AMD FirePro M5100 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M Comparison

The AMD FirePro M5100 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions aimed at different segments, yet they land in a similar performance tier. The data shows two architectures from different eras—AMD’s GCN 1.0 on 28 nm versus NVIDIA’s Fermi 2.0 on 40 nm—converging on nearly identical benchmark results. This analysis breaks down the single head-to-head benchmark, the architectural underpinnings, and the specific use cases where each part holds an edge based solely on the provided facts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison available in the data is the Geekbench OpenCL test, which measures general-purpose compute performance. The AMD FirePro M5100 scores 6830, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M scores 6513. This gives the FirePro M5100 a 4.9% lead over the GTX 670M. The result is decisive: the FirePro M5100 wins the sole head-to-head benchmark, with 1 win for AMD and 0 for NVIDIA.

This 4.9% margin is modest but meaningful. In the context of the nearest rival groups, both GPUs sit at the 38th percentile among all GPUs, indicating they are statistically tied in overall standing. The FirePro M5100’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M (avg score 6946, deltaPct -1.7%) and the AMD Radeon R5 M240 (avg score 6975, deltaPct -2.1%), meaning the FirePro is actually behind those two by 1.7% and 2.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, it edges out the AMD Radeon R7 M370 by 1% and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 by 2%.

For the GTX 670M, its nearest rivals are much closer in score. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M (avg score 6493) is only 0.3% behind, and the NVIDIA Quadro M5000M (avg score 6481) is 0.5% behind. The Intel UHD Graphics P750 (avg score 6554) is 0.6% ahead. This tight clustering suggests the GTX 670M’s performance is extremely competitive with its immediate peers, but the 4.9% deficit to the FirePro M5100 is the largest delta in either rival group.

The raw score difference (6830 vs 6513) translates to a 317-point gap. While not a landslide, it is a consistent margin that appears across the OpenCL workload. The FirePro M5100’s higher FP32 throughput of 992.0 GFLOPS versus the GTX 670M’s 803.7 GFLOPS—a 23.4% theoretical advantage—likely explains part of this benchmark lead, even though the GTX 670M counters with higher texture and pixel rates in other metrics.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the head-to-head result, the AMD FirePro M5100 is the clear winner in OpenCL compute performance. This suggests it is better suited for GPGPU workloads, such as OpenCL-accelerated applications in professional creative suites or scientific computing tasks that leverage general-purpose shader cores. The FirePro M5100 has 640 shading units, almost double the GTX 670M’s 336, which directly contributes to its higher compute throughput. Its FP32 performance is 992.0 GFLOPS, exceeding the GTX 670M’s 803.7 GFLOPS.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M, despite losing the compute benchmark, holds advantages in other hardware capabilities that could translate to different use-case strengths. It has a higher pixel rate (8.372 GPixel/s versus 12.40 GPixel/s for the FirePro—wait, that is actually lower) and a higher texture rate (33.49 GTexel/s versus 31.00 GTexel/s). The GTX 670M also features more ROPs (24 vs 16) and more TMUs (56 vs 40), which historically benefits fill-rate-bound scenarios like high-resolution texture mapping or certain rasterization effects. However, the data shows the FirePro actually has the higher pixel rate at 12.40 GPixel/s, so the GTX 670M’s advantage is limited to texture rate, where it leads by 8%.

Given the single benchmark, the FirePro M5100 wins the only measured workload. For gaming or traditional 3D rendering, the GTX 670M’s higher texture rate might offer a slight edge in texture-heavy scenes, but this is speculative because no gaming benchmarks are in the data. The GTX 670M’s 192-bit memory bus provides the same 72.00 GB/s bandwidth as the FirePro’s 128-bit bus, so memory throughput is identical. The GTX 670M’s larger memory capacity (1536 MB vs 2 GB) is actually smaller, so the FirePro M5100 leads in capacity.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD FirePro M5100 is built on the GCN 1.0 architecture, manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The chip, codenamed Venus, contains 1,500 million transistors on a die size of 123 mm², yielding a transistor density of 12.2M per mm². The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M uses the Fermi 2.0 architecture, also fabricated by TSMC but on a larger 40 nm node. Its GF114 chip packs 1,950 million transistors into a much larger 332 mm² die, resulting in a density of just 5.9M per mm².

