NVIDIA GeForce 9400M (G) / ION (LE)

The Nvidia GeForce 9400M G is an integrated (onboard) graphics card for laptops without dedicated graphics memory. The card was introduced in October 2008 in conjunction with the new Apple MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air products (called only 9400M). At the time of announcement it was the fastest mGPU (motherboard GPU) on the market.

The 9400M G graphics core is used in the MCP79 laptop chipset and in the ION platform for netbooks (which is essentially the same). The ION LE uses the same graphics core, but the DirectX support is limited to 9 (instead of 10). The clock rates of all thre platforms is identical.

The performance of the 9400M G is comparable to current entry level GPUs with dedicated graphics memory (like the GeForce 9300M GS).Therefore, the graphics adapater is able to display older games (like Doom3) in high details fluently and new (not too demanding games) in low details fluently. Warhammer Online should for example run on the 2.4 GHz MacBook fluently. Compared to the predecessor in the MacBook, the Intel GMA X3100, the GeForce 9400M should perform 5x better.

Because of the shared memory (the memory is reserved from the main memory), the graphics adapter performs significantly better with DDR3 main memory than with DDR2 (up to 33% more performance).

The current consumption of the mGPU is with a maximum of 12 Watt TDP (for the whole chipset (north- and southbridge are integrated) on par with the current Intel GMA X4500MHD (Centrino 2).

The chipset supports Hybrid-SLI (HybridPower) in conjunction with some GeForce 9x00M cards like the 9600M GT. HybridPower is a technique to choose between the integrated and dedicated graphics core, if performance or battery runtime is needed. Up to now the user has to use a tool to switch between the GPUs. (in Windows Vista, XP is not supported and MacOs needs a reboot according to Nvidia - at time of announcement). GeForceBoost to boost the performance (using SLI) is not supported in the MacBook Pro.

As the 9500M G, the 9400M features 16 stream processors that do the work of the former dedicated pixel- and vertex-shaders. The unified shaders of Nvidia are 1-dimensional (AMD has 5-dimensional shaders which leads to the higher number of shaders).

The MCP79MX (codename of the GeForce 9400M) can help the CPU in decoding HD videos. It features the PureVideo HD engine (VP3 video processor). Furthermore, the chip can be programmed using CUDA and can accellerate some operations in Photoshop CS4.

At the same time the desktop 9300 and 9400 mGPU was presented, which should perform simillarly (the laptop chipset 9400M should perform a bit lower than the 9300).

Manufacturer	NVIDIA
Series	GeForce 9000M
Codename	MCP79MX
Pipelines	16 - unified
Core Speed *	450 MHz
Shader Speed *	1100 MHz
Memory Speed *
Memory Bus Width
Memory Type
Max. Amount of Memory
Shared Memory	yes 256 MB (Apple)
DirectX	DirectX 10.0, Shader 4.0
Current Consumption	12 Watt
Transistors	282 Million
technology	65 nm
Features	PureVideo HD VP3
Notebook Size	small and light
Date of Announcement	14.10.2008
Link to Manufacturer Page	http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_gef...

* The specified clock rates are only guidelines for the manufacturer and can be altered by them.

benchmarks

3DMark 2001: - Standard 1024x768
0% 100%
min: 5439, avg: 8159, max: 13845 Points ... More Details

3DMark 03: - Standard 1024x768
0% 100%
min: 3385, avg: 4129, max: 5759 Points ... More Details

3DMark 05: - Standard 1024x768
0% 100%
min: 2143, avg: 3078, max: 3930 Points ... More Details

3DMark 06:
0% 100%
min: 1118, avg: 1768, max: 2207 Points ... More Details

Cinebench R10: - Shading
0% 100%
min: 989, avg: 2385, max: 4402 Points ... More Details

- Range of benchmark values for this graphics card

- Average benchmark values for this graphics card
Based on 45 benchmarks

3DMark 05 in comparison
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 500 (min)	137
...
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2400	2872
NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M	2943
ATI Radeon HD 4200	3051
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M (G) / ION (LE)	3078
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2400 XT	3091
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3430	3207
NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600	3241
...
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M SLI (max)	19268

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 detailled information on the benchmark results, click on the fps number.

CoD Modern Warfare 2 (2009): Not playable with a weaker graphics card. - more...

Risen (2009): Not playable with a weaker graphics card. - more...

Need for Speed Shift (2009): Not playable with a weaker graphics card. - more...

Colin McRae: DIRT 2 (2009): Not playable with a weaker graphics card. - more...

Anno 1404 (2009)

low:

15.8 17 19.1 42 ~ 23 fps

ultra:

6.2 fps

» With most tested laptops not playable.

Sims 3 (2009)

low:

43 77 ~ 60 fps

med.:

10 28 ~ 19 fps

high:

2 fps

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings low.

F.E.A.R. 2 (2009)

low:

19 20.7 44 ~ 28 fps

med.:

27 fps

» With most tested laptops not playable.

GTA IV - Grand Theft Auto (2008): Not playable with a weaker graphics card. - more...

Left 4 Dead (2008)

low:

64 fps

high:

23 fps

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings low.

Far Cry 2 (2008)

low:

36 fps

high:

11.9 fps

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings low.

Crysis Warhead (2008): Not playable with a weaker graphics card. - more...

Racedriver: GRID (2008)

low:

17 60 ~ 39 fps

med.:

11 17 ~ 14 fps

high:

9 fps

» With most tested laptops playable in detail settings low.

Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare (2007)

low:

33.1 70.5 ~ 52 fps

med.:

27.1 fps

» With most tested laptops playable in detail settings low.

