NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 PCI
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 PCI Specifications
GeForce4 MX 420 PCI GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 PCI 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.
GeForce4 MX 420 PCI Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the GeForce4 MX 420 PCI'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 GeForce4 MX 420 PCI by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's GeForce4 MX 420 PCI Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The GeForce4 MX 420 PCI'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.
GeForce4 MX 420 PCI Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 PCI 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.
Celsius Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 PCI is built on NVIDIA's Celsius 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 GeForce4 MX 420 PCI will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
NVIDIA's GeForce4 MX 420 PCI Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 PCI 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 GeForce4 MX 420 PCI to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
GeForce4 MX 420 PCI by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 PCI 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 GeForce4 MX 420 PCI. 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.
GeForce4 MX 420 PCI Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 PCI 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 GeForce4 MX 420 PCI by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
GeForce4 MX 420 PCI Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 PCI
The NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 PCI is an end-of-life PCI video card released on 2002-02-05, part of the GeForce 4 MX generation. Its chip is the NV17 on TSMC's 150 nm Celsius architecture, with a die size of 65 mm² and 29 million transistors, producing a transistor density of 446.2K / mm². The card lists 4 TMUs and 2 ROPs, 64 MB of SDR memory on a 64-bit bus, and a memory clock of 166 MHz. In the database, it carries a 50th percentile rank among all GPUs, although its average benchmark score is 0 and no individual benchmarks are present. It sits in the product lineage between the GeForce 3 and the GeForce 4 Ti.
Power and Cooling — TDP, PSU recommendation, connector requirements
The record does not include a TDP figure, so the card’s thermal envelope cannot be derived from the data. The only power-related recommendation is a suggested PSU of 200 W. That 200 W figure is the most concrete system-level constraint in the record. The power connector field is None, meaning the card requires no auxiliary power connector and no extra power cable has to be planned for. The card’s physical profile is single-slot, and the process node is 150 nm, while the die measures 65 mm². No core clock is listed. Without a core clock or TDP, the quantitative thermal behavior is unstated. Still, the 200 W suggestion provides a clear power-supply planning figure for the rest of the system.
Who Should Consider It
Because the benchmarks array is empty and the average benchmark score is 0, the record does not provide measured scores that can be mapped to specific resolutions or graphics settings. The 50th percentile rank places the card at the midpoint of the database’s GPU distribution. The memory subsystem provides a clearer boundary: 64 MB of SDR memory on a 64-bit bus produces 1.328 GB/s of bandwidth. The 4 TMUs and 2 ROPs, together with a pixel rate of 500.0 MPixel/s and a texture rate of 1.000 GTexel/s, indicate a card aimed at modest pixel and texture workloads. The display outputs are 1x VGA and 1x S-Video, which points to displays using those connectors. A user with a single-slot PCI slot, a 200 W suggested PSU, and no auxiliary power connector requirement could consider this card. High-resolution scenarios are constrained by the listed bandwidth, while lower-resolution scenarios are a better match. That conclusion is structural rather than benchmark-based, because no benchmark scores exist in the record.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The ray tracing core and tensor core fields are both null in the record. There is also no shading unit count listed, so the shader pipeline is not quantified. The API list is DirectX 7.0 and OpenGL 1.5, with no Vulkan support. The feature set is instead expressed through the listed TMU and ROP counts: 4 TMUs and 2 ROPs. The chip is the NV17 and the architecture label is Celsius. The available throughput figures are 500.0 MPixel/s for pixel filling and 1.000 GTexel/s for texture fetching. FP32 and FP16 compute rates are absent from the data. Consequently, the product is characterized by rasterization rates and API compatibility, not by ray tracing, tensor, or compute throughput. The absence of RT and tensor cores means those hardware blocks are not part of this card’s feature set.
How It Compares
The nearestRivals field is an empty array in this record. There are therefore no rival names, no rival scores, and no deltaPct values to discuss. The only product-positioning fields are predecessor and successor, which are listed as GeForce 3 and GeForce 4 Ti, respectively. Those two positions come without benchmark data in this entry, so the card cannot be quantitatively compared to them using this record. The 50th percentile rank against all GPUs is the sole available comparative statistic. It places the card in the middle of the entire database distribution, but no exact deltas to specific rivals can be calculated. The record gives no indication which other GPUs are nearest in performance. For head-to-head comparison, the data layer does not supply the necessary inputs.
Benchmark Performance
The benchmarks array is empty, and the average benchmark score is 0. This combination indicates that no actual workload results are stored for this card. The average score of 0 is therefore not a performance measurement. The percentileVsAllGpus field is 50, placing the card at the midpoint of all ranked GPUs in the database. Because the nearestRivals array is empty, none of the deltas that normally accompany benchmark comparisons are present. The only quantitative throughput values are pixel rate of 500.0 MPixel/s and texture rate of 1.000 GTexel/s, tied to the listed 4 TMUs and 2 ROPs. Without rival benchmark scores, exact leads or deficits cannot be stated. The record supports a positional statement and structural throughput figures, but no measured frame-rate or synthetic-score deltas.
FAQ
Q: How much memory does the GeForce4 MX 420 PCI have?
A: It has 64 MB of SDR memory on a 64-bit bus, with a memory clock of 166 MHz and a bandwidth of 1.328 GB/s.
Q: Does it support ray tracing or tensor cores?
A: The record lists no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores for this product.
Q: What APIs are supported?
A: The listed APIs are DirectX 7.0 and OpenGL 1.5; Vulkan is not listed.
Q: What power supply is recommended?
A: The suggested PSU is 200 W, and the power connector field is None.
Q: What is the manufacturing process?
A: The chip is manufactured by TSMC on a 150 nm process, with 29 million transistors on a 65 mm² die.
Q: What are the display outputs?
A: The card has 1x VGA and 1x S-Video outputs.
Memory Subsystem
The memory subsystem is specified by four numbers: 64 MB of memory, an SDR type, a 64-bit bus width, and a memory clock of 166 MHz. The associated bandwidth is 1.328 GB/s. For high resolutions, that bandwidth is the budget available to move pixel and texture data between memory and the display pipeline. A 64 MB capacity also limits the amount of texture data buffered on the card. The 64-bit bus is the physical path for that data, and the SDR type is part of the listed configuration. The pixel rate of 500.0 MPixel/s and texture rate of 1.000 GTexel/s are the corresponding fill-rate limits. When resolution increases, the number of pixels and texels needing to pass through that bus rises, crowding the 1.328 GB/s ceiling. No core clock is provided, so the memory clock is the only clock stored in the record. Overall, the memory data describes a small, narrow, low-bandwidth subsystem.
The AMD Equivalent of GeForce4 MX 420 PCI
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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