AMD Radeon 840M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Max-Q Comparison

# AMD Radeon 840M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Max-Q

The database shows two mobile graphics solutions built for fundamentally different power envelopes. The AMD Radeon 840M is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) based on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, built on TSMC's 4 nm process as part of the Krackan Point chip. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Max-Q is a discrete-class mobile GPU using the Ada Lovelace architecture on TSMC's 5 nm process. Both occupy the same percentile rank against all GPUs in the database (50th percentile), which indicates they land in the middle of the performance distribution, but their specifications reveal a wide gap in raw compute resources that benchmark results would need to confirm.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data does not include direct head-to-head benchmark scores for these two parts, so the comparison rests entirely on the specification sheet. The most striking difference appears in shading units. The RTX 4050 Max-Q carries 2,560 shading units, exactly ten times the 256 shading units of the Radeon 840M. That tenfold delta in the fundamental compute pipeline suggests the NVIDIA part can process far more parallel work per clock cycle. The FP32 throughput numbers align with this observation: the RTX 4050 Max-Q delivers 8.218 TFLOPS of single-precision compute, while the Radeon 840M delivers 1,484.8 GFLOPS, which converts to roughly 1.485 TFLOPS. The NVIDIA part holds a 5.5x advantage in raw FP32 throughput, a number that would translate directly into faster geometry processing and general shader work.

The gap narrows somewhat when looking at the Radeon 840M's boost clock. The AMD part boosts to 2,900 MHz, substantially higher than the RTX 4050 Max-Q's boost of 1,605 MHz. Even with that clock advantage, the sheer difference in compute unit count keeps the integrated part well behind. The texture and pixel throughput numbers tell the same story. The RTX 4050 Max-Q achieves 128.4 GTexel/s and 77.04 GPixel/s, while the Radeon 840M manages 46.40 GTexel/s and 23.20 GPixel/s. The NVIDIA part leads by 2.8x in texture fill and 3.3x in pixel fill, which matters for resolution scaling and effects-heavy scenes.

Memory bandwidth presents another decisive gap. The RTX 4050 Max-Q has 6 GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory on a 96-bit bus, delivering 192.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon 840M uses system shared memory with bandwidth listed as system dependent, meaning its effective throughput relies entirely on the host laptop's memory configuration. In a dual-channel DDR5 system, shared memory bandwidth typically lands well below 192.0 GB/s, so the discrete GPU's dedicated memory subsystem should provide a more consistent experience under sustained load. The RTX 4050 Max-Q also includes 20 ray tracing cores and 80 tensor cores, while the Radeon 840M has 4 RT cores and no tensor core equivalent. The 5x difference in RT core count suggests the NVIDIA part handles ray-traced workloads with far less performance degradation.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split in intended usage. The AMD Radeon 840M, with its 15 W TDP and integrated design, suits thin-and-light systems where power draw and heat output are the limiting factors. Its 256 shading units and shared memory architecture place it in the entry-level segment for casual gaming and general desktop acceleration. The RTX 4050 Max-Q, at 35 W TDP, demands more power but returns roughly 5.5x the FP32 compute, 2.8x the texture fill, and 3.3x the pixel fill. It also brings dedicated 6 GB GDDR6 memory with 192.0 GB/s of bandwidth, eliminating the variable of system memory speed.

For anyone prioritizing frame rates in modern games, the RTX 4050 Max-Q is the stronger choice based on every measurable compute metric in the database. For ultraportable systems where the 15 W power envelope is non-negotiable, the Radeon 840M is the only option that fits. The 50th percentile ranking for both parts against all GPUs indicates neither is a high-end solution. The RTX 4050 Max-Q's higher absolute performance within that mid-range bracket makes it the pick for gaming-capable laptops, while the Radeon 840M targets the integrated-only segment.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations and design philosophies. The Radeon 840M uses RDNA 3.5, AMD's latest integrated graphics architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 4 nm process within the Krackan Point chip. It belongs to the Navi III IGP generation for Strix Point Mobile. The RTX 4050 Max-Q uses Ada Lovelace, NVIDIA's architecture for the GeForce 40-series, built on the AD107 chip using TSMC's 5 nm process. The transistor counts reflect the chasm between the two: the AD107 chip packs 18,900 million transistors on a 159 mm² die with a density of 118.9M per mm², while the Radeon 840M's transistor count and die size are listed as unknown.

