AMD FirePro W4190M vs NVIDIA GeForce 830M Comparison

The AMD FirePro W4190M and NVIDIA GeForce 830M are two end-of-life mobile graphics solutions aimed at different segments. The FirePro targets professional workstation tasks, while the GeForce is a consumer notebook part. The recorded benchmark data shows a narrow but consistent lead for the AMD chip in the one shared test, but the architectural and memory differences tell a deeper story.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains a single direct comparison between these two GPUs: the GeekBench OpenCL test. In that test, the AMD FirePro W4190M scores 4505, while the NVIDIA GeForce 830M scores 4324. That is a delta of 4.2% in favor of AMD. This is not a dramatic margin, but it is a measurable win. For context, the FirePro’s score places it at the 26th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the GeForce sits at the 24th percentile. Both are firmly in the lower half of the performance spectrum, but the AMD part edges ahead in raw compute throughput.

Looking at the nearest rivals for each card clarifies the picture. The FirePro W4190M’s closest competitor is the AMD Radeon R7 M260, which averages 4499, putting the FirePro just 0.1% ahead. It also trails the Intel HD Graphics P530 by 1.2% (4560), the AMD Radeon RX 560 by 1.4% (4569), and the AMD Radeon R5 M230 by 1.6% (4577). So while the FirePro wins its direct head-to-head, it is not dominant even among its own peer group. The GeForce 830M, on the other hand, sits nearly dead even with its closest rivals. The AMD Radeon R5 M420 averages 3956, which is a 0% delta, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M averages 3953 (0.1% behind the 830M), the NVIDIA Quadro K2000 averages 3964 (0.2% ahead), and the AMD Radeon HD 6850 X2 averages 3977 (0.5% ahead). The 830M is essentially tied with these parts, whereas the FirePro has a slightly wider, though still small, gap to its nearest competitors.

The 4.2% advantage for the FirePro in OpenCL is consistent with its higher compute specification. The AMD chip has 384 shading units versus 256 on the GeForce, and it delivers 691.2 GFLOPS of FP32 performance compared to 588.8 GFLOPS. That is a 17.4% theoretical compute advantage, even though the real-world benchmark gap is smaller. The GeForce does have a higher clock speed, boosting to 1150 MHz versus 900 MHz on the FirePro, which narrows the gap in practice. But the benchmark result stands: the FirePro wins the only recorded head-to-head test.

There is no Vulkan comparison between the two in the database, but the GeForce 830M does have a GeekBench Vulkan score of 3590. This is below its own OpenCL score of 4324, indicating that the Maxwell architecture performs better under OpenCL in this particular workload. The FirePro has no recorded Vulkan score, so no direct comparison is possible. However, the FirePro lists Vulkan 1.2.170 API support, while the GeForce lists Vulkan 1.4, so the NVIDIA driver stack is more current on that front.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD FirePro W4190M scores 4505, which is 4.2% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 830M’s 4324. This is the only direct head-to-head test recorded in the database.

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

A: The FirePro W4190M is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon R7 M260 (4499) but trails the Intel HD Graphics P530 by 1.2%, the AMD Radeon RX 560 by 1.4%, and the AMD Radeon R5 M230 by 1.6%. The GeForce 830M is essentially tied with the AMD Radeon R5 M420 (0% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M (0.1% behind), and the NVIDIA Quadro K2000 (0.2% behind), while trailing the AMD Radeon HD 6850 X2 by 0.5%.

Q: What memory type do these cards use, and does it matter?

A: The FirePro W4190M uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The GeForce 830M uses 2 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, yielding only 14.40 GB/s. That is a 4.4x difference in memory bandwidth, which heavily favors the AMD part for texture-heavy or bandwidth-sensitive workloads.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 830M has a pixel rate of 9.200 GPixel/s, which is higher than the AMD FirePro W4190M’s 7.200 GPixel/s. This comes from the GeForce’s higher boost clock of 1150 MHz versus 900 MHz, despite both having 8 ROPs.

Q: Do these GPUs support modern graphics APIs?

A: Both support DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.6. The FirePro supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the GeForce supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.4. The NVIDIA part has a newer Vulkan version, but the AMD part has a slightly higher DirectX feature level.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each GPU?

A: The AMD FirePro W4190M has an average benchmark score of 4505, based on its single OpenCL test. The NVIDIA GeForce 830M has an average score of 3957, which is the mean of its OpenCL score of 4324 and its Vulkan score of 3590.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD FirePro W4190M wins in raw compute performance. Its OpenCL score of 4505 beats the GeForce’s 4324, and its FP32 throughput of 691.2 GFLOPS is substantially higher than the 588.8 GFLOPS of the GeForce. The FirePro also has a massive advantage in memory bandwidth: 64.00 GB/s versus 14.40 GB/s. This makes the AMD card the better choice for OpenCL-based compute tasks, data processing, or any workload that is sensitive to memory bandwidth. Its 384 shading units and 24 TMUs also give it more texture-processing capability than the GeForce’s 256 shading units and 16 TMUs, despite the texture rate being slightly lower (21.60 GTexel/s versus 18.40 GTexel/s, actually the FirePro is higher here).

The NVIDIA GeForce 830M wins in pixel throughput. Its 9.200 GPixel/s pixel rate is 27.8% higher than the FirePro’s 7.200 GPixel/s. This is driven by the higher boost clock of 1150 MHz versus 900 MHz. For rasterization-heavy tasks, where pixel output is the bottleneck, the GeForce would have an edge. The GeForce also has a lower TDP of 33 W, making it more power-efficient in absolute terms, though the FirePro does not list a TDP in the database. The GeForce also has a newer Vulkan API version (1.4 versus 1.2.170), which could matter for applications using that API.

