AMD FirePro W4100 vs AMD Radeon Vega 8 Mobile Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data positions the AMD Radeon Vega 8 Mobile as the clear performance leader between these two end-of-life GPUs. It wins both recorded head-to-head tests, with a decisive 35.7% advantage in Geekbench OpenCL and a narrower 7.3% lead in Geekbench Vulkan. The Vega 8 Mobile also holds a higher average benchmark score of 7203, placing it in the 39th percentile of all GPUs, while the FirePro W4100 averages 5987 and sits in the 34th percentile. For any workload that leans on compute throughput, the Vega IGP is the stronger choice.

However, the FirePro W4100 is not without purpose. Its dedicated 2 GB GDDR5 memory on a 128 bit bus delivers 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth, which is fixed and independent of system memory. The Vega 8 Mobile relies on System Shared memory with bandwidth that is System Dependent, meaning its performance can vary based on the host platform's memory configuration. The W4100 also provides four mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, making it a practical option for multi-monitor professional setups where the Vega 8 Mobile's display outputs are Portable Device Dependent. Users who need deterministic memory performance and dedicated display outputs should consider the W4100, while those prioritizing raw compute scores should pick the Vega 8 Mobile.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different eras of AMD's design lineage. The Radeon Vega 8 Mobile uses the Raven-M chip built on GCN 5.0 architecture, fabricated by GlobalFoundries on a 14 nm process. It packs 4,940 million transistors into a 210 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 23.5M per mm². The FirePro W4100, in contrast, uses the Cape Verde chip on the older GCN 1.0 architecture, manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process, with 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die and a density of 12.2M per mm².

The transistor and density gap reflects the generational leap. The Vega 8 Mobile integrates more than three times the transistors of the W4100 on a die that is only about 70% larger, a direct result of the denser 14 nm node. Both GPUs share the same count of 512 shading units and 32 texture mapping units. The W4100 has twice the ROPs, 16 versus 8, which explains its higher pixel rate of 10.08 GPixel/s compared to 8.808 GPixel/s for the Vega 8 Mobile. Texture rate tells the opposite story: the Vega 8 Mobile reaches 35.23 GTexel/s while the W4100 manages 20.16 GTexel/s. The Vega 8 Mobile also delivers 1,127.4 GFLOPS of FP32 compute against 645.1 GFLOPS for the W4100, and it supports FP16 at 2.255 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, a feature the W4100 lacks entirely.

API support differs as well. The Vega 8 Mobile lists DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The W4100 lists DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The newer Vulkan revision and higher DirectX feature level give the Vega 8 Mobile an edge in modern API compatibility.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded test data shows the Vega 8 Mobile winning both comparisons. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 7435 against 5478 for the W4100, a delta of 35.7%. This is the largest margin in the head-to-head set and aligns with the raw FP32 and texture rate advantages. The Vega 8 Mobile's 1,127.4 GFLOPS versus 645.1 GFLOPS more than explains the OpenCL gap, as does its 35.23 GTexel/s texture throughput versus 20.16 GTexel/s.

The Geekbench Vulkan test is closer. The Vega 8 Mobile scores 6970, the W4100 scores 6496, a 7.3% delta. Vulkan results reflect driver efficiency and API implementation as much as raw hardware, and the W4100's older GCN 1.0 architecture with Vulkan 1.2.170 support narrows the distance. Still, the newer architecture wins.

The average benchmark scores reinforce the pattern. The Vega 8 Mobile's average of 7203 sits close to its individual scores, while the W4100's average of 5987 is slightly above its OpenCL result but below its Vulkan result. The nearest rival data provides context: the Vega 8 Mobile's closest competitor, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750, averages 7222, a delta of -0.3%, meaning the Vega 8 Mobile and that card are effectively tied. The FirePro W4100's nearest rival, the NVIDIA Quadro K4000M, averages 5986, a delta of 0%, indicating identical average performance.

The percentile rankings tell a broader story. The Vega 8 Mobile at the 39th percentile is five points above the W4100 at the 34th percentile. In percentage terms, the gap between the pair in average score is 16.9% in favor of the Vega 8 Mobile, though the head-to-head table only lists the two specific test deltas.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every hardware category. The Vega 8 Mobile is an IGP with a 25 W TDP, while the W4100 is a single-slot add-in card with a 50 W TDP. The W4100 lists a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the Vega 8 Mobile has no suggested PSU, as it draws from the host system's power delivery. Neither card requires power connectors.

Memory is a fundamental split. The Vega 8 Mobile uses System Shared memory with System Shared size, type, and bus width, and its bandwidth is System Dependent. The W4100 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128 bit bus with 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth and a memory clock of 1000 MHz, listed as 4 Gbps effective. The Vega 8 Mobile's clock behavior is explicit: 300 MHz base and 1101 MHz boost. The W4100 has no listed base or boost clocks, only its memory clock.

The bus interface differs: the Vega 8 Mobile uses an IGP connection, while the W4100 uses PCIe 3.0 x16. Physical dimensions are only provided for the W4100: 171 mm in length (6.7 inches) and 69 mm in height (2.7 inches). Display outputs for the W4100 are four mini-DisplayPort 1.2 connectors; the Vega 8 Mobile's outputs are Portable Device Dependent.

The transistor, die, and process figures are already detailed in the architecture section, but the summary is that the Vega 8 Mobile uses more transistors on a denser, newer process. The W4100's predecessor is FirePro Terascale and its successor is Radeon Pro Polaris, while the Vega 8 Mobile's predecessor is GCN 3.0 IGP and its successor is Navi II IGP. Release dates differ by over four years: the Vega 8 Mobile launched in 2019, the W4100 in 2014.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 Mobile averages 7203, which is 16.9% higher than the AMD FirePro W4100's average of 5987. The Vega 8 Mobile also ranks in the 39th percentile of all GPUs, while the W4100 ranks in the 34th.

Q: How much faster is the Vega 8 Mobile in OpenCL?

A: The Vega 8 Mobile scores 7435 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the W4100 scores 5478. That is a 35.7% advantage for the Vega 8 Mobile, the largest margin in any recorded test.

Q: Does the FirePro W4100 beat the Vega 8 Mobile in any benchmark?

A: No. The W4100 loses both head-to-head tests. In Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 6496 against 6970, a 7.3% deficit, and in Geekbench OpenCL it trails by 35.7%.

Q: What memory configuration does each GPU use?

A: The Vega 8 Mobile uses System Shared memory with System Dependent bandwidth, meaning performance depends on the host system. The W4100 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128 bit bus with 64.00 GB/s of fixed bandwidth.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in compute throughput?

A: The Vega 8 Mobile delivers 1,127.4 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the W4100 delivers 645.1 GFLOPS. The Vega 8 Mobile also supports FP16 at 2.255 TFLOPS, while the W4100 has no FP16 capability listed.

Q: Which GPU has more display outputs?

A: The W4100 has four mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs. The Vega 8 Mobile's display outputs are listed as Portable Device Dependent, so its connectivity depends on the device it is integrated into.