NVIDIA GeForce 840M vs NVIDIA GeForce 820M
NVIDIA GeForce 840M
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The NVIDIA GeForce 840M is a mid-range DirectX 12-compatible graphics card for laptops unveiled in March 2014. It is one of the first cards based on Nvidia's new Maxwell architecture (GM108 chip), but is still manufactured in 28 nm. The 840M offers 384 shader units clocked at 1029 MHz (+ Boost) as well as 2 GB of DDR3 memory (64 bit, 2000 MHz effective).
Architecture
Compared to Kepler, Maxwell has been optimized in several details to increase power efficiency. Smaller Streaming Multiprocessors (SMM) with only 128 ALUs (Kepler: 192) and an optimized scheduler should lead to better utilization of the shaders. Nvidia promises that a Maxwell SMM with 128 ALUs can offer 90 percent of the performance of a Kepler SMX with 192 ALUs. GM108 features 3 SMMs and thus 384 shader cores, 24 TMUs and 8 ROPs (64-bit interface).
Another optimization is the massively enlarged L2 cache. The larger size can process some of the memory traffic to allow for a relatively narrow memory interface without significantly reducing performance.
Similar to Fermi and Kepler, the GM107/GM108 support DirectX 12 with feature level 11_0 only.
Performance
According to our benchmarks, the GeForce 840M is about 30 percent faster than the old GT 740M and just slightly behind a GeForce GT 750M (DDR3 version). Many games of 2013/2014 can be played fluently in WXGA resolution (1366 x 768) and medium or high detail settings. However, very demanding games such as Crysis 3 or Battlefield 4 will require lower resolutions and/or details.
Features
GM108 integrates the sixth generation of the PureVideo HD video engine (VP6), offering a better decoding performance for H.264 and MPEG-2 videos. Of course, VP6 supports all features of previous generations (4K support, PIP, video encoding via NVENC API). Unfortunately, HDMI 2.0 is still not supported.
Power Consumption
The power consumption of the GeForce 840M should be about 30 Watts or lower. Therefore, the GPU is best suited for laptops 13 - 14 inches in size and above. The 800M series also supports Optimus to automatically switch between an integrated graphics card and the Nvidia GPU.
NVIDIA GeForce 820M
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The NVIDIA GeForce 820M (or GT 820M) is an entry-level DirectX 12 compatible graphics card announced in January 2014. Its core is based on the 28nm GF117 chip (Fermi architecture) and is equipped with 64-bit DDR3 memory. Besides the slightly different clock rate, the 820M is almost identical to the old GeForce 710M and GT 720M.
Architecture
The GF117 is based on the optimized GF108 Fermi chip (GeForce GT 540M) and offers 96 shaders, 16 TMUs and 4 ROPs. Each shader core is clocked twice as fast as the rest of the graphics chip, a technique known as hot clocking. More detailed information on Fermi can be found on the GT 435M GPU page.
It should be noted that the GF117 does not offer dedicated graphic ports and can therefore only be used in conjunction with Optimus.
The 820M supports GPU Boost 2.0, which can automatically overclock the card if the laptop cooling system allows it. This feature is available on any notebook with a graphics card of the 800M series.
Performance
In our gaming benchmarks, the 3D performance of the GeForce 820M is similar to the former GT 720M and the Intel Iris Graphics 5100. This places the card in the entry level segment. Current games (as of 2013/2014) will run fluently only in low settings and resolutions.
Features
The shader cores (also called CUDA cores) can be used for general calculations with APIs such as CUDA, DirectCompute 2.1 and OpenCL. PhysX is theoretically possible, but the 820M is too slow to handle both PhysX and 3D rendering in modern games. 3D Vision is not supported according to Nvidia.
Power consumption
The power consumption of the Geforce 820M should be similar to the old GT 720M. As a result, the GPU is best suited for notebooks 13 inches in size or greater.
