AMD FirePro W4170M vs AMD Radeon R7 M260 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark database records a single head-to-head comparison between the AMD FirePro W4170M and the AMD Radeon R7 M260, and the result is decisive. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the FirePro W4170M scores 5,034 points against 3,708 points for the Radeon R7 M260. That is a 35.8% advantage for the FirePro part, a substantial gap that places these two mobile graphics solutions in different performance tiers despite sharing several core specifications.

The OpenCL score is a synthetic workload that measures raw compute throughput across a range of parallel tasks, and here the FirePro W4170M's lead is not marginal. A 35.8% delta means the FirePro delivers roughly a third more compute performance in this test. For any application that offloads general-purpose GPU work, such as video encoding, physics simulation, or image processing, that difference will manifest as clearly shorter processing times. The Radeon R7 M260, by contrast, trails noticeably in this same metric, suggesting its real-world OpenCL performance will be measurably slower.

Looking at the broader database context, the FirePro W4170M sits at the 30th percentile among all GPUs, while the Radeon R7 M260 sits at the 26th percentile. The percentile ranking reflects where each card lands relative to the entire pool of recorded graphics processors, and the four-point gap between them aligns with the OpenCL result. The FirePro's average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 5,034, while the Radeon R7 M260's average is 4,499, a difference of 535 points. The Radeon's average is pulled down by its OpenCL result, though it does have a separate Vulkan score of 5,289 that is not part of the head-to-head comparison.

The nearest rivals in the database further contextualize each card's standing. The FirePro W4170M's closest competitor is the AMD Radeon R7 M340, which scores 5,063 (0.6% higher), and the AMD Radeon R7 240, also at 5,063 (0.6% higher). The FirePro also edges out the AMD Radeon R5 M430 (5,018, 0.3% lower) and the AMD Radeon R7 Graphics (4,998, 0.7% lower). This places the FirePro W4170M in a tight cluster of similarly performing GPUs, where small margins separate one from the next. The Radeon R7 M260's nearest rivals tell a similar story of density: the AMD FirePro W4190M scores 4,505 (0.1% lower), the Intel HD Graphics P530 scores 4,560 (1.3% higher), the AMD Radeon RX 560 scores 4,569 (1.5% higher), and the AMD Radeon R5 M230 scores 4,577 (1.7% higher). The Radeon R7 M260 sits within a narrow band of competitors, all within roughly two percentage points of each other.

The head-to-head record shows one win for the FirePro W4170M and zero wins for the Radeon R7 M260. While only one benchmark test is recorded for this pairing, the magnitude of the FirePro's victory is significant enough to establish a clear performance hierarchy. The data does not indicate any test where the Radeon R7 M260 overtakes the FirePro W4170M.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The AMD FirePro W4170M scores 5,034 points, while the AMD Radeon R7 M260 scores 3,708 points, giving the FirePro a 35.8% advantage.

Q: How does the Radeon R7 M260's Vulkan score compare to its OpenCL score?

A: The Radeon R7 M260 records a Vulkan score of 5,289, which is significantly higher than its OpenCL score of 3,708. However, no Vulkan result is recorded for the FirePro W4170M in the database.

Q: Are both GPUs based on the same architecture?

A: No. The FirePro W4170M uses the GCN 1.0 architecture with the Opal chip, while the Radeon R7 M260 uses the GCN 3.0 architecture with the Topaz chip.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each card in the database?

A: For the FirePro W4170M, the nearest rivals are the Radeon R7 M340 and Radeon R7 240 (both 5,063, 0.6% higher), the Radeon R5 M430 (5,018, 0.3% lower), and the Radeon R7 Graphics (4,998, 0.7% lower). For the Radeon R7 M260, the nearest rivals are the FirePro W4190M (4,505, 0.1% lower), Intel HD Graphics P530 (4,560, 1.3% higher), Radeon RX 560 (4,569, 1.5% higher), and Radeon R5 M230 (4,577, 1.7% higher).

Q: Which GPU has the higher pixel and texture rates?

A: The Radeon R7 M260 has a pixel rate of 7.840 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 23.52 GTexel/s, both higher than the FirePro W4170M's 7.200 GPixel/s and 21.60 GTexel/s.

Q: What memory configurations do the two GPUs use?

A: The FirePro W4170M uses 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth, while the Radeon R7 M260 uses 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus with 14.40 GB/s bandwidth.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different generations of AMD's graphics core designs, and the architectural gap is evident in their specifications. The FirePro W4170M is built on GCN 1.0, the original Graphics Core Next architecture, using the Opal chip. The Radeon R7 M260, meanwhile, uses GCN 3.0 with the Topaz chip, a later iteration of the same fundamental design philosophy. Both are fabricated on TSMC's 28 nm process, and both use the same foundry, but the chips themselves differ considerably in scale.

