AMD FirePro M4000 vs AMD Radeon R7 M440 Comparison

The AMD FirePro M4000 and AMD Radeon R7 M440 are two mobile graphics processors from different eras, both now end-of-life. The data shows a close contest, with the older FirePro part edging out the newer Radeon in the single available benchmark. This analysis breaks down their performance, architecture, and ideal use cases based strictly on the provided specifications.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test. In this test, the AMD FirePro M4000 scores 5537 points, while the AMD Radeon R7 M440 scores 5214 points. This represents a 6.2% victory for the FirePro M4000, a decisive margin in the context of mobile GPUs.

The FirePro M4000’s lead is significant when viewed against the broader field. Its score of 5537 places it 0.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 (5508) and 0.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M (5501). It also leads the R7 M440 by 1% when comparing their average benchmark scores (5537 vs 5483). However, it trails the NVIDIA Quadro M500M by 1.2%, which scores 5604. This places the FirePro M4000 in a tight cluster of competing mobile GPUs, but on the upper end of that cluster.

The Radeon R7 M440, with an average score of 5483, is similarly clustered. It sits 0.3% behind the NVIDIA Quadro M4000 (5467) but is 0.7% ahead of the AMD Radeon 610M (5444). The data shows the R7 M440 is nearly identical in performance to the GeForce GTX 765M, trailing it by a mere 0.3%. In head-to-head OpenCL compute, the R7 M440 is definitively behind the FirePro M4000, and it also shows a significant performance gap to the GeForce MX130, which is 0.5% faster.

The benchmark results indicate that despite its age and professional-market positioning, the FirePro M4000 holds a measurable compute advantage over the consumer-oriented R7 M440. The 6.2% delta in the head-to-head test is the single largest performance gap between the two cards and their closest rivals.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD FirePro M4000 wins decisively in the only direct benchmark comparison. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 5537 is the higher of the two, and its average benchmark score of 5537 is also higher than the R7 M440’s average of 5483. This suggests a consistent, if modest, advantage in general-purpose compute workloads that utilize OpenCL.

The Radeon R7 M440 has no benchmark wins in this dataset. However, it counters the FirePro’s compute lead with a superior feature set in other areas. It offers a significantly larger memory pool of 4 GB compared to the FirePro’s 1024 MB. For workloads that require large datasets resident in video memory, this capacity advantage is substantial, even if the memory bandwidth is much lower.

The R7 M440 also demonstrates a strength in the Vulkan API, scoring 5751 in the Geekbench Vulkan test. While there is no direct FirePro M4000 Vulkan score for comparison, this result shows the R7 M440 is capable of leveraging a modern graphics API. The FirePro M4000’s maximum DirectX support is 12 (11_1), while the R7 M440 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), indicating the newer part has a more complete implementation of the latest graphics feature levels.

In summary, the FirePro M4000 wins on raw compute performance and pixel throughput. The R7 M440 wins on memory capacity, API modernity, and features that would be relevant for newer gaming or compute titles.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent different generations of AMD’s Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture. The FirePro M4000 is built on GCN 1.0, while the Radeon R7 M440 uses GCN 3.0. This generational leap explains several key differences.

The process node is identical at 28 nm, and both are fabricated by TSMC. The transistor counts are very close, with the FirePro using 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, and the R7 M440 using 1,550 million transistors on a slightly larger 125 mm² die. This results in a nearly identical transistor density: 12.2M / mm² for the FirePro and 12.4M / mm² for the R7 M440.

The compute configuration differs significantly. The FirePro M4000 has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 16 raster operations pipelines (ROPs). In contrast, the R7 M440 has 320 shading units, 20 TMUs, and only 8 ROPs. This higher execution resource count in the FirePro M4000 directly translates to its higher theoretical performance figures: 691.2 GFLOPS FP32, a pixel rate of 10.80 GPixel/s, and a texture rate of 21.60 GTexel/s. The R7 M440, with fewer units, delivers 570.2 GFLOPS FP32, a pixel rate of 7.128 GPixel/s, and a texture rate of 17.82 GTexel/s.

Memory architecture is another major divergence. The FirePro M4000 uses 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 64.00 GB/s. The R7 M440 uses 4 GB of DDR3 memory on a much narrower 64-bit bus, resulting in a bandwidth of only 14.40 GB/s. This is a four-fold difference in bandwidth, which is a critical factor for texture-heavy and high-resolution workloads.

The interface and power profile also differ. The FirePro M4000 is an MXM Module with an MXM-A (3.0) bus interface and a 33 W TDP. The R7 M440 is an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) with a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface and no listed TDP. The FirePro’s form factor suggests it is a discrete, replaceable module, while the R7 M440 is designed to be integrated into a motherboard.

In terms of API support, the R7 M440 has a slight edge. It supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and features FP16 compute at a 1:1 ratio with FP32 (570.2 GFLOPS). The FirePro M4000 supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and has no listed FP16 capability. Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in OpenCL compute?

A: The AMD FirePro M4000 is faster. It scores 5537 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 6.2% higher than the AMD Radeon R7 M440’s score of 5214 in the same test.

Q: How does the memory configuration affect performance?

A: The FirePro M4000 has a 128-bit GDDR5 interface with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth, while the R7 M440 has a 64-bit DDR3 interface with 14.40 GB/s. The FirePro’s bandwidth is over four times higher, which is beneficial for memory-intensive tasks, but the R7 M440 offers 4 GB of capacity versus 1 GB.

Q: Does the newer Radeon R7 M440 have any advantages in API support?

A: Yes. The R7 M440 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and includes FP16 compute at a 1:1 ratio with FP32. The FirePro M4000 supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and has no listed FP16 capability.

Q: What are the core configuration differences?

A: The FirePro M4000 has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The Radeon R7 M440 has fewer of each: 320 shading units, 20 TMUs, and 8 ROPs.

Q: Which GPU has a higher theoretical fill rate?

A: The FirePro M4000 has a higher pixel rate of 10.80 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 21.60 GTexel/s, compared to the R7 M440’s rates of 7.128 GPixel/s and 17.82 GTexel/s, respectively.

Q: How do these GPUs compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The FirePro M4000 is 0.5% faster than the GeForce MX130 and 1% faster than the R7 M440 on average, but is 1.2% slower than the Quadro M500M. The R7 M440 is 0.7% faster than the AMD Radeon 610M but is 0.5% slower than the GeForce MX130.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear, albeit narrow, verdict. The AMD FirePro M4000 is the superior performer in compute workloads. Its 6.2% lead in Geekbench OpenCL and its higher theoretical rates for pixel and texture fill make it the stronger choice for tasks that leverage raw shader power and memory bandwidth, such as rendering, simulation, or data processing.

The Radeon R7 M440 is not without merit. Its 4 GB memory capacity is a significant advantage for applications that need to store large data sets locally. Its support for DirectX 12 (12_0) and FP16 compute also makes it more future-proof for certain modern graphics applications. The lack of a Vulkan score for the FirePro M4000 means the R7 M440’s Vulkan score of 5751 cannot be directly compared, but it indicates a functional Vulkan path.

For a user prioritizing compute performance and fill-rate capabilities, the FirePro M4000 is the clear choice based on the benchmark data. For a user who requires more video memory for large textures or data buffers, or who needs the latest DirectX feature level, the Radeon R7 M440 would be the more appropriate selection. The FirePro M4000 wins the performance crown, but the R7 M440 wins on capacity and modern feature support. Each GPU serves a distinct purpose, and the correct pick depends entirely on the workload’s priority.