AMD FirePro W2100 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data is decisive: the AMD FirePro W2100 wins both recorded head-to-head tests, with a 3% lead in Geekbench OpenCL and a substantial 30% lead in Geekbench Vulkan. The FirePro W2100 is the stronger choice for compute workloads, particularly those that leverage the Vulkan API. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M, while holding a higher clock rate and greater shading unit count, trails in both measured synthetic tests. The data shows the FirePro W2100’s average benchmark score of 4295 places it at the 25th percentile of all GPUs, while the GT 740M’s average of 3717 sits at the 22nd percentile. For a user choosing between these two end-of-life mobile and workstation parts, the FirePro W2100 offers the better raw compute performance in the tests recorded, with the Vulkan advantage being particularly pronounced. The GT 740M is the only choice if the form factor demands an MXM module, as its dimensions are listed as portable-device dependent, whereas the FirePro is a single-slot card.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split is clear: the FirePro W2100 uses AMD’s GCN 1.0 architecture on the Oland chip, while the GT 740M uses NVIDIA’s Kepler 2.0 architecture on the GK208 chip. Both are built on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the transistor counts differ. The GT 740M contains 1,020 million transistors on an 87 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 11.7M per mm². The FirePro W2100 packs 950 million transistors on a smaller 77 mm² die, resulting in a higher density of 12.3M per mm². This density difference is modest, but the FirePro’s smaller die with fewer transistors is notable for a workstation card.

The core configurations also diverge. The GT 740M has 384 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. The FirePro W2100 has 320 shading units, 20 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. Despite the GT 740M’s higher core counts, the FirePro achieves superior benchmark scores. Clock speeds favor the GT 740M, with a base of 980 MHz and boost of 1033 MHz, compared to the FirePro’s 630 MHz base and 680 MHz boost. Memory configurations are a major difference: both use 2 GB of DDR3, but the FirePro uses a 128-bit bus for 28.80 GB/s bandwidth, while the GT 740M uses a 64-bit bus for only 14.40 GB/s. This doubled bandwidth likely explains the FirePro’s advantage in memory-sensitive compute tasks.

API support shows a subtle divergence. The FirePro supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The GT 740M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The Vulkan version is slightly newer on the NVIDIA side, yet the FirePro’s Vulkan score is far higher, indicating that raw hardware efficiency, not API revision, drives the result.

Where Each One Wins

The FirePro W2100 wins in both recorded benchmark categories, so the victory is comprehensive. Its OpenCL score of 4093 outstrips the GT 740M’s 3974, a 3% margin. The Vulkan gap is much larger: 4497 versus 3459, a 30% advantage. Any workload that relies on OpenCL or Vulkan compute will favor the FirePro. The FirePro also offers double the memory bandwidth, which benefits data-heavy tasks. Its pixel rate is lower at 5.440 GPixel/s versus 8.264 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is lower at 13.60 GTexel/s versus 33.06 GTexel/s, meaning the GT 740M would likely win in pure rasterization throughput if such a test were recorded, but the database contains no such direct comparison.

The GT 740M’s strengths are in its higher raw clock speeds and shading unit count, which could translate to better performance in legacy or unrecorded workloads that do not scale with bandwidth. Its MXM module form factor is the only structural advantage, as it is designed for portable devices, while the FirePro is a single-slot card with two DisplayPort 1.2 outputs. For a workstation user with a desktop or compatible chassis, the FirePro is the clear pick. For a laptop user requiring an MXM module, the GT 740M is the only option that fits, regardless of performance.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD FirePro W2100 has an average benchmark score of 4295, which is higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M’s average of 3717.

Q: How large is the Vulkan performance gap between the two?

A: In Geekbench Vulkan, the FirePro W2100 scores 4497, which is 30% higher than the GT 740M’s 3459.

Q: Do both GPUs have the same memory bus width?

A: No. The FirePro W2100 uses a 128-bit bus, while the GT 740M uses a 64-bit bus. Both have 2 GB of DDR3 memory.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor count?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M has 1,020 million transistors, compared to 950 million for the AMD FirePro W2100.

