GPU Comparison

The AMD Radeon 610M and AMD FirePro W4170M represent two distinct eras of mobile graphics, separated by process technology, architectural philosophy, and intended use cases. The Radeon 610M is a modern integrated processor built on a 6 nm process with RDNA 2.0 architecture, while the FirePro W4170M is a dedicated discrete mobile workstation part from the GCN 1.0 generation on a 28 nm node. The data shows a narrow victory for the older FirePro part in the single available benchmark, but a closer look reveals that each GPU has clear strengths in different scenarios.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD FirePro W4170M wins the only direct head-to-head comparison available, taking the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 5034 against the Radeon 610M's 4535, a margin of 9.9%. This result positions the FirePro as the stronger choice for raw compute workloads that rely on OpenCL acceleration, where its dedicated memory subsystem and higher shading unit count provide a tangible advantage. The FirePro's 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs give it a wider execution width, and its 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth means it is not dependent on system memory for its working set.

The AMD Radeon 610M, conversely, wins in scenarios where modern API support and architectural efficiency matter more than raw throughput. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, compared to the FirePro's DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170, making the 610M the better fit for newer game titles and applications that leverage ray tracing or mesh shaders, as it includes 2 dedicated ray tracing cores. The 610M also has a higher pixel rate at 7.600 GPixel/s versus 7.200 GPixel/s, and its boost clock of 1900 MHz far exceeds the FirePro's 900 MHz, which helps in latency-sensitive tasks. For users prioritizing power efficiency, the 610M's 15 W TDP is a clear advantage, whereas the FirePro's TDP is not specified in the data, suggesting it may consume more.

The Radeon 610M's integrated nature also means it is always available in compatible laptops, with no need for a separate MXM module, whereas the FirePro W4170M is an MXM Module form factor, requiring a specific slot and potentially a more substantial cooling solution. In summary, the FirePro wins on legacy compute performance and memory bandwidth, while the Radeon 610M wins on modern feature support, efficiency, and per-clock capability.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is generational. The Radeon 610M is built on RDNA 2.0, a modern architecture designed for high efficiency and feature-rich graphics, while the FirePro W4170M uses GCN 1.0, the original Graphics Core Next design that focused on compute throughput and has since been superseded. The process node difference is stark: the 610M uses a 6 nm TSMC process, while the FirePro uses a 28 nm TSMC process, allowing the newer chip to pack more transistors per area despite its smaller die size of 100 mm² versus 77 mm² for the FirePro.

The FirePro W4170M has a transistor count of 950 million, but the Radeon 610M's transistor count is not listed in the data. The Radeon 610M's RDNA 2.0 architecture brings support for hardware ray tracing via its 2 RT cores, a feature entirely absent from the GCN 1.0-based FirePro, which has no RT cores or tensor cores. The 610M also supports FP16 computation at a 2:1 ratio, delivering 972.8 GFLOPS half-precision versus 486.4 GFLOPS FP32, while the FirePro's FP16 capability is not specified, implying it may not offer a dedicated fast path for half-precision math.

Memory architecture is another key differentiator. The Radeon 610M uses system shared memory, with its bus width and bandwidth described as "System Dependent", meaning performance varies with the host laptop's RAM configuration. The FirePro W4170M, in contrast, has a fixed 2 GB GDDR5 memory pool with a 128-bit bus and 64.00 GB/s bandwidth, ensuring consistent performance regardless of system memory. The 610M's memory clock is also "System Shared," while the FirePro runs at 1000 MHz with 4 Gbps effective throughput. The Radeon 610M uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, while the FirePro uses PCIe 3.0 x8, though this matters less for the integrated 610M, which accesses memory directly. The FirePro is from the FirePro Mobile (Wx100M) generation with a predecessor of FirePro Mobility and a successor of Radeon Pro Mobile, while the 610M is from the Navi II IGP generation with a predecessor of Vega II IGP and a successor of Navi III IGP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark result in the data is a single Geekbench OpenCL run, which the AMD FirePro W4170M wins with a score of 5034 against the AMD Radeon 610M's 4535, a delta of -9.9% from the 610M's perspective. This 499-point gap indicates that the FirePro is roughly 10% faster in this specific compute test, a significant margin that reflects its dedicated memory and higher shading unit count. The FirePro's 384 shading units and 691.2 GFLOPS FP32 throughput provide a raw compute advantage, while the Radeon 610M's 128 shading units and 486.4 GFLOPS FP32 are lower, despite the 610M's much higher clock speeds.

However, the benchmark picture is incomplete without a Vulkan test for the FirePro. The Radeon 610M scores 6353 in Geekbench Vulkan, a test the FirePro does not have a recorded score for. This means the 610M's modern API support translates into a strong Vulkan result, which is likely to be far ahead of what the GCN 1.0 FirePro could achieve, given its older architecture and lack of similar feature support. In the overall benchmark landscape, the Radeon 610M has an average benchmark score of 5444 across both OpenCL and Vulkan tests, while the FirePro's average is 5034 from its single OpenCL run. This suggests that in a mixed workload scenario, the 610M's higher Vulkan score helps it close the gap or surpass the FirePro overall.

In terms of relative standing, the Radeon 610M's 5444 average places it at the 32nd percentile of all GPUs, with rivals including the NVIDIA Quadro M4000 (5467, 0.4% higher) and the AMD Radeon R7 M365X (5416, 0.5% lower). The FirePro W4170M's 5034 average sits at the 30th percentile, with rivals like the AMD Radeon R5 M430 (5018, 0.3% higher) and the AMD Radeon R7 M340 (5063, 0.6% lower). The deltaPct values show that both chips are tightly clustered with their peers, but the 610M's average is genuinely higher, even though the FirePro wins the single head-to-head test.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The AMD FirePro W4170M is faster, scoring 5034 compared to the AMD Radeon 610M's 4535, a 9.9% advantage for the FirePro.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon 610M support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the Radeon 610M has 2 ray tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), which includes ray tracing features. The FirePro W4170M has no RT cores.

Q: How much memory does the AMD FirePro W4170M have?

A: The FirePro W4170M has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth. The Radeon 610M uses system shared memory.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two?

A: The Radeon 610M is built on a 6 nm TSMC process, while the FirePro W4170M uses a 28 nm TSMC process, a significant generational leap.

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Radeon 610M has an average benchmark score of 5444, while the FirePro W4170M's average is 5034, making the 610M higher overall despite losing the single OpenCL test.

Q: What is the form factor of the FirePro W4170M?

A: The FirePro W4170M is an MXM Module, whereas the Radeon 610M is an integrated GPU (IGP) that uses no separate slot width.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon 610M | AMD FirePro W4170M |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | RDNA 2.0 | GCN 1.0 |

| Process Node | 6 nm | 28 nm |

| Die Size | 100 mm² | 77 mm² |

| Transistors | Not specified | 950 million |

| Base Clock | 1500 MHz | 825 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1900 MHz | 900 MHz |

| Memory Size | System Shared | 2 GB |

| Memory Type | System Shared | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | System Shared | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | System Dependent | 64.00 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 128 | 384 |

| TMUs | 8 | 24 |

| ROPs | 4 | 8 |

| RT Cores | 2 | None |

| Pixel Rate | 7.600 GPixel/s | 7.200 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 15.20 GTexel/s | 21.60 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 486.4 GFLOPS | 691.2 GFLOPS |

| FP16 | 972.8 GFLOPS (2:1) | Not specified |

| TDP | 15 W | Not specified |

| Slot Width | IGP | MXM Module |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x8 | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| DirectX Support | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (11_1) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.2.170 |

| Release Date | 2022-09-19 | 2015-04-22 |