AMD FirePro M5100 vs AMD Radeon HD 8750M Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the database's OpenCL benchmark?

A: The AMD FirePro M5100 scores 6830 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the AMD Radeon HD 8750M scores 5970. The FirePro M5100 wins by 14.4%.

Q: Do both cards use the same graphics architecture?

A: Yes. Both the FirePro M5100 (chip: Venus) and the Radeon HD 8750M (chip: Mars) are built on GCN 1.0 architecture using a 28 nm process from TSMC.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The FirePro M5100 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 72.00 GB/s bandwidth. The Radeon HD 8750M has 1024 MB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus with 28.80 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: How do their compute resources compare?

A: The FirePro M5100 has 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The Radeon HD 8750M has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 8 ROPs.

Q: What is the transistor count difference?

A: The FirePro M5100 uses 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die. The Radeon HD 8750M uses 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die.

Q: Which card has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The FirePro M5100 delivers 12.40 GPixel/s, which is nearly double the Radeon HD 8750M's 6.600 GPixel/s.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs share the same fundamental GCN 1.0 architecture and are fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process. The similarity ends there in terms of scale. The FirePro M5100 uses the Venus chip, which is substantially larger: 123 mm² die size with 1,500 million transistors. The Radeon HD 8750M uses the Mars chip, a smaller 77 mm² die with 950 million transistors. Transistor density is nearly identical at 12.2M per mm² for the FirePro and 12.3M per mm² for the Radeon, confirming the architectural lineage but showing the FirePro is simply a bigger implementation.

The compute configuration diverges sharply. The FirePro M5100 packs 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The Radeon HD 8750M halves key resources with 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. This translates directly to throughput: the FirePro achieves 992.0 GFLOPS of FP32 compute and 31.00 GTexel/s texture fill, versus 633.6 GFLOPS and 19.80 GTexel/s for the Radeon.

Memory architecture is another major difference. The FirePro M5100 uses 2 GB of GDDR5 with a 128-bit bus and 72.00 GB/s bandwidth. The Radeon HD 8750M uses 1024 MB of DDR3 with the same 128-bit bus but only 28.80 GB/s bandwidth. That is a 2.5x bandwidth advantage for the FirePro, which matters for memory-bound workloads.

Clock speeds favor the Radeon in raw frequency. The HD 8750M runs at 775 MHz base and 825 MHz boost. The FirePro M5100 runs at 725 MHz base and 775 MHz boost. Despite lower clocks, the FirePro wins decisively because of its wider execution resources.

Both cards support DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The bus interfaces differ: the FirePro M5100 uses MXM-A (3.0) and is a slot-width MXM Module, while the Radeon HD 8750M uses PCIe 3.0 x8. Both are end-of-life products. The FirePro released on 2013-10-15, the Radeon earlier on 2013-02-25.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains a single direct benchmark comparison: Geekbench OpenCL. The FirePro M5100 scores 6830, and the Radeon HD 8750M scores 5970. The delta is 14.4% in favor of the FirePro. This is a meaningful margin, not a near-tie.

To contextualize the FirePro's score, look at its nearest rivals. The AMD Radeon R7 M370 scores 6764, which is 1% slower. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 scores 6698, 2% slower. On the other side, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M scores 6946, 1.7% faster, and the AMD Radeon R5 M240 scores 6975, 2.1% faster. The FirePro sits in a tight cluster, with all four rivals within roughly 2% of its score. It is competitive with mid-range mobile parts from its era.

The Radeon HD 8750M's nearest rivals tell a similar story of a crowded field. The NVIDIA Quadro K4000 scores 5982, 0.2% faster. The NVIDIA Quadro K4000M scores 5986, 0.3% faster. The NVIDIA Quadro K620M scores 5957, 0.2% slower. The AMD Radeon HD 8730M scores 5955, 0.3% slower. The HD 8750M is essentially tied with all four, indicating it sits at a common performance level for entry-level mobile GPUs.

The percentile data reinforces the gap. The FirePro M5100 sits at the 38th percentile of all GPUs, while the Radeon HD 8750M sits at the 34th percentile. A four-percentile gap is modest, but the 14.4% raw score difference shows the FirePro's advantage is consistent across the workload.

The wins tally is 1 for the FirePro M5100 and 0 for the Radeon HD 8750M. There is no benchmark in the database where the Radeon takes the lead.

