mapping. The display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," which means the actual video outputs vary by laptop model, and there is no standard configuration. For a mobile part, this is typical, as the OEM decides whether to expose VGA, DVI, or HDMI ports. The API support is the most significant takeaway: the 10_0 feature level limits the GPU to older games, and any title requiring DirectX 11.1 features will fail to launch.
Memory Subsystem
The memory subsystem of the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G is notably constrained, featuring 256 MB of GDDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus interface. The memory clock is listed as 400 MHz, which translates to an effective data rate of 800 Mbps, and the resulting bandwidth is 6.400 GB/s. This is a very low bandwidth figure, even for the era, and it severely bottlenecks the GPU's already limited compute power. The 64-bit bus width is half of what was common on mid-range parts of that time, and the 256 MB capacity is the bare minimum for running Windows Vista's Aero interface and low-resolution gaming. The small memory pool means that texture-heavy applications will frequently spill to system memory, causing stuttering and frame drops.
For high resolutions, the memory subsystem is completely inadequate. The 6.400 GB/s bandwidth is insufficient to feed the 8 shading units with texture data at resolutions above 1024x768, and the 256 MB capacity limits the maximum texture resolution and framebuffer size. In practice, this means the GPU is only viable at 800x600 or 1024x768 with low detail settings, and even then, performance will be inconsistent. The GDDR3 type is standard for the period, but the clock speed is low, suggesting that the memory is running at a conservative frequency to keep thermal output down in a mobile chassis. The combination of a 64-bit bus and 400 MHz clock results in a bandwidth that is roughly one-tenth of what a high-end desktop GPU of the same generation offered. This memory subsystem is the primary bottleneck for any 3D workload, and it reinforces the conclusion that the 8400M G is not suitable for gaming beyond the most casual titles.
Who Should Consider It
Given the specifications, the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G is only suitable for users who require basic 2D acceleration and video playback on a legacy laptop. The benchmark data, though absent, can be extrapolated from the FP32 throughput of 12.80 GFLOPS and the 6.400 GB/s bandwidth to indicate that the GPU cannot handle modern 3D applications at playable frame rates. For resolution and settings recommendations, the data suggests that 800x600 is the maximum playable resolution for any 3D game from the 2005-2007 era, and even then, only with all detail settings at their lowest values. At 1024x768, the pixel rate of 1.600 GPixel/s would result in sub-30 FPS in most titles, and the texture rate of 3.200 GTexel/s would cause significant texture pop-in. Users should consider this GPU only for office productivity, web browsing, and playing very old 2D games or titles from the early 2000s.
The DirectX 10_0 feature level is a hard cutoff, meaning any game that requires DirectX 10.1 or higher will not run. This excludes the vast majority of games released after 2008. OpenGL 3.3 support allows for some legacy titles, but the performance ceiling is extremely low. For anyone considering a laptop with this GPU, the data indicates that it is a stopgap solution for basic tasks, not a gaming platform. The 8 shading units and 4 ROPs are simply too few to produce acceptable frame rates in any 3D environment with modern API requirements. The 50th percentile ranking is not a meaningful indicator of capability, as it is based on no actual benchmark results. The realistic use case is a secondary or backup laptop for document editing and media consumption, where the GPU's limitations are not relevant.
Power and Cooling
The NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G has a thermal design power (TDP) of 10 W, which is exceptionally low and reflects its integrated nature and minimal compute resources. The slot width is listed as "IGP," meaning it is an integrated graphics processor that shares the system memory and is soldered onto the motherboard, rather than a discrete card. Consequently, the power connector requirement is "None," and there is no suggested PSU (power supply unit) listed in the FACT PACK. For a laptop, this is expected, as the GPU draws power from the main system power delivery, and the 10 W TDP is a small fraction of the total laptop power budget. The lack of a suggested PSU is relevant only for desktop parts, and since this is an IGP, the question is moot.
The cooling requirements are minimal due to the 10 W TDP. A passive heatsink or a small low-speed fan is sufficient to dissipate the heat generated by the GPU, and the laptop's overall cooling system can easily handle this load. The 80 nm process node is relatively large by modern standards, but the low transistor count and clock speeds keep thermal output manageable. The memory clock of 400 MHz also contributes to low power draw, as the GDDR3 modules operate at a modest frequency. For users, this means the laptop will run quietly and coolly under normal operation, but the trade-off is the abysmal performance. The absence of a dedicated power connector simplifies system design, and the GPU's power draw is so low that it does not meaningfully impact battery life. The data shows a part that is efficient, but efficiency at this performance level is not a selling point.
FAQ
Q: What is the maximum DirectX version supported by the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G?
A: The GPU supports DirectX 11.1, but only at the 10_0 feature level, which limits it to DirectX 10-class shaders.
Q: Does the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G support Vulkan?
A: No, the Vulkan API is not supported, as indicated by the null value in the FACT PACK.
Q: How much memory bandwidth does the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G have?
A: The memory bandwidth is 6.400 GB/s, derived from a 64-bit bus and 400 MHz memory clock (800 Mbps effective).
Q: What is the transistor count and die size of the G86 chip?
A: The G86 chip contains 210 million transistors on a 127 mm² die, using an 80 nm process at TSMC.
Q: Is the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G a discrete or integrated GPU?
A: It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP), as indicated by the slot width field, with no power connectors required.
Q: What is the TDP of the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M G?
A: The TDP is 10 W, which is very low and allows for passive cooling in most laptop designs.
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