AMD Radeon 740M vs AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT and the AMD Radeon 740M represent two extremes of AMD’s graphics portfolio: a dedicated, high-power add-in board versus an integrated graphics processor (IGP) fused into a mobile chip. The data shows a decisive performance gap, but the analysis is more nuanced than a simple win-loss record. The RX 9070 XT is a discrete powerhouse built for demanding workloads, while the 740M is a power-sipping companion for everyday computing and light gaming. This comparison explores what separates a 304 W flagship from a 45 W integrated solution.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data presents a stark picture, with the RX 9070 XT winning both available comparisons by enormous margins. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RX 9070 XT scores 17,428 points against the 740M’s 10,172 points, a difference of 71.3%. This is a substantial lead, but it is the Vulkan test that truly exposes the chasm between the two. There, the RX 9070 XT scores 65,879 points, while the 740M manages just 15,568 points, resulting in a staggering 323.2% advantage for the discrete card.

The Vulkan result is particularly telling because it reflects raw graphics throughput and driver efficiency under a modern API. The RX 9070 XT’s score is over four times higher than the 740M’s, indicating that the discrete card isn’t just faster—it operates in a different performance tier altogether. The OpenCL gap, while smaller in percentage terms, still shows the RX 9070 XT delivering roughly 71% more compute performance, which is critical for general-purpose GPU tasks beyond gaming.

When looking at the broader benchmark landscape, the RX 9070 XT’s average benchmark score of 13,543 places it in the 55th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon HD 7770M (13,536), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (13,515), NVIDIA P106-090 (13,470), and AMD Radeon Pro 555 (13,407), with deltas ranging from 0.1% to 1%. This clustering suggests that, despite its modern architecture and high specifications, the RX 9070 XT’s average score is closely matched with older or lower-tier cards in some synthetic tests, which is curious for a card with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 4096 shading units.

Conversely, the 740M’s average benchmark score of 12,870 puts it in the 53rd percentile, with nearest rivals including the AMD FirePro W5100 (12,847), AMD Radeon Pro 455 (12,831), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 (12,830), and AMD Radeon RX 580 (12,928). The delta here is also tight, ranging from -0.4% to 0.3%. This indicates that the integrated 740M, despite its modest 45 W TDP and system-shared memory, performs competitively in synthetic averages against much older discrete cards like the GTX 590 and RX 580, which is a remarkable testament to the efficiency of RDNA 3.0.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is the superior performer, winning both head-to-head tests with deltas of 71.3% and 323.2%. Anyone needing maximum graphics compute, high-resolution gaming, or professional 3D rendering should choose the RX 9070 XT. Its 16 GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory and 644.6 GB/s bandwidth provide a foundation that the 740M’s system-shared memory cannot approach. The RX 9070 XT’s 48.66 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is over 16 times higher than the 740M’s 2.867 TFLOPS, making it the only viable option for intensive parallel workloads.

However, the verdict is not a blanket recommendation for the RX 9070 XT. The 740M’s 45 W TDP and integrated nature make it the clear choice for ultra-portable laptops and low-power mini PCs where battery life and thermals are paramount. Its 53rd percentile ranking, just two points below the RX 9070 XT’s 55th, shows that it punches far above its weight class in synthetic benchmarks. The 740M is not for gamers seeking high frame rates, but for users who need a capable IGP for office work, video playback, and light, older titles, the data shows it is more than sufficient. The choice is binary: raw, uncompromising performance versus extreme efficiency and compact integration.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is generational and fundamental. The RX 9070 XT is built on RDNA 4.0, while the 740M uses RDNA 3.0. This means the discrete card benefits from the newer architecture’s improvements, even though both are fabricated on TSMC’s 4 nm process node. The RX 9070 XT is part of the Navi IV (RX 9000) generation, succeeding Navi III, whereas the 740M is a Navi III IGP (Phoenix), succeeding Navi II IGP. This places the 740M a generation behind in architectural design.

The transistor counts and die sizes highlight the scale difference. The RX 9070 XT packs 53,900 million transistors on a 357 mm² die, yielding a density of 151.0M transistors per mm². The 740M, in contrast, contains just 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die, with a slightly higher density of 152.6M transistors per mm². This suggests that the Phoenix2 chip used in the 740M is more area-efficient, likely due to its simpler integrated design, but the absolute scale of the RX 9070 XT is over twice as large in both transistor count and die area.

