AMD Radeon HD 6770 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M Comparison

# Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available between the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M and the AMD Radeon HD 6770 is the Geekbench OpenCL test. In this test, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M scores 3974, while the AMD Radeon HD 6770 scores 3649. This gives the GT 740M a decisive 8.9% advantage — a meaningful gap in GPU compute workloads. The data shows a clear single-win sweep: 1 win for NVIDIA, 0 for AMD.

Context from the nearest rivals lists strengthens this picture. The GT 740M sits just above the HD 6770 in the rankings, with a deltaPct of 1.9% between them on average benchmark scores. But in the head-to-head OpenCL test, that gap widens to 8.9%, suggesting the GT 740M is particularly strong in raw compute throughput relative to its average standing. Meanwhile, the HD 6770's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 (0.6% ahead), the GeForce GT 735M (0.9% behind), and the GeForce 825M (1.2% behind). This clustering indicates the HD 6770 is competitive with a broad range of mid-range GPUs, but the GT 740M edges it out in direct comparison.

The Geekbench Vulkan score for the GT 740M is 3459, which is not directly comparable to any HD 6770 result since the AMD card has no Vulkan benchmark listed. This is itself a notable point: the GT 740M supports Vulkan 1.2.175, while the HD 6770 has no Vulkan API entry at all, making the NVIDIA card strictly more capable in that modern API space.

# Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different design eras. The GT 740M is built on NVIDIA's Kepler 2.0 architecture, using the GK208 chip manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The HD 6770 uses AMD's TeraScale 2 architecture with the Juniper chip, fabricated on a larger 40 nm process, also at TSMC. The node difference is stark: 28 nm versus 40 nm means the GT 740M packs 1,020 million transistors into just 87 mm², yielding a transistor density of 11.7M per mm². The HD 6770, with 1,040 million transistors, spreads them across 166 mm² — a density of only 6.3M per mm². That is nearly double the density advantage for NVIDIA, explaining how the GT 740M achieves competitive performance with far lower power draw.

Clock behavior also differs. The GT 740M has a base clock of 980 MHz and a boost clock of 1033 MHz, a dynamic range typical of modern mobile GPUs. The HD 6770 lists no base or boost clocks, only a memory clock of 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective). This absence of core clock data for the AMD card makes direct clock-for-clock comparisons impossible, but the memory clock difference is telling: the HD 6770's memory runs at 1200 MHz versus the GT 740M's 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective).

The memory subsystems diverge sharply. The GT 740M uses 2 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, yielding 14.40 GB/s of bandwidth. The HD 6770 uses 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 76.80 GB/s — more than five times the bandwidth. This is a massive architectural advantage for AMD, though it comes with a cost: the HD 6770 is rated at 108 W TDP versus just 33 W for the GT 740M. The GT 740M is an MXM module with no power connectors, while the HD 6770 is a dual-slot card requiring a 6-pin connector and a 300 W suggested PSU.

Feature support also differs. The GT 740M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The HD 6770 supports DirectX 11.2 (11_0), OpenGL 4.4, and no Vulkan. The GT 740M also uses PCIe 3.0 x8, while the HD 6770 uses PCIe 2.0 x16.

# Where Each One Wins

The GT 740M wins in raw compute performance, as evidenced by the 8.9% OpenCL advantage. This makes it the better choice for general-purpose GPU compute workloads that leverage OpenCL. Its newer architecture also brings Vulkan support, opening up modern rendering APIs that the HD 6770 cannot access at all. For users running applications that rely on Vulkan — even at modest performance levels — the GT 740M is the only option of the two.

The HD 6770 wins decisively in memory bandwidth. With 76.80 GB/s versus 14.40 GB/s, it has more than five times the bandwidth of the GT 740M. This matters for texture-heavy workloads, high-resolution framebuffers, and any task that saturates memory throughput. The HD 6770 also has more shading units (800 versus 384), more texture mapping units (40 versus 32), and double the render output units (16 versus 8). Its pixel rate of 13.60 GPixel/s and texture rate of 34.00 GTexel/s exceed the GT 740M's 8.264 GPixel/s and 33.06 GTexel/s, respectively. For pure fill-rate-bound scenarios, the HD 6770 is superior.

