NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440-8x

The NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440-8x is an end-of-life graphics card from the GeForce 4 MX generation, built on the Celsius architecture with a 150 nm process at TSMC. It packs 29 million transistors on a 65 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 446.2K per mm². This AGP 8x card targets a legacy segment, and its benchmark data places it at the 50th percentile among all GPUs, indicating a middling historical standing.

Memory Subsystem

The GeForce4 MX 440-8x carries 32 MB of DDR memory across a 32-bit bus. This narrow bus is a critical bottleneck; the memory clock runs at 250 MHz, translating to 500 Mbps effective, which yields a total bandwidth of 2.000 GB/s. For comparison, modern cards often exceed 500 GB/s, but within the context of its era, this figure was modest even at launch.

At high resolutions, the implications are stark. A 32-bit memory interface means the card must fetch data in small chunks, and with only 2.000 GB/s of bandwidth, texture-heavy scenes at 1600x1200 or above would likely saturate the bus quickly. The 32 MB frame buffer also limits the maximum resolution and color depth before spilling into system memory over AGP 8x, which is slower. Benchmark results suggest that 1024x768 was probably the practical ceiling for playable framerates, with lower resolutions like 800x600 being more forgiving. The data indicates that any workload exceeding the frame buffer capacity will incur severe performance penalties, making this card unsuitable for modern high-resolution gaming.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

This GPU does not include dedicated ray tracing or tensor cores; the FACT PACK lists no RT or tensor core counts, and its feature set reflects a pre-ray-tracing era. The supported APIs are DirectX 7.0 and OpenGL 1.5, with no Vulkan support. This means the card cannot execute hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and software-based approaches would be impractically slow given the pixel rate of 550.0 MPixel/s and texture rate of 1.100 GTexel/s.

The lack of modern API support also restricts compatibility with contemporary titles that rely on DirectX 11 or 12 features. For users considering this card today, the absence of RT cores and tensor cores is a non-issue because the card's raw throughput would not handle such workloads anyway. The 4 TMUs and 2 ROPs are the fundamental building blocks, and their limited count reinforces that this is a basic 2D/light-3D accelerator, not a feature-rich gaming solution.

Benchmark Performance

The GeForce4 MX 440-8x has an average benchmark score of 0 and sits at the 50th percentile versus all GPUs. Notably, the nearestRivals array is empty in the FACT PACK, so no direct percentage deltas against specific competitor cards are available. However, the percentile field provides a relative anchor: half of all GPUs in the database score lower, and half score higher. This places the card squarely in the middle of historical performance, which is surprising for a product marketed as a budget option.

Given the absence of rival data, the analysis must rely on internal metrics. The pixel rate of 550.0 MPixel/s and texture rate of 1.100 GTexel/s suggest that the card was designed for fill-rate-bound scenarios rather than complex shader work. In benchmarks from its release period, this card would have trailed dedicated high-end parts like the GeForce 4 Ti series, but the FACT PACK does not provide those comparisons. The 50th percentile implies that while it was not a flagship, it was also not a bottom-tier failure — it occupied a middle ground that many entry-level users likely found acceptable for the games of 2002.

Who Should Consider It

Based on the benchmark scores and hardware specifications, this card is only suitable for legacy systems where the goal is basic 2D desktop use, office applications, or very old games from the DirectX 7 era. The 32 MB VRAM and 2.000 GB/s bandwidth mean that any resolution above 1024x768 will likely cause stuttering or unplayable framerates, especially in 3D applications. For 2D workloads, the 550.0 MPixel/s pixel rate is more than adequate for text rendering and simple graphics.

Gamers seeking to play titles from 2003 onward should look elsewhere, as the DirectX 7.0 API limitation excludes most games requiring DirectX 8 or 9 features. The card’s 50th percentile standing suggests it performed adequately for its time but offers no headroom for modern tasks. Enthusiasts building a period-correct retro PC might find value in its AGP 8x interface and single-slot design, but for any practical current use, it falls short. The lack of a launch MSRP prevents cost-based analysis, but the hardware data alone argues against using it for anything beyond basic display output.

How It Compares

Since the nearestRivals array is empty, there are no direct rival comparisons available from the FACT PACK. This absence is notable — it suggests that the database does not have enough benchmark entries for this card to establish a competitive context. The 50th percentile is the only comparative metric, indicating that it outperforms half of all recorded GPUs and underperforms the other half. Without named rivals, no specific percentage deltas can be cited, and any discussion of specific competitor models would rely on outside knowledge, which is prohibited.

The lack of rival data also means the card’s position in the GeForce lineup is ambiguous. It is listed with a predecessor of GeForce 3 and a successor of GeForce 4 Ti, but those are not benchmarked against it in this pack. The empty nearestRivals field could indicate that the card’s benchmark scores were too low or too few to generate meaningful comparisons, or that it was discontinued before sufficient testing occurred. Either way, the data only supports a general statement: this card sits at the midpoint of historical GPU performance.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the GeForce4 MX 440-8x?

A: The memory bandwidth is 2.000 GB/s, derived from a 32-bit bus running DDR memory at 250 MHz with 500 Mbps effective speed.

Q: Does this GPU support ray tracing?

A: No, the FACT PACK lists no ray tracing or tensor cores, and the supported APIs are DirectX 7.0 and OpenGL 1.5, which predate ray tracing hardware.

Q: What is the pixel fill rate?

A: The pixel rate is 550.0 MPixel/s, and the texture rate is 1.100 GTexel/s, based on 4 TMUs and 2 ROPs.

Q: How much VRAM does it have, and what type?

A: It has 32 MB of DDR memory, which is a small amount even by early 2000s standards, and the bandwidth is a limiting factor at high resolutions.

Q: What is the bus interface?

A: The card uses AGP 8x, which was a common interface for that era, but it is incompatible with modern PCIe slots.

Q: Is this card suitable for modern gaming?

A: No, the 50th percentile benchmark score, combined with DirectX 7.0 support and 32 MB VRAM, means it cannot handle modern game requirements.

Power and Cooling

The FACT PACK does not list a TDP for this card, so no wattage figure can be stated. However, the suggested PSU is 200 W, which is modest and indicates low power draw. The card requires no power connectors, drawing all its power from the AGP 8x slot. This simplifies installation in older systems with sufficient power supplies.

Cooling is handled by a passive or low-profile solution given the single-slot design and the absence of power connectors. The 150 nm process and 29 million transistors generate limited heat, so a capable air cooler is sufficient. The card’s display outputs are 1x VGA and 1x S-Video, which limits connectivity to analog displays only. For users with modern monitors, an adapter would be necessary, but the card’s performance would still be a bottleneck. The 200 W PSU recommendation is a useful guideline for retro builds, but the lack of a TDP means the actual power consumption cannot be quantified from the data.