Specification Differences

| Field | AMD FirePro M5100 | AMD Radeon HD 8750M |

|---|---|---|

| Chip | Venus | Mars |

| Generation | FirePro Mobile (Mx100) | Solar System (HD 8700M) |

| Transistors | 1,500 million | 950 million |

| Die Size | 123 mm² | 77 mm² |

| Base Clock | 725 MHz | 775 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 775 MHz | 825 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1125 MHz, 4.5 Gbps effective | 900 MHz, 1800 Mbps effective |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 1024 MB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 72.00 GB/s | 28.80 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 640 | 384 |

| TMUs | 40 | 24 |

| ROPs | 16 | 8 |

| Pixel Rate | 12.40 GPixel/s | 6.600 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 31.00 GTexel/s | 19.80 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 992.0 GFLOPS | 633.6 GFLOPS |

| Bus Interface | MXM-A (3.0) | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| Slot Width | MXM Module | (not specified) |

| Release Date | 2013-10-15 | 2013-02-25 |

| Predecessor | FirePro Mobility | London |

| Successor | Radeon Pro Mobile | Gem System |

The two cards share identical API support, foundry, process node, and bus width. Everything else in the specification sheet shows the FirePro M5100 as the larger, more capable part.

Where Each One Wins

The FirePro M5100 wins the only benchmark in the database, so the use-case split follows its strengths. For compute workloads that stress OpenCL, the FirePro's 640 shading units and 992.0 GFLOPS FP32 throughput give it a clear edge. The 14.4% score advantage over the HD 8750M is substantial enough to matter in rendering tasks or GPGPU applications that scale with raw shader count.

Memory bandwidth is another decisive area. The FirePro's GDDR5 memory at 72.00 GB/s is 2.5x the Radeon's DDR3 at 28.80 GB/s. Any workload that streams large textures or datasets will favor the FirePro heavily. The Radeon's DDR3 memory is a bottleneck for modern content, even if the core clock runs slightly higher.

Pixel fill rate tells the same story. The FirePro's 12.40 GPixel/s versus the Radeon's 6.600 GPixel/s means the FirePro handles higher resolutions or more complex fragment shading with less strain. Texture rate of 31.00 GTexel/s versus 19.80 GTexel/s further confirms the FirePro's dominance in traditional graphics pipelines.

The Radeon HD 8750M wins on clock speed. Its 775 MHz base and 825 MHz boost are higher than the FirePro's 725 MHz base and 775 MHz boost. In a purely clock-bound scenario, the Radeon would be faster, but the database shows no benchmark where that translates into a real win. The Radeon also has a smaller die and fewer transistors, which may imply lower power draw, but no TDP figures exist in the database to confirm that.

For legacy compatibility, the Radeon's PCIe 3.0 x8 interface is a standard slot format, while the FirePro uses MXM-A (3.0), which is a mobile module form factor. The FirePro's display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," meaning it is designed for laptops and mobile workstations rather than desktop systems.

The Verdict

The database is unambiguous: the AMD FirePro M5100 is the stronger GPU. It wins the only recorded benchmark by 14.4%, and its specification sheet shows advantages in every meaningful category except raw clock speed. The FirePro has 1.67x the shading units, 1.67x the TMUs, 2x the ROPs, 2.5x the memory bandwidth, and nearly double the pixel fill rate of the Radeon HD 8750M.

The Radeon HD 8750M is an entry-level mobile part. Its nearest rivals cluster within 0.3% of its score, and its 34th percentile placement shows it performs at the lower end of the GPU spectrum. It is suitable for basic tasks, but the data does not support it as a gaming or compute workhorse.

The FirePro M5100, despite its higher performance, also sits in a crowded field. Its nearest rivals are all within 2.1% of its score, meaning it is not a standout in its own tier. But against the HD 8750M specifically, the margin is clear and consistent.

Choose the FirePro M5100 if you need a mobile GPU for compute work, texture-heavy applications, or higher-resolution rendering. Its GDDR5 memory and larger compute array are direct advantages. Choose the Radeon HD 8750M only if you are constrained by slot compatibility or prefer the slightly higher clock speeds; the benchmark data will not reward that choice. For anyone comparing these two directly, the FirePro M5100 is the better buy based on recorded performance alone.