Supreme Commander - FA Bench (2007)

med.:

12.1 fps

high:

8.9 fps

» With most tested laptops not playable.

Crysis - GPU Benchmark (2007)

low:

22.8 30.4 32 ~ 28 fps

med.:

11 fps

high:

6.3 fps

» With most tested laptops not playable.

Crysis - CPU Benchmark (2007)

low:

21.4 28.3 30 ~ 27 fps

med.:

10.5 11.3 ~ 11 fps

high:

5.4 5.8 ~ 6 fps

» With most tested laptops not playable.

World in Conflict - Benchmark (2007)

med.:

15 fps

high:

5 fps

» With most tested laptops not playable.

Command and Conquer III (2007): Not playable with a weaker graphics card. - more...

Call of Juarez Benchmark (2006)

high:

3.3 fps

» With most tested laptops not playable.

The Elder Scrolls IV - Oblivion (2006): Not playable with a weaker graphics card. - more...

Half Life 2 - Lost Coast Benchmark (2005)

high:

42 fps

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.

F.E.A.R. (2005)

low:

188 222 ~ 205 fps

med.:

53 60 ~ 57 fps

high:

15 27 ~ 21 fps

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings med..

Quake 4 (2005)

low:

61 fps

med.:

56 fps

high:

45 fps

ultra:

39 fps

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings ultra.

World of Warcraft (2005)

low:

54 136.9 ~ 95 fps

med.:

41 43 ~ 42 fps

high:

11 fps

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings med..

Counter-Strike Source (2004)

high:

35 44 ~ 40 fps

» With most tested laptops playable in detail settings high.

Doom 3 (2004)

low:

86.3 fps

med.:

83.6 fps

high:

84.1 fps

ultra:

83.3 fps

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings ultra.

Quake 3 Arena - Timedemo (1999)

high:

199.7 240 ~ 220 fps

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.

For more games that might be playable and a list of all games and graphics cards visit our Gaming List

Game Performance

The following benchmarks should give a rough impression on the gaming capabilities of the 9400M graphics card. The values can vary according to the used CPU and main memory (especially using DDR2 instead of DDR3 main memory).

Crysis: 1024x768, med: 13 fps -> not playable
World in Conflict: 1024x768, med: 11 fps -> not playable (with min. details playable)
Warhammer Online: according to a YouTube video fluently playable with good details
Spore: 1280x800, max -> many pop-ins, in lower detailsettings playable

Notebook reviews with NVIDIA GeForce 9400M (G) / ION (LE) graphics card

Apple MacBook 10-2009 (Intel Core 2 Duo P7550, 13.3")
» Review Apple MacBook 10-2009 Notebook - Review

Apple MacBook Air 2009-06 2.1 GHz MC234*/A (Intel Core 2 Duo SL9600, 13.3")
» Review Apple MacBook Air - Mid 2009 (MC234*/A) - Review
» Apple MacBook Air 2009-06 2.1 GHz MC234*/A - External Review

Apple MacBook Aluminium (Intel Core 2 Duo P8600, 13.3")
» Review Apple MacBook Aluminium (Unibody, 13", 9400M) - Review
» Review Update Apple MacBook Aluminium (Unibody, 13", 9400M) - Review
» Review Apple MacBook Aluminum 2.0 GHz (Unibody, 13", 9400M, P7350) - Review
» Apple Macbook Aluminium - External Review

Apple MacBook Pro 13 inch (06/09) (Intel Core 2 Duo P8700, 13.3")
» Review Apple MacBook Pro 13 Mid 2009 2.53 GHz - Review
» Apple MacBook Pro 13 inch (06/09) - External Review

Apple MacBook White 2009-03 (Intel Core 2 Duo P7350, 13.3")
» Apple MacBook White 2009-03 - External Review

Apple MacBook White 2009/05 (Intel Core 2 Duo P7450, 13.3")
» Review Apple MacBook White 5.2 Mid 2009 - Review
» Apple MacBook White 2009/05 - External Review

Asus Eee PC 1201N (Intel Atom 330, 12.1")
» Review Asus Eee PC 1201N Ion-Notebook - Review
» Asus Eee PC 1201N - External Review

Asus F50GX (Intel Core 2 Duo T6400, 16.0")
» Asus F50GX - External Review

Axiotron Modbook (Intel Core 2 Duo T7500, 13.3")
» Axiotron Modbook - External Review

Dell Studio XPS 1340 (Intel Core 2 Duo P8400, 13.3")
» Dell Studio XPS X1340 - External Review

Dell Studio XPS SX13-163B (Intel Core 2 Duo P8600, 13.3")
» Dell Studio XPS SX13-163B - External Review

HP Mini 311 (Intel Atom N280, 11.6")
» HP Mini 311 - External Review

Lenovo IdeaPad S12 (Intel Atom N270, 12.0")
» Lenovo IdeaPad S12 - External Review

MSI Megabook VR705 (Intel Core 2 Duo T5800, 17.0")
» MSI Megabook VR705 - External Review

MSI X-Slim X320 (Intel Atom Z530, 13.4")
» MSI X-Slim X320 - External Review

Samsung N510 black (Intel Atom N270, 11.6")
» Review Samsung N510 Ion Netbook - Review
» Samsung N510 black - External Review

NVIDIA GeForce 9400M (G) / ION (LE)

benchmarks

Game Benchmarks

Game Performance

Notebook reviews with NVIDIA GeForce 9400M (G) / ION (LE) graphics card

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