AMD FirePro M4150 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains a single direct head-to-head comparison between the AMD FirePro M4150 and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 640, recorded under the Geekbench OpenCL test. In this measurement, the AMD FirePro M4150 scored 4013 points, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 scored 3736 points. The recorded delta is 7.4% in favor of the AMD part, marking a clear, albeit modest, victory for the FirePro in this compute-oriented workload.

Contextualizing the AMD FirePro M4150 against its nearest rivals in the database shows how tight the competition is at this performance tier. The FirePro sits just 0.5% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M, which averages 4033 points, and it leads the AMD Radeon HD 6850 X2 by 0.9% (3977 points), the NVIDIA Quadro K2000 by 1.2% (3964 points), and the NVIDIA GeForce 830M by 1.4% (3957 points). These margins are all within a narrow band, meaning the FirePro M4150 occupies a position where small architectural differences decide the outcome rather than any overwhelming performance advantage.

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 640, by contrast, shows a wider spread when measured against its own nearest rivals. Its average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 3210 points, which places it 0.9% ahead of the Intel Arc Pro B60 (3182 points) and 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro P1000 (3163 points). However, it trails the NVIDIA GeForce 920M by 2.3% (3287 points) and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M by 3.2% (3316 points). The GT 640 also has three separate benchmark entries in the database: 3736 in OpenCL, 3809 in Vulkan, and 2086 in Metal. The Vulkan score is notably higher than its OpenCL result, suggesting the Kepler architecture responds favorably to that API in synthetic workloads, while the Metal score is substantially lower and pulls down the overall average.

The overall percentile rankings reinforce this picture. The AMD FirePro M4150 sits at the 24th percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 sits at the 20th percentile. The difference is small in absolute terms, but it aligns with the head-to-head OpenCL result, where the FirePro holds a measurable lead. The single direct comparison is the only identical workload run on both cards, so it carries the most weight for a direct performance assessment. Across all recorded benchmarks, the AMD part wins one comparison while the NVIDIA part wins none against this specific opponent.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural families and are fabricated on the same 28 nm process node at TSMC. The AMD FirePro M4150 uses the Opal chip, built on GCN 1.0 architecture, with a die size of 77 mm² and 950 million transistors. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 uses the GK107 chip, built on Kepler architecture, with a larger die of 118 mm² and 1,270 million transistors. The transistor density reflects this: the AMD chip packs 12.3 million transistors per mm², while the NVIDIA chip manages 10.8 million per mm². The AMD die is smaller and denser, while the NVIDIA die is larger and more spread out.

Both GPUs feature 384 shading units, which is a point of parity between them. The similarity ends there in terms of execution resources. The NVIDIA GT 640 has 32 texture mapping units and 16 render output units, while the AMD FirePro M4150 has 24 TMUs and 8 ROPs. These differences directly affect throughput rates. The GT 640 achieves a pixel rate of 7.216 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 28.86 GTexel/s, while the FirePro M4150 reaches 5.720 GPixel/s and 17.16 GTexel/s. In raw pixel and texture throughput, the NVIDIA card holds a decisive advantage. Floating-point performance tells a different story: the GT 640 delivers 692.7 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the FirePro M4150 delivers 549.1 GFLOPS. The NVIDIA card is roughly 26% ahead in theoretical FP32 throughput, which makes its OpenCL deficit against the AMD card somewhat surprising and suggests driver or workload characteristics favor the GCN architecture in that specific test.

Memory configurations differ significantly. The AMD FirePro M4150 uses 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, producing 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 uses 2 GB of DDR3 memory on the same 128-bit bus, but its bandwidth is only 28.51 GB/s. Memory clock rates reflect this gap: the AMD memory runs at 1000 MHz with 4 Gbps effective, while the NVIDIA memory runs at 891 MHz with 1782 Mbps effective. The AMD card has more than double the memory bandwidth of the NVIDIA card, which is a substantial advantage in bandwidth-bound workloads. The NVIDIA card compensates with double the capacity, which matters for texture-heavy scenes or larger working sets.

The physical and interface profiles also diverge. The AMD FirePro M4150 is an MXM module, designed for portable workstations, with a PCIe 3.0 x8 bus interface and display outputs described as portable-device dependent. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 is a single-slot desktop card with a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, a length of 145 mm or 5.7 inches, and display outputs including 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2. The NVIDIA card has a recorded TDP of 65 W, a suggested PSU rating of 250 W, and requires no power connectors. The AMD card has no TDP or power connector data recorded. API support also differs: the AMD card lists DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the NVIDIA card lists DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The AMD card supports a slightly higher DirectX feature level, while the NVIDIA card has a marginally newer Vulkan version.

