AMD FirePro W4190M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Comparison

The Verdict

The database comparison between the AMD FirePro W4190M and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 is defined by a narrow margin in compute performance, but the two cards occupy distinctly different positions in the market. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 holds the single benchmark victory in the recorded head-to-head test, winning the Geekbench OpenCL run with a score of 4545 against the AMD FirePro W4190M's 4505, a delta of -0.9% from the AMD part's perspective. That margin is statistically negligible, yet the overall data tells a broader story. The GTX 650 sits at the 22nd percentile of all GPUs, while the FirePro W4190M sits at the 26th percentile. Despite the AMD card's higher percentile placement, its average benchmark score of 4505 is dragged down by the fact that only one test is recorded for it, whereas the GTX 650's average of 3823 is pulled lower by its inclusion of Metal and Vulkan results, which score 2400 and 4524 respectively.

For a buyer choosing between these two, the decision hinges on the workload. The GTX 650 offers a more complete feature set for general compute, with support for Vulkan 1.2.175 and a higher memory bandwidth of 80.00 GB/s compared to the FirePro's 64.00 GB/s. However, the FirePro W4190M is an MXM module, designed for mobile workstations, while the GTX 650 is a single-slot desktop card with a 147 mm length. The data suggests that for raw OpenCL throughput, the two are virtually tied, but for broader API compatibility and memory throughput, the GTX 650 has the edge. The FirePro W4190M, with its GCN 1.0 architecture and 2 GB of GDDR5, is the better choice for users who need double the frame buffer in a portable form factor. The GTX 650, with its 1024 MB frame buffer and 65 W TDP, is the better pick for a desktop system that prioritizes API versatility and higher pixel and texture rates.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD FirePro W4190M wins in the memory capacity category. It ships with 2 GB of GDDR5, exactly double the 1024 MB found on the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650. For applications that require larger working sets, such as professional visualization or compute tasks with large data buffers, this is a meaningful advantage. The FirePro also has a higher transistor density at 12.3 million transistors per square millimeter, compared to the GTX 650's 11.5 million, which suggests a more efficient packing of its 950 million transistors into a 77 mm² die. The GTX 650, by contrast, uses 2,540 million transistors across a 221 mm² die.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 wins in nearly every other measurable category. It has a higher memory bandwidth at 80.00 GB/s versus 64.00 GB/s. Its pixel rate is 8.464 GPixel/s against the FirePro's 7.200 GPixel/s, a difference of roughly 17.6% in favor of NVIDIA. Its texture rate is 33.86 GTexel/s versus 21.60 GTexel/s, a lead of approximately 56.8%. The GTX 650 also has more texture mapping units (32 versus 24) and more render output units (16 versus 8). Its FP32 compute is 812.5 GFLOPS, which is about 17.6% higher than the FirePro's 691.2 GFLOPS. The GTX 650 also supports a newer Vulkan version (1.2.175 versus 1.2.170) and has a higher effective memory clock at 5 Gbps versus 4 Gbps. In the only recorded head-to-head benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 650 wins 4545 to 4505.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural lineages. The AMD FirePro W4190M is built on GCN 1.0, using the Opal chip, and belongs to the FirePro Mobile generation. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 is built on the Kepler architecture, using the GK106 chip, and belongs to the GeForce 600 generation. Both are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but that is where the fabrication similarities end. The FirePro's die is 77 mm², housing 950 million transistors, while the GTX 650's die is 221 mm², housing 2,540 million transistors. That is a 2.67x difference in transistor count and a 2.87x difference in die area.

The shading unit count is identical at 384 for both cards, but the surrounding hardware differs. The FirePro has 24 TMUs and 8 ROPs, while the GTX 650 has 32 TMUs and 16 ROPs. The GTX 650 effectively doubles the ROP count and adds 33% more TMUs. The memory subsystems also diverge: the FirePro uses a 128-bit bus with 2 GB of GDDR5 at 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective), yielding 64.00 GB/s, while the GTX 650 uses a 128-bit bus with 1024 MB of GDDR5 at 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective), yielding 80.00 GB/s. The FirePro's base clock is 825 MHz with a boost of 900 MHz, while the GTX 650 has no listed base or boost clocks, only its memory clock. The FirePro supports DirectX 12 (11_1), while the GTX 650 supports DirectX 12 (11_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6.

The physical form factors are entirely different. The FirePro W4190M is an MXM module with no power connectors and display outputs that are portable-device dependent. The GTX 650 is a single-slot desktop card, 147 mm long, with a 6-pin power connector and a suggested PSU of 250 W. The GTX 650 has a TDP of 65 W, while the FirePro has no TDP listed in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD FirePro W4190M has an average benchmark score of 4505, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 has an average of 3823. However, the GTX 650's average includes a Metal score of 2400 and a Vulkan score of 4524, which the FirePro lacks.

Q: Which card has more memory?

A: The AMD FirePro W4190M has 2 GB of GDDR5, exactly double the 1024 MB of GDDR5 on the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650.

