AMD Radeon HD 8730M vs AMD Radeon R7 M445 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Geekbench OpenCL benchmark provides a single point of direct comparison between the AMD Radeon HD 8730M and the AMD Radeon R7 M445. In this test, the older HD 8730M records a score of 5955, while the R7 M445 scores 5358. The delta is 11.1% in favor of the HD 8730M, making it a clear winner in this specific workload. This result is notable because the R7 M445 is a newer part, yet the database shows it trailing its predecessor by a substantial margin in raw compute throughput.

The score difference translates into a meaningful performance gap. The HD 8730M sits at the 34th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the R7 M445 rests at the 31st percentile. This three-percentile spread reflects the measured performance advantage. When compared to the nearest rivals, the HD 8730M is effectively tied with the NVIDIA Quadro K620M (5957, delta 0%), and it edges out the Intel UHD Graphics 730 (5929, delta 0.4%). The R7 M445, on the other hand, is nearly matched with the Intel UHD Graphics P630 (5370, delta -0.2%) and slightly ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 840M (5322, delta 0.7%) and GeForce 930A (5317, delta 0.8%). Interestingly, the R7 M445 even outpaces the much larger NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M (5308, delta 0.9%) in this particular OpenCL test, which is an unexpected result given the class difference between those two products.

The 11.1% delta between the two AMD parts is not trivial. It suggests that architectural efficiency or driver maturity might play a role, as the raw specifications of the R7 M445 would suggest it should be closer. However, the benchmark result stands as recorded, and the data indicates that the HD 8730M delivers higher OpenCL compute performance despite being from an earlier generation.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded data, the AMD Radeon HD 8730M wins the only head-to-head test available, taking the sole victory in the OpenCL compute category. This means that for general-purpose GPU compute tasks, such as OpenCL-accelerated applications, the HD 8730M holds an advantage. The 11.1% lead is substantial enough to matter in real-world scenarios where the GPU is used for parallel processing, even if the workload is not gaming-specific.

The AMD Radeon R7 M445, by contrast, does not win any head-to-head tests in the database. Its lower score in OpenCL suggests it is less suited for compute-heavy tasks. However, the R7 M445 does have a higher pixel rate (7.360 GPixel/s versus 5.600 GPixel/s) and a higher texture rate (18.40 GTexel/s versus 16.80 GTexel/s), which are rasterization-focused metrics. These rates imply that the R7 M445 could be more responsive in pixel-bound scenarios, such as certain rendering paths or display workloads, even though the OpenCL benchmark does not capture that advantage. The data does not include a DirectX or gaming benchmark, so the R7 M445's potential strengths in traditional graphics workloads remain unquantified in this comparison.

The split is clear: the HD 8730M wins in compute, while the R7 M445 shows theoretical advantages in fill rates that do not translate into a benchmark win. For users specifically targeting OpenCL performance, the HD 8730M is the correct choice. For those prioritizing pixel throughput, the R7 M445 has the specifications to suggest it might perform better, but no recorded test confirms this.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs belong to different GCN generations. The AMD Radeon HD 8730M is built on GCN 1.0 with the Mars chip, while the AMD Radeon R7 M445 uses GCN 3.0 with the Meso chip. This generation gap is significant. GCN 1.0 was AMD's initial implementation of the Graphics Core Next architecture, while GCN 3.0 introduced refinements in compute efficiency and feature support.

Both parts are manufactured on the same 28 nm process node at TSMC, but the transistor counts differ substantially. The HD 8730M packs 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.3M per mm². The R7 M445 has 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, with a density of 12.4M per mm². The R7 M445 is physically larger and more complex, yet it uses fewer shading units: 320 versus 384 for the HD 8730M. The HD 8730M also has more texture mapping units (24 versus 20), while both share the same 8 ROPs.

Memory configurations diverge sharply. The HD 8730M uses 2 GB of DDR3 on a 128-bit bus, achieving 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The R7 M445 uses 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus, which yields 32.00 GB/s. The narrower bus is compensated by the faster GDDR5 memory clock (1000 MHz, 4 Gbps effective versus 900 MHz, 1800 Mbps effective). The R7 M445's memory clock is more than double the effective rate of the HD 8730M, which explains the bandwidth advantage despite the half-width bus.

