NVIDIA GeForce MX450 25W
NVIDIA GeForce MX450 25W: A Compact Graphics Card for Basic Tasks and Mobile Gaming
Relevant as of April 2025
Introduction
The NVIDIA GeForce MX450 25W is a discrete graphics card designed for ultrathin laptops and compact PCs. Despite its age (released in 2020), it remains popular in the budget segment thanks to its balance of price, energy efficiency, and sufficient performance for everyday tasks. In 2025, this model is still found in new ultrabooks priced between $500 and $800. Let's explore who the MX450 is suitable for and what compromises should be considered.
1. Architecture and Key Features
Architecture: The MX450 is built on the NVIDIA Turing architecture — the same platform as the RTX 2000 series, but without the hardware RT Cores and Tensor Cores. This means the card does not support ray tracing (RTX) and DLSS, which limits its capabilities with modern games.
Manufacturing Process: The chip is fabricated using TSMC's 12nm FinFET technology. By 2025, this is considered an outdated standard (new GPUs use 5nm and 4nm), but the MX450 remains energy-efficient within its category.
Unique Features:
- Adaptive Shading: Optimizes shader load for increased FPS in games.
- NVENC: Hardware video encoder for streaming and editing.
- Supports DirectX 12, Vulkan, and OpenGL 4.6.
It's important to note that the MX450 is not compatible with RTX technologies, DLSS 3.0, or FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.0, making it less appealing to gamers looking for "ultra" settings.
2. Memory: Type, Size, and Impact on Performance
Memory Type: GDDR6 (with some versions using GDDR5). Bandwidth is up to 80 GB/s (for GDDR6).
Capacity: Available in 2 GB and 4 GB variants. For gaming in 2025, 2 GB is already insufficient even at low settings (for example, Cyberpunk 2077 requires a minimum of 4 GB). It is recommended to choose 4 GB versions.
Bus Width: 64-bit — the main bottleneck. This limits data transfer rates, especially in resource-intensive scenarios (4K video, complex 3D scenes).
Tip: If you work with graphics, avoid 2 GB variants. For office tasks and video playback, the difference is negligible.
3. Gaming Performance
The MX450 is positioned as a solution for "light" gaming. Here are examples of FPS (settings: medium, 1080p):
- Fortnite: 45–55 FPS (without Ray Tracing).
- Apex Legends: 40–50 FPS.
- GTA V: 60–70 FPS.
- The Witcher 3: 35–45 FPS.
- Elden Ring: 25–30 FPS (requires resolution drop to 720p).
Resolution Support:
- 1080p: Comfortable for less demanding titles and older games.
- 1440p and 4K: Not recommended — insufficient power and memory.
Ray Tracing: No hardware support. Enabling RTX in games (via software emulation) results in FPS dropping below 15 frames.
4. Professional Tasks
Video Editing: Thanks to NVENC, it accelerates rendering in Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. Converting a 1080p video takes 30% less time than on integrated graphics.
3D Modeling: In Blender and Maya, the MX450 handles simple scenes but lacks VRAM for complex projects. Rendering a mid-level model takes 2–3 hours.
Scientific Calculations: CUDA support allows the card to be used in machine learning (basic neural networks) and calculations via Python/TensorFlow. However, 4 GB of memory limits dataset sizes.
Tip: For professional work, it’s better to select cards with 6+ GB of memory and support for RT Cores (for example, the RTX 3050 Mobile).
5. Power Consumption and Heat Output
TDP: 25W — ideal for passive cooling or compact coolers.
Temperatures: In laptops, the MX450 rarely heats above 70°C under load. However, in thin cases (such as the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Ultra), throttling may occur during prolonged use.
Recommendations:
- Use cooling pads for laptops.
- Regularly clean air vents of dust.
- Avoid gaming sessions longer than 2–3 hours without breaks.
6. Comparison with Competitors
AMD Radeon RX 640 (15W): Performs 10–15% worse in games but is cheaper. Suitable for office tasks.
Intel Arc A350M (25W): Handles DX12 games better (for example, Forza Horizon 5 — 50 FPS compared to 35 for the MX450), but drivers are less stable.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050 Mobile (30–45W): 40% more powerful, supports DLSS and RTX, but is more expensive (laptops starting at $900).
Summary: The MX450 outperforms competitors from 2020–2022, but in 2025 it lags behind newer budget models like the RTX 3050 Lite (20W).
7. Practical Tips
Power Supply: For laptops with an MX450, a standard 65W adapter is sufficient. External GPU docks are not supported.
Compatibility:
- Laptops: Lenovo Yoga, ASUS VivoBook, Acer Swift.
- Platforms: Works on Windows 10/11 and Linux (Nouveau drivers).
Drivers: NVIDIA continues to release updates, but optimization for new games is weak. It is recommended to use Game Ready Driver 535.xx (2024) as it is more stable than newer versions.
Important: The MX450 does not support connecting to external monitors via USB-C (only HDMI 2.0b).
8. Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Low power consumption.
- Sufficient for work and less demanding games.
- Affordable price (laptops from $500).
Cons:
- No support for RTX/DLSS.
- Limited memory capacity.
- Outdated architecture.
9. Final Conclusion: Who is the MX450 Suitable For?
This graphics card is a choice for those looking for an inexpensive laptop for:
- Study and office tasks: Working with documents, Zoom conferences.
- Light gaming: Indie games, online projects at medium settings.
- Basic creative work: 1080p video editing, simple 3D design.
Why You Shouldn’t Choose the MX450 in 2025?
If you plan to play new titles like GTA VI or work with 4K video, this is not your option. With a budget of $800 and above, it is better to opt for devices with an RTX 3050 or Intel Arc A550.
Price: Laptops with MX450 25W currently cost $500–$700 (new models). The graphics card itself is not sold separately.
Conclusion
The NVIDIA GeForce MX450 25W is a compromise between price and capabilities. It is ideal as a "temporary" solution or for users whose needs do not exceed basic tasks. However, if you want to "look to the future" with ray tracing and AI rendering, consider more modern GPUs.