AMD FirePro M4000 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data contains a single direct comparison between these two mobile graphics processors: the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark. In this test, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M scored 6493 points, while the AMD FirePro M4000 scored 5537 points. This gives the NVIDIA part a decisive 17.3% advantage in raw compute performance as measured by this workload.

Context from the database places both parts in a similar performance tier. The GT 555M sits at the 37th percentile among all GPUs, while the FirePro M4000 sits at the 32nd percentile. The GT 555M's closest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro M5000M at 6481 points (0.2% behind), the AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile at 6476 points (0.3% behind), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M at 6513 points (0.3% ahead). The Intel UHD Graphics P750 trails by a slightly larger margin at 6554 points, which is 0.9% ahead of the GT 555M. This clustering shows that the GT 555M performs essentially on par with a broad group of mid-range mobile solutions, with all deltas within a single percentage point.

The FirePro M4000's nearest rivals tell a similar story. The NVIDIA GeForce MX130 scores 5508 points, a 0.5% deficit, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M scores 5501 points, a 0.7% deficit. The AMD Radeon R7 M440 comes in at 5483 points, 1% behind. The NVIDIA Quadro M500M leads the group with 5604 points, which is 1.2% ahead of the FirePro M4000. Again, the spread is tight, indicating that the FirePro M4000 performs within a narrow band around its 5537-point average.

The head-to-head gap of 17.3% is therefore meaningful despite both parts occupying similar percentile ranges. The GT 555M is not merely edging out its competitor; it is delivering a substantial performance advantage in OpenCL compute workloads. However, the benchmark result also shows that neither part is a standout performer in absolute terms. Both sit in the lower third to lower-middle portion of the overall GPU performance distribution.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations and design philosophies. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M uses the GF106 chip, built on the Fermi architecture, and belongs to the GeForce 500M generation. The AMD FirePro M4000 uses the Chelsea chip, built on GCN 1.0, and belongs to the FirePro Mobile (Mx000) generation.

Manufacturing processes differ significantly. Both chips are produced by TSMC, but the GT 555M uses a 40 nm process, while the FirePro M4000 uses a 28 nm process. The newer, smaller process node gives the AMD part a substantial transistor density advantage. The GT 555M packs 1,170 million transistors into a 238 mm² die, yielding a density of 4.9 million transistors per square millimeter. The FirePro M4000 contains 1,500 million transistors in a much smaller 123 mm² die, achieving 12.2 million transistors per square millimeter. This means the AMD chip crams nearly 30% more transistors into roughly half the silicon area.

Core configuration also favors the AMD part on paper. The FirePro M4000 has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 raster operation pipelines. The GT 555M has 144 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The AMD GPU has more than three times the shading units and a third more texture units, yet the NVIDIA part still wins the OpenCL benchmark. This suggests that architectural efficiency, driver optimization, or clock behavior plays a significant role in real-world compute performance.

Memory subsystems differ in type and bandwidth. The GT 555M uses 1024 MB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The FirePro M4000 uses 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on the same 128-bit bus, delivering 64.00 GB/s, which is more than double the bandwidth. The memory clock is listed as 900 MHz with 1800 Mbps effective for the NVIDIA part, while the AMD part runs at 1000 MHz with 4 Gbps effective.

Pixel and texture throughput also favor the AMD chip. The FirePro M4000 achieves 10.80 GPixel/s and 21.60 GTexel/s, compared to 3.540 GPixel/s and 14.16 GTexel/s for the GT 555M. Floating-point performance shows a similar pattern: the FirePro M4000 delivers 691.2 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the GT 555M delivers 339.8 GFLOPS. Yet the benchmark winner is still the NVIDIA part, which underscores that raw theoretical specifications do not always translate directly into benchmark victories.

Power consumption is nearly identical. The GT 555M has a TDP of 35 W, while the FirePro M4000 is rated at 33 W. The AMD part ships as an MXM Module with no power connectors, while the NVIDIA part lists its power requirements as portable device dependent. Both use portable device dependent display outputs.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the recorded OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M scores 6493 points, which is 17.3% higher than the AMD FirePro M4000's 5537 points.

Q: How does the FirePro M4000 compare to its closest competitors?

A: The FirePro M4000 scores 5537 points. The NVIDIA GeForce MX130 is 0.5% behind, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M is 0.7% behind, and the AMD Radeon R7 M440 is 1% behind. The NVIDIA Quadro M500M leads by 1.2% with a score of 5604.

Q: Does the FirePro M4000 have more shading units than the GT 555M?

A: Yes. The FirePro M4000 has 512 shading units, while the GT 555M has 144 shading units.

Q: Which GPU has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD FirePro M4000 has 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth using GDDR5 memory, while the NVIDIA GT 555M has 28.80 GB/s using DDR3 memory.

Q: What process nodes are used by each GPU?

A: The GT 555M uses a 40 nm process, and the FirePro M4000 uses a 28 nm process. Both are fabricated by TSMC.

Q: How do the TDP ratings compare?

