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

GeForce 9400M Series

GeForce 9400M (G) / ION (LE)	16 @ 450 MHz
GeForce 9400M GeForceBoost (compare)	24	64 Bit

Codename

MCP79MX

Pipelines

16 - unified

Core Speed

450 MHz

Shader Speed

1100 MHz

Shared Memory

yes

DirectX

DirectX 10.0, Shader 4.0

Transistor Count

282 Million

technology

65 nm

Features

PureVideo HD VP3

Date of Announcement

14.10.2008

Link to Manufacturer Page

http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_gef...

Benchmarks

3DMark Vantage
P Result 1280x1024 +

P GPU no PhysX 1280x1024 +

3DMark 2001SE - Standard 1024x768

min: 5439 avg: 8199.1 median: 6427 (7%) max: 13845 Points

+ 7 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

3DMark 03 - Standard 1024x768

min: 3385 avg: 4132.1 median: 3616 (2%) max: 5759 Points

+ 7 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

3DMark 05 - Standard 1024x768

min: 2143 avg: 3001.8 median: 2807 (6%) max: 3930 Points

+ 13 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

3DMark 06 1366x768 +

Windows 7 Experience Index - Gaming graphics

min: 5.1 avg: 5.3 median: 5.3 (67%) max: 5.4 points

+ 3 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

Windows 7 Experience Index - Graphics

min: 3.9 avg: 4.3 median: 4.3 (54%) max: 4.8 points

+ 3 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

Windows Vista Experience Index - GPU Games

min: 5.1 avg: 5.2 median: 5.3 (78%) max: 5.3 Points

+ 3 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

Windows Vista Experience Index - GPU

min: 4.8 avg: 5.3 median: 5.5 (81%) max: 5.7 Points

+ 3 benchmarks and specifications + Show comparison chart

Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit +

- Range of benchmark values for this graphics card

- Average benchmark values for this graphics card
* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance

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.

Anno 1404

2009

15.8 17 19.1 42 ~ 23 fps + Compare

6.2 fps + Compare

» The benchmarks indicate that the game is not playable in the tested settings.

Sims 3

2009

43 77 ~ 60 fps + Compare

10 28 ~ 19 fps + Compare

2 fps + Compare

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings low.

F.E.A.R. 2

2009

19 20.7 44 ~ 28 fps + Compare

27 fps + Compare

» The benchmarks indicate that the game is not playable in the tested settings.

Left 4 Dead

2008

64 fps + Compare

14.7 23 ~ 19 fps + Compare

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings low.

Far Cry 2

2008

36 fps + Compare

11.9 fps + Compare

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings low.

Racedriver: GRID

2008

17 60 ~ 39 fps + Compare

11 17 ~ 14 fps + Compare

9 fps + Compare

» With most tested laptops playable in detail settings low.

Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare

2007

33.1 70.5 ~ 52 fps + Compare

27.1 fps + Compare

» With most tested laptops playable in detail settings low.

Supreme Commander - FA Bench

2007

12.1 fps + Compare

8.9 fps + Compare

» The benchmarks indicate that the game is not playable in the tested settings.

Crysis - GPU Benchmark

2007

22.8 30.4 32 ~ 28 fps + Compare

11 fps + Compare

6.3 fps + Compare

» The benchmarks indicate that the game is not playable in the tested settings.

Additional Benchmarks

High 800x600

8.9

Low 0xAF 0xAA 800x600

28.8

Med 0xAF 0xAA 800x600

15.1

Medium 1366x768

8.7

Low 1366x768

17.7

High 1366x768

4.9

Crysis - CPU Benchmark

2007

21.4 28.3 30 ~ 27 fps + Compare

10.5 11.3 ~ 11 fps + Compare

5.4 5.8 ~ 6 fps + Compare

» The benchmarks indicate that the game is not playable in the tested settings.

Additional Benchmarks

Med 0xAF 0xAA 800x600

14.2

Low 0xAF 0xAA 800x600

29.3

High 0xAF 0xAA 800x600

7.9

Low 1366x768

17.6

Medium 1366x768

8.7

High 1366x768

4.7

World in Conflict - Benchmark

2007

15 fps + Compare

5 fps + Compare

» The benchmarks indicate that the game is not playable in the tested settings.