The HD 6770 also offers a significantly larger bus interface (128-bit versus 64-bit) and more display outputs: 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.3a, and 2x mini-DisplayPort 1.1, versus the GT 740M's "Portable Device Dependent" outputs. For multi-monitor setups, the AMD card is clearly more flexible.

# FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M has an average benchmark score of 3717, while the AMD Radeon HD 6770 scores 3649. The GT 740M leads by 1.9% according to the nearest rivals data.

Q: How much faster is the GT 740M in the direct OpenCL head-to-head test?

A: The GT 740M scores 3974 versus the HD 6770's 3649, an 8.9% advantage for NVIDIA. This is the only direct benchmark comparison available between the two.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon HD 6770 support Vulkan?

A: No. The HD 6770 has no Vulkan entry in its API support list. The GT 740M supports Vulkan 1.2.175, giving it exclusive access to Vulkan-based applications.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two GPUs?

A: The HD 6770 has 76.80 GB/s of bandwidth from its GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, while the GT 740M has 14.40 GB/s from DDR3 on a 64-bit bus. The AMD card offers over five times the bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU consumes less power?

A: The GT 740M has a TDP of 33 W, while the HD 6770 is rated at 108 W. The NVIDIA card also requires no power connectors, whereas the AMD card needs a single 6-pin connector and a 300 W suggested PSU.

Q: What are the transistor counts and process nodes for each GPU?

A: The GT 740M has 1,020 million transistors on a 28 nm process with a die size of 87 mm². The HD 6770 has 1,040 million transistors on a 40 nm process with a die size of 166 mm².

# The Verdict

The data presents a clear split. For compute performance and modern API support, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M is the better choice. Its 8.9% OpenCL lead is substantial, and its Vulkan 1.2.175 support is a feature the HD 6770 simply does not have. The GT 740M also achieves this with far lower power consumption — 33 W versus 108 W — and a smaller die (87 mm² versus 166 mm²), making it a more efficient design.

However, the AMD Radeon HD 6770 is the better option for memory-bound workloads. Its 76.80 GB/s bandwidth dwarfs the GT 740M's 14.40 GB/s, and its higher pixel and texture rates (13.60 GPixel/s and 34.00 GTexel/s versus 8.264 GPixel/s and 33.06 GTexel/s) give it a fill-rate edge. The HD 6770 also supports more display outputs and uses a wider 128-bit memory bus versus the 64-bit bus on the GT 740M.

The real-world choice depends on the use case. If the priority is compute throughput, modern API compatibility, and power efficiency, the GT 740M wins. If the priority is memory bandwidth, fill rates, and multi-display connectivity, the HD 6770 wins. The GT 740M's higher average benchmark score (3717 versus 3649) and its win in the only direct comparison suggest it is the stronger overall performer, but the HD 6770 remains competitive in specific scenarios. Both GPUs sit at the 22nd percentile against all GPUs, indicating they occupy the same performance tier, with the GT 740M holding a modest edge.

# Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M | AMD Radeon HD 6770 |

|----------------|------------------------|---------------------|

| Architecture | Kepler 2.0 | TeraScale 2 |

| Chip | GK208 | Juniper |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |

| Die Size | 87 mm² | 166 mm² |

| Transistors | 1,020 million | 1,040 million |

| Transistor Density | 11.7M / mm² | 6.3M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 980 MHz | — |

| Boost Clock | 1033 MHz | — |

| Memory Clock | 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) | 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 1024 MB |

| Memory Type | DDR3 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | 64 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 14.40 GB/s | 76.80 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 384 | 800 |

| TMUs | 32 | 40 |

| ROPs | 8 | 16 |

| Pixel Rate | 8.264 GPixel/s | 13.60 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 33.06 GTexel/s | 34.00 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 793.3 GFLOPS | 1,360.0 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 33 W | 108 W |

| Slot Width | MXM Module | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | — | 300 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x8 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.3a, 2x mini-DisplayPort 1.1 |

| DirectX | 12 (11_0) | 11.2 (11_0) |

| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.4 |

| Vulkan | 1.2.175 | — |

| Release Date | 2013-06-19 | 2011-01-20 |

| Predecessor | GeForce 600M | Evergreen |

| Successor | GeForce 800M | Southern Islands |

| Launch MSRP | — | 129 USD |