AMD FirePro W2100 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M Comparison

The AMD FirePro W2100 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M are two end-of-life mobile and workstation graphics solutions that, despite their age, still appear in benchmark databases. The data presents a fascinating split: each card claims victory in one of the two shared benchmark tests, making a direct comparison a study in architectural trade-offs rather than a simple performance hierarchy. The AMD FirePro W2100, built on GCN 1.0, and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M, based on Kepler, are separated by only a few percentage points in average score, yet their individual strengths point to very different use cases.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data reveals a clear division of labor between these two GPUs. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the AMD FirePro W2100 decisively outperforms the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M, scoring 4093 against 3580. This represents a 14.3% advantage for the AMD part, a substantial margin that suggests the FirePro’s compute-oriented architecture holds a significant edge in this particular workload. This is not a marginal win; it is a dominant one, placing the FirePro W2100 well ahead of its competitor in raw OpenCL compute throughput.

However, the tables turn completely in the Geekbench Vulkan test. Here, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M strikes back with a score of 5502, leaving the AMD FirePro W2100’s 4497 in the dust. The deltaPct of -18.3% for the AMD card indicates that the NVIDIA part is a full 18.3% faster in this API. This is an even larger margin than AMD’s OpenCL win, showing that the GeForce GT 745M has a profound advantage for Vulkan performance. The data suggests that NVIDIA’s Kepler architecture, despite being older, has a more efficient implementation of the Vulkan API, or that its driver stack is better optimized for this modern graphics interface.

The aggregate benchmark scores reflect this split. The AMD FirePro W2100 has an average benchmark score of 4295, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M sits at 3953. This puts the AMD part ahead by roughly 8.7% on average, but this number is heavily influenced by the OpenCL result and does not tell the full story. Looking at the percentile rankings, the FirePro W2100 sits at the 25th percentile of all GPUs, while the GeForce GT 745M is just below at the 23rd percentile. This shows that both are low-to-mid-range performers in the grand scheme of things, but the AMD card has a slight edge in overall standing.

The nearest rivals for each card further contextualize their performance. The AMD FirePro W2100’s closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M, with an average score of 4282, a mere 0.3% difference. It also trades blows with the AMD Radeon Vega 3 and the NVIDIA Quadro K3000M. Meanwhile, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M is statistically tied with the AMD Radeon R5 M420 and the NVIDIA GeForce 830M, with deltas of only -0.1%. This indicates that while the two cards are in a similar performance class, they are anchored to different groups of rivals, suggesting they occupy slightly different niches in the market.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data paints a clear picture for use-case scenarios. The AMD FirePro W2100 is the clear winner in any workload that leverages OpenCL. This makes it the more suitable option for general-purpose GPU computing tasks, such as those found in scientific simulation, video encoding, or other compute-intensive applications that rely on this API. The 14.3% lead in OpenCL is not trivial and would translate to noticeably faster processing times in these environments. The FirePro’s professional heritage, with its "FirePro" branding and DisplayPort outputs, further suggests it was designed for workstation tasks that often utilize OpenCL for acceleration.

Conversely, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M is the champion of Vulkan-based applications. This includes modern game engines and graphics applications that have adopted Vulkan for its low overhead and high performance. The 18.3% lead in Vulkan is a massive advantage, making the GeForce GT 745M the better choice for any workload that is primarily graphics-driven and uses this API. The fact that the GT 745M is a GeForce part, a line typically associated with consumer gaming, aligns with this strength in a modern graphics API.

The average benchmark scores suggest a more nuanced view. The AMD FirePro W2100’s higher average score of 4295, compared to the GT 745M’s 3953, indicates that it may be the better all-rounder if you average out both tests. However, this is a misleading metric. If your software is Vulkan-based, the NVIDIA card is simply the better performer. If your software is OpenCL-based, the AMD card is the better performer. There is no clear "winner" across all scenarios; the choice is entirely dependent on the software stack you plan to use. The wins are split evenly at one apiece, highlighting this perfect dichotomy.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD FirePro W2100 has a higher average benchmark score of 4295, compared to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M’s 3953.

Q: How much faster is the AMD FirePro W2100 in OpenCL?

A: The AMD FirePro W2100 scores 4093 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 14.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M’s score of 3580.

Q: Is the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M better at any API?

A: Yes, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M is significantly better at Vulkan, scoring 5502 compared to the AMD FirePro W2100’s 4497, an 18.3% advantage.

