AMD FirePro M4000 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The sole recorded benchmark in the database, Geekbench OpenCL, shows a decisive win for the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010. It scores 6698 points against the AMD FirePro M4000's 5537 points, a 21% advantage. This is a substantial gap, placing the GT 1010 in a higher performance tier than the older FirePro part.

Context from the nearest rivals reinforces this margin. The GT 1010's score sits just below the AMD Radeon R7 M370 (6764, 1% faster) and above the AMD Radeon R7 M460 (6612, 1.3% slower). Its 1.8% lead over the AMD Radeon HD 7730M (6581) shows it is competitive with a mid-range mobile chip from a similar era. The FirePro M4000, by contrast, is grouped with lower-end parts: it edges out the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 (5508) by only 0.5% and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M (5501) by 0.7%. The FirePro's 1.2% deficit to the NVIDIA Quadro M500M (5604) further indicates that its performance ceiling is near 5600 points, far below the GT 1010's floor.

In percentile terms, the GT 1010 ranks in the 38th percentile of all GPUs, while the FirePro M4000 sits in the 32nd percentile. That six-point difference reflects the 21% raw score gap and confirms that the GT 1010 is not merely faster, but meaningfully better positioned against the broader GPU landscape. The database records one win for the GT 1010 and zero for the FirePro M4000 in head-to-head testing. There is no benchmark category in which the FirePro M4000 outpaces the GT 1010.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations and foundries. The GT 1010 uses the GP108 chip, built on NVIDIA's Pascal architecture, and is fabricated by Samsung on a 14 nm process. The FirePro M4000 uses the Chelsea chip, based on AMD's GCN 1.0 architecture, and is fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process. The newer 14 nm node gives the GT 1010 a significant manufacturing advantage, which shows up in transistor density: 24.3 million transistors per square millimeter versus 12.2 million for the FirePro. The GT 1010 packs 1,800 million transistors into a 74 mm² die, while the FirePro M4000 fits 1,500 million into a much larger 123 mm² die.

The compute layouts differ sharply. The GT 1010 has 256 shading units, 16 texture mapping units, and 8 raster output units. The FirePro M4000 has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The FirePro's double-wide configuration is a hallmark of GCN's design, but it does not translate into a performance win here. The GT 1010 compensates with higher clock speeds: a 1228 MHz base and 1468 MHz boost, against the FirePro M4000's unspecified base and boost clocks (the database lists no values for either). The memory clock also favors the GT 1010 at 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) versus 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) for the FirePro.

Memory configuration is a key differentiator. The GT 1010 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus, yielding 48.06 GB/s of bandwidth. The FirePro M4000 has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 64.00 GB/s. Despite having half the bus width, the GT 1010's faster memory clock narrows the bandwidth gap, but the FirePro still holds a 33% advantage in raw bandwidth. That advantage does not help in the OpenCL benchmark, where the GT 1010's higher fill rates dominate. The GT 1010 produces 11.74 GPixel/s and 23.49 GTexel/s, while the FirePro manages 10.80 GPixel/s and 21.60 GTexel/s. The GT 1010 leads in both pixel and texture throughput.

API support also differs. The GT 1010 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The FirePro M4000 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The GT 1010's newer Vulkan version and higher DirectX feature level reflect its later release. The FirePro's GCN 1.0 architecture predates many modern API optimizations, which may explain part of its benchmark deficit.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the recorded benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 scores 6698 in Geekbench OpenCL, beating the AMD FirePro M4000's 5537 by 21%.

Q: How does each GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GT 1010 is 1% slower than the AMD Radeon R7 M370 (6764) and 1.3% faster than the AMD Radeon R7 M460 (6612). The FirePro M4000 is 0.5% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 (5508) and 1.2% slower than the NVIDIA Quadro M500M (5604).

Q: What are the memory capacities and bandwidths?

A: The GT 1010 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus with 48.06 GB/s bandwidth. The FirePro M4000 has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The FirePro M4000 has 512 shading units, double the GT 1010's 256. Despite this, the GT 1010 still wins the OpenCL benchmark.

