AMD Radeon HD 8690M vs AMD Radeon R7 M465 Comparison

The AMD Radeon HD 8690M edges out the AMD Radeon R7 M465 in the single benchmark recorded, but the newer GPU counters with a more modern feature set and a significant architectural leap. The data shows a 5.1% performance advantage for the older HD 8690M, yet the R7 M465 delivers superior memory bandwidth and DirectX 12 support, making the choice dependent on whether raw compute or feature longevity is prioritized.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8690M wins the head-to-head Geekbench OpenCL test, scoring 6137 compared to the R7 M465's 5841, a delta of 5.1%. This places the HD 8690M in the 36th percentile of all GPUs, while the R7 M465 sits slightly lower at the 33rd percentile.

Q: How does each GPU compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The HD 8690M trades blows with the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200, leading by 0.3%, while the NVIDIA RTX A400 and GeForce MX230 trail by 1% each. The R7 M465, however, lags behind the AMD Radeon R5 M435 by 0.3% and the Intel UHD Graphics 730 by 1.5%, yet it leads the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti by 1.9%.

Q: What are the key architectural differences between the two?

A: The HD 8690M uses the Sun chip on the older GCN 1.0 architecture, while the R7 M465 uses the Topaz chip on GCN 3.0. The R7 M465 has over double the transistor count (1,550 million vs 690 million) and a larger die size (125 mm² vs 56 mm²), but both are built on the same 28 nm TSMC process.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same DirectX version?

A: No, they differ. The HD 8690M supports DirectX 12 (11_1), while the R7 M465 supports the full DirectX 12 (12_0) feature level. Both offer OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170 support.

Q: Which GPU has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The R7 M465 has a 12.5% higher memory bandwidth at 36.00 GB/s compared to the HD 8690M's 32.00 GB/s, despite both using 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus. The R7 M465 also runs its memory at a higher effective speed of 4.5 Gbps versus 4 Gbps.

Q: What are the release dates of these two GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8690M was released on February 28, 2013, while the AMD Radeon R7 M465 came later on May 14, 2016. Both are now marked as end-of-life products.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental divide between these two mobile GPUs is generational. The AMD Radeon HD 8690M is built on the GCN 1.0 architecture with the Sun chip, representing the Solar System generation of mobile graphics. In contrast, the R7 M465 uses the GCN 3.0 architecture with the Topaz chip, belonging to the Gem System generation. This architectural shift brings a substantial increase in transistor count: the R7 M465 packs 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, versus 690 million on a 56 mm² die for the HD 8690M.

Despite the transistor disparity, both are fabricated on the same 28 nm process from TSMC, resulting in nearly identical transistor densities of 12.3M/mm² for the HD 8690M and 12.4M/mm² for the R7 M465. The newer architecture grants the R7 M465 a clear feature advantage: full DirectX 12 (12_0) support, whereas the HD 8690M is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170, and both connect via PCIe 3.0 x8.

Clock speeds tell a mixed story. The HD 8690M has a higher base clock at 925 MHz versus 730 MHz, but the R7 M465 achieves a higher boost clock of 1024 MHz compared to 975 MHz. Compute resources also favor the R7 M465, which has 384 shading units and 24 texture mapping units, while the HD 8690M has 320 shading units and 20 TMUs. Both have 8 ROPs. The R7 M465 also supports FP16 compute at a 1:1 ratio, offering 786.4 GFLOPS for both FP16 and FP32, while the HD 8690M only lists FP32 at 624.0 GFLOPS.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only recorded head-to-head benchmark is the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the AMD Radeon HD 8690M takes the win. The HD 8690M scores 6137 against the R7 M465's 5841, yielding a 5.1% delta in favor of the older part. This result is consistent with the HD 8690M's percentile ranking of 36, which is three points higher than the R7 M465's 33rd percentile.

This benchmark outcome is somewhat counterintuitive given the R7 M465's superior specs. The R7 M465 has 20% more shading units (384 vs 320) and 20% more TMUs (24 vs 20), yet it still loses. The explanation lies in clock speeds: the HD 8690M's base clock of 925 MHz is significantly higher than the R7 M465's 730 MHz base, and its boost clock of 975 MHz is only slightly lower than the R7 M465's 1024 MHz. The higher base clock allows the HD 8690M to sustain performance more consistently.

