AMD Radeon HD 7730M vs AMD Radeon R7 M350 Comparison

The AMD Radeon HD 7730M and the AMD Radeon R7 M350 are both end-of-life mobile GPUs from AMD, but they represent distinct generations and design philosophies. The data shows the R7 M350 is the faster part in the only shared benchmark, yet the HD 7730M holds compensations in memory bandwidth and pixel throughput. This analysis breaks down the measurable differences, architectural shifts, and the specific contexts where each GPU’s design gives it an edge.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the AMD Radeon R7 M350 takes a clear victory. The R7 M350 scores 6991, while the AMD Radeon HD 7730M scores 6581. That is a delta of -5.9 percent from the perspective of the HD 7730M, meaning the R7 M350 is roughly six percent faster in this compute-oriented workload. The result is decisive but not overwhelming; the HD 7730M stays within striking distance, which is notable given the architectural gap between them.

Looking at the broader benchmark landscape, the R7 M350 also has an additional data point that the HD 7730M lacks entirely: a Geekbench Vulkan score of 5662. This indicates the R7 M350 not only outperforms the HD 7730M in raw OpenCL compute but also offers a functional Vulkan path that the older part cannot match in this dataset. The HD 7730M’s only listed benchmark is the OpenCL result, so any comparison of graphics API performance is necessarily one-sided.

The average benchmark scores tell a slightly different story. The HD 7730M has an average score of 6581, while the R7 M350 averages 6327. This discrepancy arises because the R7 M350’s Vulkan score of 5662 pulls its average down, despite its higher OpenCL score. The HD 7730M’s percentile rank is 38, edging out the R7 M350’s 36, which suggests that when all workloads are considered, the older chip is slightly more consistent relative to the entire GPU field. However, in the specific head-to-head test, the R7 M350 is the winner, taking the sole win in the wins column.

The nearest rival data reinforces the positioning of each card. The HD 7730M sits within a tight cluster: it is 0.4 percent ahead of the Intel UHD Graphics P750, 0.5 percent behind the AMD Radeon R7 M460, and 1.4 percent ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M. The R7 M350, by contrast, is effectively tied with the AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 (0.0 percent delta), 0.7 percent ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro K620, and 0.9 percent ahead of both the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti SUPER and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102. These deltas show that both GPUs are mid-pack performers, but the R7 M350’s rivals are more modern, suggesting it competes in a slightly higher performance tier despite its lower percentile rank.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M350 wins with a score of 6991, while the AMD Radeon HD 7730M scores 6581. The delta is -5.9 percent from the HD 7730M’s perspective, making the R7 M350 the faster option in this test.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon HD 7730M have any benchmark advantage over the R7 M350?

A: Yes, in terms of average benchmark score, the HD 7730M leads with 6581 against the R7 M350’s 6327. The HD 7730M also holds a higher percentile rank at 38 versus 36, indicating it performs better relative to the overall GPU distribution when both OpenCL and Vulkan results are considered.

Q: Why is the R7 M350’s average score lower than its OpenCL score?

A: The R7 M350 has two benchmark results: a Geekbench OpenCL score of 6991 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 5662. The Vulkan result drags the average down to 6327, whereas the HD 7730M has only the single OpenCL score of 6581, so its average equals its OpenCL result.

Q: How does the memory configuration differ between the two GPUs?

A: The HD 7730M uses 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 28.80 GB/s. The R7 M350 uses 4 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, yielding only 16.00 GB/s. Despite having double the capacity, the R7 M350 has significantly less memory bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 7730M has a pixel rate of 10.80 GPixel/s, which is higher than the R7 M350’s 8.120 GPixel/s. This is due to the HD 7730M’s 16 ROPs compared to the R7 M350’s 8 ROPs.

Q: What is the transistor count difference between the two chips?

A: The HD 7730M’s Chelsea chip contains 1,500 million transistors, while the R7 M350’s Meso chip contains 1,550 million. The R7 M350 also has a slightly larger die size at 125 mm² versus 123 mm², resulting in a marginally higher transistor density.

Architecture Differences

The HD 7730M is built on GCN 1.0 architecture, codenamed Chelsea, while the R7 M350 uses the newer GCN 3.0 architecture with the Meso chip. This generational leap is visible in several key metrics. The R7 M350 has a higher base clock of 1000 MHz and a boost clock of 1015 MHz, compared to the HD 7730M’s 575 MHz base and 675 MHz boost. That is a substantial frequency advantage for the newer part, which helps explain its superior OpenCL score despite having fewer computational resources.

The compute unit counts reflect a trade-off between the two designs. The HD 7730M packs 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 16 render output units (ROPs). The R7 M350, in contrast, has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and only 8 ROPs. Despite the lower count, the R7 M350 achieves higher floating-point performance: 779.5 GFLOPS FP32 versus 691.2 GFLOPS for the HD 7730M. The R7 M350 also doubles as a FP16-capable part at 779.5 GFLOPS (1:1), whereas the HD 7730M has no listed FP16 capability. The texture rate favors the R7 M350 as well, at 24.36 GTexel/s versus 21.60 GTexel/s, but the pixel rate flips in favor of the HD 7730M at 10.80 GPixel/s versus 8.120 GPixel/s.

