GeForce 8400 GS vs GeForce GT 120M
GeForce 8400 GS
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GeForce GT 120M
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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 8400 GS is positioned at rank 461 and the GeForce GT 120M is on rank 124, so the GeForce GT 120M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 8400 GS
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GT 120M
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce 8400 GS is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 7.9% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GT 120M offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | GeForce 8400 GS | GeForce GT 120M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+7.9%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-7.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / Pascal (2016−2021)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | Normal Efficiency |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce 8400 GS remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
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 8400 GS and GeForce GT 120M
GeForce 8400 GS
The GeForce 8400 GS is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 17 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: 163 points.
GeForce GT 120M
The GeForce GT 120M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 17 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1228 MHz to 1468 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 151 points. Launch price was $79.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce 8400 GS scores 163 versus the GeForce GT 120M's 151 — the GeForce 8400 GS leads by 7.9%. The GeForce 8400 GS is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GT 120M uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 8400 GS) vs 384 (GeForce GT 120M). Raw compute: 0.8632 TFLOPS (GeForce 8400 GS) vs 1.127 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 120M). Boost clocks: 1124 MHz vs 1468 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce 8400 GS | GeForce GT 120M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 163+8% | 151 |
| Architecture | Maxwell | Pascal |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 14 nm |
| Shading Units | 384 | 384 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.8632 TFLOPS | 1.127 TFLOPS+31% |
| Boost Clock | 1124 MHz | 1468 MHz+31% |
| ROPs | 8 | 16+100% |
| TMUs | 16 | 24+50% |
| L1 Cache | 192 KB+33% | 144 KB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 0.5 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce 8400 GS | GeForce GT 120M |
|---|---|---|
| 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 8400 GS comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GT 120M has 1 GB. The GeForce GT 120M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 8400 GS) vs 0.5 MB (GeForce GT 120M) — the GeForce 8400 GS has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce 8400 GS | GeForce GT 120M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 1 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 0.5 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 10.0 (GeForce 8400 GS) vs 11.1 (FL10_0) (GeForce GT 120M). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce 8400 GS | GeForce GT 120M |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 10.0 | 11.1 (FL10_0)+11% |
| OpenGL | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Max Displays | 2 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 8400 GS) vs VP3 (GeForce GT 120M). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs VP3. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce 8400 GS) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GT 120M).
| Feature | GeForce 8400 GS | GeForce GT 120M |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | No | VP3 |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP2 | VP3 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264 | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce 8400 GS draws 33W versus the GeForce GT 120M's 30W — a 9.5% difference. The GeForce GT 120M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 8400 GS) vs 350W (GeForce GT 120M). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 65°C vs 80°C.
| Feature | GeForce 8400 GS | GeForce GT 120M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 33W | 30W-9% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | Legacy | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 170mm | — |
| Height | 106mm | — |
| Slots | 1 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 65°C-19% | 80°C |
| Perf/Watt | 4.9 | 5.0+2% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GT 120M is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2014).
| Feature | GeForce 8400 GS | GeForce GT 120M |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $30 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $30 | — |
| Codename | GM108 | GP108 |
| Release | March 17 2014 | May 17 2017 |
| Ranking | #850 | #641 |
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