The process node difference is stark: 28 nm versus 40 nm. This gives the FirePro M5100 a significant efficiency advantage, though the GTX 670M compensates with a larger transistor budget. The GTX 670M has a specified TDP of 75 W, while the FirePro M5100’s TDP is not listed in the data. The smaller die and newer process likely contribute to lower power draw, but without a TDP figure for the FirePro, this remains qualitative.

Core configurations diverge sharply. The FirePro M5100 has 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The GTX 670M has 336 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. This means NVIDIA opted for fewer shaders but more texture and pixel units, a classic Fermi trait. Clock speeds also differ: the FirePro runs at a base of 725 MHz with a boost of 775 MHz, while the GTX 670M has no base or boost clock listed. The FirePro’s memory clock is 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective), while the GTX 670M runs at 750 MHz (3 Gbps effective).

Memory configurations are similar in bandwidth but different in layout. Both offer 72.00 GB/s. The FirePro M5100 uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, while the GTX 670M uses 1536 MB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus. The wider bus on the GTX 670M compensates for its lower memory clock to achieve the same bandwidth. The FirePro M5100 has a larger frame buffer, which is beneficial for high-resolution textures or multi-monitor setups.

API support reveals another generational gap. The FirePro M5100 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The GTX 670M supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but has no Vulkan support listed. This makes the FirePro M5100 more future-proof for modern applications that leverage Vulkan, while the GTX 670M is limited to older API paths. Both use an MXM slot, but the FirePro M5100 uses MXM-A (3.0) while the GTX 670M uses MXM-B (3.0), indicating different physical form factors.

The Verdict

From the data, the AMD FirePro M5100 is the superior performer in the measured benchmark. It wins the Geekbench OpenCL test by 4.9%, and its higher FP32 throughput (992.0 GFLOPS vs 803.7 GFLOPS) suggests it will handle compute-heavy tasks better. Professionals running OpenCL-accelerated applications should favor the FirePro M5100. Its larger 2 GB memory capacity and Vulkan support also give it a modern feature set that the GTX 670M lacks.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M, despite losing the benchmark, is not without merit. Its higher texture rate (33.49 GTexel/s vs 31.00 GTexel/s) and more ROPs (24 vs 16) could benefit specific rasterization workloads. However, the data does not show any benchmark where it wins, and its lower FP32 performance puts it at a disadvantage for compute. For users tied to NVIDIA’s ecosystem or needing the MXM-B form factor, the GTX 670M remains a viable option, but it is objectively slower in the one test available.

The 38th percentile ranking for both GPUs indicates they are mid-pack performers. The FirePro M5100’s nearest rivals include the GTX 675M, which is 1.7% faster, suggesting the FirePro is close to that higher-tier part. The GTX 670M’s rivals are all within 0.6%, showing it is tightly grouped with its peers. Neither GPU is a standout, but the FirePro M5100 edges ahead in compute.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The AMD FirePro M5100 scores 6830, beating the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M’s 6513 by 4.9%.

Q: Do both GPUs have the same memory bandwidth?

A: Yes, both the AMD FirePro M5100 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M offer 72.00 GB/s of memory bandwidth, despite using different bus widths (128-bit vs 192-bit).

Q: Which GPU supports the Vulkan API?

A: Only the AMD FirePro M5100 supports Vulkan (version 1.2.170). The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M has no Vulkan support listed, though both support DirectX 12 (with different feature levels) and OpenGL 4.6.

Q: How do the shading unit counts compare?

A: The AMD FirePro M5100 has 640 shading units, nearly double the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M’s 336 shading units.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two?

A: The AMD FirePro M5100 is manufactured on a 28 nm process, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M uses a larger 40 nm process, both by TSMC.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel rate?

A: The AMD FirePro M5100 has a pixel rate of 12.40 GPixel/s, which is higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M’s 8.372 GPixel/s.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD FirePro M5100 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M |

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

| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Fermi 2.0 |

| 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 |

| Base Clock | 725 MHz | Not listed |

| Boost Clock | 775 MHz | Not listed |

| Memory Clock | 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective) | 750 MHz (3 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 1536 MB |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 192 bit |

| Shading Units | 640 | 336 |

| TMUs | 40 | 56 |

| ROPs | 16 | 24 |

| Pixel Rate | 12.40 GPixel/s | 8.372 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 31.00 GTexel/s | 33.49 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 992.0 GFLOPS | 803.7 GFLOPS |

| TDP | Not listed | 75 W |

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

| Vulkan Support | 1.2.170 | None |

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

| Release Date | 2013-10-15 | 2012-03-21 |