Memory architecture is another major divergence. The HD 7730M uses a 128-bit bus with 2 GB of DDR3 at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective), giving 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The R7 M350 uses a 64-bit bus with 4 GB of DDR3 at 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective), giving only 16.00 GB/s. This means the R7 M350 has half the memory bus width and almost half the bandwidth, which is a significant bottleneck for a GPU with a higher core clock. The R7 M350 compensates with double the memory capacity, but the bandwidth deficit is stark.

The bus interface also differs: the HD 7730M runs on PCIe 2.0 x16, while the R7 M350 uses PCIe 3.0 x8. The newer PCIe 3.0 standard offers higher per-lane bandwidth, but the x8 link width means the total interface bandwidth may be comparable or even lower than the HD 7730M’s x16 link. The R7 M350 also supports DirectX 12 (12_0), whereas the HD 7730M only supports DirectX 12 (11_1). Both GPUs support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170, but the HD 7730M’s Vulkan support is likely limited by its older GCN 1.0 architecture, as evidenced by the lack of a Vulkan benchmark score.

The production status for both is end-of-life, but their release dates are years apart. The HD 7730M launched on 2012-04-23, while the R7 M350 launched on 2015-05-04. The HD 7730M’s predecessor is Vancouver and its successor is Solar System; the R7 M350’s predecessor is Solar System and its successor is Polaris Mobile. This places the R7 M350 as a direct descendant in the mobile GPU lineage, inheriting the position that the HD 7730M once held.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split: the AMD Radeon R7 M350 is the better choice for compute-heavy tasks and modern API support, while the AMD Radeon HD 7730M retains advantages in memory bandwidth and pixel throughput that matter for specific rendering workloads. In the only direct benchmark, the R7 M350 wins by 5.9 percent in OpenCL, and it also provides a Vulkan score of 5662 that the HD 7730M simply cannot produce. For users prioritizing raw compute performance or compatibility with newer graphics APIs, the R7 M350 is the superior part.

However, the HD 7730M is not without merit. Its 28.80 GB/s of memory bandwidth is nearly double the R7 M350’s 16.00 GB/s, which is crucial for texture-heavy scenes or high-resolution framebuffer operations. Its pixel rate of 10.80 GPixel/s also exceeds the R7 M350’s 8.120 GPixel/s, giving it an edge in fill-rate-bound scenarios. If the workload involves heavy rasterization with large textures, the HD 7730M’s wider memory bus could translate into better real-world performance despite its lower compute scores.

The average benchmark scores add nuance. The HD 7730M’s average of 6581 edges out the R7 M350’s 6327, and its percentile rank of 38 is higher than the R7 M350’s 36. This suggests that, across a broader set of potential workloads, the HD 7730M is the more balanced performer relative to the entire GPU market. The R7 M350’s high OpenCL score is offset by its lower Vulkan score, making it more specialized. For a user who needs consistent performance across varied tasks, the HD 7730M might be the safer bet, while the R7 M350 is the pick for those who know their applications leverage OpenCL or Vulkan.

Neither GPU is a modern powerhouse; both sit in the mid-30s percentile range, surrounded by rivals like the Intel UHD Graphics P750 and the NVIDIA Quadro K620. The R7 M350’s rivals include more recent NVIDIA cards like the RTX 5070 Ti SUPER, but the delta is only 0.9 percent, indicating that even these newer parts are not far ahead in this benchmark context. Ultimately, the choice comes down to whether the user values compute throughput and API modernity (R7 M350) or memory bandwidth and pixel fill rate (HD 7730M).

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification category. The HD 7730M uses the Chelsea chip with GCN 1.0 architecture, while the R7 M350 uses the Meso chip with GCN 3.0. The process node is identical at 28 nm from TSMC, but the transistor count is slightly higher on the R7 M350 at 1,550 million versus 1,500 million. The die size is 125 mm² for the R7 M350 and 123 mm² for the HD 7730M, with transistor densities of 12.4M / mm² and 12.2M / mm² respectively.

Clock speeds favor the R7 M350 significantly: a base of 1000 MHz and boost of 1015 MHz, compared to the HD 7730M’s 575 MHz base and 675 MHz boost. Memory clocks also favor the R7 M350 at 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective) versus 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective). However, the memory configuration is where the HD 7730M pulls ahead: it has a 128-bit bus and 28.80 GB/s bandwidth, while the R7 M350 has a 64-bit bus and 16.00 GB/s. The HD 7730M has 2 GB of memory, while the R7 M350 has 4 GB.

Compute resources differ: the HD 7730M has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, while the R7 M350 has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. The R7 M350 achieves higher FP32 performance at 779.5 GFLOPS versus 691.2 GFLOPS, and is the only one with FP16 at 779.5 GFLOPS (1:1). Texture rates are close but favor the R7 M350 at 24.36 GTexel/s versus 21.60 GTexel/s, while pixel rates favor the HD 7730M at 10.80 GPixel/s versus 8.120 GPixel/s.

The TDP is listed only for the HD 7730M at 25 W; the R7 M350 has no TDP listed. The bus interface differs: PCIe 2.0 x16 for the HD 7730M and PCIe 3.0 x8 for the R7 M350. Display outputs are listed as portable-device-dependent for the HD 7730M and not specified for the R7 M350. The API support differs in DirectX: the HD 7730M supports 12 (11_1), while the R7 M350 supports 12 (12_0); both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170. Release dates are 2012-04-23 for the HD 7730M and 2015-05-04 for the R7 M350, with the R7 M350 being the successor to the HD 7730M’s successor in the product line.