AMD FirePro W4100 vs AMD Radeon R7 M445 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data positions these two AMD mobile and workstation oriented GPUs very closely, but with distinct identities. The AMD FirePro W4100 holds a narrow performance lead in the only shared test, the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark, scoring 5478 against the Radeon R7 M445's 5358, a 2.2% advantage. However, the database places the FirePro W4100 at the 34th percentile of all GPUs, while the Radeon R7 M445 sits at the 31st percentile, confirming that both are firmly in the entry-level segment. The FirePro W4100 is the pick for users who need a dedicated, single-slot card with multiple display outputs and a desktop-friendly form factor. The Radeon R7 M445 is the pick for users who require a compact, integrated GPU solution for a portable device, offering double the memory capacity (4 GB versus 2 GB) and a newer DirectX 12 feature level, but with a narrower memory bus and lower raw throughput. Neither card is a performance powerhouse; the data shows they are closely matched, with the FirePro W4100 edging ahead in compute tasks while the R7 M445 offers a more modern feature set and greater memory capacity.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The AMD FirePro W4100 is faster, scoring 5478 compared to the AMD Radeon R7 M445's 5358, a 2.2% difference.

Q: How do these two GPUs compare in overall performance percentiles?

A: The FirePro W4100 is at the 34th percentile of all GPUs, while the Radeon R7 M445 is at the 31st percentile, indicating the FirePro holds a slightly higher overall standing in the database.

Q: Which GPU has more memory and what is the configuration?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M445 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus, while the AMD FirePro W4100 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus.

Q: What are the closest rivals for each GPU according to the database?

A: The FirePro W4100's nearest rival is the NVIDIA Quadro K4000M, with an average score of 5986 and a 0% delta. The Radeon R7 M445's nearest rival is the Intel UHD Graphics P630, with an average score of 5370 and a delta of -0.2%.

Q: Which GPU supports a newer DirectX version?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M445 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the AMD FirePro W4100 supports DirectX 12 (11_1).

Q: What is the form factor of each GPU?

A: The FirePro W4100 is a single-slot card, 171 mm long and 69 mm high. The Radeon R7 M445 is an integrated GPU (IGP) with no listed dimensions, as it is designed for portable devices.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is significant despite both being built on a 28 nm TSMC process. The AMD FirePro W4100 uses the Cape Verde chip, based on the older GCN 1.0 architecture, and belongs to the FirePro GCN (Wx100) generation. The AMD Radeon R7 M445 uses the Meso chip, based on the newer GCN 3.0 architecture, and belongs to the Gem System (R7 M400) generation. This generational shift is reflected in their feature support: the R7 M445 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), a full step above the FirePro's DirectX 12 (11_1) support. Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170, so API compatibility in those areas is identical.

The transistor counts are nearly identical, with the FirePro at 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, and the R7 M445 at 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die. Transistor density is also close: 12.2M per mm² for the FirePro versus 12.4M per mm² for the R7 M445. However, the execution resources are very different. The FirePro W4100 packs 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 render output units. The Radeon R7 M445 has 320 shading units, 20 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. This means the FirePro has 60% more shading units, 60% more TMUs, and double the ROPs, giving it a structural advantage in raw compute and pixel throughput. The R7 M445 compensates with a newer architecture and a higher boost clock, but the core count disparity is a fundamental difference.

Another notable architectural difference is the memory subsystem. The FirePro W4100 uses a 128-bit memory bus with a bandwidth of 64.00 GB/s, while the R7 M445 uses a 64-bit bus with a bandwidth of 32.00 GB/s. The FirePro offers exactly double the memory bandwidth. The R7 M445 does have double the memory capacity at 4 GB versus 2 GB, but the FirePro's wider bus and higher bandwidth are more impactful for compute workloads. The FirePro is a discrete card with a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface and four mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, while the R7 M445 is an IGP with a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface and display outputs that are dependent on the portable device. The FirePro also has a defined 50 W TDP and a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the R7 M445 has no TDP listed, reflecting its integrated nature.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets for these two GPUs diverge on nearly every major field. The FirePro W4100 has no listed base or boost clock, while the R7 M445 has a base clock of 780 MHz and a boost clock of 920 MHz. Memory clocks are identical at 1000 MHz, or 4 Gbps effective. Memory size differs: 2 GB for the FirePro versus 4 GB for the R7 M445. Memory type is the same, GDDR5, but bus width is 128 bit versus 64 bit, and bandwidth is 64.00 GB/s versus 32.00 GB/s.

