GeForce 8300 vs GeForce 8400M GS

NVIDIA

GeForce 8300

2014Core: 1082 MHzBoost: 1150 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce 8400M GS

2014Core: 1029 MHzBoost: 1124 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce 8300 vs GeForce 8400M GS Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce 8300 vs GeForce 8400M GS FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce 8300 vs GeForce 8400M GS: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce 8300

2014

Why buy it

  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (512 MB vs 128 MB).
  • More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 2014 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce 8400M GS

2014

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 128 MB vs 512 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2014 hardware with 128 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce 8400M GS is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2% in PassMark G3D (104 vs 102), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce 8300 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 512 MB vs 128 MB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce 8400M GS makes the most sense to buy today. It is priced the same on MSRP at $50 vs $50, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 2% (2.1 vs 2.0), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce 8400M GS is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce 8300 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 8300 vs GeForce 8400M GS Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

GeForce 8300

The GeForce 8300 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: 102 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce 8400M GS

The GeForce 8400M GS is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 12 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1029 MHz to 1124 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 104 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 8300 scores 102 and the GeForce 8400M GS reaches 104 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 8300 is built on Maxwell while the GeForce 8400M GS uses Maxwell, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 256 (GeForce 8300) vs 384 (GeForce 8400M GS). Raw compute: 0.5888 TFLOPS (GeForce 8300) vs 0.8632 TFLOPS (GeForce 8400M GS). Boost clocks: 1150 MHz vs 1124 MHz.

FeatureGeForce 8300GeForce 8400M GS
G3D Mark Score
102
104+2%
Architecture
Maxwell
Maxwell
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
256
384+50%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.5888 TFLOPS
0.8632 TFLOPS+47%
Boost Clock
1150 MHz+2%
1124 MHz
ROPs
8
8
TMUs
16
16
L1 Cache
128 KB
192 KB+50%
L2 Cache
1 MB
1 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce 8300GeForce 8400M GS
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 8300 has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce 8400M GS carries 128 MB. GeForce 8300 gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce 8300 and 128-bit on the GeForce 8400M GS.

FeatureGeForce 8300GeForce 8400M GS
VRAM Capacity
0.5 GB+300%
0.125 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
128-bit
128-bit
L2 Cache
1 MB
1 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.0 (GeForce 8300) vs 10_0 (GeForce 8400M GS). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce 8300GeForce 8400M GS
DirectX
10.0
10_0
OpenGL
3.3
3.3
Max Displays
1
2+100%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 8300) vs PureVideo (GeForce 8400M GS). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP3 vs PureVideo. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (GeForce 8300) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,WMV9 (GeForce 8400M GS).

FeatureGeForce 8300GeForce 8400M GS
Encoder
No
PureVideo
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP3
PureVideo
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,WMV9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 8300 draws 33W versus the GeForce 8400M GS's 33W — a 0% difference. The GeForce 8400M GS is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 8300) vs 350W (GeForce 8400M GS). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce 8300GeForce 8400M GS
TDP
33W
33W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
Legacy
Length
0mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0
0
Temp (Load)
70°C-13%
80°C
Perf/Watt
3.1
3.2+3%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 8300 came in at $50, while the GeForce 8400M GS launched at $50. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.0 (GeForce 8300) vs 2.1 (GeForce 8400M GS) — the GeForce 8400M GS offers 5% better value.

FeatureGeForce 8300GeForce 8400M GS
MSRP
$50
$50
Performance per Dollar
2.0
2.1+5%
Codename
GM108
GM108
Release
July 22 2014
March 12 2014
Ranking
#832
#854

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