| NVIDIA GeForce 840M | NVIDIA GeForce 820M | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GeForce 800M Series |
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| Codename | N15S-GT | N15V-GM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Architecture | Maxwell | Fermi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pipelines | 384 - unified | 96 - unified | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Core Speed | 1029 MHz | 775 MHz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memory Speed | 2000 MHz | 1800 MHz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memory Bus Width | 64 Bit | 64 Bit | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memory Type | DDR3 | DDR3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Max. Amount of Memory | 4 GB | 2048 MB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shared Memory | no | no | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| API | DirectX 12 (FL 11_0), Shader 5.0, OpenGL 4.5 | DirectX 12 (FL 11_0), Shader 5.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| technology | 28 nm | 28 nm | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Features | GPU Boost 2.0, Optimus, PhysX, CUDA, GeForce Experience, GameWorks | PhysX, Verde Drivers, CUDA, Play, Optimus, GPU Boost 2.0, GameWorks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notebook Size | medium sized | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of Announcement | 12.03.2014 | 07.01.2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Link to Manufacturer Page | www.nvidia.de | www.geforce.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shader Speed | 1550 MHz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Power Consumption | 15 Watt | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transistors | 585 Million |
Benchmarks
3DM Vant. Perf. total + NVIDIA GeForce 840M
specvp11 snx-01 + NVIDIA GeForce 840M
specvp12 sw-03 + NVIDIA GeForce 840M
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64 Bit + NVIDIA GeForce 840M
GFXBench T-Rex HD Offscreen C24Z16 + NVIDIA GeForce 840M
Average Benchmarks NVIDIA GeForce 840M → 100% n=20
Average Benchmarks NVIDIA GeForce 820M → 71% n=20
- Average benchmark values for this graphics card* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance
1 This benchmark is not used for the average calculation
Game Benchmarks
The following benchmarks stem from our benchmarks of review laptops. The performance depends on the used graphics memory, clock rate, processor, system settings, drivers, and operating systems. So the results don't have to be representative for all laptops with this GPU. For detailed information on the benchmark results, click on the fps number.
FIFA 16
2015
World of Warships
2015
Metal Gear Solid V
2015
Mad Max
2015
The Witcher 3
2015
Dirt Rally
2015
Battlefield Hardline
2015
Evolve
2015
The Crew
2014
Far Cry 4
2014
F1 2014
2014
The Evil Within
2014
Ryse: Son of Rome
2014
Alien: Isolation
2014
Fifa 15
2014
Sims 4
2014
Risen 3: Titan Lords
2014
GRID: Autosport
2014
Watch Dogs
2014
Titanfall
2014
Thief
2014
X-Plane 10.25
2013
Call of Duty: Ghosts
2013
Battlefield 4
2013
F1 2013
2013
Fifa 14
2013
Total War: Rome II
2013
Saints Row IV
2013
Dota 2
2013
Company of Heroes 2
2013
GRID 2
2013
