AMD FirePro W2100 vs AMD Radeon R7 M340 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clear and consistent advantage for the AMD Radeon R7 M340 across both available benchmark tests. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the R7 M340 scores 4932, while the AMD FirePro W2100 scores 4093. This translates to a 20.5% delta in favor of the R7 M340, a substantial margin that indicates a significant performance gap in compute workloads using the OpenCL API.

The second test, Geekbench Vulkan, shows a similar pattern. The R7 M340 achieves a score of 5193, while the FirePro W2100 reaches 4497. The delta here is 15.5%, again favoring the R7 M340. While the percentage advantage is slightly smaller than in the OpenCL test, the absolute difference of 696 points remains considerable. This suggests that the R7 M340's architecture handles Vulkan workloads more efficiently, though both GPUs benefit from the same Vulkan API version support listed in the database.

When looking at the average benchmark scores, the R7 M340 averages 5063, placing it in the 30th percentile of all GPUs in the database. The FirePro W2100 averages 4295, which places it in the 25th percentile. This five-percentage-point gap in percentile ranking confirms that the R7 M340 is not just marginally faster, but occupies a noticeably higher tier in overall performance distribution.

Examining the nearest rivals for each card provides additional context. The R7 M340's closest competitor is the AMD Radeon R7 240, with an identical average score of 5063 and a delta of 0%. The AMD FirePro W4170M trails by just 0.6%, and the AMD Radeon R5 M430 is 0.9% behind. The R7 M340 also edges out the AMD Radeon R7 Graphics by 1.3%. These tight margins indicate that the R7 M340 sits at a performance plateau shared by several similar-class GPUs.

The FirePro W2100's nearest rivals tell a different story. Its closest match is the NVIDIA Quadro K3000M, which scores 4241, a 1.3% delta. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M is 0.3% ahead at 4282, and the AMD Radeon Vega 3 is 0.6% ahead at 4268. Interestingly, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 appears in the list with a score of 4335, which is 0.9% higher than the W2100. This is a notable data point, as it shows the W2100's performance cluster includes a modern high-end card, though the score comparison is based solely on the aggregate metric, not on any specification similarity.

In direct head-to-head terms, the R7 M340 wins both recorded tests. The wins tally shows 2 for the R7 M340 and 0 for the FirePro W2100. No test in the database favors the FirePro W2100, making the performance hierarchy unambiguous.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs stem from different architectural generations within AMD's lineup. The Radeon R7 M340 is built on GCN 3.0 architecture, while the FirePro W2100 uses the older GCN 1.0 architecture. This generational gap is significant, as GCN 3.0 introduced refinements in compute efficiency and resource management that are reflected in the benchmark scores.

Both chips are manufactured on the same 28 nm process node at TSMC, so the process technology itself does not explain the performance difference. However, the transistor counts differ considerably. The R7 M340's Meso chip contains 1,550 million transistors, while the FirePro W2100's Oland chip has 950 million. This is a difference of 600 million transistors, which contributes to the R7 M340's higher compute throughput. The die sizes also differ: the Meso chip measures 125 mm², while the Oland chip is 77 mm². The transistor density is nearly identical, at 12.4M per mm² for the R7 M340 and 12.3M per mm² for the FirePro W2100, indicating that the larger die simply packs more transistors rather than using a denser layout.

Both GPUs have the same number of shading units (320), texture mapping units (20), and render output units (8). However, the clock speeds diverge significantly. The R7 M340 runs at a base clock of 943 MHz and a boost clock of 1021 MHz. The FirePro W2100 runs at a base clock of 630 MHz and a boost clock of 680 MHz. This clock advantage, combined with the newer architecture, explains why the R7 M340 delivers higher pixel and texture rates: 8.168 GPixel/s and 20.42 GTexel/s, respectively, versus 5.440 GPixel/s and 13.60 GTexel/s for the FirePro W2100.

The FP32 compute throughput also reflects these differences. The R7 M340 achieves 653.4 GFLOPS, while the FirePro W2100 reaches 435.2 GFLOPS. Additionally, the R7 M340 supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio with FP32, also at 653.4 GFLOPS, whereas the FirePro W2100 has no recorded FP16 capability. This makes the R7 M340 more versatile for workloads that can leverage half-precision arithmetic.

Memory configurations differ as well. Both cards have 2 GB of DDR3 memory, but the bus widths differ: the R7 M340 uses a 64-bit bus, while the FirePro W2100 uses a 128-bit bus. This results in the FirePro W2100 having higher memory bandwidth at 28.80 GB/s, compared to the R7 M340's 16.00 GB/s. The memory clocks also differ, with the R7 M340 running at 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective) and the FirePro W2100 at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective). The wider bus on the FirePro W2100 partially compensates for its lower clock speed, but the overall bandwidth advantage remains with the FirePro.

The API support shows a minor difference. The R7 M340 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the FirePro W2100 supports DirectX 12 (11_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170. This means the R7 M340 is better positioned for newer DirectX 12 titles that require feature level 12_0.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded data, the Radeon R7 M340 wins in every measured category. Its strengths lie in raw compute performance, clock speeds, and architectural efficiency. Users running OpenCL-based workloads, such as video encoding, image processing, or scientific simulations, will see a 20.5% improvement over the FirePro W2100. For Vulkan-based applications, the advantage is 15.5%, which still represents a meaningful performance uplift.

The R7 M340 also holds an edge in DirectX 12 feature level support. With feature level 12_0, it can handle more advanced rendering techniques than the FirePro W2100's 11_1 support. This makes the R7 M340 a more future-proof option for gaming or professional applications that rely on the latest DirectX 12 features.