Q: What are the process nodes and die sizes?

A: The GT 1010 is fabricated on a 14 nm process by Samsung with a 74 mm² die. The FirePro M4000 uses a 28 nm process by TSMC with a 123 mm² die.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The GT 1010 produces 11.74 GPixel/s, slightly ahead of the FirePro M4000's 10.80 GPixel/s.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every measurable hardware aspect. The GT 1010 uses a 14 nm process, while the FirePro M4000 uses 28 nm. Transistor count is 1,800 million for the GT 1010 versus 1,500 million for the FirePro. Die size is 74 mm² versus 123 mm², and transistor density is 24.3M per mm² versus 12.2M per mm².

Clock speeds show a clear split: the GT 1010 has a 1228 MHz base and 1468 MHz boost; the FirePro M4000 has no recorded base or boost clock. Memory clocks are 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) for the GT 1010 and 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) for the FirePro. Memory size is 2 GB versus 1024 MB. Bus width is 64 bit versus 128 bit. Bandwidth is 48.06 GB/s versus 64.00 GB/s.

The compute pipelines differ: 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs for the GT 1010; 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs for the FirePro. Pixel rate is 11.74 GPixel/s versus 10.80 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 23.49 GTexel/s versus 21.60 GTexel/s. FP32 throughput is 751.6 GFLOPS versus 691.2 GFLOPS.

Power and physical specifications also diverge. The GT 1010 has a 30 W TDP and is a single-slot card with a PCIe 3.0 x4 interface and a suggested PSU of 200 W. The FirePro M4000 has a 33 W TDP, uses an MXM-A (3.0) interface, and is an MXM module. Display outputs are 1x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 2.0 for the GT 1010, while the FirePro's outputs are portable device dependent. The GT 1010 measures 147 mm (5.8 inches) in length; the FirePro has no recorded dimensions.

API support differs in DirectX and Vulkan versions. The GT 1010 supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4. The FirePro supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6. Release dates are far apart: the GT 1010 launched on 2021-01-12, the FirePro M4000 on 2012-06-26. The GT 1010's predecessor is GeForce 900, successor GeForce 20. The FirePro's predecessor is FirePro Mobility, successor Radeon Pro Mobile. Both are end-of-life production status.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 outperforms the AMD FirePro M4000 in the only recorded benchmark, with a 21% lead in Geekbench OpenCL and a higher percentile ranking (38th versus 32nd). For compute tasks that rely on OpenCL, the GT 1010 is the stronger choice. Its newer Pascal architecture, smaller process node, and higher clock speeds overcome the FirePro's advantages in shading units and memory bandwidth.

The FirePro M4000 does have notable hardware strengths. Its 512 shading units and 128-bit memory bus with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth are architecturally superior on paper. But benchmark results show those features do not translate into real-world performance wins. The GT 1010's 48.06 GB/s bandwidth, while lower, is paired with a faster memory clock and higher fill rates, which matter more in the recorded workload.

For users selecting between these two end-of-life GPUs, the GT 1010 is the default recommendation. It wins the head-to-head benchmark outright, offers double the memory capacity (2 GB versus 1024 MB), and supports newer API versions. The FirePro M4000 is only preferable in scenarios where its MXM form factor is required, since the GT 1010 is a single-slot PCIe card. The FirePro's portable device dependent display outputs also limit its flexibility compared to the GT 1010's fixed DVI and mini-HDMI ports.

The GT 1010's 30 W TDP versus the FirePro's 33 W is a minor difference, but the GT 1010 also has a defined suggested PSU of 200 W, which simplifies system integration. The FirePro has no such guidance in the database. The GT 1010's release nearly nine years after the FirePro M4000 shows in every metric except memory bus width and bandwidth, where the older card still holds a theoretical edge. That edge is insufficient to close the 21% performance gap. The verdict is unambiguous: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 is the superior GPU for anyone prioritizing compute performance.