AMD Radeon 860M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D Comparison

AMD Radeon 860M and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D occupy opposite ends of the graphics spectrum. The 860M is an integrated processor graphics unit built for efficiency, while the RTX 4090 D is a discrete flagship designed for maximum throughput. The recorded database benchmarks reflect this divide clearly. Across the two common tests, the RTX 4090 D wins both, with an average benchmark score of 178,050 compared to the 860M’s 26,401. The gap is substantial, but the data also shows the integrated part holds its own in specific workloads relative to its power envelope.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains two direct comparison results between these parts. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 4090 D scores 278,621 against the 860M’s 22,759. That is a delta of -91.8% for the AMD part, meaning NVIDIA’s card delivers roughly 12 times the raw compute output in this test. The Vulkan result is similarly one-sided: the RTX 4090 D posts 246,941 while the 860M manages 30,043, a -87.8% delta. The NVIDIA GPU wins both head-to-head matchups, giving it a 2-0 record over the AMD IGP.

These results align with the architecture gap. The RTX 4090 D uses 14,592 shading units, 456 texture mapping units, and 176 raster operation units. The 860M has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The sheer scale difference explains the score disparity. In OpenCL, the NVIDIA part’s 73.54 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput dwarfs the 860M’s 3.072 TFLOPS. The Vulkan test narrows the gap slightly, but the RTX 4090 D still leads by a factor of eight.

The percentile data reinforces the hierarchy. The RTX 4090 D sits in the 98th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the 860M lands in the 72nd percentile. That means the NVIDIA card outperforms nearly all recorded graphics hardware, whereas the AMD part is above average but far from top-tier. The nearest rivals for the RTX 4090 D include NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell, A100 SXM4 80 GB, and RTX 5000 Ada Generation, all within a 2.2% to 3.6% deficit. The 860M’s closest competitors are the NVIDIA GeForce MX550, RTX 5060, and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary, with deltas under 1.1%.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4090 D wins every recorded benchmark in this head-to-head, so its advantage is absolute in raw score terms. The data shows it excels in both OpenCL and Vulkan, which are general compute and graphics APIs respectively. Its 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus provides 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth, a figure that supports high-resolution textures and large datasets. The 114 RT cores and 456 tensor cores give it dedicated hardware for ray tracing and AI workloads, though no specific benchmark for those features appears in this comparison.

The 860M’s wins are not in benchmark scores but in efficiency and integration. Its 15 W TDP is a fraction of the RTX 4090 D’s 425 W. The AMD part uses system-shared memory, so it requires no dedicated VRAM allocation. It is an IGP, meaning it occupies no slot width and needs no power connectors. The database lists its bus interface as PCIe 4.0 x8, which is narrower than the RTX 4090 D’s PCIe 4.0 x16, but adequate for an integrated solution. The 860M also has a higher boost clock, 3000 MHz versus 2520 MHz, though that advantage is irrelevant given the massive difference in core counts.

For portable devices, the 860M’s display outputs are listed as portable device dependent, indicating flexibility for laptops or handhelds. The RTX 4090 D requires a triple-slot cooler, a 1x 16-pin power connector, and an 800 W suggested PSU. The 860M needs none of those. So the use-case split is clear: the RTX 4090 D is for desktop systems where power and space are available, while the 860M targets mobile platforms where the entire GPU must fit within a 15 W budget.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D has an average benchmark score of 178,050, while the AMD Radeon 860M averages 26,401. The RTX 4090 D also ranks in the 98th percentile of all GPUs, compared to the 860M’s 72nd percentile.

Q: What is the margin of victory in the head-to-head tests?

A: In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 4090 D leads by 91.8% with a score of 278,621 versus 22,759. In Geekbench Vulkan, it leads by 87.8% with 246,941 versus 30,043.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon 860M beat the RTX 4090 D in any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head results show two tests, and the RTX 4090 D wins both. The wins count is 2 for NVIDIA and 0 for AMD.

Q: How do the memory subsystems compare?

A: The RTX 4090 D has 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth. The 860M uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, and its memory type and bus width are also system shared.

Q: What are the TDP requirements for each card?

A: The RTX 4090 D has a TDP of 425 W and requires a suggested PSU of 800 W. The 860M has a TDP of 15 W and lists no power connectors or suggested PSU.

Q: What is the production status of each GPU?

A: The RTX 4090 D is listed as end-of-life, with the GeForce 50 as its successor. The 860M is active in production and has no listed successor.