For the specific use case of a mobile workstation, the FirePro’s compute and bandwidth advantages are more relevant. For a consumer laptop focused on light gaming or media, the GeForce’s higher pixel rate and lower power draw may be preferable. But based purely on the recorded head-to-head benchmark, the FirePro is the faster card in the one test that matters for direct comparison.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in several key specifications. The FirePro W4190M has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 8 ROPs, while the GeForce 830M has 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. The FirePro has more of everything except ROPs, where they are equal.

Clock speeds are also different. The FirePro has a base clock of 825 MHz and a boost clock of 900 MHz. The GeForce has a base clock of 1082 MHz and a boost clock of 1150 MHz. The NVIDIA part runs significantly faster, which partially compensates for its fewer cores.

Memory is a major divergence. The FirePro uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 64.00 GB/s. The GeForce uses 2 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 14.40 GB/s. Memory clock is listed as 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) for the FirePro and 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) for the GeForce. The AMD card has 4.4x the memory bandwidth, which is a decisive advantage in many workloads.

Pixel rate and texture rate reflect these differences. The FirePro has a pixel rate of 7.200 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 21.60 GTexel/s. The GeForce has a pixel rate of 9.200 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 18.40 GTexel/s. The GeForce wins in pixel rate, the FirePro wins in texture rate.

FP32 performance is 691.2 GFLOPS for the FirePro and 588.8 GFLOPS for the GeForce. Neither card supports FP16, and neither has ray tracing or tensor cores.

The GeForce has a TDP of 33 W, while the FirePro does not list a TDP in the database. The FirePro is an MXM Module form factor, while the GeForce is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) form factor. Both use PCIe 3.0 x8 and have no power connectors. Display outputs are portable device dependent for both.

Architecture Differences

The AMD FirePro W4190M is built on the GCN 1.0 architecture, implemented on the Opal chip. The NVIDIA GeForce 830M uses the Maxwell architecture, implemented on the GM108 chip. Both are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, so the fabrication node is identical.

The transistor counts differ. The FirePro has 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 12.3M per mm². The GeForce has 1,020 million transistors on the same 77 mm² die, giving a density of 13.2M per mm². The NVIDIA chip packs slightly more transistors into the same area, but the difference is small in absolute terms.

The memory architecture is fundamentally different. GCN 1.0 pairs the FirePro with GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, which is a wide and fast configuration for the era. Maxwell on the GeForce uses DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, which is a narrower and slower setup. This is the single largest architectural difference between the two, and it explains the 4.4x bandwidth gap.

The shading architecture also differs. GCN 1.0 uses a scalar design with 384 shading units organized in compute units, while Maxwell uses a more traditional shader array with 256 cores. The FirePro’s higher core count and higher FP32 throughput (691.2 GFLOPS versus 588.8 GFLOPS) reflect GCN’s compute-oriented design. Maxwell, by contrast, focuses on efficiency and higher clocks, as seen in the 1150 MHz boost.

API support differs slightly. The FirePro supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the GeForce supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.4. Both support OpenGL 4.6. The GCN architecture is older (2015 release) compared to the GeForce (2014 release), but the FirePro is a workstation part with a longer driver support cycle.

The generation names are also distinct: FirePro Mobile (Wx100M) for AMD, GeForce 800M for NVIDIA. The FirePro’s predecessor is FirePro Mobility and its successor is Radeon Pro Mobile. The GeForce’s predecessor is GeForce 700M and its successor is GeForce 900M.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear but modest overall winner: the AMD FirePro W4190M. In the only direct head-to-head benchmark, it beats the GeForce 830M by 4.2% in OpenCL. Its average benchmark score of 4505 is also higher than the GeForce’s 3957, and its percentile ranking of 26 versus 24 reflects that gap. The FirePro’s 384 shading units, 691.2 GFLOPS of FP32 performance, and 64.00 GB/s of memory bandwidth are all superior to the GeForce’s 256 cores, 588.8 GFLOPS, and 14.40 GB/s. For any compute-oriented task, the FirePro is the stronger part.

The GeForce 830M does have its own advantages. Its pixel rate of 9.200 GPixel/s beats the FirePro’s 7.200 GPixel/s, and its TDP of 33 W makes it more power-efficient in absolute terms. It also has a newer Vulkan API version (1.4 versus 1.2.170). For a consumer laptop where power draw and rasterization speed matter more than raw compute, the GeForce could be a reasonable pick. But the database shows no benchmark where the GeForce wins a head-to-head against the FirePro.

Which one should you choose? If your workload is OpenCL-based compute, data processing, or anything that benefits from memory bandwidth, the AMD FirePro W4190M is the better choice. Its GDDR5 memory and 128-bit bus provide 4.4x the bandwidth of the GeForce’s DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, and its higher shading unit count gives it more parallel processing capability. If you are working in a professional environment where the FirePro’s workstation lineage matters, that is also a point in its favor.

If your priority is power efficiency or pixel throughput, the GeForce 830M has a case. Its 33 W TDP is the only listed power figure in the comparison, and its higher boost clock delivers better pixel fill. But those advantages do not translate into a benchmark win in the recorded data. The FirePro wins the only test that matters, and it does so with a margin that is small but consistent with its hardware advantages. The verdict is straightforward: the AMD FirePro W4190M is the faster GPU, and the NVIDIA GeForce 830M is the more efficient one. For raw performance, pick the FirePro.