Q: Which GPU wins the recorded head-to-head benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 4545 against the AMD FirePro W4190M's 4505, a margin of -0.9% from the AMD card's perspective.

Q: What are the API differences between the two cards?

A: The AMD FirePro W4190M supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175.

Q: How do the physical dimensions compare?

A: The AMD FirePro W4190M is an MXM module with no listed length, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 is a single-slot card with a length of 147 mm, which is 5.8 inches.

Q: Which card has higher pixel and texture rates?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 has a pixel rate of 8.464 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 33.86 GTexel/s. The AMD FirePro W4190M has a pixel rate of 7.200 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 21.60 GTexel/s.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only recorded head-to-head benchmark in the database is Geekbench OpenCL. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 scores 4545, and the AMD FirePro W4190M scores 4505. The delta is -0.9% from the AMD side, meaning the GTX 650 is less than 1% faster. This is a tie in practical terms, but the database awards the win to NVIDIA based on the raw score.

Looking at the broader benchmark picture, the GTX 650 has three recorded results. Its OpenCL score of 4545 is its strongest, matching its head-to-head performance. Its Vulkan score of 4524 is nearly identical, showing consistency across compute APIs. Its Metal score of 2400 is significantly lower, which is expected given that Metal is Apple's API and this is a desktop NVIDIA card. The FirePro W4190M has only one recorded benchmark, the OpenCL score of 4505, which places it within 0.9% of the GTX 650's OpenCL result.

The nearest rivals for each card put their performance into context. The FirePro W4190M's closest competitor is the AMD Radeon R7 M260, which scores 4499, a delta of 0.1% in favor of the FirePro. That is a dead heat. The Intel HD Graphics P530 scores 4560, putting it 1.2% ahead of the FirePro. The AMD Radeon RX 560 scores 4569, 1.4% ahead, and the AMD Radeon R5 M230 scores 4577, 1.6% ahead. The FirePro sits in a tight cluster of low-end mobile and integrated GPUs.

The GTX 650's nearest rivals show a similar pattern. The NVIDIA GeForce MX110 scores 3834, which is 0.3% below the GTX 650's average of 3823. The Intel UHD Graphics 710 scores 3792, 0.8% below, and the AMD Radeon R5 Graphics scores 3883, 1.5% above. The NVIDIA Quadro 2000 scores 3898, 1.9% above. Notably, the GTX 650's rivals are clustered around its average score of 3823, which is heavily influenced by its low Metal score. If the Metal score were excluded, the GTX 650's average would be closer to 4535, which would put it in the same performance tier as the FirePro W4190M.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the AMD FirePro W4190M and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650:

• Architecture: AMD uses GCN 1.0, NVIDIA uses Kepler.
• Chip: AMD uses Opal, NVIDIA uses GK106.
• Generation: AMD is FirePro Mobile (Wx100M), NVIDIA is GeForce 600.
• Transistors: AMD has 950 million, NVIDIA has 2,540 million.
• Die Size: AMD is 77 mm², NVIDIA is 221 mm².
• Transistor Density: AMD is 12.3M / mm², NVIDIA is 11.5M / mm².
• Base Clock: AMD is 825 MHz, NVIDIA has no listed base clock.
• Boost Clock: AMD is 900 MHz, NVIDIA has no listed boost clock.
• Memory Clock: AMD is 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective), NVIDIA is 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective).
• Memory Size: AMD is 2 GB, NVIDIA is 1024 MB.
• Bandwidth: AMD is 64.00 GB/s, NVIDIA is 80.00 GB/s.
• TMUs: AMD has 24, NVIDIA has 32.
• ROPs: AMD has 8, NVIDIA has 16.
• Pixel Rate: AMD is 7.200 GPixel/s, NVIDIA is 8.464 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: AMD is 21.60 GTexel/s, NVIDIA is 33.86 GTexel/s.
• FP32: AMD is 691.2 GFLOPS, NVIDIA is 812.5 GFLOPS.
• TDP: AMD has no listed TDP, NVIDIA is 65 W.
• Slot Width: AMD is MXM Module, NVIDIA is Single-slot.
• Power Connectors: AMD has None, NVIDIA has 1x 6-pin.
• Suggested PSU: AMD has none listed, NVIDIA is 250 W.
• Bus Interface: AMD is PCIe 3.0 x8, NVIDIA is PCIe 3.0 x16.
• Display Outputs: AMD is Portable Device Dependent, NVIDIA is 1x DVI, 2x DisplayPort 1.2.
• DirectX: AMD is 12 (11_1), NVIDIA is 12 (11_0).
• Vulkan: AMD is 1.2.170, NVIDIA is 1.2.175.
• Length: AMD has no listed length, NVIDIA is 147 mm (5.8 inches).
• Release Date: AMD is November 2015, NVIDIA is November 2013.
• Predecessor: AMD is FirePro Mobility, NVIDIA is GeForce 500.
• Successor: AMD is Radeon Pro Mobile, NVIDIA is GeForce 700.