Specification Differences

The two parts differ across nearly every specification field. The RTX 4090 D uses the AD102 chip on a 5 nm process, while the 860M uses the Krackan Point chip on 4 nm. Both are built by TSMC, but the NVIDIA chip packs 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 125.3M per mm². The AMD chip lists unknown transistor count and die size.

Clock speeds differ significantly. The 860M has a base clock of 600 MHz and a boost of 3000 MHz. The RTX 4090 D has a base of 2280 MHz and a boost of 2520 MHz. Memory clocks are also different: the 860M uses system shared memory, while the RTX 4090 D uses 1313 MHz base with 21 Gbps effective GDDR6X.

Core counts show the largest gap. The 860M has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, 16 ROPs, and 8 RT cores. The RTX 4090 D has 14,592 shading units, 456 TMUs, 176 ROPs, 114 RT cores, and 456 tensor cores. Pixel rate is 48.00 GPixel/s for the AMD part versus 443.5 GPixel/s for NVIDIA. Texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s versus 1,149.1 GTexel/s. FP32 and FP16 are both 3.072 TFLOPS for the 860M, while the RTX 4090 D delivers 73.54 TFLOPS in both.

Physical specifications differ as well. The RTX 4090 D is triple-slot, 304 mm long, 137 mm high, and 61 mm wide, with a 1x 16-pin power connector. The 860M is an IGP with no slot width, no length or height data, and no power connectors. The bus interface is PCIe 4.0 x8 for AMD and PCIe 4.0 x16 for NVIDIA. Display outputs for the 860M are portable device dependent, while the RTX 4090 D lists 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split is fundamental. The 860M uses AMD’s RDNA 3.5 architecture, part of the Navi III IGP generation for Strix Point Mobile. The RTX 4090 D uses NVIDIA’s Ada Lovelace architecture in the GeForce 40 series. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so API compatibility is identical.

The RTX 4090 D integrates 114 RT cores and 456 tensor cores, which are absent from the 860M’s spec sheet. Tensor cores are listed as null for the AMD part, meaning it lacks dedicated AI acceleration hardware. The 860M does have RT cores, but only 8 versus the NVIDIA card’s 114. This suggests the AMD part can handle basic ray tracing, while the RTX 4090 D is built for heavy ray-traced workloads and DLSS-style AI upscaling.

The process nodes differ: 4 nm for AMD versus 5 nm for NVIDIA. The 860M’s higher boost clock of 3000 MHz partially compensates for its lower core count, but the architectural throughput gap remains. The RTX 4090 D’s 1.01 TB/s memory bandwidth versus the 860M’s system-dependent bandwidth is another architectural differentiator. The 860M’s reliance on shared memory means its performance scales with the host system’s RAM speed, while the RTX 4090 D has dedicated GDDR6X.

The release timeline also differs. The RTX 4090 D launched on December 27, 2023, with a predecessor of GeForce 30 and a successor of GeForce 50. The 860M released on February 28, 2025, with a predecessor of Navi II IGP. Production status confirms the RTX 4090 D is end-of-life while the 860M remains active.

The Verdict

The benchmark data makes the performance hierarchy unambiguous. The RTX 4090 D delivers 91.8% higher OpenCL scores and 87.8% higher Vulkan scores than the 860M. Its 73.54 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is 24 times the AMD part’s 3.072 TFLOPS. The 24 GB memory pool with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth versus system-shared memory is a decisive advantage for large workloads.

The 860M’s case rests on its 15 W TDP and IGP form factor. It requires no power connectors, no cooler beyond the host device’s, and no dedicated VRAM. The RTX 4090 D demands 425 W, a triple-slot cooler, an 800 W PSU, and a 304 mm chassis. The database also shows the 860M has a 3000 MHz boost clock, which is higher than the RTX 4090 D’s 2520 MHz, but that cannot offset a 28.5x difference in shading units.

For users building a desktop workstation with space and power budget, the RTX 4090 D is the clear choice based on recorded scores. Its 98th percentile ranking places it among the fastest GPUs in the database. For portable devices where the GPU must be integrated, the 860M fits that constraint with a 72nd percentile standing. The choice is not about which is better in absolute terms, but which matches the physical and power requirements of the target system. The RTX 4090 D wins every benchmark but requires a full desktop environment; the 860M wins no benchmarks but operates within a 15 W envelope. Data supports both as appropriate for their respective niches.