NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M Specifications
GeForce GTX 480M GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M 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.
GTX 480M Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the GeForce GTX 480M'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 GTX 480M by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 480M Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The GeForce GTX 480M'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 GTX 480M by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the GTX 480M, 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.
GTX 480M Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M 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.
Fermi Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M is built on NVIDIA's Fermi 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 GTX 480M will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 480M Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M 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 GTX 480M to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
GeForce GTX 480M by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M 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 GTX 480M. 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 GTX 480M Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M 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 GTX 480M by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
GeForce GTX 480M Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M is a mobile graphics processor built on the Fermi architecture, using the GF100 chip manufactured on a 40 nm process at TSMC. With 3,100 million transistors on a 529 mm² die (a transistor density of 5.9M per mm²), this end-of-life part from the GeForce 400M generation was released on May 24, 2010. The data pack lists no benchmark scores and no nearest rivals, leaving its 50th percentile position against all GPUs as the sole comparative metric. This analysis interprets the available specifications—shading units, memory subsystem, and API support—to understand what this mobile part could and could not do, and for whom it remains relevant.
Who Should Consider It
Given its 2 GB GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus and a memory bandwidth of 76.80 GB/s, the GTX 480M is suited for 1080p gaming at medium to low settings in titles from its era. The 598.4 GFLOPS of FP32 compute and 18.70 GTexel/s texture rate suggest it can handle geometry and texturing loads typical of 2010-era games, but the 9.350 GPixel/s pixel fill rate limits its ability to drive high resolutions with heavy anti-aliasing. For modern titles, the 2 GB frame buffer becomes a constraint, and the lack of hardware ray tracing or tensor cores means it is not a candidate for current-generation effects. The 50th percentile placement implies it sits exactly at the median of the database's GPU distribution—neither a low-end part nor a high-end one. Users with legacy systems that require an MXM-B (3.0) module and can tolerate a 100 W TDP will find this card adequate for older DirectX 11 titles, but those seeking 1440p or 4K performance should look elsewhere, as the memory bandwidth and pixel rate are insufficient for such workloads.
Benchmark Performance
The absence of benchmark scores in the data pack means performance must be inferred from raw specifications. The FP32 throughput of 598.4 GFLOPS is the primary compute figure, indicating a single-precision capability that was substantial for its generation. The texture rate of 18.70 GTexel/s, derived from 44 TMUs, allows for efficient texture filtering, while the 32 ROPs deliver a pixel rate of 9.350 GPixel/s. These figures, when combined with the 2.4 Gbps effective memory clock, produce a memory bandwidth of 76.80 GB/s. The 50th percentile ranking suggests that in the broader database of all GPUs, this card performs at the median—meaning half of all GPUs are faster and half are slower. Without rival scores or delta percentages, a direct comparison is impossible, but the specifications indicate a balanced mid-range mobile solution for its time. The shading units count of 352 is notable, yet the lack of boost clocks means performance is fixed at the base architecture's capability. The data shows no overclocking headroom or dynamic frequency adjustments, so sustained performance is predictable but not scalable.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The GTX 480M has no dedicated ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, as these are absent from the FACT PACK fields. Consequently, hardware-accelerated ray tracing is not supported, and any such effects would require software implementations, which this architecture cannot handle efficiently. The API support includes DirectX 12 (11_0), which means the card is compatible with DirectX 12 applications but only at the 11_0 feature level—so it cannot use DirectX 12 Ultimate features like mesh shaders or variable rate shading. OpenGL 4.6 is supported, providing a modern OpenGL profile for legacy applications and some current titles that still rely on it. Vulkan support is listed as null, indicating no Vulkan driver support in the data, which limits its compatibility with Vulkan-based games and engines. The absence of tensor cores also means no DLSS or AI-based upscaling, and the lack of RT cores means no dedicated ray tracing pipeline. For users expecting modern features, this card is firmly a rasterization-only part with limited API coverage.