The compute resources are starkly different. The FirePro has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The R7 M445 has 320 shading units, 20 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. Pixel rate is 10.08 GPixel/s for the FirePro versus 7.360 GPixel/s for the R7 M445. Texture rate is 20.16 GTexel/s versus 18.40 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 645.1 GFLOPS for the FirePro versus 588.8 GFLOPS for the R7 M445. The R7 M445 lists FP16 performance at 588.8 GFLOPS (1:1), while the FirePro has no FP16 listing.

Form factor and connectivity are also different. The FirePro is a single-slot card measuring 171 mm in length and 69 mm in height, with no power connectors required. The R7 M445 is an IGP with no dimensions listed. Bus interface is PCIe 3.0 x16 for the FirePro versus PCIe 3.0 x8 for the R7 M445. Display outputs are 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 for the FirePro versus "Portable Device Dependent" for the R7 M445. The FirePro has a 50 W TDP and a suggested PSU of 250 W; the R7 M445 has neither listed. Release dates differ as well: the FirePro was released on 2014-08-12, while the R7 M445 came later on 2016-05-14. Both are end-of-life, but the FirePro's predecessor is FirePro Terascale and its successor is Radeon Pro Polaris, while the R7 M445's predecessor is Solar System and its successor is Polaris Mobile.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct head-to-head benchmark in the database is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and it produces a close result. The AMD FirePro W4100 scores 5478, winning over the AMD Radeon R7 M445's score of 5358, a delta of 2.2%. This is a narrow margin, but it is a clean win for the FirePro, and it is consistent with the overall percentile rankings: the FirePro sits at the 34th percentile while the R7 M445 sits at the 31st percentile. The gap is small enough that it suggests these two GPUs are essentially interchangeable in raw compute tasks, but it does favor the FirePro.

The FirePro's win in OpenCL can be traced to its broader memory bus and higher shader count. With 512 shading units versus 320, and a 128-bit bus versus 64-bit, the FirePro has a structural edge in parallel compute. The R7 M445's higher boost clock, 920 MHz versus no listed clock for the FirePro, helps it close some of the gap, but not enough to overcome the core deficit. The Geekbench OpenCL score is the only shared metric, so it is the definitive comparison in this matchup. The FirePro also has a higher average benchmark score of 5987 across all tests, while the R7 M445 has an average of 5358, but this average is based on different test sets, so it is not a direct comparison. The FirePro has two benchmark entries (Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan), while the R7 M445 has only one (Geekbench OpenCL), which limits the scope of the comparison.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD FirePro W4100 wins in every directly measured benchmark category. It wins the Geekbench OpenCL test by 2.2%, and it has a higher average benchmark score of 5987 versus 5358. It also has superior memory bandwidth at 64.00 GB/s versus 32.00 GB/s, higher pixel rate at 10.08 GPixel/s versus 7.360 GPixel/s, higher texture rate at 20.16 GTexel/s versus 18.40 GTexel/s, and higher FP32 performance at 645.1 GFLOPS versus 588.8 GFLOPS. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro K4000M at 5986 with a 0% delta and the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server at 5996 with a -0.2% delta, showing it is competitive with a broad range of professional and consumer GPUs. The FirePro is the stronger choice for compute workloads, multi-display setups, and any task that benefits from a wider memory bus and more shading units.

The AMD Radeon R7 M445 wins in the areas of memory capacity and API modernity. It offers 4 GB of GDDR5 memory versus 2 GB, which is a clear advantage for workloads that require larger datasets to be held in VRAM. It supports DirectX 12 (12_0) versus DirectX 12 (11_1), making it more aligned with modern game and application requirements. It also has a higher boost clock of 920 MHz, which can help in lightly threaded or clock-sensitive tasks. Its nearest rivals include the Intel UHD Graphics P630 at 5370 with a -0.2% delta and the NVIDIA GeForce 840M at 5322 with a 0.7% delta, indicating it is competitive with integrated and entry-level mobile GPUs. The R7 M445 is the better fit for a portable device where space and power are constrained, and where the larger memory pool and newer DirectX feature level are more valuable than raw bandwidth.