The compute resources differ by an order of magnitude. The RX 9070 XT features 4096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 128 ROPs, while the 740M has only 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. Ray tracing cores follow the same pattern: 64 on the RX 9070 XT versus just 4 on the 740M. This 16:1 ratio in shading units and 16:1 in ray tracing cores directly translates to the massive performance gap seen in benchmarks. The RX 9070 XT also has a much higher texture rate of 760.3 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 380.2 GPixel/s, compared to 44.80 GTexel/s and 22.40 GPixel/s for the 740M.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the RX 9070 XT in Vulkan than the 740M?

A: The RX 9070 XT scores 65,879 in Geekbench Vulkan versus 15,568 for the 740M, which is a 323.2% advantage for the discrete card.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same modern APIs?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so they are equally current in terms of API compatibility.

Q: What is the power consumption difference between the two?

A: The RX 9070 XT has a TDP of 304 W, while the 740M has a TDP of just 45 W. The 740M also requires no power connectors and is an IGP, whereas the RX 9070 XT is a dual-slot card needing two 8-pin connectors.

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The RX 9070 XT has 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth from its 16 GB GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. The 740M uses system-shared memory with bandwidth described as "System Dependent."

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The RX 9070 XT has an average benchmark score of 13,543, placing it in the 55th percentile. The 740M has an average score of 12,870, placing it in the 53rd percentile. The difference is only 673 points, or about 5%.

Q: What is the release timeline for these products?

A: The RX 9070 XT was released on March 5, 2025, while the 740M was released earlier on January 30, 2024.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 9070 XT wins decisively in every head-to-head benchmark and dominates in raw compute metrics. It is the obvious choice for 4K gaming, VR, 3D rendering, machine learning inference, and any workload that can leverage its 48.66 TFLOPS of FP32 compute and 64 ray tracing cores. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory is essential for modern game textures and large datasets. The data shows it is 71.3% faster in OpenCL and 323.2% faster in Vulkan, making it the only option for users who demand maximum frame rates and professional-grade performance.

The 740M wins in the context of system integration and power efficiency. With a 45 W TDP, it is designed for laptops and compact desktops where the RX 9070 XT’s 304 W TDP and dual-slot cooler are physically impossible. Its 53rd percentile average score, which rivals the discrete AMD Radeon RX 580 (12,928 vs 12,870), shows it can handle esports titles and older games at acceptable settings. The 740M also wins on portability and simplicity, requiring no power connectors and relying on motherboard-dependent display outputs, whereas the RX 9070 XT needs a 700 W power supply and PCIe 5.0 x16 slot. The 740M’s 2.867 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while a fraction of the RX 9070 XT’s, is sufficient for everyday computing and light creative work.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets diverge significantly across nearly every field. The RX 9070 XT uses the Navi 48 chip with RDNA 4.0 architecture, while the 740M uses Phoenix2 with RDNA 3.0. Both are on TSMC’s 4 nm node, but the RX 9070 XT has 53,900 million transistors on a 357 mm² die, versus 20,900 million transistors on a 137 mm² die for the 740M. The clock speeds differ, with the RX 9070 XT boosting to 2970 MHz and the 740M to 2800 MHz, though the RX 9070 XT also has a base clock of 1660 MHz versus 800 MHz for the 740M.

Memory is a major differentiator: the RX 9070 XT has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus with 644.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the 740M uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth. The compute units scale accordingly: 4096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 128 ROPs for the RX 9070 XT, versus 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs for the 740M. The RX 9070 XT has 64 ray tracing cores, the 740M has 4. Power requirements are polar opposites: 304 W TDP with dual-slot cooling and 2x 8-pin connectors for the RX 9070 XT, versus 45 W TDP with IGP slot width and no power connectors for the 740M. The bus interface also differs: PCIe 5.0 x16 for the RX 9070 XT, PCIe 4.0 x8 for the 740M. Finally, the RX 9070 XT has dedicated display outputs (1x HDMI 2.1b, 3x DisplayPort 2.1a), while the 740M’s outputs are motherboard dependent.