How It Compares
The FACT PACK's nearestRivals array is empty, so there are no named competitors with scores or delta percentages to analyze. This absence is itself informative: the GTX 480M sits in a data vacuum where no direct comparisons are available. Its predecessor, the GeForce 300M, and successor, the GeForce 500M, are listed in the data, but no specification details are provided for either. The 50th percentile against all GPUs is the only positional reference, placing it at the median of the database's entire GPU population. Without rival data, the card's standing can only be described qualitatively: it is a mid-pack mobile GPU from the Fermi era, with a 100 W TDP and MXM form factor that target high-end laptops of 2010. The lack of benchmarks in the pack means no performance deltas can be cited, so any claim of superiority or inferiority to specific rivals is unsupported by the given facts. The card's end-of-life status further suggests it has been superseded, but the successor's specifications are not disclosed here.
Power and Cooling
The GTX 480M has a TDP of 100 W, which is a fixed thermal design power for the mobile part. It uses an MXM Module slot width and an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface, meaning it is designed for upgradeable laptop graphics modules rather than desktop installations. The power connectors field is listed as "None," indicating that all power is delivered through the MXM connector itself, so no external PCIe power cables are required. The suggested PSU field is null, which makes sense for a mobile component—the laptop's power adapter and internal power delivery system must supply the 100 W TDP, but the data does not specify a recommended adapter wattage. Cooling is system-dependent, as the MXM module is mounted inside a laptop chassis with its own thermal solution. The 100 W TDP is significant for a mobile GPU, requiring a robust cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling, but the data does not provide any thermal metrics or cooling specifications. Users must rely on the laptop's original cooling design, and the end-of-life status means replacement thermal pads or fans may be necessary for continued operation.
FAQ
Q: What is the memory configuration of the GTX 480M?
A: It has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, with a memory clock of 600 MHz (2.4 Gbps effective), yielding a bandwidth of 76.80 GB/s.
Q: Does the GTX 480M support hardware ray tracing?
A: No. The FACT PACK lists no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, so hardware ray tracing is not supported.
Q: What is the maximum DirectX version supported?
A: It supports DirectX 12 (11_0), meaning it is compatible with DirectX 12 applications but only at the 11_0 feature level, not the full DirectX 12 feature set.
Q: What is the TDP and how is it powered?
A: The TDP is 100 W. It uses an MXM Module slot and has no power connectors, so power is delivered through the MXM-B (3.0) bus interface.
Q: Is Vulkan supported?
A: The Vulkan API field is null, indicating no Vulkan support is listed in the data pack.
Q: What is the production status of this GPU?
A: It is end-of-life, and its release date is May 24, 2010. Its predecessor is the GeForce 300M and its successor is the GeForce 500M.
Memory Subsystem
The memory subsystem consists of 2 GB of GDDR5 memory connected via a 256-bit bus. The memory clock is 600 MHz, which translates to an effective data rate of 2.4 Gbps, producing a total bandwidth of 76.80 GB/s. This bandwidth is the key figure for high-resolution gaming, as it determines how quickly textures and frame data can be moved between the GPU and memory. At 1080p, 2 GB is sufficient for many older titles, but modern games with high-resolution texture packs can exceed this capacity, leading to texture pop-in or reduced frame rates. The 256-bit bus width is relatively wide for a mobile part, which helps mitigate the bandwidth limitation, but the 76.80 GB/s figure is modest by contemporary standards. The pixel rate of 9.350 GPixel/s is directly tied to the ROP count of 32 and the memory bandwidth, so high resolutions like 1440p or 4K would quickly saturate the memory subsystem. The data shows no capacity for memory overclocking beyond the listed 2.4 Gbps effective, and the absence of a boost clock means memory performance is static. For users targeting high resolutions, the 2 GB capacity and 76.80 GB/s bandwidth are the primary bottlenecks, as the FP32 compute of 598.4 GFLOPS is less of a limiting factor than the memory subsystem in most scenarios. The 256-bit bus does provide a balanced ratio of bandwidth to compute, but the overall figures place this card firmly in the mid-range of the 50th percentile, where high-resolution gaming is not a realistic expectation.
The AMD Equivalent of GeForce GTX 480M
Looking for a similar graphics card from AMD? The AMD Radeon RX 480 offers comparable performance and features in the AMD lineup.
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