GeForce GT 120M vs GeForce 9400
GeForce GT 120M
Popular choices:
GeForce 9400
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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 GT 120M is positioned at rank 124 and the GeForce 9400 is on rank 616, 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 GT 120M
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 9400
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GT 120M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.7% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (1 GB vs 512 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce 9400.
| Insight | GeForce GT 120M | GeForce 9400 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.7%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.7%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / Pascal (2016−2021)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell (2014−2017)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | Normal Efficiency |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GT 120M 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 GT 120M and GeForce 9400
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.
GeForce 9400
The GeForce 9400 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1072 MHz to 1176 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 147 points.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GT 120M scores 151 and the GeForce 9400 reaches 147 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 120M is built on Pascal while the GeForce 9400 uses Maxwell, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 120M) vs 384 (GeForce 9400). Raw compute: 1.127 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 120M) vs 0.9032 TFLOPS (GeForce 9400). Boost clocks: 1468 MHz vs 1176 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GT 120M | GeForce 9400 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 151+3% | 147 |
| Architecture | Pascal | Maxwell |
| Process Node | 14 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 384 | 384 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.127 TFLOPS+25% | 0.9032 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1468 MHz+25% | 1176 MHz |
| ROPs | 16+100% | 8 |
| TMUs | 24 | 24 |
| L1 Cache | 144 KB | 192 KB+33% |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 1 MB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GT 120M | GeForce 9400 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 GT 120M comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce 9400 has 512 MB. The GeForce GT 120M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GeForce GT 120M) vs 1 MB (GeForce 9400) — the GeForce 9400 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GT 120M | GeForce 9400 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB+100% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 128-bit+100% |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 1 MB+100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11.1 (FL10_0) (GeForce GT 120M) vs 10 (GeForce 9400). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce GT 120M | GeForce 9400 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.1 (FL10_0)+11% | 10 |
| OpenGL | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Max Displays | 2 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VP3 (GeForce GT 120M) vs None (GeForce 9400). Decoder: VP3 vs PureVideo HD (VP2). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GT 120M) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce 9400).
| Feature | GeForce GT 120M | GeForce 9400 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VP3 | None |
| Decoder | VP3 | PureVideo HD (VP2) |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GT 120M draws 30W versus the GeForce 9400's 33W — a 9.5% difference. The GeForce GT 120M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 120M) vs 350W (GeForce 9400). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Legacy. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 85.
| Feature | GeForce GT 120M | GeForce 9400 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 30W-9% | 33W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | Legacy |
| Length | — | 168mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 1 |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C-6% | 85 |
| Perf/Watt | 5.0+11% | 4.5 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GT 120M is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2015).
| Feature | GeForce GT 120M | GeForce 9400 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $59 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $15 |
| Codename | GP108 | GM108 |
| Release | May 17 2017 | March 13 2015 |
| Ranking | #641 | #847 |
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