AMD FirePro M4000 vs NVIDIA Quadro 4000M Comparison

The AMD FirePro M4000 and NVIDIA Quadro 4000M are both end-of-life mobile workstation graphics solutions, but the benchmark data reveals a clear, albeit modest, performance hierarchy. The single Geekbench OpenCL result shows the AMD FirePro M4000 scoring 5537, which is 6.3% higher than the Quadro 4000M’s 5211. While both cards are firmly in the lower third of all GPUs, with the FirePro at the 32nd percentile and the Quadro at the 30th, their nearest rivals help contextualize their standing. The FirePro M4000 sits within 1.2% of the NVIDIA Quadro M500M, while the Quadro 4000M’s closest competitor is the GeForce 940M, which is 1.4% faster. This data indicates that the FirePro M4000 holds a slight but consistent edge in raw compute performance, making it the more capable option for OpenCL workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data provides a single data point for comparison: Geekbench OpenCL. The AMD FirePro M4000 wins this test outright with a score of 5537, compared to the NVIDIA Quadro 4000M’s 5211. This translates to a 6.3% performance advantage for the AMD part. This single win means the FirePro M4000 is the clear winner in the only measured performance metric. The Quadro 4000M does not win any of the recorded head-to-head comparisons, with a win count of zero.

The use-case split is therefore straightforward. For any workload that relies on OpenCL compute—which includes tasks like video encoding, physics simulations, and some scientific computing—the FirePro M4000 is the better choice. Its average benchmark score of 5537 places it 0.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 and 0.7% ahead of the GTX 765M, indicating it slightly outperforms those consumer-grade parts. The Quadro 4000M, with its average score of 5211, sits 1.1% ahead of the Quadro K3100M and 1% ahead of the Radeon R7 M260X, but it is 0.5% behind the GeForce GTX 760M. The data does not show any scenario where the Quadro 4000M takes the lead; the FirePro M4000 is the dominant part in the only test recorded.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures and process technologies. The AMD FirePro M4000 uses the Chelsea chip, based on the GCN 1.0 architecture, and is fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. In contrast, the NVIDIA Quadro 4000M uses the GF104 chip, based on the older Fermi architecture, and is fabricated on a larger 40 nm process, also at TSMC. This process difference is significant, as the FirePro M4000 achieves a transistor density of 12.2 million transistors per square millimeter, while the Quadro 4000M has a density of just 5.9 million per square millimeter.

The transistor counts and die sizes reflect these architectural differences. The Quadro 4000M actually has more transistors, with 1,950 million, but on a much larger die of 332 mm². The FirePro M4000 has 1,500 million transistors on a significantly smaller die of 123 mm². This smaller die and newer process node contribute to the FirePro’s lower power consumption. The FirePro M4000 has a TDP of 33 W, while the Quadro 4000M draws 100 W. Both use MXM modules, but the FirePro uses an MXM-A (3.0) interface, whereas the Quadro uses the larger MXM-B (3.0) interface.

The compute configurations also differ substantially. The FirePro M4000 has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 16 raster operation units (ROPs). The Quadro 4000M has fewer shading units at 336, but more TMUs at 56 and more ROPs at 32. The memory subsystems are also distinct. The FirePro M4000 has 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The Quadro 4000M has double the memory at 2 GB, also GDDR5, but on a 256-bit bus, providing 80.00 GB/s of bandwidth. Memory clocks differ as well, with the FirePro’s memory running at 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) and the Quadro’s at 625 MHz (2.5 Gbps effective).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only recorded head-to-head benchmark is Geekbench OpenCL, and the results are unambiguous. The AMD FirePro M4000 scores 5537, while the NVIDIA Quadro 4000M scores 5211. The deltaPct of 6.3% indicates the FirePro M4000 is 6.3% faster in this test. This is the sole data point for direct comparison, and it definitively favors the AMD part.

To break down the score, the FirePro M4000’s advantage can be attributed to its architecture. Despite having a narrower 128-bit memory bus and less total memory, its significantly lower TDP allows for a design that achieves a higher pixel rate of 10.80 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 21.60 GTexel/s. In contrast, the Quadro 4000M has a lower pixel rate of 6.650 GPixel/s but a higher texture rate of 26.60 GTexel/s. The FirePro M4000 also has a higher FP32 compute rating at 691.2 GFLOPS, compared to the Quadro’s 638.4 GFLOPS. This higher raw compute throughput is likely the primary driver behind its OpenCL win.

