AMD Radeon 740M vs AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT Comparison

# AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT vs AMD Radeon 740M

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is a dedicated discrete graphics card built for high-performance desktop gaming, while the AMD Radeon 740M is an integrated GPU (IGP) designed for mobile processors. In the two shared benchmark tests, the RX 7800 XT wins decisively, delivering 79.8% higher OpenCL scores and 248.3% higher Vulkan scores. However, the 740M posts a higher average benchmark score (12870 vs 11627) and a better percentile rank (53rd vs 51st), driven entirely by its inclusion in a different benchmark pool. The data clearly separates these two: one is a full-size, power-hungry add-in board; the other is a low-power, system-shared-memory integrated solution.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon 740M has an average benchmark score of 12870, compared to the RX 7800 XT's 11627. This is counterintuitive given the RX 7800 XT wins every head-to-head test, but the averages are computed over different benchmark sets—the 740M's pool includes only two Geekbench tests, while the RX 7800 XT's includes ten tests spanning DirectX, OpenCL, and compute workloads.

Q: How large is the performance gap in Vulkan?

A: In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the RX 7800 XT scores 54228 against the 740M's 15568, a delta of 248.3%. This is the single largest margin between the two across any shared benchmark.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The RX 7800 XT has 16 GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 624.1 GB/s bandwidth. The 740M uses System Shared memory, with a System Shared bus width and System Dependent bandwidth, meaning it relies on the host system's RAM.

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The 740M has a higher boost clock at 2800 MHz versus the RX 7800 XT's 2430 MHz. However, the RX 7800 XT has a much higher base clock (1295 MHz vs 800 MHz) and a game clock of 2124 MHz, which the 740M lacks entirely.

Q: What are the transistor and die size differences?

A: The RX 7800 XT packs 28,100 million transistors on a 346 mm² die (5 nm process), while the 740M integrates 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die (4 nm process). The 740M has a higher transistor density at 152.6M per mm² versus 81.2M per mm² for the RX 7800 XT.

Q: Which GPU has more ray tracing cores?

A: The RX 7800 XT has 60 ray tracing cores, while the 740M has 4. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The Verdict

Pick the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT if you need maximum discrete performance. It wins both head-to-head benchmarks by massive margins—79.8% in OpenCL and 248.3% in Vulkan—and offers 16 GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory, 3840 shading units, and a 256-bit memory bus. It is a dual-slot card requiring 2x 8-pin power connectors and a 600 W suggested PSU, with a launch MSRP of 499 USD. This is a desktop-oriented part for demanding workloads like high-resolution gaming, content creation, and compute tasks.

Pick the AMD Radeon 740M if you need an integrated solution with low power draw. At 45 W TDP with no power connectors and an IGP slot width, it fits in compact or mobile systems. Its 4 nm process and 2800 MHz boost clock are impressive for an integrated part, and its average benchmark score of 12870 is actually higher than the RX 7800 XT's 11627—though that reflects its different benchmark pool rather than real-world superiority. It is best for light gaming, multimedia, and everyday computing where a dedicated GPU is impractical.

The data does not support choosing the 740M for raw performance. The RX 7800 XT leads in every shared test, and its architectural resources—60 RT cores, 240 TMUs, 96 ROPs, and 37.32 TFLOPS FP32—dwarf the 740M's 4 RT cores, 16 TMUs, 8 ROPs, and 2.867 TFLOPS. The 740M's only advantages are efficiency, integration, and process node (4 nm vs 5 nm).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The RX 7800 XT dominates both available comparisons. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 18290 against the 740M's 10172, a 79.8% advantage. This gap reflects the RX 7800 XT's 3840 shading units versus 256, its 37.32 TFLOPS FP32 throughput versus 2.867 TFLOPS, and its dedicated memory bandwidth of 624.1 GB/s versus the 740M's System Dependent bandwidth.

The Geekbench Vulkan test shows an even starker divide. The RX 7800 XT scores 54228, while the 740M manages only 15568—a 248.3% lead for the discrete card. Vulkan's low-level API exposes hardware capabilities, and the RX 7800 XT's 60 RT cores, 240 TMUs, and 233.3 GPixel/s pixel rate are simply in another class. The 740M's 4 RT cores and 22.40 GPixel/s pixel rate cannot compete.

The RX 7800 XT also has a wider benchmark portfolio: it holds scores in Passmark DirectX 9 (304), DirectX 10 (121), DirectX 11 (249), DirectX 12 (93), G2D (1177), G3D (24176), and GPU Compute (13473), plus 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 (4157). The 740M only has the two Geekbench results. This explains why the 740M's average is higher—its average is computed from just two strong Geekbench numbers, while the RX 7800 XT's average is pulled down by low DirectX Passmark scores that reflect legacy API overhead rather than raw capability.