Clock speeds also favor the R7 M445. Its base clock is 780 MHz with a boost of 920 MHz, compared to the HD 8730M's base of 650 MHz and boost of 700 MHz. This higher clock speed, combined with the newer architecture, gives the R7 M445 a higher FP32 throughput (588.8 GFLOPS versus 537.6 GFLOPS), yet the OpenCL benchmark does not reflect this. The R7 M445 also supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio (588.8 GFLOPS), which the HD 8730M does not list.

API support differs in DirectX versions. The HD 8730M supports DirectX 12 (11_1), while the R7 M445 supports DirectX 12 (12_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170. The R7 M445 is classified as an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a slot width of "IGP", while the HD 8730M has no such designation. The R7 M445 also lists its display outputs as "Portable Device Dependent", indicating it is designed for mobile integration.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher OpenCL benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8730M scores 5955 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the AMD Radeon R7 M445 scores 5358. The HD 8730M leads by 11.1%.

Q: How do the memory systems compare?

A: The HD 8730M uses 2 GB of DDR3 on a 128-bit bus with 28.80 GB/s bandwidth. The R7 M445 uses 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus with 32.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the transistor counts for each chip?

A: The HD 8730M has 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, while the R7 M445 has 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The HD 8730M has 384 shading units, compared to 320 for the R7 M445.

Q: What is the DirectX support difference?

A: The HD 8730M supports DirectX 12 (11_1), while the R7 M445 supports DirectX 12 (12_0).

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The R7 M445 has a boost clock of 920 MHz, which is higher than the HD 8730M's boost of 700 MHz.

The Verdict

The recorded data points to the AMD Radeon HD 8730M as the stronger performer in OpenCL compute, with an 11.1% lead over the R7 M445. This is the only direct benchmark available, and it favors the older part. The HD 8730M also holds a higher percentile ranking (34th versus 31st) and a higher average benchmark score (5955 versus 5358). For any user relying on OpenCL-accelerated applications, the HD 8730M is the safer choice based on the evidence.

However, the R7 M445 is not without merit. Its higher pixel rate (7.360 GPixel/s) and texture rate (18.40 GTexel/s) suggest it could handle fill-rate-bound tasks more efficiently, though no benchmark confirms this. Its larger memory capacity (4 GB versus 2 GB) and faster GDDR5 memory provide a bandwidth edge (32.00 GB/s versus 28.80 GB/s), which may benefit certain workloads that are memory-sensitive. The R7 M445 also has a newer architecture (GCN 3.0 versus GCN 1.0), higher clocks (920 MHz boost versus 700 MHz boost), and better DirectX 12 feature support (12_0 versus 11_1).

For compute-focused users, the HD 8730M is the clear winner. For users who prioritize memory capacity, newer architecture, or theoretical fill rates, the R7 M445 offers advantages that are not reflected in the single benchmark. The data does not provide enough evidence to declare a universal winner; the choice depends on the specific workload.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon HD 8730M | AMD Radeon R7 M445 |

|---------------|---------------------|---------------------|

| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 3.0 |

| Chip | Mars | Meso |

| Generation | Solar System (HD 8700M) | Gem System (R7 M400) |

| Transistors | 950 million | 1,550 million |

| Die Size | 77 mm² | 125 mm² |

| Base Clock | 650 MHz | 780 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 700 MHz | 920 MHz |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 4 GB |

| Memory Type | DDR3 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus | 128 bit | 64 bit |

| Memory Clock | 900 MHz / 1800 Mbps effective | 1000 MHz / 4 Gbps effective |

| Bandwidth | 28.80 GB/s | 32.00 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 384 | 320 |

| TMUs | 24 | 20 |

| ROPs | 8 | 8 |

| Pixel Rate | 5.600 GPixel/s | 7.360 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 16.80 GTexel/s | 18.40 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 537.6 GFLOPS | 588.8 GFLOPS |

| FP16 | N/A | 588.8 GFLOPS (1:1) |

| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 12 (12_0) |

| Slot Width | N/A | IGP |

| Display Outputs | N/A | Portable Device Dependent |

| Release Date | 2013-03-31 | 2016-05-14 |