NVIDIA NVS 315
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA NVS 315 Specifications
GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA NVS 315 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.
NVS 315 Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the NVS 315'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 NVS 315 by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's NVS 315 Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The NVS 315'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.
NVS 315 by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the NVS 315, 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.
NVS 315 Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA NVS 315 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 2.0 Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA NVS 315 is built on NVIDIA's Fermi 2.0 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 NVS 315 will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA NVS 315 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 NVS 315 to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
NVS 315 by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA NVS 315 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 NVS 315. 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.
NVS 315 Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA NVS 315 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 NVS 315 by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
About NVIDIA NVS 315
The NVIDIA NVS 315 is a professional workstation graphics card from the Fermi 2.0 architecture generation, fabricated on TSMC's 40 nm process. It targets a very specific niche in the market, as evidenced by its benchmark data and its position in the database's percentile rankings. The card carries 292 million transistors on a 79 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 3.7M per mm². Its production status is listed as end-of-life, and it was released in March 2013.
How It Compares
The NVS 315's performance landscape is defined by its immediate predecessor and a set of competitors that span very different market segments. Its average benchmark score of 882 places it in the 3rd percentile of all GPUs, indicating a product aimed at basic display output rather than compute-intensive tasks.
Against the NVIDIA NVS 310, the NVS 315 is nearly identical, posting a score of 882 versus 880. This represents a mere 0.2% delta in favor of the newer card. The data suggests that the NVS 315 is a marginal refresh, offering no meaningful performance advantage over its direct predecessor. Users upgrading from the NVS 310 should expect no tangible uplift in processing capability.
The comparison with the AMD Radeon HD 7850 is more revealing of the NVS 315's limitations. The AMD card scores 891, which is 1% higher than the NVS 315. While this delta appears small in percentage terms, it is significant because the Radeon HD 7850 is a consumer gaming card from a different performance tier. The near-parity in scores suggests that the NVS 315's workstation drivers and feature set are its primary selling points, not raw compute power, as a dedicated consumer card from a similar era edges it out in a generic compute benchmark.
The gap widens considerably when compared to the AMD Radeon R9 390. The R9 390 achieves a score of 955, which is 7.6% higher than the NVS 315. This positions the NVS 315 firmly in the entry-level segment. The R9 390 is a high-end consumer card, and its substantial lead in this benchmark underscores that the NVS 315 is not designed for heavy graphical workloads, but rather for stable, multi-display professional environments.
Finally, the AMD Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL posts a score of 957, a 7.9% advantage over the NVS 315. This comparison is particularly telling, as the WX Vega M GL is also a professional mobile GPU. Even against a mobile professional part, the NVS 315 trails by nearly 8%, highlighting its age and the significant architectural advancements made in the years following its release. The data clearly shows that the NVS 315 is a legacy product, outpaced by even its own product category's successors.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The NVS 315 does not feature dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores. The architecture is based on Fermi 2.0, which predates these specialized hardware units by several generations. The absence of these cores means the card relies entirely on traditional rasterization techniques for graphics rendering. Any ray-traced workloads would have to be handled by the general-purpose shading units, which is not a practical scenario given the card's compute capabilities.
In terms of API support, the NVS 315 supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. The DirectX 12 support is listed with a feature level of 11_0, which is the baseline for that API. It does not support Vulkan. This API set is adequate for legacy professional applications and basic modern 2D/3D acceleration, but it lacks the modern graphics API features that would be required for contemporary game development or high-end 3D rendering tasks. The data implies a card that is functionally compatible with current operating systems but architecturally limited to older workloads.
Who Should Consider It
Given its benchmark scores and the 3rd percentile ranking, the NVS 315 is not suited for modern gaming or high-end content creation. The data indicates that its primary function is as a basic display adapter for professional environments where multi-monitor output is more critical than 3D performance. It is a single-slot card with a DMS-59 output, which typically allows for dual-link DVI connectivity via an adapter, making it suitable for office productivity, financial trading desks, or server management consoles.
At a resolution of 1080p, the card can handle the standard Windows desktop, web browsing, and 2D productivity applications with ease. However, its 100.4 GFLOPS of FP32 performance would be severely strained by any 3D application, even at low settings. For users whose primary need is a reliable, low-power display output for multiple monitors without any gaming or rendering aspirations, the NVS 315 fits that narrow profile. It is not a recommendation for any user seeking to play games or run GPU-accelerated rendering, as even the nearest rivals with single-digit percentage leads would offer a marginal, yet insufficient, improvement.
