AMD Radeon HD 8690M vs AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile Comparison

The benchmark data positions the AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile as the clear winner in this matchup, outscoring the AMD Radeon HD 8690M in the only head-to-head test available. The Geekbench OpenCL result shows Vega 10 Mobile scoring 6476 against 6137 for the HD 8690M, a 5.5% advantage that places it just ahead in the performance hierarchy. This is a narrow but consistent lead, and the surrounding data reinforces that Vega 10 Mobile is the more capable part, even though both GPUs sit in the lower third of the overall performance distribution.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single benchmark comparison, Geekbench OpenCL, decisively favors the AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile. It scored 6476 points, while the AMD Radeon HD 8690M managed 6137 points. The 5.5% delta is modest but meaningful, indicating that in compute-heavy workloads the Vega 10 Mobile will typically finish ahead. This is not a case of a generational leap; it is a consistent edge that shows up in the numbers.

Looking at how each GPU stacks against its own competition clarifies the picture. The Vega 10 Mobile’s score of 6476 places it within a tight cluster of rivals. It is only 0.1% behind the NVIDIA Quadro M5000M (6481), 0.3% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M (6493), and 0.6% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M (6513). Conversely, it sits 1.1% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 72 GB Blackwell (6407). This suggests the Vega 10 Mobile is performing right in line with a group of older and mid-range discrete GPUs, which is impressive for an integrated part.

The HD 8690M, in contrast, finds itself in a slightly lower tier. Its score of 6137 is 0.3% ahead of the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 (6117) and 1% ahead of both the NVIDIA RTX A400 (6078) and the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 (6077). However, it trails the AMD Radeon HD 6950 by 1.2%, as that card scores 6210. The HD 8690M’s percentile ranking of 36 versus the Vega 10 Mobile’s 37 confirms that it is performing at a slightly lower level relative to the entire GPU market.

The win count reflects this outcome: the Vega 10 Mobile takes 1 win, and the HD 8690M takes 0. The data is unambiguous on this point. When the two are placed in direct competition, the Vega 10 Mobile is the faster GPU, and the 5.5% margin is the exact measurement of that difference.

The Verdict

The data points to one conclusion: the AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile is the superior GPU for anyone prioritizing raw compute performance. Its 5.5% lead in the Geekbench OpenCL test is the decisive factor. The benchmark results indicate that if you have a choice between these two, the Vega 10 Mobile will deliver more throughput in OpenCL workloads. This is the only direct comparison available, and it is the one that matters.

The HD 8690M is not without merit, but its performance ceiling is lower. Its score of 6137 is respectable for its generation, but it does not match the Vega 10 Mobile’s output. The percentile rankings reinforce this: 37th percentile for the Vega 10 Mobile versus 36th for the HD 8690M. While a single percentile point seems small, the raw score difference is consistent across the board.

Who should pick which? The data supports choosing the AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile for any application that relies on OpenCL acceleration. This includes tasks like video encoding, some rendering workloads, and general-purpose GPU compute. The HD 8690M would only be a reasonable pick if the Vega 10 Mobile is unavailable, as its performance is measurably lower. There is no benchmark evidence to suggest the HD 8690M wins anywhere, so the verdict is straightforward.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile is faster, scoring 6476 points compared to the AMD Radeon HD 8690M’s 6137 points, a 5.5% difference.

Q: How much of a performance lead does the Vega 10 Mobile have?

A: The Vega 10 Mobile is 5.5% ahead of the HD 8690M in the Geekbench OpenCL test, with a delta of 339 points.

Q: Are these GPUs close in performance to other parts in their respective price ranges?

A: The Vega 10 Mobile is within 0.6% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M (6513) and 0.3% of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M (6493). The HD 8690M is 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 (6077) and 0.3% ahead of the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 (6117).

Q: What is the percentile ranking for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile is in the 37th percentile of all GPUs, while the AMD Radeon HD 8690M is in the 36th percentile.

Q: Did the HD 8690M win any benchmark tests?

A: No, the data shows the HD 8690M won 0 tests, while the Vega 10 Mobile won 1 test.

Q: Does the HD 8690M have a higher boost clock than the Vega 10 Mobile?

A: Yes, the HD 8690M has a boost clock of 975 MHz, while the Vega 10 Mobile has a boost clock of 1301 MHz. The Vega 10 Mobile’s boost clock is higher despite the HD 8690M having a higher base clock (925 MHz versus 300 MHz).