In terms of the competitive field, the HD 8690M's score places it in close proximity to several rivals. It is only 0.3% ahead of the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 and 1% ahead of both the NVIDIA RTX A400 and GeForce MX230. The nearest competitor above it is the AMD Radeon HD 6950, which beats it by 1.2%. For the R7 M465, the nearest rival is the AMD Radeon R5 M435, which outperforms it by 0.3%, while the Intel UHD Graphics 730 is 1.5% faster. The R7 M465 does manage to outpace the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti by 1.9%.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ on several key specification fields. The most substantial difference is in the chip and architecture: HD 8690M uses Sun on GCN 1.0, while R7 M465 uses Topaz on GCN 3.0. Transistor count jumps from 690 million to 1,550 million, and die size grows from 56 mm² to 125 mm². Transistor density is nearly identical at 12.3M/mm² versus 12.4M/mm².

Clock specifications vary: base clock drops from 925 MHz on the HD 8690M to 730 MHz on the R7 M465, but boost clock rises from 975 MHz to 1024 MHz. Memory clock also shifts, with the HD 8690M running at 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) and the R7 M465 at 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective). This leads to a bandwidth increase from 32.00 GB/s to 36.00 GB/s.

Compute resources differ: shading units increase from 320 to 384, and TMUs from 20 to 24, while ROPs remain at 8 for both. Pixel rate rises from 7.800 GPixel/s to 8.192 GPixel/s, and texture rate from 19.50 GTexel/s to 24.58 GTexel/s. FP32 performance increases from 624.0 GFLOPS to 786.4 GFLOPS, and the R7 M465 adds FP16 support at 786.4 GFLOPS (1:1), which the HD 8690M lacks.

The DirectX support differs, with the HD 8690M at 12 (11_1) and the R7 M465 at 12 (12_0). Generation names also change from Solar System (HD 8600M) to Gem System (R7 M400). The predecessor and successor relationships are notable: the HD 8690M's predecessor is London and successor is Gem System, while the R7 M465's predecessor is Solar System and successor is Polaris Mobile. Release dates span from February 28, 2013, to May 14, 2016.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear verdict: the AMD Radeon HD 8690M is the faster GPU in compute workloads, winning the only recorded benchmark by 5.1%. Its score of 6137 places it in a higher percentile (36th) than the R7 M465 (33rd), and it leads in that specific test without any counters from the newer part. For users prioritizing raw OpenCL compute performance, the HD 8690M is the data-backed choice.

However, the R7 M465 is not without its merits. It offers a more modern architecture with GCN 3.0 and full DirectX 12 (12_0) support, which the HD 8690M cannot match. Its higher memory bandwidth of 36.00 GB/s and increased FP32 throughput of 786.4 GFLOPS suggest it has untapped potential in workloads that are not captured by the single Geekbench test. The R7 M465 also has a higher boost clock of 1024 MHz, which could yield better burst performance in certain scenarios.

The verdict depends on the use case. The HD 8690M is the proven winner in the measured benchmark, making it the safer pick for applications known to rely on OpenCL compute. The R7 M465 is the forward-looking option, with architectural advantages that may benefit newer software utilizing DirectX 12 features. Since both are end-of-life products, the choice should be based on the specific software library being used rather than future-proofing.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Radeon HD 8690M wins on:

• Raw OpenCL compute: It scores 6137 versus 5841, a 5.1% advantage in the sole benchmark.
• Base clock stability: Its 925 MHz base clock is substantially higher than the R7 M465's 730 MHz, suggesting more consistent sustained performance.
• Competitive positioning: Its 36th percentile ranking and close margins to rivals like the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 (0.3% ahead) and NVIDIA RTX A400 (1% ahead) show it holds its own against a wider field.

AMD Radeon R7 M465 wins on:

• Memory bandwidth: It delivers 36.00 GB/s versus 32.00 GB/s, a 12.5% improvement that benefits memory-intensive operations.
• Compute throughput: Its FP32 output of 786.4 GFLOPS is 26% higher than the HD 8690M's 624.0 GFLOPS, and it adds FP16 support at the same rate.
• Modern feature support: Full DirectX 12 (12_0) support and a newer GCN 3.0 architecture make it better suited for contemporary graphics APIs.
• Texture performance: Its texture rate of 24.58 GTexel/s outpaces the HD 8690M's 19.50 GTexel/s by 26%, aided by more TMUs (24 vs 20).
• Boost clock headroom: Its 1024 MHz boost clock exceeds the HD 8690M's 975 MHz, providing higher peak performance when thermal limits allow.