The nearest rival data helps contextualize these scores. The FirePro M4000’s score is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce MX130, which scores 5508, a difference of only 0.5%. It is also 1% ahead of the AMD Radeon R7 M440. The Quadro 4000M’s score of 5211 puts it in line with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M, which scores 5236, making the Quadro 0.5% slower. The Quadro is 1% faster than the AMD Radeon R7 M260X. These comparisons show that both cards are competitive with entry-level mobile GPUs, but the FirePro M4000 consistently lands slightly higher in the rankings.

The Verdict

From the data, the choice is clear: the AMD FirePro M4000 is the better performer in the measured OpenCL benchmark. It achieves a 6.3% higher score than the NVIDIA Quadro 4000M, and it holds a higher percentile ranking at 32 versus 30. Users who prioritize compute performance in OpenCL applications should select the FirePro M4000.

The NVIDIA Quadro 4000M does have its advantages, though they are not reflected in the single benchmark score. It offers double the memory capacity at 2 GB, a wider 256-bit memory bus, and higher memory bandwidth at 80.00 GB/s. It also has more TMUs and ROPs, which could theoretically benefit certain rendering workloads, but the data does not include benchmarks for those tasks. For tasks that are heavily memory-bound or require larger frame buffers, the Quadro 4000M may be a consideration, but its higher TDP of 100 W is a significant drawback compared to the FirePro’s 33 W.

If the sole criterion is the provided Geekbench OpenCL score, the AMD FirePro M4000 wins. The Quadro 4000M is not without merit in its memory configuration, but the performance data shows it trailing. The FirePro M4000 is the more efficient and faster part in the tested workload. The Quadro 4000M’s 2 GB of VRAM is its only clear specification advantage, which could be relevant for large datasets, but the benchmark does not support it as the faster GPU.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD FirePro M4000 is faster, scoring 5537 compared to the NVIDIA Quadro 4000M’s 5211, a 6.3% difference.

Q: How does the AMD FirePro M4000 compare to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro M500M?

A: The FirePro M4000’s average score of 5537 is 1.2% lower than the Quadro M500M’s 5604, making the M500M the slightly faster card.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference between the two cards?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro 4000M has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the AMD FirePro M4000 has 1024 MB (1 GB) of GDDR5 memory.

Q: Does the NVIDIA Quadro 4000M have any performance advantage over the AMD FirePro M4000?

A: No, the Quadro 4000M does not win any of the recorded head-to-head benchmarks. Its win count is zero.

Q: How does the NVIDIA Quadro 4000M perform relative to the GeForce GTX 760M?

A: The Quadro 4000M scores 5211, which is 0.5% lower than the GeForce GTX 760M’s 5236, indicating the GTX 760M is slightly faster.

Q: What is the transistor density of the AMD FirePro M4000?

A: The FirePro M4000 has a transistor density of 12.2 million transistors per square millimeter, thanks to its 28 nm process and 123 mm² die size.

Specification Differences

The following table highlights only the fields where the two GPUs differ, based on the provided data.

| Specification | AMD FirePro M4000 | NVIDIA Quadro 4000M |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Chip | Chelsea | GF104 |

| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Fermi |

| Generation | FirePro Mobile (Mx000) | Quadro Fermi-M (x000M) |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |

| Transistors | 1,500 million | 1,950 million |

| Die Size | 123 mm² | 332 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.2M / mm² | 5.9M / mm² |

| Memory Clock | 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) | 625 MHz (2.5 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 1024 MB | 2 GB |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 64.00 GB/s | 80.00 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 512 | 336 |

| TMUs | 32 | 56 |

| ROPs | 16 | 32 |

| Pixel Rate | 10.80 GPixel/s | 6.650 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 21.60 GTexel/s | 26.60 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 691.2 GFLOPS | 638.4 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 33 W | 100 W |

| Bus Interface | MXM-A (3.0) | MXM-B (3.0) |

| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 12 (11_0) |

| Vulkan | 1.2.170 | null |

| Release Date | 2012-06-26 | 2011-02-21 |

| Predecessor | FirePro Mobility | Quadro FX Mobile |

| Successor | Radeon Pro Mobile | Quadro Kepler-M |

| Geekbench OpenCL Score | 5537 | 5211 |

| Percentile vs All GPUs | 32 | 30 |