Metro: Last Light
2013
BioShock Infinite
2013
SimCity
2013
Tomb Raider
2013
Crysis 3
2013
Dead Space 3
2013
Far Cry 3
2012
Assassin´s Creed III
2012
Hitman: Absolution
2012
Dishonored
2012
F1 2012
2012
Borderlands 2
2012
Guild Wars 2
2012
Counter-Strike: GO
2012
Sleeping Dogs
2012
Max Payne 3
2012
Dirt Showdown
2012
Diablo III
2012
Risen 2: Dark Waters
2012
Mass Effect 3
2012
Alan Wake
2012
Anno 2070
2011
Battlefield 3
2011
Batman: Arkham City
2011
Dirt 3
2011
Total War: Shogun 2
2011
Civilization 5
2010
Mafia 2
2010
StarCraft 2
2010
Metro 2033
2010
Trackmania Nations Forever
2008
World of Warcraft
2005Average Gaming NVIDIA GeForce 840M → 100%
Average Gaming 30-70 fps → 100%
Average Gaming NVIDIA GeForce 820M → 74%
Average Gaming 30-70 fps → 81%
| NVIDIA GeForce 840M | NVIDIA GeForce 820M | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| low | med. | high | ultra | QHD | 4K | low | med. | high | ultra | QHD | 4K | |||
| FIFA 16 | 88.5 | 57.9 | 38.5 | |||||||||||
| World of Warships | 103.4 | 78.1 | 36.6 | 22.5 | ||||||||||
| Metal Gear Solid V | 58 | 39.9 | 16.1 | 11.9 | ||||||||||
| Mad Max | 34.4 | 17 | 15.5 | |||||||||||
| Batman: Arkham Knight | 23 | 20 | 13 | 7 | ||||||||||
| The Witcher 3 | 28 | 18 | 9 | 6 | ||||||||||
| Dirt Rally | 183.2 | 45.1 | 22.6 | 12.5 | ||||||||||
| Battlefield Hardline | 71.7 | 50.2 | 18 | 10.7 | ||||||||||
| Evolve | 36 | 25 | 13 | 11 | ||||||||||
| The Crew | 42 | 32 | 14 | 8 | 26.4 | 19.5 | ||||||||
| Dragon Age: Inquisition | 46 | 30 | 15 | 11.8 | 27.4 | 12 | ||||||||
| Far Cry 4 | 47 | 31 | 14 | 12 | 26.5 | 18.2 | ||||||||
| Assassin's Creed Unity | 27 | 18 | 9 | 5.7 | 15.1 | 9.7 | ||||||||
| Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare | 67.8 | 37 | 22.6 | 12 | ||||||||||
| F1 2014 | 103 | 79 | 59 | 34 | 93 | 65 | 38 | 21 | ||||||
| The Evil Within | 31.9 | 22.3 | 12.7 | 18.3 | 13.4 | 7.7 | ||||||||
| Ryse: Son of Rome | 31 | 19.3 | 9.4 | 8.9 | 18.3 | 11.9 | 5.8 | |||||||
| Alien: Isolation | 65 | 43 | 21 | 16 | 41 | 27 | 14.4 | |||||||
| Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor | 39 | 24 | 14 | 6.6 | 27 | 17 | 9 | 6.7 | ||||||
| Fifa 15 | 86 | 71 | 47 | 57.4 | 47.9 | 27.1 | ||||||||
| Sims 4 | 110 | 59 | 34 | 25 | 141.9 | 48.3 | 25.3 | 20.5 | ||||||
| Risen 3: Titan Lords | 53 | 31 | 19 | 14 | 40 | 22.8 | 9.3 | |||||||
| GRID: Autosport | 120 | 54 | 26 | 17 | 111.8 | 43.4 | 20 | 12.5 | ||||||
| Watch Dogs | 38 | 27 | 14 | 6 | 27 | 19 | ||||||||
| Wolfenstein: The New Order | 34 | 32 | 16 | 9 | 33.6 | 32 | 11 | |||||||
| The Elder Scrolls Online | 70 | 49 | 35 | 18 | 58.6 | 34 | 25.2 | |||||||
| Titanfall | 54 | 40 | 32 | 21 | 45 | 27.8 | ||||||||
| Thief | 34 | 23 | 19 | 9 | 20 | 13 | 11 | |||||||
| Assassin´s Creed IV: Black Flag | 40 | 31 | 17 | 7 | 28.2 | 21.7 | 11.6 | |||||||
| X-Plane 10.25 | 76 | 37 | 18 | 10.5 | 68.2 | 29.2 | 12 | |||||||
| Need for Speed: Rivals | 30 | 30 | 23 | 12.1 | 27.5 | 21.3 | 16.5 | |||||||
| Call of Duty: Ghosts | 59 | 38 | 21 | 10.8 | 53.7 | 30.6 | 15.4 | |||||||
| Battlefield 4 | 64 | 44 | 29 | 11.2 | 38.8 | 26.3 | 18.7 | |||||||
| Batman: Arkham Origins | 97 | 61 | 29 | 8 | 74 | 38 | ||||||||
| F1 2013 | 105 | 86 | 78 | 37 | 105 | 64 | 57 | 21 | ||||||
| Fifa 14 | 186.3 | 143 | 127 | 97.2 | 102.5 | |||||||||