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

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M has a memory bandwidth of 64.00 GB/s, while the AMD FirePro W2100 has a bandwidth of 28.80 GB/s.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor count?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M has a higher transistor count of 1,270 million, while the AMD FirePro W2100 has 950 million transistors.

Q: How do these cards rank against all other GPUs?

A: The AMD FirePro W2100 is in the 25th percentile of all GPUs, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M is in the 23rd percentile.

Specification Differences

The two cards diverge significantly in their core specifications, which helps explain their benchmark performance. The AMD FirePro W2100 has a base clock of 630 MHz and a boost clock of 680 MHz, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M’s clock speeds are not listed in the data. The memory configuration is a major point of difference. The FirePro W2100 uses 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, resulting in a bandwidth of 28.80 GB/s. The GeForce GT 745M, on the other hand, uses 2 GB of faster GDDR5 memory on the same 128-bit bus, yielding a much higher bandwidth of 64.00 GB/s. This 2.2x bandwidth advantage for NVIDIA is a key factor in its Vulkan performance.

The compute units also differ. The AMD FirePro W2100 has 320 shading units, 20 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 8 raster operation units (ROPs). The NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M has more of everything: 384 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. Despite having fewer compute units, the AMD card achieves a higher pixel rate of 5.440 GPixel/s compared to the GT 745M’s 4.392 GPixel/s. In texture rate, the NVIDIA card wins with 17.57 GTexel/s versus the AMD card’s 13.60 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is nearly identical, with the FirePro W2100 at 435.2 GFLOPS and the GT 745M at 421.6 GFLOPS.

The power and physical characteristics are also very different. The AMD FirePro W2100 has a TDP of 26 W and is a single-slot card with no power connectors, requiring a 200 W suggested PSU. It has a length of 168 mm and a height of 69 mm. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M, in contrast, is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a higher TDP of 45 W. It has no listed dimensions or power connector requirements and its display outputs are described as "Portable Device Dependent," reflecting its mobile nature. The bus interface also differs, with the FirePro using PCIe 3.0 x8 and the GT 745M using PCIe 3.0 x16.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is fundamental. The AMD FirePro W2100 is built on the GCN 1.0 architecture, using a chip codenamed "Oland." It is manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 77 mm² and 950 million transistors. This results in a transistor density of 12.3M per mm². The NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M, on the other hand, uses the Kepler architecture with the GK107 chip. It is also on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but has a larger die size of 118 mm² and a higher transistor count of 1,270 million. Its transistor density is slightly lower at 10.8M per mm².

The API support reveals some differences. The AMD FirePro W2100 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and a slightly newer Vulkan version, 1.2.175. The fact that the NVIDIA part has a higher Vulkan version number could partially explain its strong performance in the Vulkan benchmark. The generation names also highlight their intended markets: the FirePro W2100 is part of the "FirePro GCN (Wx100)" generation, while the GT 745M belongs to the "GeForce 700M" series. Their predecessors and successors also differ, with the FirePro coming from the FirePro Terascale and leading to Radeon Pro Polaris, while the GT 745M follows the GeForce 600M and precedes the GeForce 800M.

The Verdict

The data presents a straightforward, albeit split, verdict. For users whose primary applications are built on OpenCL, the AMD FirePro W2100 is the clear choice. Its 14.3% lead in the OpenCL benchmark is significant, and its higher average benchmark score of 4295 reinforces its position as the stronger compute performer. This card is well-suited for professional workstation tasks that leverage OpenCL acceleration, especially given its dedicated display outputs and lower 26 W TDP, which suggests it is designed for a stable, workstation environment.

For users who prioritize Vulkan performance, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M is the definitive winner. Its 18.3% advantage in the Vulkan benchmark is even more pronounced than AMD’s OpenCL lead. This makes it the better option for modern gaming or any application that has adopted the Vulkan API. The GT 745M’s higher memory bandwidth of 64.00 GB/s likely contributes to this performance, and its status as a mobile IGP part makes it a more natural fit for a laptop or portable device.

The choice ultimately comes down to software compatibility. A user who primarily runs OpenCL-based software should pick the AMD FirePro W2100 without hesitation. A user who runs Vulkan-based games or applications should pick the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M. The one-win-each benchmark split shows there is no universal winner here. The 25th and 23rd percentile rankings for the AMD and NVIDIA cards, respectively, show that neither is a high-performance part by modern standards, but within their class, they each excel in a specific domain. Picking the wrong one for your workload would mean leaving a substantial amount of performance on the table.