The FirePro W2100, despite losing in compute benchmarks, has its own areas of advantage. Its memory bandwidth of 28.80 GB/s is nearly double that of the R7 M340's 16.00 GB/s. This could benefit workloads that are memory-bandwidth-bound, such as certain texture-heavy rendering tasks or large dataset manipulations, even if the compute cores are slower. The FirePro W2100 also has a lower TDP of 26 W, whereas the R7 M340 has no recorded TDP figure. This lower power draw, combined with a single-slot design and no power connectors, makes the FirePro W2100 easier to integrate into low-power or space-constrained systems.

The FirePro W2100 also offers a specific display output configuration: 2x DisplayPort 1.2. The R7 M340 has no recorded display outputs, so the FirePro is the better choice for users who need a known, fixed set of display connections. Additionally, the FirePro W2100 has recorded physical dimensions (168 mm length, 69 mm height), while the R7 M340 has none, making the FirePro easier to plan for in custom builds.

Specification Differences

Several specification fields differ between the two GPUs, and these differences help explain the performance gap.

The architecture is different: GCN 3.0 for the R7 M340 versus GCN 1.0 for the FirePro W2100. The chip names also differ: Meso versus Oland. The generation names are distinct as well: "Gem System (R7 M300)" for the R7 M340 and "FirePro GCN (Wx100)" for the FirePro W2100.

Transistor count and die size differ significantly. The R7 M340 has 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, while the FirePro W2100 has 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die. Transistor density is nearly the same, at 12.4M per mm² versus 12.3M per mm².

Clock speeds are higher on the R7 M340: base 943 MHz versus 630 MHz, boost 1021 MHz versus 680 MHz. Memory clocks also differ: 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective) versus 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective).

Memory bus width is narrower on the R7 M340: 64 bit versus 128 bit. This results in lower bandwidth: 16.00 GB/s versus 28.80 GB/s.

Pixel rate and texture rate are higher on the R7 M340: 8.168 GPixel/s versus 5.440 GPixel/s, and 20.42 GTexel/s versus 13.60 GTexel/s. FP32 throughput is 653.4 GFLOPS versus 435.2 GFLOPS. The R7 M340 also has FP16 at 653.4 GFLOPS (1:1), while the FirePro W2100 has no FP16 data.

The TDP is only recorded for the FirePro W2100 at 26 W. The FirePro W2100 is also documented as single-slot, with no power connectors, and a suggested PSU of 200 W. The R7 M340 has no recorded values for these fields.

Display outputs are listed for the FirePro W2100 as 2x DisplayPort 1.2, while the R7 M340 has no recorded display outputs. Physical dimensions are recorded for the FirePro W2100 (168 mm length, 69 mm height), but not for the R7 M340.

DirectX support differs: 12 (12_0) for the R7 M340 versus 12 (11_1) for the FirePro W2100. Both share OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Release dates differ: the R7 M340 was released on 2015-05-04, while the FirePro W2100 came earlier on 2014-08-11. Both are end-of-life products. The predecessors and successors also differ: "Solar System" and "Polaris Mobile" for the R7 M340, "FirePro Terascale" and "Radeon Pro Polaris" for the FirePro W2100.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M340 has an average benchmark score of 5063, while the AMD FirePro W2100 averages 4295. The R7 M340 is therefore 17.9% faster on average, based on the recorded data.

Q: How does the R7 M340 compare to its nearest rival in terms of performance?

A: The R7 M340's nearest rival is the AMD Radeon R7 240, with an identical average score of 5063 and a delta of 0%. The AMD FirePro W4170M is 0.6% behind, and the AMD Radeon R5 M430 is 0.9% behind.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two GPUs?

A: The FirePro W2100 has a memory bandwidth of 28.80 GB/s, which is higher than the R7 M340's 16.00 GB/s. This is due to the FirePro's wider 128-bit memory bus, despite its lower memory clock of 900 MHz.

Q: Does the R7 M340 support DirectX 12 at a higher feature level?

A: Yes, the R7 M340 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the FirePro W2100 supports DirectX 12 (11_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Q: What are the physical dimensions of the FirePro W2100?

A: The FirePro W2100 has a length of 168 mm (6.6 inches) and a height of 69 mm (2.7 inches). It is a single-slot card with no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 200 W.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor count?

A: The R7 M340 has 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, while the FirePro W2100 has 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die. The transistor density is nearly identical at 12.4M per mm² versus 12.3M per mm².

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner for compute-intensive tasks. The AMD Radeon R7 M340 outperforms the AMD FirePro W2100 in both recorded benchmarks, with a 20.5% advantage in OpenCL and a 15.5% advantage in Vulkan. Its higher clock speeds, newer GCN 3.0 architecture, and greater transistor count all contribute to this result. Users prioritizing raw performance in OpenCL or Vulkan workloads should choose the R7 M340.

However, the FirePro W2100 is not without merit. Its memory bandwidth is nearly double that of the R7 M340, which could be advantageous for bandwidth-sensitive applications. Its lower TDP of 26 W, single-slot design, and lack of power connectors make it easier to deploy in compact or low-power systems. The FirePro W2100 also has documented display outputs (2x DisplayPort 1.2) and physical dimensions, which simplifies system integration. Users with strict power or space constraints, or those who need known display connectivity, may find the FirePro W2100 more suitable.

In terms of percentile ranking, the R7 M340 sits at the 30th percentile of all GPUs, while the FirePro W2100 sits at the 25th. This five-point gap is modest, suggesting that neither card is a high-end performer. Both are end-of-life products, so availability may be limited.

For users who want the best benchmark scores and are not constrained by power or physical footprint, the R7 M340 is the superior choice. For users who need a low-power, single-slot card with specific display outputs and are willing to trade compute performance for memory bandwidth, the FirePro W2100 remains a viable option. The recorded data does not favor the FirePro W2100 in any direct benchmark, but its specification profile supports specific niche use cases.