FAQ
Q: How much faster is the NVIDIA NVS 315 than the NVS 310?
A: The NVS 315 is 0.2% faster in the average benchmark score, posting 882 versus the NVS 310's 880. This is a negligible difference.
Q: Does the NVS 315 support hardware ray tracing?
A: No, the NVS 315 does not have dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as it is based on the Fermi 2.0 architecture.
Q: What is the performance gap between the NVS 315 and the AMD Radeon R9 390?
A: The AMD Radeon R9 390 is 7.6% faster, with a score of 955 compared to the NVS 315's 882.
Q: What is the maximum API level supported by the NVS 315?
A: The card supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. It does not support the Vulkan API.
Q: What is the card's position among all GPUs in the database?
A: The NVS 315 is in the 3rd percentile of all GPUs, indicating it is among the lowest-performing cards in the database.
Q: What type of memory does the NVS 315 use?
A: It uses 1024 MB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 14.00 GB/s.
Memory Subsystem
The NVS 315 is equipped with 1024 MB of DDR3 memory, which is a modest amount by modern standards. The memory is connected via a 64-bit bus, which is a narrow interface that limits the data transfer rate. The total memory bandwidth is 14.00 GB/s, a figure that is characteristic of entry-level cards from its era. This bandwidth is a critical bottleneck for any memory-intensive task, such as high-resolution texture loading or large framebuffer operations.
For high-resolution displays, this memory subsystem presents a significant constraint. While the card can output to a high-resolution monitor for 2D desktop use, the limited bandwidth and small framebuffer would struggle with 3D rendering at resolutions above 1080p. The 14.00 GB/s bandwidth is insufficient for the data throughput required by modern games or professional 3D applications at higher resolutions. The data suggests that the memory configuration is designed for low-resolution, low-complexity scenes, reinforcing the card's role as a basic display output device rather than a rendering powerhouse.
Power and Cooling
The NVIDIA NVS 315 has a thermal design power (TDP) of just 19 W. This is an extremely low power draw, which is consistent with its passive, single-slot design. The card requires no external power connectors, drawing all its power from the PCIe 2.0 x16 slot. The suggested power supply for a system containing this card is 200 W, which is a modest requirement that is easily met by almost any standard desktop power supply.
The cooling solution is a passive heatsink, as indicated by the single-slot width and the absence of power connectors. This makes the NVS 315 an ideal candidate for systems where noise and space are at a premium. The low TDP ensures that the passive cooler is sufficient to manage the thermal output without the need for an active fan, making it a silent solution for basic workstation tasks. The combination of low power consumption and passive cooling makes it a very efficient option for multi-GPU setups in server or display-wall applications.
Benchmark Performance
The benchmark data for the NVS 315 is limited to a single Geekbench OpenCL test, which is a compute benchmark rather than a gaming benchmark. The card's score of 882 is the sole data point, and it defines its average score. This score places the card in the 3rd percentile, which is a stark indicator of its low performance tier. The FP32 performance is listed at 100.4 GFLOPS, which aligns with the low score and confirms the card's limited compute capability.
The deltas against its nearest rivals tell a story of marginal differences at the bottom of the performance spectrum. The 0.2% lead over the NVS 310 shows that the two cards are essentially peers. The 1% deficit against the Radeon HD 7850 is a small gap, but it is a gap to a consumer card, which is notable. The 7.6% and 7.9% deficits against the Radeon R9 390 and Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL, respectively, demonstrate a clear generational and performance-class divide. These scores indicate that while the NVS 315 is technically a functioning GPU, its compute performance is closer to integrated graphics solutions than to any dedicated card from the past decade. It is a product designed for a specific, non-performance-critical role, and the data confirms that it executes that role without any pretense of computational power.
Detailed benchmark scores and charts for the NVIDIA NVS 315 are below.
Benchmark Scores
geekbench_openclSource
Geekbench OpenCL tests GPU compute performance using the cross-platform OpenCL API. This shows how NVIDIA NVS 315 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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