NVIDIA Quadro NVS 420

The NVIDIA Quadro NVS 420 is a professional GPU from the Quadro NVS generation, built on the Tesla architecture with the G98S chip. Fabricated on a 65 nm process at UMC, it integrates 210 million transistors on an 86 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 2.4M per mm². Released on 2009-01-19, the part is now end-of-life, with a 40 W TDP and a single-slot design. The data shows a modest specification set, with 8 shading units, 4 texture mapping units, and 4 raster output units. The memory subsystem consists of 256 MB of GDDR3 on a 64-bit bus, delivering 11.20 GB/s of bandwidth. The card operates at a memory clock of 700 MHz, with a 1400 Mbps effective data rate. It interfaces via PCIe 2.0 x16 and offers a single VHDCI output. With a percentile rank of 50 among all GPUs in the database, it sits at the median, though its average benchmark score is recorded as 0.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark data for the Quadro NVS 420 is sparse, with an average benchmark score of 0, but the derived performance metrics provide a quantitative baseline. The card delivers a peak FP32 throughput of 22.40 GFLOPS, a pixel rate of 2.200 GPixel/s, and a texture rate of 2.200 GTexel/s. These numbers indicate a balanced pipeline where pixel and texture throughput are identical, suggesting that the 4 ROPs and 4 TMUs are clocked to match the shading unit output. The 8 shading units form the core of the compute capability, but at 22.40 GFLOPS, the raw compute is extremely limited by modern standards. The percentile rank of 50 places this GPU exactly at the median of the entire database population, meaning half of all recorded GPUs are faster and half are slower. However, the zero average benchmark score implies that no actual benchmark runs have been logged for this specific SKU, so the percentile is likely based on specification similarity or a default assignment. In the context of its 2009 release, the 22.40 GFLOPS figure positions it as an entry-level professional part, not intended for heavy 3D rendering. The pixel rate of 2.200 GPixel/s is sufficient for basic 2D desktop composition and multi-display output, which is the typical role of the NVS series. The texture rate of 2.200 GTexel/s similarly limits complex texture-heavy workloads. Without nearestRivals data, the analysis relies on these absolute metrics and the median percentile to infer that the card occupies a middle ground in the database, but its absolute numbers are low enough to suggest it is a legacy or low-end product.

Memory Subsystem

The memory configuration is a critical bottleneck for this GPU. It features 256 MB of GDDR3 memory, which is a small capacity even for 2009. The bus width is 64 bit, which is narrow, and the resulting bandwidth is 11.20 GB/s. The memory clock is 700 MHz, with a 1400 Mbps effective data rate due to DDR signaling. For high-resolution workloads, this 11.20 GB/s bandwidth is severely limiting. At a typical high-resolution framebuffer, a 32-bit color buffer alone would require significant bandwidth for updates, and the 256 MB capacity restricts the amount of texture data and geometry that can be resident. The 64-bit bus means that each memory transaction transfers only 8 bytes, increasing latency for random access patterns. In professional multi-display setups, which the NVS series targets, the card must drive multiple monitors simultaneously. The 256 MB buffer is adequate for 2D desktop output at moderate resolutions, but any 3D application with high-resolution textures will quickly exhaust the memory. The bandwidth of 11.20 GB/s is roughly a tenth of what modern GPUs offer, but for its intended role, basic office productivity, financial trading terminals, or signage, it is sufficient. The data shows a clear trade-off: the low TDP of 40 W and the absence of power connectors (None) allow the card to run in low-profile or passively cooled systems, but the memory subsystem is the primary constraint for any demanding graphics task.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Quadro NVS 420 has no dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as indicated by the null values for rtCores and tensorCores. This is consistent with its 2009 architecture (Tesla), which predates hardware ray tracing by over a decade. Consequently, any ray tracing workload would be executed on the general-purpose shading units, but the FP32 throughput of 22.40 GFLOPS is far too low for practical software ray tracing. The API support is limited: DirectX 11.1 (with a feature level of 10_0) and OpenGL 3.3. The DirectX feature level 10_0 indicates that the hardware actually supports Shader Model 4.0, not the full DirectX 11 feature set, despite the 11.1 version number. This means the card cannot execute tessellation or compute shaders from DirectX 11. OpenGL 3.3 is also a legacy version, lacking modern features like bindless textures or compute shaders. Vulkan support is null, meaning the card does not expose a Vulkan driver. The feature set is therefore oriented toward legacy 2D and 3D applications. The absence of tensor cores also precludes any AI or machine learning acceleration. For a professional card, the feature set is minimal, but it aligns with the NVS line's focus on stability and multi-display output rather than cutting-edge graphics. The 40 W TDP and single-slot design further emphasize its role as a low-power companion card.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory size of the NVIDIA Quadro NVS 420?

A: The card has 256 MB of GDDR3 memory.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth and bus width?

A: The memory bandwidth is 11.20 GB/s, and the bus width is 64 bit.

Q: Does the GPU support hardware ray tracing?

A: No, the data lists null values for both rtCores and tensorCores, indicating no dedicated ray tracing or tensor hardware.

Q: What is the TDP and power connector requirement?

A: The TDP is 40 W, and the card requires no power connectors (None). The suggested PSU is 200 W.

Q: What is the process node and transistor count?

A: The process node is 65 nm, and the chip integrates 210 million transistors.

Q: What display output does it offer?

A: It has a single VHDCI output.

Q: What is the DirectX support level?

A: It supports DirectX 11.1, but with a feature level of 10_0.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals array in the data is empty, meaning the database contains no recorded rival GPUs for this part. Consequently, a direct head-to-head comparison with specific models is not possible from the FACT PACK. However, the percentile rank of 50 provides a global reference: the Quadro NVS 420 sits exactly at the median of all GPUs in the benchmark database. This indicates that, in terms of overall performance ranking, it is neither notably fast nor notably slow relative to the entire population. The average benchmark score of 0, though, suggests that no actual performance runs have been logged, so this percentile may be a default or spec-based estimate. Without rival names, the comparison must rely on absolute metrics. The FP32 throughput of 22.40 GFLOPS, pixel rate of 2.200 GPixel/s, and texture rate of 2.200 GTexel/s are the only quantitative anchors. These figures are modest, and the 256 MB memory capacity further limits its competitive standing. In the absence of rival data, the card's position is defined by its specifications: a 65 nm, 210-million-transistor chip with a 64-bit memory interface. The 40 W TDP and single-slot form factor are its distinguishing characteristics, but without rival entries, any claim of superiority or inferiority cannot be substantiated. The data suggests that the card is a legacy product, end-of-life, with no direct competitors tracked in the database.