The transistor counts tell the story of the generational leap. The FirePro's Opal chip packs 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.3 million per square millimeter. The Radeon R7 M260's Topaz chip contains 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, with a density of 12.4 million per square millimeter. The Radeon chip is physically larger by 48 mm² and carries 600 million more transistors. The density figures are nearly identical, which reflects the same manufacturing process, but the larger die allows the Radeon to implement a newer architecture with more overhead.

The DirectX support differs notably. The FirePro W4170M supports DirectX 12 (11_1), meaning it meets the DirectX 11.1 feature level under the DirectX 12 API. The Radeon R7 M260 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), the full DirectX 12 feature level. This is a meaningful distinction for compatibility with modern games and applications that require specific DirectX 12 features. Both cards support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170, so their API coverage is otherwise identical.

The memory subsystems reflect a major architectural divergence. The FirePro W4170M uses GDDR5 memory, the higher-bandwidth standard of its era, with a 128-bit bus. The Radeon R7 M260 uses DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus. This is not merely a specification difference; it changes how the GPU feeds its compute units. The FirePro's memory operates at 1000 MHz with 4 Gbps effective data rate, while the Radeon's memory runs at 900 MHz with 1800 Mbps effective. The bandwidth figures, 64.00 GB/s versus 14.40 GB/s, show a 4.4x difference in memory throughput.

The FP16 capability is another architectural distinction. The Radeon R7 M260 records FP16 performance of 752.6 GFLOPS at a 1:1 ratio with its FP32 throughput. The FirePro W4170M has no recorded FP16 figure, indicating it lacks the same half-precision support or that it was not measured. For workloads that leverage FP16 arithmetic, such as certain machine learning inference tasks, the Radeon has a structural advantage, even though its overall compute is lower.

Specification Differences

The two cards share several core specifications: both have 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units, 8 render output units, and no dedicated ray tracing or tensor cores. Both use a PCIe 3.0 x8 bus interface, and both are classified as end-of-life products. The differences emerge across clock speeds, memory, and compute throughput.

The Radeon R7 M260 runs at higher clocks. Its base clock is 940 MHz and its boost clock is 980 MHz, compared to the FirePro W4170M's 825 MHz base and 900 MHz boost. The gap in boost clocks is 80 MHz, which translates to higher pixel and texture rates for the Radeon: 7.840 GPixel/s versus 7.200 GPixel/s, and 23.52 GTexel/s versus 21.60 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute also favors the Radeon, at 752.6 GFLOPS versus 691.2 GFLOPS, a 61.4 GFLOPS difference.

The memory subsystems are sharply different. The FirePro W4170M has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth and a 4 Gbps effective data rate. The Radeon R7 M260 has 2 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus with 14.40 GB/s bandwidth and 1800 Mbps effective data rate. The FirePro's memory bandwidth is more than four times higher, which likely explains its large OpenCL lead despite lower clock speeds.

The physical formats also differ. The FirePro W4170M is an MXM Module with no power connectors, while the Radeon R7 M260 has no recorded slot width or power connector information. The FirePro lists its display outputs as "Portable Device Dependent," while the Radeon has no display output data recorded. The release dates place the FirePro first: April 22, 2015, versus June 10, 2014 for the Radeon. The FirePro's predecessor is FirePro Mobility and its successor is Radeon Pro Mobile, while the Radeon's predecessor is Solar System and its successor is Polaris Mobile.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear choice for compute-oriented workloads. The AMD FirePro W4170M wins the only recorded head-to-head benchmark by a wide 35.8% margin, despite having lower clock speeds and lower peak FP32 throughput. The explanation lies in its memory subsystem: GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus delivering 64.00 GB/s, versus DDR3 on a 64-bit bus delivering 14.40 GB/s. Memory bandwidth often bottlenecks GPU compute in OpenCL-style workloads, and the FirePro's 4.4x bandwidth advantage overcomes its clock speed deficit.

The Radeon R7 M260 is not without merits. Its GCN 3.0 architecture supports full DirectX 12 (12_0), a feature level the FirePro cannot match with its DirectX 12 (11_1) compatibility. It also has higher pixel and texture rates, and it records a Vulkan score of 5,289 that suggests stronger performance in Vulkan-based applications. For games or software that rely on DirectX 12 feature level 12_0 or Vulkan, the Radeon may perform better than its OpenCL score implies.

However, the benchmark database records no scenario where the Radeon R7 M260 beats the FirePro W4170M. The FirePro's percentile ranking of 30 versus the Radeon's 26, combined with the 35.8% OpenCL victory, establishes the FirePro as the higher-performing card in aggregate. Buyers who prioritize compute throughput, memory bandwidth, or general GPU acceleration should choose the FirePro W4170M. Buyers who need DirectX 12 feature level 12_0 support or who plan to use Vulkan-heavy applications may find the Radeon R7 M260 more suitable, but they should expect lower OpenCL performance. The data favors the FirePro W4170M for most use cases.