The RTX 4050 Max-Q includes 20 ray tracing cores and 80 tensor cores, enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing and DLSS-style AI upscaling. The Radeon 840M has 4 ray tracing cores and no tensor core equivalent, so its ray tracing capability is present but far more limited, and it lacks a dedicated AI acceleration block. Both parts support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so the API feature set is identical. The Radeon 840M's FP16 throughput matches its FP32 at 1,484.8 GFLOPS (1:1 ratio), and the RTX 4050 Max-Q also runs FP16 at the same rate as FP32 at 8.218 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), so neither part gains a throughput advantage from reduced precision.

Specification Differences

The two parts differ across nearly every specification field. The Radeon 840M runs at a 400 MHz base clock and 2,900 MHz boost, while the RTX 4050 Max-Q runs at 1,140 MHz base and 1,605 MHz boost. The AMD part draws 15 W TDP, the NVIDIA part 35 W TDP. Memory configurations are completely different: the Radeon 840M uses system shared memory with system dependent bandwidth, while the RTX 4050 Max-Q uses 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 96-bit bus with 192.0 GB/s bandwidth and a 2000 MHz memory clock (16 Gbps effective). The shading unit count is 256 versus 2,560, TMUs are 16 versus 80, ROPs are 8 versus 48, and RT cores are 4 versus 20. The tensor core count of 80 exists only on the NVIDIA part. Pixel rate is 23.20 GPixel/s versus 77.04 GPixel/s, texture rate is 46.40 GTexel/s versus 128.4 GTexel/s, and FP32 is 1,484.8 GFLOPS versus 8.218 TFLOPS.

Both parts use PCIe 4.0 x8 bus interfaces and have no power connectors, with display outputs listed as portable device dependent. Both are integrated into portable devices and share the same API support. The Radeon 840M released on 2025-02-28, while the RTX 4050 Max-Q released on 2023-01-02. The AMD part's predecessor is Navi II IGP, while the NVIDIA part's predecessor is GeForce 30 Mobile and its successor is GeForce 50 Mobile. Neither part has a launch MSRP in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The RTX 4050 Max-Q has 2,560 shading units, while the Radeon 840M has 256, a tenfold difference.

Q: How much memory bandwidth does each GPU have?

A: The RTX 4050 Max-Q has 192.0 GB/s from 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 96-bit bus. The Radeon 840M uses system shared memory with bandwidth listed as system dependent.

Q: What are the TDP ratings for these two GPUs?

A: The Radeon 840M has a 15 W TDP, while the RTX 4050 Max-Q has a 35 W TDP.

Q: Do both GPUs support ray tracing?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), but the RTX 4050 Max-Q has 20 ray tracing cores while the Radeon 840M has 4.

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Radeon 840M boosts to 2,900 MHz, compared to the RTX 4050 Max-Q's 1,605 MHz boost clock.

Q: What is the FP32 compute difference between the two?

A: The RTX 4050 Max-Q delivers 8.218 TFLOPS, while the Radeon 840M delivers 1,484.8 GFLOPS, making the NVIDIA part roughly 5.5x faster in FP32 throughput.

Where Each One Wins

The Radeon 840M wins in power efficiency and clock speed. Its 15 W TDP is less than half the RTX 4050 Max-Q's 35 W TDP, and its 2,900 MHz boost clock is nearly double the NVIDIA part's 1,605 MHz. For ultraportable laptops where battery life and thermal limits dominate the design, the Radeon 840M is the appropriate choice. The higher boost clock also benefits lightly threaded workloads where the GPU is not fully saturated. The RTX 4050 Max-Q wins in every raw throughput metric in the database: FP32 compute by 5.5x, texture fill by 2.8x, pixel fill by 3.3x, and shading unit count by 10x. Its dedicated 6 GB GDDR6 memory with 192.0 GB/s bandwidth removes dependence on system memory speed, and its 20 ray tracing cores and 80 tensor cores provide hardware support for ray-traced effects and AI-assisted rendering that the Radeon 840M cannot match. For gaming laptops that can accommodate the 35 W TDP, the RTX 4050 Max-Q is the clear performance leader. The Radeon 840M suits the integrated-only segment, while the RTX 4050 Max-Q targets discrete-class mobile gaming. Both parts sit at the 50th percentile against all GPUs, meaning they occupy the same performance tier overall, but within that tier the NVIDIA part offers substantially more compute headroom.