AMD FirePro M5100 vs AMD Radeon HD 7730M Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The AMD FirePro M5100 achieves a Geekbench OpenCL score of 6830, while the AMD Radeon HD 7730M scores 6581. The FirePro M5100 wins this benchmark by a 3.8% margin.

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

A: The FirePro M5100 is 1% ahead of the AMD Radeon R7 M370, 2% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010, 1.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M, and 2.1% behind the AMD Radeon R5 M240. The Radeon HD 7730M is 0.4% ahead of the Intel UHD Graphics P750, 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M, 1.4% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M, and 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon R7 M460.

Q: What are the memory specifications for each card?

A: The FirePro M5100 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 72.00 GB/s bandwidth. The Radeon HD 7730M also has 2 GB of memory on a 128-bit bus, but it uses DDR3 and delivers only 28.80 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has a higher clock speed?

A: The FirePro M5100 runs at a 725 MHz base clock and 775 MHz boost clock. The Radeon HD 7730M runs at a 575 MHz base clock and 675 MHz boost clock. The FirePro M5100 operates at higher frequencies in both states.

Q: What is the difference in shading units between the two?

A: The FirePro M5100 contains 640 shading units, while the Radeon HD 7730M has 512 shading units. This gives the FirePro M5100 a 25% advantage in shading unit count.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same APIs?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs share the same fundamental architecture: GCN 1.0, built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. They are also identical in transistor count and die size, with 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, yielding the same transistor density of 12.2M / mm². However, the underlying chips differ — the FirePro M5100 uses the Venus chip, while the Radeon HD 7730M uses the Chelsea chip.

The compute resource allocation is not identical. The FirePro M5100 packs 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The Radeon HD 7730M steps down to 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and retains 16 ROPs. This means the FirePro M5100 has 128 more shading units and 8 more TMUs, which directly affects its peak throughput figures.

The clock behavior also diverges significantly. The FirePro M5100 has a base clock of 725 MHz and a boost clock of 775 MHz. The Radeon HD 7730M operates at a lower base of 575 MHz and boosts to 675 MHz. This clock gap, combined with the wider shader array, produces a substantial difference in raw compute output.

Memory architecture differs in type and data rate. The FirePro M5100 uses GDDR5 memory running at 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective), while the Radeon HD 7730M uses DDR3 at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective). Both have a 128-bit bus, but the GDDR5 implementation gives the FirePro M5100 a much higher memory bandwidth of 72.00 GB/s versus 28.80 GB/s for the Radeon HD 7730M — a 2.5x advantage.

The bus interface also differs. The FirePro M5100 uses MXM-A (3.0) and is presented as an MXM Module, while the Radeon HD 7730M uses PCIe 2.0 x16. The Radeon HD 7730M has a listed TDP of 25 W, while the FirePro M5100 has no TDP field in the data. Both are end-of-life products, with the FirePro M5100 released later (October 2013) than the Radeon HD 7730M (April 2012). The FirePro M5100 belongs to the FirePro Mobile (Mx100) generation, while the Radeon HD 7730M is from the London (HD 7700M) generation.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only head-to-head benchmark available is Geekbench OpenCL. In this test, the AMD FirePro M5100 scores 6830, and the AMD Radeon HD 7730M scores 6581. The FirePro M5100 wins by a delta of 3.8%. This is a single benchmark, so the result reflects a focused comparison of OpenCL compute performance rather than a broad gaming or workstation suite.

The 3.8% lead is meaningful but not overwhelming. Looking at the nearest rival data, the FirePro M5100's score of 6830 places it just 1% above the AMD Radeon R7 M370 (6764) and 2% above the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 (6698). It trails the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M (6946) by 1.7% and the AMD Radeon R5 M240 (6975) by 2.1%. So the FirePro M5100 sits in a tight cluster of mobile and entry-level desktop parts, with no rival more than 2.1% away in either direction.

The Radeon HD 7730M's score of 6581 places it in a similarly tight grouping. It is 0.4% ahead of the Intel UHD Graphics P750 (6554), 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M (6513), and 1.4% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M (6493). It is 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon R7 M460 (6612). The Radeon HD 7730M is thus competitive with its immediate peers, but the FirePro M5100 holds a clear edge over it in this direct comparison.

The delta of 3.8% is consistent with the architectural differences. The FirePro M5100 has 25% more shading units, 25% more TMUs, and a roughly 26% higher boost clock. Yet the actual benchmark delta is far smaller, suggesting that OpenCL performance here is constrained by other factors — possibly memory bandwidth differences or workload characteristics — rather than purely by raw shader count. The GDDR5 memory bandwidth of 72.00 GB/s versus 28.80 GB/s does not translate into a 2.5x benchmark lead, which indicates the Geekbench OpenCL test is not memory-bandwidth-bound for these parts.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in several specification fields. The chip names differ: Venus for the FirePro M5100, Chelsea for the Radeon HD 7730M. The generation labels also differ: FirePro Mobile (Mx100) versus London (HD 7700M).