Q: What is the form factor difference?

A: The FirePro W2100 is a single-slot card with a length of 168 mm and a height of 69 mm. The GT 740M is an MXM Module, with dimensions listed as portable-device dependent.

Q: Which GPU supports a newer Vulkan version?

A: The GT 740M supports Vulkan 1.2.175, while the FirePro W2100 supports Vulkan 1.2.170. Despite the older version, the FirePro scores 30% higher in the Vulkan benchmark.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results show a clean sweep for the AMD FirePro W2100. In Geekbench OpenCL, the FirePro scores 4093 against the GT 740M’s 3974. The delta is 3%, a narrow but consistent lead. This margin is small enough that real-world differences would be minor, but it is a win nonetheless. The FirePro’s higher memory bandwidth (28.80 GB/s versus 14.40 GB/s) likely contributes to this edge, even though the GT 740M has more shading units and higher clocks.

The Geekbench Vulkan test reveals a far more decisive outcome. The FirePro scores 4497, while the GT 740M manages only 3459. This 30% delta is a massive gap, and it demonstrates that the FirePro’s GCN architecture is substantially more efficient in Vulkan compute workloads. The GT 740M’s newer Vulkan version (1.2.175 versus 1.2.170) does not compensate for the underlying performance deficit.

The average benchmark scores reinforce the same story. The FirePro’s 4295 average is 15.6% higher than the GT 740M’s 3717, a difference that places them in distinct performance tiers. The FirePro’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M (4282, 0.3% slower) and the AMD Radeon Vega 3 (4268, 0.6% slower), showing that it competes with a slightly higher tier of mobile GPUs. The GT 740M’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro 3000M (3718, 0% difference) and the NVIDIA GeForce 825M (3694, 0.6% slower), confirming its lower standing.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications reveal several key differences beyond the benchmark scores. The process node is identical at 28 nm, and both are fabricated by TSMC. The FirePro W2100 uses the Oland chip with GCN 1.0 architecture, while the GT 740M uses the GK208 chip with Kepler 2.0 architecture. Transistor counts differ: 950 million for the FirePro versus 1,020 million for the GT 740M. Die sizes also differ, with the FirePro at 77 mm² and the GT 740M at 87 mm², leading to transistor densities of 12.3M per mm² and 11.7M per mm², respectively.

Clock speeds favor the GT 740M significantly. Its base clock is 980 MHz with a boost of 1033 MHz, compared to the FirePro’s 630 MHz base and 680 MHz boost. Memory clocks are identical at 900 MHz with 1800 Mbps effective. Memory capacity is the same at 2 GB of DDR3, but the bus widths diverge sharply: 128-bit for the FirePro versus 64-bit for the GT 740M, resulting in bandwidths of 28.80 GB/s and 14.40 GB/s, respectively.

The compute units also differ. The FirePro has 320 shading units, 20 TMUs, and 8 ROPs, while the GT 740M has 384 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. This leads to different pixel and texture rates. The FirePro delivers 5.440 GPixel/s and 13.60 GTexel/s, while the GT 740M delivers 8.264 GPixel/s and 33.06 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 435.2 GFLOPS for the FirePro and 793.3 GFLOPS for the GT 740M. Neither has FP16 support, RT cores, or tensor cores.

Thermal and power profiles differ. The FirePro has a TDP of 26 W with a suggested PSU of 200 W, while the GT 740M has a TDP of 33 W with no suggested PSU listed. The FirePro is a single-slot card measuring 168 mm by 69 mm, while the GT 740M is an MXM module with portable-device-dependent dimensions. Both use PCIe 3.0 x8 interfaces. Display outputs are distinct: the FirePro offers 2x DisplayPort 1.2, while the GT 740M is listed as portable-device dependent. Both are end-of-life products, with the FirePro released on 2014-08-11 and the GT 740M on 2013-06-19. The FirePro’s predecessor is FirePro Terascale and its successor is Radeon Pro Polaris. The GT 740M’s predecessor is GeForce 600M and its successor is GeForce 800M.