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ significantly in their core specifications, reflecting their different design goals and release eras. The AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile features 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 8 render output units (ROPs). In contrast, the AMD Radeon HD 8690M has exactly half the shading units at 320, half the TMUs at 20, but the same 8 ROPs.

Clock speeds tell a story of their own. The Vega 10 Mobile has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 1301 MHz. The HD 8690M runs at a much higher base clock of 925 MHz but boosts to only 975 MHz. This means the HD 8690M relies on a high idle clock, while the Vega 10 Mobile scales up to a much higher peak frequency.

Memory configurations are entirely different. The Vega 10 Mobile uses System Shared memory, with its size, type, bus width, and bandwidth all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent." The HD 8690M, however, has a dedicated 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus, providing 32.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The HD 8690M’s memory runs at 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective), while the Vega 10 Mobile’s memory speed is not specified as an independent figure.

The bus interface also differs. The Vega 10 Mobile is an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) with its bus interface listed as "IGP," meaning it has no independent connection. The HD 8690M uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface. The process node and die size are also vastly different, with the Vega 10 Mobile on a 14 nm process with a 210 mm² die, while the HD 8690M uses a 28 nm process with a 56 mm² die.

Architecture Differences

Architecturally, these are two distinct generations of AMD graphics. The Vega 10 Mobile is built on the GCN 5.0 architecture, using the Raven-M chip. The HD 8690M uses the older GCN 1.0 architecture, built on the Sun chip. This generational gap explains many of the performance and feature differences.

The manufacturing process is a key differentiator. The Vega 10 Mobile is fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, while the HD 8690M is made on a 28 nm process at TSMC. This process shrink allows the Vega 10 Mobile to pack 4,940 million transistors onto its 210 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 23.5M / mm². The HD 8690M has only 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die, for a density of 12.3M / mm².

The Vega 10 Mobile’s larger, denser chip enables its higher compute throughput. Its pixel rate is 10.41 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 52.04 GTexel/s, while the HD 8690M manages 7.800 GPixel/s and 19.50 GTexel/s respectively. The FP32 performance is 1.665 TFLOPS for the Vega 10 Mobile versus 624.0 GFLOPS for the HD 8690M. The Vega 10 Mobile also supports FP16 at 3.331 TFLOPS, a feature the HD 8690M lacks entirely.

API support is another area where the Vega 10 Mobile is ahead. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3, while the HD 8690M supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6. The release dates are far apart, with the HD 8690M launching in early 2013 and the Vega 10 Mobile in early 2019. The predecessor and successor names also differ, with the Vega 10 Mobile following GCN 3.0 IGP and preceding Navi II IGP, while the HD 8690M follows "London" and precedes "Gem System." The Vega 10 Mobile has a TDP of 10 W and uses no power connectors, while the HD 8690M has no TDP or power connector data listed.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile wins in every benchmark category where both have data. Its primary strength is raw compute performance, as demonstrated by its 5.5% lead in Geekbench OpenCL. This makes it the better choice for any workload that leverages OpenCL, such as video processing, image filtering, or physics simulations. Its higher FP32 throughput (1.665 TFLOPS) and FP16 support (3.331 TFLOPS) also make it more versatile for modern compute tasks that can utilize reduced precision.

The Vega 10 Mobile’s architecture advantages further solidify its position. Its GCN 5.0 architecture, 14 nm process, and higher transistor count (4,940 million versus 690 million) provide a foundation for better performance scaling. Its 640 shading units and 40 TMUs give it more parallel processing capacity than the HD 8690M’s 320 and 20, respectively. For users running GPU-accelerated applications, the Vega 10 Mobile is the clear pick.

The AMD Radeon HD 8690M, on the other hand, has no benchmark wins to claim. Its one potential advantage is its dedicated memory. With 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus and 32.00 GB/s of bandwidth, it avoids the system memory contention that can affect an IGP like the Vega 10 Mobile. In scenarios where system memory bandwidth is a bottleneck, the HD 8690M might perform better in practice, but the provided benchmark data does not support this. The HD 8690M’s higher base clock of 925 MHz also suggests it may have better sustained performance at low load, but its lower boost clock of 975 MHz limits its peak output.

In summary, the data shows the Vega 10 Mobile winning the only direct comparison and having a superior specification sheet. The HD 8690M’s only potential edge is its dedicated VRAM, but no benchmark evidence exists to confirm that this translates into a real-world win. For compute performance, the Vega 10 Mobile is the definitive choice.