AMD Radeon HD 7730M vs AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 Comparison

The AMD Radeon HD 7730M and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 represent two distinct eras of AMD graphics, separated by four years of architectural evolution. The data shows a stark performance gap, with the Pro WX 4100 dominating in the only shared benchmark, but the HD 7730M holds its own in the context of its time and power envelope. The benchmark results indicate that while the older mobile chip is a relic, the newer professional card offers a monumental leap in compute capability, though both now sit at the end of their production lives.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single common benchmark between these two GPUs is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the results are decisively one-sided. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 scores 17,642, while the AMD Radeon HD 7730M manages only 6,581. This translates to a delta of -62.7% for the HD 7730M, meaning the Pro WX 4100 is approximately 2.68 times faster in raw compute throughput. This is not a marginal victory; it is a generational chasm. The Pro WX 4100’s score is nearly triple that of the older chip, reflecting not just higher clock speeds but a fundamentally more capable compute architecture.

Looking at the broader context, the HD 7730M’s average benchmark score of 6,581 places it at the 38th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, according to the data, are the Intel UHD Graphics P750 (average 6,554, delta 0.4%), the AMD Radeon R7 M460 (average 6,612, delta -0.5%), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M (average 6,513, delta 1%). This clustering shows that the HD 7730M is competitive with mid-range integrated and older discrete solutions from its era, but it is firmly in the lower half of the performance spectrum. The Pro WX 4100, despite its vastly superior OpenCL score, sits at the 37th percentile overall, with an average benchmark score of 6,330 across all its tested workloads. This apparent contradiction is explained by its diverse benchmark suite, which includes DirectX and compute tests where its performance is not uniformly stellar. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R7 M350 (average 6,327, delta 0.1%) and the NVIDIA Quadro K620 (average 6,282, delta 0.8%), showing that in aggregate, the Pro WX 4100 is a solid but not extraordinary performer relative to the entire GPU landscape.

The data implies that the Pro WX 4100 is a specialized compute tool, excelling in OpenCL and Vulkan workloads (scoring 18,703 in Vulkan and 21,018 in Metal), while its DirectX performance is surprisingly modest, with Passmark scores of 16, 24, and 22 for DirectX 10, 11, and 12 respectively. In contrast, the HD 7730M’s single OpenCL score tells a simpler story of a modest compute engine. The performance difference is so large that it suggests the HD 7730M would be unsuitable for any modern compute-heavy task, whereas the Pro WX 4100 could handle such workloads with relative ease.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is profound, starting with the manufacturing process. The HD 7730M uses a 28 nm process at TSMC, while the Pro WX 4100 is built on a more advanced 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. This node shrink allows the Pro WX 4100 to pack 3,000 million transistors into the same 123 mm² die size as the HD 7730M’s 1,500 million transistors. The resulting transistor density is nearly double: 24.4M / mm² for the Pro WX 4100 versus 12.2M / mm² for the HD 7730M. This density increase is a primary driver of the performance gap.

The core configurations differ dramatically as well. The HD 7730M, based on the GCN 1.0 architecture with the Chelsea chip, features 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 16 raster output units (ROPs). In contrast, the Pro WX 4100, built on GCN 4.0 with the Baffin chip, doubles the shading units to 1,024 and TMUs to 64, while keeping ROPs at 16. This doubling of compute resources, combined with higher clocks, explains the massive FP32 performance advantage: the Pro WX 4100 delivers 2.460 TFLOPS versus the HD 7730M’s 691.2 GFLOPS. The Pro WX 4100 also supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio with FP32, a feature absent from the HD 7730M’s spec sheet.

Memory architecture further separates the two. The HD 7730M uses 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The Pro WX 4100 uses 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on the same 128-bit bus, but achieves 96.00 GB/s of bandwidth—more than three times the throughput. This bandwidth advantage is critical for compute workloads and high-resolution textures. The Pro WX 4100 also supports newer API standards, including DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, whereas the HD 7730M is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

The Pro WX 4100 is a professional workstation card with a 50 W TDP, a single-slot design, and four mini-DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, requiring no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 250 W. The HD 7730M is a mobile chip with a 25 W TDP and its display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," meaning it relies on the laptop’s integrated display. The Pro WX 4100 also has a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface, while the HD 7730M uses the older PCIe 2.0 x16 standard.

The Verdict

From the data, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 is the unequivocal performance winner, delivering nearly triple the OpenCL score of the HD 7730M. For any task involving compute, rendering, or GPU-accelerated workflows, the Pro WX 4100 is the only viable choice between the two. Its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 96 GB/s bandwidth provide ample headroom for professional applications, and its support for Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_0) ensures compatibility with modern software stacks. The HD 7730M, with its 2 GB DDR3 memory and older GCN 1.0 architecture, is severely limited in comparison.

