AMD Radeon HD 8690M vs Intel UHD Graphics 730 Comparison

The AMD Radeon HD 8690M and Intel UHD Graphics 730 are both end-of-life graphics solutions, but they target fundamentally different use cases. Benchmark data from Geekbench shows the AMD Radeon HD 8690M holds a narrow lead in OpenCL performance, scoring 6137 compared to the Intel UHD Graphics 730's 5988, a 2.5% advantage. However, the Intel part counters with a Vulkan score of 5870, a capability the AMD GPU lacks entirely, and offers a significantly newer feature set. The data indicates that while the AMD part is marginally faster in raw compute, the Intel UHD Graphics 730 is the more modern and versatile option for users prioritizing API support and efficiency.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8690M has a higher average benchmark score of 6137, placing it in the 36th percentile of all GPUs. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 averages 5929, sitting in the 33rd percentile.

Q: How do the two compare in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8690M wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 6137 against the Intel UHD Graphics 730's 5988. This represents a 2.5% delta in favor of the AMD part.

Q: Does the Intel UHD Graphics 730 support any APIs that the AMD Radeon HD 8690M does not?

A: Yes. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the AMD Radeon HD 8690M is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Q: What is the difference in pixel fill rate between the two GPUs?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 has a higher pixel rate of 10.40 GPixel/s, while the AMD Radeon HD 8690M achieves 7.800 GPixel/s.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor count and smaller process node?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8690M uses 690 million transistors on a 28 nm TSMC process. The Intel UHD Graphics 730's transistor count and die size are not listed, but it is built on Intel's 14 nm+++ process.

Q: What are the memory configurations for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8690M features 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus with 32.00 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 uses System Shared memory, with bandwidth described as System Dependent.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is substantial, reflecting their different design goals and release eras. The AMD Radeon HD 8690M is built on the GCN 1.0 architecture using the "Sun" chip, employing a 28 nm process from TSMC. It packs 690 million transistors into a 56 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.3 million per square millimeter. In contrast, the Intel UHD Graphics 730 is based on Intel's Generation 12.1 architecture, using the Rocket Lake chip on a 14 nm+++ process, and is part of the HD Graphics (Rocket Lake) generation.

Core configuration is a key differentiator. The AMD part has 320 shading units, 20 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 8 raster operations pipelines (ROPs). The Intel solution is more modest in raw count, with 192 shading units and 12 TMUs, but it matches the AMD part with 8 ROPs. This configuration gives the Intel chip a higher theoretical pixel rate of 10.40 GPixel/s versus 7.800 GPixel/s for AMD, despite having fewer shaders. The texture rate, however, favors AMD at 19.50 GTexel/s compared to Intel's 15.60 GTexel/s.

Clock speeds and memory architecture also show stark differences. The AMD Radeon HD 8690M operates at a base clock of 925 MHz with a boost of 975 MHz, using dedicated 2 GB GDDR5 memory at 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective). The Intel UHD Graphics 730 has a much lower base clock of 300 MHz but boosts to 1300 MHz, relying entirely on System Shared memory with a System Dependent bandwidth. Compute performance, measured in FP32, favors AMD with 624.0 GFLOPS against Intel's 499.2 GFLOPS, though the Intel part doubles its FP32 output to 998.4 GFLOPS in FP16 (2:1) mode, a feature the AMD GPU does not list.

API support is where the Intel part clearly modernizes the experience. AMD supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. Intel supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a 15 W TDP and a Ring Bus interface, while the AMD Radeon HD 8690M uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface, and its TDP is not specified in the data.

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to a clear, if narrow, verdict: the AMD Radeon HD 8690M is the faster GPU in raw compute tasks, but the Intel UHD Graphics 730 is the more forward-looking choice for software compatibility. In the only shared benchmark test, Geekbench OpenCL, the AMD part scores 6137, edging out the Intel's 5988 by 2.5%. This win is corroborated by the AMD part's higher FP32 throughput of 624.0 GFLOPS and its lead in texture rate (19.50 GTexel/s vs 15.60 GTexel/s). Users who prioritize raw OpenCL compute performance should choose the AMD Radeon HD 8690M.