A: The GT 555M is rated at 35 W, and the FirePro M4000 is rated at 33 W, a difference of only 2 W.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear winner in raw compute performance: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M. Its 6493-point OpenCL score beats the FirePro M4000 by 17.3%, a substantial margin given that both parts occupy similar percentile positions in the overall GPU landscape. The GT 555M sits at the 37th percentile, while the FirePro M4000 sits at the 32nd percentile, and the head-to-head delta is far larger than the differences seen among their respective nearest rivals.

However, the architectural picture is more complicated. The FirePro M4000 has superior specifications in nearly every category: a smaller 28 nm process, a higher transistor density of 12.2M per square millimeter versus 4.9M, 512 shading units versus 144, 32 TMUs versus 24, 691.2 GFLOPS versus 339.8 GFLOPS, and 64.00 GB/s of memory bandwidth versus 28.80 GB/s. The AMD part also achieves higher pixel and texture rates. Despite all of this, the NVIDIA part wins the benchmark. This suggests that the GT 555M's Fermi architecture, while older, is more efficient in this specific OpenCL workload, or that driver support and optimization favor it.

For users who prioritize compute performance as measured by OpenCL, the GT 555M is the stronger choice. For users who value architectural modernity, higher theoretical specifications, and a more power-efficient manufacturing process, the FirePro M4000 has clear advantages on paper. The TDP difference is negligible: 35 W versus 33 W. Both GPUs are end-of-life products, so availability and system integration will likely dictate actual usage.

The data does not support a universal recommendation. The GT 555M wins the only recorded benchmark, but the FirePro M4000's specification sheet shows a more capable hardware foundation. The verdict depends on whether the user trusts measured performance or theoretical specifications. The measured data favors NVIDIA.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two GPUs:

• Chip: GF106 (NVIDIA) versus Chelsea (AMD)
• Architecture: Fermi versus GCN 1.0
• Generation: GeForce 500M versus FirePro Mobile (Mx000)
• Process node: 40 nm versus 28 nm
• Transistors: 1,170 million versus 1,500 million
• Die size: 238 mm² versus 123 mm²
• Transistor density: 4.9M per square millimeter versus 12.2M per square millimeter
• Memory clock: 900 MHz with 1800 Mbps effective versus 1000 MHz with 4 Gbps effective
• Memory type: DDR3 versus GDDR5
• Memory bandwidth: 28.80 GB/s versus 64.00 GB/s
• Shading units: 144 versus 512
• Texture mapping units: 24 versus 32
• Pixel rate: 3.540 GPixel/s versus 10.80 GPixel/s
• Texture rate: 14.16 GTexel/s versus 21.60 GTexel/s
• FP32 performance: 339.8 GFLOPS versus 691.2 GFLOPS
• TDP: 35 W versus 33 W
• Bus interface: PCIe 2.0 x16 versus MXM-A (3.0)
• Power connectors: not listed versus None
• Slot width: not listed versus MXM Module
• DirectX support: 12 (11_0) versus 12 (11_1)
• Vulkan support: not listed versus 1.2.170
• Release date: 2011-07-01 versus 2012-06-26
• Predecessor: GeForce 400M versus FirePro Mobility
• Successor: GeForce 600M versus Radeon Pro Mobile
• Benchmark score: 6493 versus 5537
• Percentile: 37 versus 32

Identical fields include memory size (1024 MB), bus width (128 bit), ROPs (16), display outputs (portable device dependent), OpenGL support (4.6), and production status (end-of-life).

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M wins in the only recorded benchmark, the Geekbench OpenCL test, with a 17.3% advantage. It also has a higher percentile ranking at 37 versus 32. Its nearest rivals are clustered tightly, with the closest competitor, the Quadro M5000M, only 0.2% behind, and the GTX 670M only 0.3% ahead. This indicates the GT 555M performs consistently within a well-defined performance band.

The AMD FirePro M4000 wins in every theoretical specification category. It has a smaller and more advanced 28 nm process node, a higher transistor count of 1,500 million, and a much higher transistor density. It offers 512 shading units compared to 144, 32 TMUs compared to 24, and double the memory bandwidth at 64.00 GB/s. Its FP32 throughput of 691.2 GFLOPS is more than double the GT 555M's 339.8 GFLOPS. Pixel rate and texture rate are also significantly higher. The FirePro M4000 supports Vulkan 1.2.170, which the GT 555M does not list, and a slightly newer DirectX feature level of 12 (11_1) versus 12 (11_0).

In practical terms, the GT 555M is the pick for compute workloads that resemble the OpenCL benchmark. The FirePro M4000 is the pick for scenarios where raw specification headroom, memory bandwidth, and modern API support matter more than the measured OpenCL score. The FirePro M4000 was released later, on 2012-06-26, and its successor is the Radeon Pro Mobile line, whereas the GT 555M's successor is the GeForce 600M. Both are end-of-life products, so the choice is largely academic unless one is sourcing legacy hardware for a specific system. The data shows a clear benchmark winner, but the architectural ledger heavily favors AMD.