Extreme Overclocking Performance

When looking at the Gainward version of the GeForce 8400 GS, we do believe that this card is capable of doing just that little bit more. The looks and design suspect that this GS was designed to be quiet and able to deliver entry level performance. However as with all GeForce 8 series graphics cards there is always some extra performance that can be unleashed. Since this is only an entry level video card, it is very uncommon to see pre-overclocked versions as all. However that doesn't mean it can't be done. And well overclocking, unlocking the extra performance is exactly what we have done. And no, no voltage tweaks used but some simple raise in core and memory clock speed would do the trick.

Benchmark Results - 1280x1024 - E6700 2.66GHz - 2GB RAM
Gainward BLISS 8400 GS 256MB (0x/0x)	Game Score
459/800MHz (Reference)	54.0 fps
509/880MHz (Avg Overclock)	59.5 fps
559/960MHz (Max Overclock)	66.3 fps
580/1000MHz (Ultra Overclock)	68.2 fps
Results Interpretation: Higher index values are better.

In the end it all comes down to the gaming experience and the actual feeling you get out of it. So we actually used all our previous games but narrowed our report down to Half-Life 2 to show our findings. And no this is not because Half-Life 2 is better or worse, it actually was in between. When you apply some basic overclocking on the core and memory we noticed that the performance of the GeForce 8400 GS is quite positively impacted. Raising these to the maximum stable clocks shows that it can surpass all expectations and crush the previous results. With some improved cooling you should be able to achieve even 600MHz core, but in our case that was only possible by applying some extra airflow or a cooling fan to be installed on the passive cooling solution.

Final Thoughts

Well that's it; we looked for the first time at a low-level graphics card featuring the DirectX 10 technology with unified shader architecture. We actually played with the plain and simple version from Gainward based upon the GeForce 8400 GS equipped with a passive cooling solution. A fully renewed architecture, bringing the performance to the next level, delivering stunning image clarity and quality all present with the GeForce 8 series. Once again NVIDIA was the first to introduce a low-range accelerator with the appropriate DirectX 10 support for gamers on a low budget. As we are used to, Gainward jumped on the wagon and brought out their own BLISS 8400 GS version and setting their product apart from the competition with a full blown passive cooling solution. Their version is ultra quiet, and still able to delivering some nice gaming performance for a low price tag.

So, the Gainward version of the GeForce 8400 GS is different from the reference design from NVIDIA, mainly due to their own design of a passive cooling solution. This is good news, as Gainward has always put a big focus on quiet products with their silent cooling solutions. This time they just went one step further to design a noiseless design by just relying on the passive heatsink. With Gainward and its company commitment to bring the end user the best possible video card experience and customer support, you are sure to have a professional experience. Gainward puts the consumer first and offers one of the best sales and support staff in the business. Gainward certainly knows how to differentiate themselves and their products, and are second to none when it comes to innovation and going one step further than the competition.

The most exciting part about the card is without a doubt the overclocking potential of the Gainward graphics card. The BLISS 8400 GS hit straight on a score of 559/960MHz which is in many cases the maximum the reference card can hit. But that wasn't the end of it; due to the Elixir memory chips we could take this card further than we expected to hit a final top of 580/1000MHz. And that is a great achievement from the Gainward card with only using a passive cooling solution. Meaning that this graphics card is fast, and does it as quiet as a mouse. An excellent performer with great stability and quite a big room for overclocking, what more do you want? Yeah we hear you coming, some extra money to get a mid-range version of the GeForce 8 series. And we can't blame you, as indeed this is the entry level card which sits at the bottom of the DirectX 10 ready segment.

In the end, when looking from a budget minded user you do get a great graphics card for a very low price. And if you are just an occasional gamer then why would you invest your money in a big fast monster? The Gainward version of the GeForce 8400 GS proved to be able to handle the newer games, although at lower resolutions. For those looking for an ultra quiet video card, having not much room or just for upgrading their home theatre PC, this Gainward BLISS 8400 GS version would do just fine. Having a tight budget but still want to enjoy some DirectX 10 gaming? Well then you got two options, either you are leaning towards the Radeon HD 2400 PRO, or if you are more an NVIDIA fan you can just pick up the Gainward BLISS 8400 GS graphics card.

Pros

• Entry Level Gaming Performance
• High Quality and Quiet Cooling
• Microsoft DirectX 10 Ready
• Simultaneous HDR & Anti-Aliasing
• Automatic TurboCache Feature
• Excellent Overclocking Capability
• Unified Shader Technology
• Passive Cooling Solution

Cons

• Lacks Dual Link DVI Output

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