Specification Differences

The RX 7800 XT uses a Navi 32 chip on a 5 nm TSMC process, while the 740M uses a Phoenix2 chip on a 4 nm TSMC process. The RX 7800 XT has 28,100 million transistors on a 346 mm² die; the 740M has 20,900 million on 137 mm². Transistor density favors the 740M at 152.6M per mm² versus 81.2M per mm².

Memory is a fundamental split. The RX 7800 XT has 16 GB GDDR6, 256-bit bus, and 624.1 GB/s bandwidth. The 740M has System Shared memory, System Shared bus width, and System Dependent bandwidth. Clocks differ: the RX 7800 XT runs at 1295 MHz base, 2124 MHz game, and 2430 MHz boost, with memory at 2438 MHz (19.5 Gbps effective). The 740M runs at 800 MHz base and 2800 MHz boost—no game clock or memory clock specified.

Compute resources: the RX 7800 XT has 3840 shading units, 240 TMUs, 96 ROPs, and 60 RT cores. The 740M has 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, 8 ROPs, and 4 RT cores. Pixel rate is 233.3 GPixel/s for the RX 7800 XT versus 22.40 GPixel/s for the 740M. Texture rate is 583.2 GTexel/s versus 44.80 GTexel/s. FP32/FP16 are both 37.32 TFLOPS for the RX 7800 XT and 2.867 TFLOPS for the 740M.

Power and physical specs: the RX 7800 XT has a 263 W TDP, dual-slot width, 2x 8-pin connectors, and a 600 W suggested PSU. The 740M has a 45 W TDP, IGP slot width, no power connectors, and no suggested PSU. The RX 7800 XT measures 267 mm x 111 mm x 50 mm; the 740M has no listed dimensions. The RX 7800 XT uses PCIe 4.0 x16 and outputs 1x HDMI 2.1a plus 3x DisplayPort 2.1; the 740M uses PCIe 4.0 x8 and motherboard-dependent outputs.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs use RDNA 3.0 architecture, but they target different segments within that family. The RX 7800 XT belongs to the Radeon RX 7000 series with the codename "Wheat Nas" and generation "Navi III (RX 7000)." The 740M is part of the "Navi III IGP (Phoenix)" generation with no codename. The RX 7800 XT's predecessor is Navi II and successor is Navi IV; the 740M's predecessor is Navi II IGP and successor is Navi III IGP.

The process nodes differ: 5 nm for the RX 7800 XT versus 4 nm for the 740M, both fabricated by TSMC. The 740M's smaller node and higher transistor density (152.6M per mm² vs 81.2M per mm²) indicate a more modern, dense design—a necessity for an integrated part that must share a die with a CPU.

Shader architecture is identical in type (RDNA 3.0) but vastly different in scale. The RX 7800 XT's 3840 shading units and 240 TMUs provide 15x and 15x the 740M's counts, respectively. ROPs are 12x higher (96 vs 8). Ray tracing cores are 15x higher (60 vs 4). Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so API-level features are equal—only hardware throughput differs.

The RX 7800 XT's memory architecture is a major architectural advantage. Dedicated GDDR6 with 624.1 GB/s bandwidth versus System Shared memory means the discrete card never contends with the CPU for memory access. The 740M's System Dependent bandwidth is a bottleneck for any GPU-heavy workload, though it benefits from lower power and no separate memory purchase.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT wins in:

• Every benchmark it shares with the 740M: OpenCL (18290 vs 10172) and Vulkan (54228 vs 15568).
• Raw compute throughput: 37.32 TFLOPS FP32 versus 2.867 TFLOPS.
• Memory bandwidth: 624.1 GB/s dedicated versus System Dependent.
• Ray tracing: 60 RT cores versus 4.
• Pixel and texture rates: 233.3 GPixel/s and 583.2 GTexel/s versus 22.40 and 44.80.
• Multi-API benchmark coverage: holds scores in 3DMark, Passmark (DirectX 9/10/11/12, G2D, G3D, Compute), and Geekbench.
• Desktop connectivity: 1x HDMI 2.1a and 3x DisplayPort 2.1 versus motherboard-dependent outputs.

AMD Radeon 740M wins in:

• Average benchmark score: 12870 versus 11627 (though over a smaller test set).
• Percentile rank: 53rd versus 51st among all GPUs.
• Boost clock: 2800 MHz versus 2430 MHz.
• Power efficiency: 45 W TDP versus 263 W, with no power connectors.
• Transistor density: 152.6M per mm² versus 81.2M per mm².
• Process node: 4 nm versus 5 nm.
• Physical footprint: IGP slot width with no dimensions versus 267 mm dual-slot card.
• Integration: no separate memory, no PSU requirement, no cooling solution needed beyond the host system.

The use-case split is clear. The RX 7800 XT is for gamers and professionals who need maximum frames, high-resolution textures, and compute acceleration in a desktop tower. The 740M is for ultraportable laptops and compact desktops where power draw, heat, and space are paramount—and where the user accepts modest integrated graphics performance for everyday tasks and light gaming.