AMD FirePro W5170M vs AMD Radeon R7 M380 Comparison

The AMD Radeon R7 M380 and the AMD FirePro W5170M are both built on the same GCN 1.0 architecture and share the same underlying Tropo chip, yet they are positioned for entirely different markets. The data shows that the R7 M380, a consumer mobile part, delivers a significantly higher OpenCL benchmark score than the professional FirePro W5170M, making it the stronger choice for raw compute performance in this specific comparison.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available in the data is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and it decisively favors the consumer-oriented Radeon R7 M380. The R7 M380 scores 9,313 points, while the FirePro W5170M manages 8,140 points. This represents a 14.4% advantage for the R7 M380, a substantial margin that indicates a clear performance gap between the two mobile GPUs in compute workloads.

This 14.4% lead places the R7 M380 in a stronger competitive position among its nearest rivals. The R7 M380 sits just 0.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M, which scores 9,302, and 0.2% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 at 9,294. It also holds a 0.4% edge over the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, which scores 9,273, and is a full 1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Vega 8 at 9,221. The data indicates that the R7 M380 is performing at the top of its immediate peer group, edging out several established NVIDIA parts.

In contrast, the FirePro W5170M’s score of 8,140 places it in a lower tier. Its average benchmark score across available tests is 8,595, which is 1.1% behind the NVIDIA Quadro P2200 (8,686) but only 0.4% ahead of the Intel Arc A380 (8,558). The FirePro W5170M also leads the AMD Radeon HD 8870M (8,462) and the NVIDIA GeForce MX330 (8,458) by 1.6% each. While the FirePro W5170M is not the slowest in its group, the 14.4% deficit to the R7 M380 is the most significant takeaway from the head-to-head results. Benchmark results clearly indicate that for pure OpenCL throughput, the R7 M380 is the superior part.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M380, with a score of 9,313, is 14.4% higher than the AMD FirePro W5170M’s score of 8,140.

Q: How does the Radeon R7 M380 compare to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M?

A: The R7 M380 scores 9,313, which is 0.1% higher than the GTX 850M’s average score of 9,302, making them near-identical in performance.

Q: Is the FirePro W5170M faster than the Intel Arc A380?

A: Yes, the FirePro W5170M’s average benchmark score of 8,595 is 0.4% higher than the Intel Arc A380’s score of 8,558.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth between the two AMD GPUs?

A: The FirePro W5170M has a memory bandwidth of 72.00 GB/s using GDDR5 memory, while the Radeon R7 M380 has 32.00 GB/s using DDR3 memory. This gives the FirePro a 2.25x bandwidth advantage on paper.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same DirectX version?

A: Yes, both the Radeon R7 M380 and the FirePro W5170M support DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Q: Which GPU has a higher clock speed?

A: The FirePro W5170M has a boost clock of 925 MHz, which is slightly higher than the Radeon R7 M380’s boost clock of 915 MHz.

Architecture Differences

Both the AMD Radeon R7 M380 and the AMD FirePro W5170M are built on the same fundamental architecture. They share the Tropo chip, the GCN 1.0 architecture, a 28 nm process node at TSMC, and an identical transistor count of 1,500 million on a 123 mm² die. The core configuration is also identical, with both featuring 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 render output units.

The key architectural differences are found in the memory subsystem and the physical interface. The R7 M380 is equipped with 4 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, resulting in a bandwidth of 32.00 GB/s. The FirePro W5170M, on the other hand, utilizes 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on the same 128-bit bus, which yields a much higher bandwidth of 72.00 GB/s. This is a significant distinction, as the GDDR5 memory on the FirePro offers more than double the bandwidth of the DDR3 on the R7 M380.

Another notable difference is the bus interface. The R7 M380 uses a standard PCIe 3.0 x16 connection, while the FirePro W5170M is designed as an MXM Module using an MXM-A (3.0) interface. This reflects their different target platforms, with the FirePro being a modular mobile workstation part. The FirePro also reports having no power connectors and its display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," which is typical for an MXM module, whereas these specifications are null for the R7 M380. Clock speeds also differ slightly, with the FirePro boosting to 925 MHz compared to the R7 M380’s 915 MHz, though the R7 M380 has a slightly higher base clock at 900 MHz (the FirePro's base is also 900 MHz).

The Verdict

The data presents a clear but nuanced picture. For users focused on raw compute performance in OpenCL workloads, the AMD Radeon R7 M380 is the definitive winner, boasting a 14.4% higher benchmark score than the FirePro W5170M. Its score of 9,313 also places it competitively against a range of NVIDIA GeForce parts, including the GTX 850M and GTX 960, indicating it is a capable performer in its class.

The AMD FirePro W5170M, while slower in the direct compute comparison, offers a different set of advantages. Its use of GDDR5 memory provides a theoretical bandwidth of 72.00 GB/s, which is 40.00 GB/s higher than the R7 M380’s DDR3 memory. This suggests that while its compute scores are lower, it may be better suited for memory-bandwidth-intensive tasks, despite its lower overall benchmark score. The FirePro also comes in an MXM form factor, making it a specific solution for modular mobile workstations.

The choice between these two depends entirely on the workload and platform. The R7 M380 is the better pick for users who prioritize compute performance and need a standard PCIe connection. The FirePro W5170M makes sense for those specifically requiring an MXM module with higher memory bandwidth, accepting a significant trade-off in raw compute performance. The data unequivocally shows the R7 M380 as the faster GPU in the Geekbench OpenCL test, but the FirePro’s memory architecture is its distinguishing feature.

Specification Differences

The following table highlights the key specification differences between the two GPUs:

| Specification | AMD Radeon R7 M380 | AMD FirePro W5170M |

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

| Generation | Gem System (R7 M300) | FirePro Mobile (Wx100M) |

| Boost Clock | 915 MHz | 925 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective) | 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 4 GB | 2 GB |

| Memory Type | DDR3 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 32.00 GB/s | 72.00 GB/s |

| Pixel Rate | 14.64 GPixel/s | 14.80 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 36.60 GTexel/s | 37.00 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 1,171.2 GFLOPS | 1,184.0 GFLOPS |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | MXM-A (3.0) |

| Slot Width | Not specified | MXM Module |

| Power Connectors | Not specified | None |

| Display Outputs | Not specified | Portable Device Dependent |

| Release Date | 2015-05-04 | 2014-08-24 |

| Predecessor | Solar System | FirePro Mobility |

| Successor | Polaris Mobile | Radeon Pro Mobile |