Call of Juarez Benchmark

2006

3.3 fps + Compare

» The benchmarks indicate that the game is not playable in the tested settings.

Half Life 2 - Lost Coast Benchmark

2005

42 fps + Compare

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings high.

F.E.A.R.

2005

95 188 222 ~ 168 fps + Compare

39 53 60 ~ 51 fps + Compare

10 15 27 ~ 17 fps + Compare

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

Quake 4

2005

61 fps + Compare

56 fps + Compare

45 fps + Compare

39 fps + Compare

» With all tested laptops playable in detail settings ultra.

World of Warcraft

2005

54 136.9 ~ 95 fps + Compare

41 43 ~ 42 fps + Compare

11 fps + Compare

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

Counter-Strike Source

2004

35 ^fps 44 ~ 40 fps + Compare

» With most tested laptops playable in detail settings high.

Doom 3

2004

86.3 fps + Compare

83.6 fps + Compare

Model	CPU	Memory	Core / Memory	GPU Memory	Value
Alienware M17x	QX9300	4096 MB		8.17.12.6099	607

Model	CPU	Memory	Core / Memory	GPU Memory	Value
Alienware M17x	QX9300	4096 MB		8.17.12.6099	465

Model	CPU	Memory	Core / Memory	GPU Memory	Value
Lenovo IdeaPad S12	N270	2048 MB			5439
Asus Eee PC 1201N	330	2048 MB	450 / 800 MHz	8.15.11.8664	5446
Samsung N510 black	N270	1024 MB	450 / MHz	shared memory Forceware 186.19/XP	6250
Samsung N510	N280	1024 MB	450 / 1600 MHz	512MB ForceWare 186.19	6427
MSI Wind Top AE2220	T6600	2048 MB	450 / 800 MHz	bis 256MB shared 195.81	8440
Asus X61G	T6400	3072 MB	450 / 400 MHz	256MB ForceWare 176.58	11547
Apple MacBook Aluminium	P8600	2048 MB	450 / MHz	256MB shared Memory	13845

Model	CPU	Memory	Core / Memory	GPU Memory	Value
Asus Eee PC 1201N	330	2048 MB	450 / 800 MHz	8.15.11.8664	3385
Samsung N510 black	N270	1024 MB	450 / MHz	shared memory Forceware 186.19/XP	3513
Samsung N510	N280	1024 MB	450 / 1600 MHz	512MB ForceWare 186.19	3569
Lenovo IdeaPad S12	N270	2048 MB			3616
Asus Eee PC 1201N	330	2048 MB		256MB ForceWare 186.64	4152
Asus X61G	T6400	3072 MB	450 / 400 MHz	256MB ForceWare 176.58	4931
Apple MacBook Aluminium	P8600	2048 MB	450 / MHz	256MB shared Memory	5759

Model	CPU	Memory	Core / Memory	GPU Memory	Value
Asus Eee PC 1201N	330	2048 MB	450 / 800 MHz	8.15.11.8664	2143
Samsung N510 black	N270	1024 MB	450 / MHz	shared memory Forceware 186.19/XP	2183
Samsung N510	N280	1024 MB	450 / 1600 MHz	512MB ForceWare 186.19	2212
Lenovo IdeaPad S12	N270	2048 MB			2348
MSI Wind Top AE2220	T6600	2048 MB	450 / 800 MHz	bis 256MB shared 195.81	2360
Apple MacBook Air 13 inch 2009-06 MC234*/A	SL9600	2048 MB	300 / MHz	256 MB shared Memory	2714
Asus Eee PC 1201N	330	2048 MB		256MB ForceWare 186.64	2807
Apple MacBook White 2009-05	P7450	2048 MB	450 / MHz	Shared Memory mGPU 177.53	3238
Asus X61G	T6400	3072 MB	450 / 400 MHz	256MB ForceWare 176.58	3431
Apple MacBook 2009-10	P7550	2048 MB	450 / MHz	shared Memory (256 MB in Mac OS X) 186.47	3871
Apple MacBook Pro 13 inch 2009-06	P8700	4096 MB	450 / MHz	shared DDR3 185.75	3878
Apple MacBook Aluminium	P7350	2048 MB	450 / MHz	256MB shared Memory 176.44	3908
Apple MacBook Aluminium	P8600	2048 MB	450 / MHz	256MB shared Memory	3930