| Total War: Rome II | 59 | 46 | 40 | 10 | 50.7 | 38.6 | 30.5 | |||||||
| Saints Row IV | 52 | 44 | 19 | 12 | 42.8 | 34.5 | 13.3 | |||||||
| The Bureau: XCOM Declassified | 49 | 43 | 28 | 7.4 | 35.3 | 29.1 | 20.2 | |||||||
| Splinter Cell: Blacklist | 53 | 41 | 22 | 9.4 | 36.1 | 28.3 | 13.9 | |||||||
| Dota 2 | 103 | 78 | 34 | 49.5 | ||||||||||
| Company of Heroes 2 | 31 | 25 | 15 | 6 | 21 | 16 | 9.3 | 3.9 | ||||||
| GRID 2 | 106 | 79 | 57 | 20 | 82.1 | 51 | 35 | 12.5 | ||||||
| Metro: Last Light | 43 | 36 | 23 | 12 | 28.5 | |||||||||
| BioShock Infinite | 86 | 50 | 40 | 14 | 56 | 31 | 26 | 8.1 | ||||||
| StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | 168 | 73 | 42 | 17 | 68.9 | 32 | ||||||||
| SimCity | 151 | 38 | 24 | 12 | 126.6 | 21.6 | 17.9 | |||||||
| Tomb Raider | 127 | 62 | 32 | 16 | 76 | 39 | 23 | |||||||
| Crysis 3 | 39 | 23 | 17 | 6 | 25.1 | 15.6 | ||||||||
| Dead Space 3 | 125 | 62 | 50 | 25 | 49.4 | 38.1 | 21.7 | |||||||
| Far Cry 3 | 70.1 | 47 | 25.4 | 8.4 | 51.3 | 33.3 | 15.9 | |||||||
| Assassin´s Creed III | 41 | 37 | 17.2 | 29.7 | 27.4 | |||||||||
| Hitman: Absolution | 45 | 36 | 17 | 6.7 | 38 | 26 | 11.9 | 4.9 | ||||||
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 | 73.3 | 58.5 | 39.7 | 26 | 60.7 | 46.9 | 28.4 | |||||||
| Need for Speed: Most Wanted | 57 | 41 | 30 | 5.8 | ||||||||||
| Medal of Honor: Warfighter | 66 | 43 | 36 | 13 | 36.6 | 24.3 | 20.8 | |||||||
| Dishonored | 75 | 56 | 50 | 19.5 | 50.8 | 43.7 | 24.5 | |||||||
| Borderlands 2 | 71.3 | 49.9 | 32.1 | 20 | ||||||||||
| Guild Wars 2 | 72 | 31 | 12 | |||||||||||
| Counter-Strike: GO | 79.6 | 45.5 | 135 | 105.8 | 78.7 | |||||||||
| Sleeping Dogs | 77 | 58 | 27 | 7 | 57 | 42 | 17 | 5.3 | ||||||
| Ghost Recon: Future Soldier | 40.8 | 17.6 | ||||||||||||
| Max Payne 3 | 41.8 | 42 | 30 | 34.5 | 32.3 | 15 | ||||||||
| Diablo III | 62 | 36 | 31 | 18 | 95 | 67 | 56 | 34 | ||||||
| Risen 2: Dark Waters | 42.2 | 28 | 22.4 | 30.6 | 20.7 | 15.9 | ||||||||
| Mass Effect 3 | 59 | 37 | 22 | 49.7 | 32.7 | |||||||||
| Alan Wake | 40.2 | 24 | 25.7 | |||||||||||
| Anno 2070 | 114 | 58 | 39 | 19 | 89.7 | 41 | 25 | 10.9 | ||||||
| The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | 70.7 | 44.5 | 32.7 | 17.3 | 47 | 32 | 23 | |||||||
| Battlefield 3 | 53.6 | 37.5 | 30 | 36.7 | 24 | 19 | ||||||||
| Batman: Arkham City | 49 | 36 | 47 | 25 | ||||||||||
| Deus Ex Human Revolution | 118.7 | 64.3 | 46.5 | 17.9 | ||||||||||
| Total War: Shogun 2 | 115 | 40 | 17.4 | 91.6 | 24.3 | |||||||||
| Civilization 5 | 60.8 | 16.1 | 46.6 | |||||||||||
| Mafia 2 | 105 | 92 | 76 | 63.5 | ||||||||||
| StarCraft 2 | 171.2 | 74.3 | 41.2 | 19.6 | 164 | 47 | 25 | 14 | ||||||
| Metro 2033 | 101.4 | 82 | 45 | 8.4 | ||||||||||
| Battlefield: Bad Company 2 | 75.3 | 55.9 | 23.6 | 57.3 | 46.6 | 34.5 | ||||||||
| World of Warcraft | 94.4 | 95 | 67 | 41 | 15 | |||||||||
| NVIDIA GeForce 840M | NVIDIA GeForce 820M | |||||||||||||
| low | med. | high | ultra | QHD | 4K | low | med. | high | ultra | QHD | 4K | < 30 fps < 60 fps < 120 fps ≥ 120 fps | 3 31 31 8 | 14 43 14 1 | 38 29 5 1 | 62 6 2 | | | < 30 fps < 60 fps < 120 fps ≥ 120 fps | 15 24 12 4 | 27 23 6 | 35 13 2 | 17 1 | | |
For more games that might be playable and a list of all games and graphics cards visit our Gaming List
