AMD Radeon 540 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Comparison

The AMD Radeon 540 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 are two entry-level graphics cards from different eras, and the benchmark data reveals a fascinating split. The GTX 750, a 2014 Maxwell product, dominates in OpenCL compute, while the Radeon 540, a 2017 Polaris part, takes the crown in Vulkan performance. This head-to-head is not a clean sweep; it is a tale of two APIs and two very different architectural philosophies.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking disparity emerges in the Geekbench OpenCL test. Here, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 scores 9,315, while the AMD Radeon 540 manages only 6,184. This translates to a 33.6% advantage for the GTX 750, a massive margin that speaks to the Maxwell architecture's raw compute efficiency in this specific workload. The Radeon 540's score of 6,184 places it closer to the performance of an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (7,723, a -0.6% delta for the Radeon) than to its rival, but it still trails the older card by a significant amount in this test.

However, the tables turn completely in the Geekbench Vulkan benchmark. The AMD Radeon 540 scores 9,162, outperforming the GTX 750's 8,078 by 13.4%. This is a substantial win for AMD, showcasing that its GCN 4.0 architecture has a distinct advantage in modern, low-level graphics APIs. The data suggests the Radeon 540 is not just competitive in Vulkan; it is decisively faster, with a delta that exceeds the GTX 750's OpenCL lead in relative terms, although the absolute point difference is smaller (1,084 points vs. 3,131 points).

The overall average benchmark score tells a slightly different story. The Radeon 540 averages 7,673, while the GTX 750 averages 7,222. This gives the Radeon a 6.2% lead in the aggregate, a figure that is heavily weighted by its strong Vulkan showing. The GTX 750's OpenCL win is so large that it nearly pulls the average even, but the Radeon 540's consistency across both tests gives it the edge in the final tally. The Radeon 540's average score puts it in the 41st percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 750 sits at the 40th, a near-tie that underscores how close these two are in overall capability.

Where Each One Wins

The data clearly delineates the use cases where each card excels. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 is the clear winner for any workload that relies on OpenCL compute. Its 33.6% lead in that benchmark is not a minor edge; it is a dominant performance gap. This suggests the GTX 750 is the better choice for older applications, certain productivity tasks, or any software that leverages OpenCL for general-purpose computing. The GTX 750's performance profile is also anchored by its nearest rivals, which include the AMD Radeon Vega 8 Mobile (7,203, a 0.3% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 (7,157, a 0.9% delta), indicating its average score is in a very tight cluster of mid-range performers.

Conversely, the AMD Radeon 540 is the definitive winner in Vulkan-based scenarios. Its 13.4% advantage over the GTX 750 is significant, and it points to a card that is better prepared for modern game engines and applications that utilize Vulkan's lower overhead. The Radeon 540's Vulkan score of 9,162 is its strongest individual result, suggesting that this is where its architecture truly shines. For users focused on contemporary gaming or using Vulkan-based emulators, the Radeon 540 is the clear choice. The Radeon 540's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (7,580, a 1.2% delta), shows that its average performance is also competitive with professional-grade parts.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon 540 has a higher average benchmark score of 7,673, compared to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750's 7,222.

Q: How much faster is the GTX 750 in OpenCL?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 is 33.6% faster than the AMD Radeon 540 in the Geekbench OpenCL test.

Q: Does the Radeon 540 win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the AMD Radeon 540 wins the Geekbench Vulkan test, scoring 9,162 compared to the GTX 750's 8,078, a 13.4% advantage.

Q: What is the percentile ranking of each card?

A: The AMD Radeon 540 is in the 41st percentile of all GPUs, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 is in the 40th percentile.

Q: Which card has a higher memory bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 has a much higher memory bandwidth of 80.19 GB/s, compared to the AMD Radeon 540's 24.00 GB/s.

Q: Is the Radeon 540's performance closer to the GTX 750 or to its own nearest rival?

A: The Radeon 540's average score is closer to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (7,723, a -0.6% delta), than it is to the GTX 750's 7,222, though it is only 451 points above the GTX 750.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ substantially in their core specifications. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 features a 128-bit memory bus, while the AMD Radeon 540 uses a 32-bit bus. This leads to a massive difference in memory bandwidth: the GTX 750 offers 80.19 GB/s, while the Radeon 540 offers only 24.00 GB/s. The GTX 750 also has more shading units (512 vs. 384) and more texture mapping units (32 vs. 24), but both have the same number of ROPs (16).

Clock speeds also differ, with the GTX 750 having a base clock of 1020 MHz and a boost clock of 1085 MHz, while the Radeon 540's base and boost clocks are not listed. The memory clock is also different: the GTX 750 runs at 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective), while the Radeon 540 runs at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective). The bus interface differs as well, with the GTX 750 using PCIe 3.0 x16 and the Radeon 540 using PCIe 3.0 x8. The GTX 750 has a length of 145 mm (5.7 inches), while the Radeon 540's dimensions are not specified. Display outputs are also different, with the Radeon 540 offering 2x DisplayPort 1.4a and the GTX 750 offering 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.4a. The GTX 750 has a launch MSRP of 119 USD.

Architecture Differences

These are fundamentally different architectures built on different processes. The AMD Radeon 540 uses the GCN 4.0 architecture on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 uses the Maxwell architecture on a 28 nm process at TSMC. This process advantage allows the Radeon 540 to pack 2,200 million transistors into a 103 mm² die, while the GTX 750 has 1,870 million transistors on a much larger 148 mm² die. The transistor density is nearly double for the Radeon 540 (21.4M / mm² vs. 12.6M / mm²).

The Radeon 540 supports newer API features, including DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, while the GTX 750 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Notably, the Radeon 540 supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio with FP32, while the GTX 750 has no FP16 data listed. The Radeon 540's TDP is slightly lower at 50 W, compared to the GTX 750's 55 W, and both suggest a 250 W PSU. The Radeon 540 is from the Polaris (RX 500) generation, succeeding Arctic Islands, while the GTX 750 is from the GeForce 700 generation, succeeding GeForce 600. The Radeon 540's successor is Vega, while the GTX 750's successor is GeForce 900.

The Verdict

The choice between these two cards is dictated entirely by the target workload. For users whose primary applications rely on OpenCL, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 is the clear winner. Its 33.6% performance lead in that benchmark is a decisive factor, and its higher memory bandwidth (80.19 GB/s vs. 24.00 GB/s) may also benefit certain compute tasks. The data indicates the GTX 750 remains a viable option for OpenCL-centric legacy software.

For users focused on modern Vulkan-based games or applications, the AMD Radeon 540 is the superior choice. Its 13.4% advantage in the Vulkan benchmark, combined with its higher average score (7,673 vs. 7,222), makes it the more future-proof option. The Radeon 540 also benefits from a more modern architecture with support for DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, which may offer better compatibility with newer titles. The Radeon 540's lower process node (14 nm vs. 28 nm) and higher transistor density also point to a more efficient design. In summary, the GTX 750 wins on raw OpenCL compute and memory bandwidth, but the Radeon 540 wins on modern API performance and overall average score.