AMD FirePro W4190M vs AMD Radeon R8 M445DX Comparison

The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX and AMD FirePro W4190M are both end-of-life mobile GPUs from AMD, but the benchmark data shows a clear, if narrow, winner. In the single Geekbench OpenCL test provided, the Radeon R8 M445DX scores 4727, which is 4.9% higher than the FirePro W4190M’s 4505. While this makes the R8 M445DX the faster part in raw compute, the FirePro W4190M counters with a dedicated memory interface and a higher transistor count per compute unit, making it a more specialized, if less powerful, option for professional workloads. The choice hinges on whether you prioritize raw compute speed or dedicated memory resources.

The Verdict

Pick the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX if your priority is maximum OpenCL compute performance. The data is unambiguous on this point: it wins the only head-to-head benchmark, and its 4727 score places it in the 27th percentile of all GPUs, slightly ahead of its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon R5 M335 (4752, -0.5%). Its 4.9% lead over the FirePro W4190M in Geekbench OpenCL is a real, measurable advantage. This is the card for users who need the absolute best compute throughput from these two options, even though it relies on system memory.

Pick the AMD FirePro W4190M if you need a dedicated, self-contained memory pool. The data shows the FirePro has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth, whereas the R8 M445DX uses "System Shared" memory, making its bandwidth "System Dependent." This is a fundamental architectural difference. The FirePro’s dedicated memory means its performance is not tied to the system RAM’s speed or availability, which can be a critical advantage in professional applications that require predictable memory latency and capacity. The R8 M445DX’s percentile rank of 27 is only one point higher than the FirePro’s 26, showing they are in the same performance class, making the FirePro’s memory setup a decisive factor for its intended use case.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX wins in raw compute performance. It achieves a higher pixel rate (8.168 GPixel/s vs. 7.200 GPixel/s), a higher boost clock (1021 MHz vs. 900 MHz), and a higher FP32 throughput of 653.4 GFLOPS. While the FirePro has more shading units (384 vs. 320), the R8’s higher clocks and newer GCN 3.0 architecture allow it to post a higher Geekbench OpenCL score. For tasks that are purely about shader computation and are not limited by memory bandwidth, the R8 M445DX is the superior choice.

The AMD FirePro W4190M wins in memory and specialization. Its 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory with a 128-bit bus and 64.00 GB/s bandwidth is a decisive advantage over the R8’s shared memory setup. The FirePro also has a higher texture rate (21.60 GTexel/s vs. 20.42 GTexel/s) due to its 24 TMUs, which can help in texture-heavy workloads. It is part of the FirePro Mobile (Wx100M) generation, a professional lineup, and its predecessor is "FirePro Mobility," indicating a lineage focused on professional mobile graphics. The R8 M445DX, in contrast, is from the "Gem System Hybrid" generation, which points to an integrated or hybrid design.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on different generations of the Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture. The Radeon R8 M445DX uses GCN 3.0 with the "Meso" chip, while the FirePro W4190M uses the older GCN 1.0 with the "Opal" chip. Both are fabricated on TSMC’s 28 nm process, but the R8’s chip is significantly larger, with 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, compared to the FirePro’s 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die. This gives the R8 a higher transistor density (12.4M / mm² vs. 12.3M / mm²).

The compute unit configurations differ. The FirePro has more shading units (384 vs. 320) and more texture mapping units (24 vs. 20), but both have 8 ROPs. The R8 compensates for fewer cores with higher clocks: its base is 780 MHz and boost is 1021 MHz, while the FirePro’s base is 825 MHz and boost is 900 MHz. The R8’s FP32 output is 653.4 GFLOPS, and its FP16 is also 653.4 GFLOPS (1:1), while the FirePro’s FP32 is 691.2 GFLOPS, and it has no listed FP16 capability.

Memory is the starkest difference. The R8 M445DX uses "System Shared" memory, with a "System Dependent" bandwidth. The FirePro W4190M has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, offering a fixed 64.00 GB/s. The R8 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the FirePro supports DirectX 12 (11_1), a slight version difference. Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX is faster, scoring 4727 compared to the AMD FirePro W4190M’s 4505. This represents a 4.9% performance advantage for the R8.

Q: Does the FirePro W4190M have a significant advantage in memory?

A: Yes. The FirePro has 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory with a 128-bit bus and a fixed 64.00 GB/s bandwidth. The R8 M445DX uses shared system memory, so its bandwidth is described as "System Dependent."

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD FirePro W4190M has more shading units, with 384, compared to the 320 found in the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX.

Q: What are the architectural generations of these two GPUs?

A: The Radeon R8 M445DX is based on the GCN 3.0 architecture, using the Meso chip. The FirePro W4190M is based on the older GCN 1.0 architecture, using the Opal chip.

Q: How do these GPUs compare to their closest rivals?

A: The R8 M445DX is 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon R5 M335 (4752) and 0.9% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro P400 (4684). The FirePro W4190M is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon R7 M260 (4499) and 1.2% behind the Intel HD Graphics P530 (4560).

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX has a higher pixel rate at 8.168 GPixel/s, while the FirePro W4190M achieves 7.200 GPixel/s.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is Geekbench OpenCL, and the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX takes the win with a score of 4727 against the FirePro W4190M’s 4505. This is a 4.9% lead for the R8, a margin that is meaningful but not overwhelming. This suggests the newer GCN 3.0 architecture and higher boost clock (1021 MHz vs. 900 MHz) of the R8 more than compensate for the FirePro’s higher shading unit count (384 vs. 320).

Looking at the rivals, the R8’s score of 4727 places it just 0.5% below the AMD Radeon R5 M335 (4752) and 1.3% below the AMD Radeon R5 M255 (4788). It sits 0.9% above the NVIDIA Quadro P400 (4684). The FirePro’s score of 4505 is 0.1% above the AMD Radeon R7 M260 (4499) but 1.2% below the Intel HD Graphics P530 (4560). The R8’s lead over its rival set is consistent, while the FirePro is closer to the middle of its pack. The 4.9% delta between the two cards is the single largest performance gap in either of their rival lists, confirming that the R8 is the definitive performance winner in this pairing.

Specification Differences

This table highlights only the fields where the two GPUs differ in their specifications.

| Specification | AMD Radeon R8 M445DX | AMD FirePro W4190M |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Architecture | GCN 3.0 | GCN 1.0 |

| Chip | Meso | Opal |

| Generation | Gem System Hybrid (Rx M400) | FirePro Mobile (Wx100M) |

| Transistors | 1,550 million | 950 million |

| Die Size | 125 mm² | 77 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.4M / mm² | 12.3M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 780 MHz | 825 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1021 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 | 320 | 384 |

| TMUs | 20 | 24 |

| Pixel Rate | 8.168 GPixel/s | 7.200 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 20.42 GTexel/s | 21.60 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 653.4 GFLOPS | 691.2 GFLOPS |

| FP16 | 653.4 GFLOPS (1:1) | null |

| Slot Width | IGP | MXM Module |

| Power Connectors | null | None |

| Bus Interface | IGP | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| DirectX | 12 (12_0) | 12 (11_1) |

| Release Date | 2016-05-14 | 2015-11-11 |

| Predecessor | null | FirePro Mobility |

| Successor | null | Radeon Pro Mobile |

| Percentile | 27 | 26 |

| Avg Benchmark Score | 4727 | 4505 |