However, the Intel UHD Graphics 730 wins on architectural relevance. Its support for Vulkan 1.4 and DirectX 12 (12_1) makes it compatible with a broader range of modern applications than the AMD's older DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. The Intel part also demonstrates a higher pixel rate (10.40 GPixel/s) and a significantly lower 15 W TDP, making it suitable for power-constrained or integrated systems. For users who need modern API support and efficiency over a marginal compute lead, the Intel UHD Graphics 730 is the data-backed choice.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs diverge on nearly every major specification category. The AMD Radeon HD 8690M uses the GCN 1.0 architecture on a 28 nm TSMC process, while the Intel UHD Graphics 730 uses Generation 12.1 on Intel's 14 nm+++ process. The AMD chip, "Sun," integrates 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die; the Intel chip, "Rocket Lake," has no listed transistor count or die size. Clock speeds differ significantly: AMD runs at 925 MHz base and 975 MHz boost, while Intel runs at 300 MHz base and 1300 MHz boost. Memory is a fundamental split: AMD has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus with 32.00 GB/s bandwidth, whereas Intel uses System Shared memory with System Dependent bandwidth. Shader counts favor AMD (320 vs 192), as do TMUs (20 vs 12), but both have 8 ROPs. Pixel rate favors Intel (10.40 GPixel/s vs 7.800 GPixel/s), while texture rate favors AMD (19.50 GTexel/s vs 15.60 GTexel/s). FP32 compute is higher on AMD (624.0 GFLOPS vs 499.2 GFLOPS), but Intel adds FP16 at 998.4 GFLOPS (2:1). The Intel part has a stated 15 W TDP and an IGP slot width with Ring Bus interface, while AMD uses PCIe 3.0 x8. API support differs: AMD lists DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170; Intel lists DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4. Finally, release dates are far apart, with AMD launching on 2013-02-28 and Intel on 2021-03-29.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark data provides a single point of comparison: the Geekbench OpenCL test. The AMD Radeon HD 8690M scores 6137, while the Intel UHD Graphics 730 scores 5988. This gives AMD a 2.5% deltaPct victory, making it the outright winner in this shared test. The Intel part does have a separate Geekbench Vulkan score of 5870, but since the AMD part has no corresponding Vulkan score in the data, no direct comparison can be made on that API.

Looking at the nearest rivals for each GPU provides additional context. The AMD Radeon HD 8690M's 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 NVIDIA GeForce MX230 (6077). It trails the AMD Radeon HD 6950 (6210) by 1.2%. The Intel UHD Graphics 730's score of 5988 is 0.4% behind the AMD Radeon HD 8730M (5955), 0.5% behind the NVIDIA Quadro K620M (5957), 0.7% behind the AMD Radeon HD 8750M (5970), and 0.9% behind the NVIDIA Quadro K4000 (5982). These deltas show that both GPUs sit in a very tight performance cluster, with the AMD part having a slight edge over its direct competition and the Intel part lagging its nearest rivals by less than 1%.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon HD 8690M wins in compute throughput and raw OpenCL performance. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 6137 is 2.5% higher than Intel's 5988, and its FP32 output of 624.0 GFLOPS exceeds Intel's 499.2 GFLOPS. The AMD part also has a higher texture rate (19.50 GTexel/s) and dedicated GDDR5 memory (2 GB, 32.00 GB/s), making it the better choice for workloads that rely on high-bandwidth dedicated VRAM and sustained shader compute. Its nearest rival comparisons show it leading the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 by 0.3% and the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 by 1%, reinforcing its position as a slightly above-average performer in its bracket.

The Intel UHD Graphics 730 wins in modern API feature support and pixel processing. It offers Vulkan 1.4 and DirectX 12 (12_1), which are both newer than the AMD's Vulkan 1.2.170 and DirectX 12 (11_1). This makes it a more compatible option for recent games and applications that require these newer APIs. Its pixel rate of 10.40 GPixel/s is 33% higher than AMD's 7.800 GPixel/s, which could benefit fill-rate-limited scenarios. The Intel part also has a clear power advantage with a 15 W TDP, versus the unspecified TDP of the AMD part, and it includes FP16 support at 998.4 GFLOPS (2:1) for workloads that can leverage half-precision math. While it trails in the single OpenCL benchmark, the Intel UHD Graphics 730's Vulkan score of 5870 demonstrates it is a functional graphics solution in its own right, just slower in the one test where both are measured.