Clock speeds are different. The FirePro M5100 has a 725 MHz base clock and 775 MHz boost clock. The Radeon HD 7730M has a 575 MHz base clock and 675 MHz boost clock. Memory clocks also differ: the FirePro M5100 runs at 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective), while the Radeon HD 7730M runs at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective).

Memory type is a key differentiator. The FirePro M5100 uses GDDR5, while the Radeon HD 7730M uses DDR3. Both have 2 GB capacity and a 128-bit bus width, but bandwidth is 72.00 GB/s versus 28.80 GB/s — a 43.20 GB/s gap.

Shading units differ: 640 for the FirePro M5100, 512 for the Radeon HD 7730M. TMUs also differ: 40 versus 32. ROPs are the same at 16. Pixel rate is 12.40 GPixel/s for the FirePro M5100 and 10.80 GPixel/s for the Radeon HD 7730M. Texture rate is 31.00 GTexel/s versus 21.60 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is 992.0 GFLOPS versus 691.2 GFLOPS.

The Radeon HD 7730M has a listed TDP of 25 W, while the FirePro M5100 has no TDP value. The bus interface differs: MXM-A (3.0) for the FirePro M5100, PCIe 2.0 x16 for the Radeon HD 7730M. The FirePro M5100 is listed as an MXM Module, while no slot width is given for the Radeon HD 7730M. The release dates differ: the FirePro M5100 launched in October 2013, the Radeon HD 7730M in April 2012. The predecessors differ (FirePro Mobility vs Vancouver), as do successors (Radeon Pro Mobile vs Solar System).

Where Each One Wins

The AMD FirePro M5100 wins in every measurable compute category. It has the higher Geekbench OpenCL score (6830 vs 6581), more shading units (640 vs 512), more TMUs (40 vs 32), higher pixel rate (12.40 GPixel/s vs 10.80 GPixel/s), higher texture rate (31.00 GTexel/s vs 21.60 GTexel/s), and higher FP32 throughput (992.0 GFLOPS vs 691.2 GFLOPS). It also has significantly higher memory bandwidth (72.00 GB/s vs 28.80 GB/s) thanks to GDDR5 versus DDR3.

The Radeon HD 7730M does not win any benchmark or specification category except one: it has a listed TDP of 25 W, while the FirePro M5100 has no TDP figure. If power draw is a concern, the Radeon HD 7730M's official 25 W rating could make it a more predictable choice for thermally constrained systems, though the FirePro M5100's TDP is simply not specified in the data.

For use cases, the FirePro M5100 is the stronger candidate for any compute-oriented workload that leverages OpenCL. The 3.8% benchmark lead and the substantial bandwidth advantage suggest it handles memory-intensive tasks better. The Radeon HD 7730M, with its lower clock speeds and reduced shader count, is better suited for scenarios where the confirmed 25 W TDP is a hard requirement and the system cannot accommodate a potentially higher-draw MXM module.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner: the AMD FirePro M5100 outperforms the AMD Radeon HD 7730M in the single available benchmark, scoring 6830 versus 6581, a 3.8% margin. The FirePro M5100 also leads in every core specification — shading units, TMUs, clocks, pixel rate, texture rate, FP32 throughput, and memory bandwidth. There is no benchmark in the FACT PACK where the Radeon HD 7730M comes out ahead.

The Radeon HD 7730M's only distinct advantage is its documented 25 W TDP. For system integrators or users who require a known power envelope, this is a concrete specification. The FirePro M5100 lacks a TDP listing, so its power draw is unknown from the data. If power consumption is the primary constraint, the Radeon HD 7730M is the safer choice based on available information.

For performance, the FirePro M5100 is the pick. Its 992.0 GFLOPS FP32 performance is 43.5% higher than the Radeon HD 7730M's 691.2 GFLOPS. Its 72.00 GB/s memory bandwidth is 2.5x higher. These are not marginal differences; they represent a substantially more capable part. The 3.8% Geekbench OpenCL delta understates the architectural gap, but it still confirms the FirePro M5100's superiority in a real compute test.

The choice hinges on priorities. A user needing maximum compute throughput and memory bandwidth should select the AMD FirePro M5100. A user with a strict power budget and no tolerance for an unspecified TDP should select the AMD Radeon HD 7730M. Both are end-of-life products, and both support the same DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170 APIs, so software compatibility is not a differentiator. The FirePro M5100 is the better GPU on the merits of the benchmark and specification data.