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data points to a split between compute-oriented and graphics-oriented strengths. The AMD FirePro M4150 wins the only direct benchmark comparison, the Geekbench OpenCL test, by 7.4%. This is notable because the NVIDIA GT 640 holds the higher theoretical FP32 throughput (692.7 GFLOPS versus 549.1 GFLOPS), yet the AMD card still comes out ahead in the actual OpenCL workload. The likely explanation lies in memory bandwidth: the FirePro M4150 delivers 64.00 GB/s versus 28.51 GB/s for the GT 640, and OpenCL workloads often scale with bandwidth. For users running compute tasks such as OpenCL-accelerated filters, physics simulations, or data-parallel kernels, the AMD part demonstrates the stronger result in the database.

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 wins on graphics-oriented throughput metrics. Its pixel rate of 7.216 GPixel/s versus 5.720 GPixel/s gives it a 26% advantage in fill-rate-bound scenarios, and its texture rate of 28.86 GTexel/s versus 17.16 GTexel/s gives it a 68% advantage in texture-heavy rendering. The GT 640 also has double the ROP count (16 versus 8) and a higher TMU count (32 versus 24), which supports its rasterization throughput. The larger 2 GB frame buffer provides more headroom for high-resolution textures or multi-app desktop usage, although the DDR3 memory type limits how fast that capacity can be fed. The GT 640's Vulkan score of 3809 in the database is its strongest recorded result, suggesting it handles modern API workloads competently despite its age. Its Metal score of 2086 is much lower, which may matter for macOS or Metal-specific applications.

The form factor difference is also relevant for use-case selection. The AMD FirePro M4150 is an MXM module intended for portable workstations, so it belongs in laptops or compact systems with MXM slots. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 is a single-slot desktop card with standard display outputs, so it suits tower desktops with a PCIe x16 slot and a 250 W PSU. There is no overlap in physical installation: one is a mobile module, the other is a desktop add-in card.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split based on workload and platform. For users who prioritize OpenCL compute performance and have an MXM-equipped portable workstation, the AMD FirePro M4150 is the stronger choice. It wins the only direct head-to-head benchmark by 7.4%, carries more than double the memory bandwidth, and ranks at the 24th percentile among all GPUs, four points above the GT 640's 20th percentile. Its GDDR5 memory and higher DirectX feature level (12 (11_1) versus 12 (11_0)) are additional technical advantages in the recorded specifications.

For users who prioritize rasterization throughput, texture fill, or desktop graphics workloads, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 is the better fit. It leads in pixel rate by 26%, texture rate by 68%, and FP32 compute by roughly 26%. It has double the ROPs, double the memory capacity, and a broader set of display outputs. Its Vulkan result of 3809 is the highest single score recorded for either card in any test, showing strong performance in that API. The GT 640 also carries a recorded launch MSRP of 99 USD, which is a fixed reference point for its market positioning, though the card is now end-of-life.

The production status of both GPUs is end-of-life, and their release dates differ by over a year: the NVIDIA card launched in 2012 and the AMD card in 2013. Neither card is a current-generation product, and both occupy the low-to-mid tier of the database rankings. The verdict from the measurements is straightforward: the AMD FirePro M4150 wins the compute benchmark and the bandwidth battle, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 wins the fill-rate, texture, and capacity battles. Platform compatibility will ultimately decide which card can even be installed, since the MXM form factor and the desktop PCIe form factor are not interchangeable.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU scores higher in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The AMD FirePro M4150 scores 4013, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 scores 3736. The AMD card leads by 7.4%.

Q: How do the memory bandwidth figures compare?

A: The AMD FirePro M4150 has 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth using 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 has 28.51 GB/s using 2 GB of DDR3 on a 128-bit bus. The AMD card offers more than double the bandwidth.

Q: What are the pixel and texture throughput differences?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 achieves 7.216 GPixel/s and 28.86 GTexel/s. The AMD FirePro M4150 achieves 5.720 GPixel/s and 17.16 GTexel/s. The NVIDIA card leads in both metrics.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: Both GPUs have exactly 384 shading units. The difference lies elsewhere: the NVIDIA card has 32 TMUs and 16 ROPs, while the AMD card has 24 TMUs and 8 ROPs.

Q: What API versions does each GPU support?

A: The AMD FirePro M4150 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175.

Q: What form factors do these GPUs use?

A: The AMD FirePro M4150 is an MXM Module with a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 is a single-slot desktop card with a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, measuring 145 mm or 5.7 inches in length.