However, the verdict is not solely about raw power. The HD 7730M’s 25 W TDP is half that of the Pro WX 4100, making it far more suitable for power-constrained mobile environments. If the use case is a legacy laptop that requires basic 3D acceleration or media playback, the HD 7730M’s lower power draw is a significant advantage. The Pro WX 4100, with its 50 W TDP and single-slot form factor, is designed for desktop workstations where power and space are less constrained. For a user with a modern professional workload, the Pro WX 4100 is the clear pick. For a user maintaining an older laptop, the HD 7730M is the only option that fits the form factor, albeit with vastly lower performance. The data does not support any scenario where the HD 7730M outperforms the Pro WX 4100 in compute tasks.

Specification Differences

The specification differences between the two GPUs are extensive and define their respective roles. The HD 7730M is built on a 28 nm process with 1,500 million transistors, while the Pro WX 4100 uses a 14 nm process with 3,000 million transistors. Both have a 123 mm² die size, but the Pro WX 4100 achieves a higher transistor density of 24.4M / mm² versus 12.2M / mm². Clock speeds differ substantially: the HD 7730M has a base clock of 575 MHz and a boost of 675 MHz, while the Pro WX 4100 runs at 1125 MHz base and 1201 MHz boost. Memory is another major split: the HD 7730M has 2 GB of DDR3 at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) with 28.80 GB/s bandwidth, whereas the Pro WX 4100 has 4 GB of GDDR5 at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective) with 96.00 GB/s bandwidth.

The compute units also differ: the HD 7730M has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, while the Pro WX 4100 has 1,024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. Pixel and texture rates favor the Pro WX 4100, with 19.22 GPixel/s and 76.86 GTexel/s versus the HD 7730M’s 10.80 GPixel/s and 21.60 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 2.460 TFLOPS for the Pro WX 4100 versus 691.2 GFLOPS for the HD 7730M, and the Pro WX 4100 also supports FP16 at 2.460 TFLOPS. Power consumption is 50 W for the Pro WX 4100 and 25 W for the HD 7730M. The Pro WX 4100 is a single-slot card measuring 168 mm in length and 69 mm in height, with no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 250 W. The HD 7730M has no listed dimensions or power connectors. Bus interfaces are PCIe 3.0 x8 for the Pro WX 4100 and PCIe 2.0 x16 for the HD 7730M. Display outputs are 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a for the Pro WX 4100, while the HD 7730M is portable-device dependent. API support differs in DirectX (12_0 for Pro WX 4100, 11_1 for HD 7730M) and Vulkan (1.3 vs 1.2.170).

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher OpenCL benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 scores 17,642 in Geekbench OpenCL, compared to 6,581 for the AMD Radeon HD 7730M, a delta of -62.7% for the older chip.

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

A: The Pro WX 4100 offers 96.00 GB/s of bandwidth from its 4 GB GDDR5 memory, while the HD 7730M provides 28.80 GB/s from its 2 GB DDR3 memory. This is a 3.33x advantage for the Pro WX 4100.

Q: Are both GPUs based on the same architecture?

A: No. The HD 7730M uses GCN 1.0 architecture, while the Pro WX 4100 uses GCN 4.0. They are also built on different process nodes (28 nm for the HD 7730M, 14 nm for the Pro WX 4100).

Q: What is the power consumption of each GPU?

A: The HD 7730M has a TDP of 25 W, while the Pro WX 4100 has a TDP of 50 W. The Pro WX 4100 also has a suggested PSU rating of 250 W.

Q: Which GPU supports newer API versions?

A: The Pro WX 4100 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, whereas the HD 7730M supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Q: What is the transistor count for each chip?

A: The HD 7730M’s Chelsea chip has 1,500 million transistors, while the Pro WX 4100’s Baffin chip has 3,000 million transistors. Both have a 123 mm² die size.

Where Each One Wins

The data presents a clear split in use cases. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 wins in every compute and performance-oriented scenario. Its 2.460 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 96 GB/s memory bandwidth make it suitable for professional workloads such as GPU-accelerated rendering, scientific computation, and video editing. The Vulkan score of 18,703 and Metal score of 21,018 further indicate strong performance in modern cross-platform compute APIs. Its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory allows for larger datasets than the HD 7730M’s 2 GB DDR3. The Pro WX 4100 is also the only one of the two with a professional form factor (single-slot, 168 mm length) and modern display outputs (4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a), making it appropriate for a workstation environment.

The AMD Radeon HD 7730M, conversely, wins in power efficiency and portability. Its 25 W TDP is exactly half that of the Pro WX 4100, making it a better fit for battery-powered laptops. Its "Portable Device Dependent" display outputs and lack of a dedicated slot design indicate it is an integrated mobile solution. For legacy applications that do not demand high compute throughput—such as basic 2D desktop acceleration, older games, or video playback—the HD 7730M’s lower power draw is an advantage. However, it is important to note that the HD 7730M does not win a single benchmark against the Pro WX 4100 in the provided head-to-head data. Its only "win" is in the context of its power envelope, not its performance. The Pro WX 4100 is the superior choice for any task where performance is the primary criterion, while the HD 7730M is only relevant in scenarios where a low-power mobile form factor is mandatory and performance expectations are minimal.