GeForce 800A vs GeForce GT 420
GeForce 800A
Popular choices:
GeForce GT 420
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The GeForce 800A is positioned at rank 504 and the GeForce GT 420 is on rank 214, so the GeForce GT 420 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 800A
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GT 420
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce 800A is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.7% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GT 420 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | GeForce 800A | GeForce GT 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.7%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.7%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Kepler (2012−2018)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce 800A offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce 800A holds the technical lead. Priced at $30 (vs $79), it costs 62% less, resulting in a 165.2% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce 800A | GeForce GT 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+165.2%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($30) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($79) |
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce 800A and GeForce GT 420
GeForce 800A
The GeForce 800A is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 22 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1082 MHz to 1150 MHz. It has 256 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 435 points.
GeForce GT 420
The GeForce GT 420 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 29 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 64W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 432 points. Launch price was $89.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce 800A scores 435 and the GeForce GT 420 reaches 432 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 800A is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GT 420 uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 256 (GeForce 800A) vs 384 (GeForce GT 420). Raw compute: 0.5888 TFLOPS (GeForce 800A) vs 0.7626 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 420).
| Feature | GeForce 800A | GeForce GT 420 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 435 | 432 |
| Architecture | Maxwell | Kepler |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 256 | 384+50% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.5888 TFLOPS | 0.7626 TFLOPS+30% |
| ROPs | 8 | 16+100% |
| TMUs | 16 | 32+100% |
| L1 Cache | 128 KB+300% | 32 KB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce 800A | GeForce GT 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce 800A comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GT 420 has 1 GB. The GeForce GT 420 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 800A) vs 0.25 MB (GeForce GT 420) — the GeForce 800A has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce 800A | GeForce GT 420 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 1 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce 800A) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GT 420). Vulkan: N/A vs N/A. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce 800A | GeForce GT 420 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_0) | 12 (11_0) |
| Vulkan | N/A | N/A |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 2 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC (GeForce 800A) vs None (GeForce GT 420). Decoder: VP5 vs VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce 800A) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 (GeForce GT 420).
| Feature | GeForce 800A | GeForce GT 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC | None |
| Decoder | VP5 | VP4 |
| Codecs | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce 800A draws 33W versus the GeForce GT 420's 64W — a 63.9% difference. The GeForce 800A is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 800A) vs 250W (GeForce GT 420). Power connectors: Legacy vs None. Card length: 0mm vs 145mm, occupying 0 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 85 vs 80.
| Feature | GeForce 800A | GeForce GT 420 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 33W-48% | 64W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 250W-29% |
| Power Connector | Legacy | None |
| Length | 0mm | 145mm |
| Height | 0mm | 69mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 1 |
| Temp (Load) | 85 | 80-6% |
| Perf/Watt | 13.2+94% | 6.8 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce 800A launched at $100 MSRP and currently averages $30, while the GeForce GT 420 launched at $79 and now averages $79. The GeForce 800A costs 62% less ($49 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 14.5 (GeForce 800A) vs 5.5 (GeForce GT 420) — the GeForce 800A offers 163.6% better value.
| Feature | GeForce 800A | GeForce GT 420 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $100 | $79-21% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $30-62% | $79 |
| Performance per Dollar | 14.5+164% | 5.5 |
| Codename | GM108 | GK107 |
| Release | July 22 2014 | May 29 2014 |
| Ranking | #832 | #777 |
Top Performing GPUs
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