AMD Radeon HD 8730M vs AMD Radeon R7 M460 Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the AMD Radeon R7 M460 and AMD Radeon HD 8730M compare in raw OpenCL performance?

A: The R7 M460 scores 6612 in the Geekbench OpenCL test, while the HD 8730M scores 5955. This gives the R7 M460 an 11% advantage in the recorded head-to-head benchmark.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M460 delivers 8.192 GPixel/s, which is substantially higher than the HD 8730M’s 5.600 GPixel/s. This reflects the R7 M460’s higher clock speeds.

Q: Are both GPUs based on the same architecture?

A: No. The R7 M460 uses GCN 3.0 architecture on the Meso chip, while the HD 8730M uses GCN 1.0 architecture on the Mars chip. Both are built on a 28 nm process at TSMC.

Q: What memory configurations do these cards use?

A: Both have 2 GB of memory, but the R7 M460 uses GDDR5 with a 64-bit bus (36.00 GB/s bandwidth), whereas the HD 8730M uses DDR3 with a 128-bit bus (28.80 GB/s bandwidth).

Q: Which GPU has higher shader and texture throughput?

A: The R7 M460 reaches 786.4 GFLOPS FP32 and 24.58 GTexel/s, while the HD 8730M achieves 537.6 GFLOPS FP32 and 16.80 GTexel/s. Both have 384 shading units and 24 TMUs, but the R7 M460 runs at higher clocks.

Q: How do these GPUs rank against all other GPUs in the database?

A: The R7 M460 sits at the 38th percentile, while the HD 8730M sits at the 34th percentile. The R7 M460’s nearest rival is the AMD Radeon HD 7730M (0.5% ahead), and the HD 8730M’s nearest rival is the NVIDIA Quadro K620M (0% delta).

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different design generations, and that shows up across their entire feature set. The AMD Radeon R7 M460 is built on GCN 3.0, using the Meso chip, while the AMD Radeon HD 8730M uses the older GCN 1.0 architecture on the Mars chip. Both are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the similarities stop there.

Transistor counts differ significantly. The R7 M460 packs 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 12.4M per mm². The HD 8730M has 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, with a density of 12.3M per mm². The newer chip is larger and denser, which allows for higher clock speeds and better throughput.

Clock behavior is a major architectural differentiator. The R7 M460 has a base clock of 730 MHz and a boost clock of 1024 MHz, while the HD 8730M runs at 650 MHz base and 700 MHz boost. That is a large gap, especially in boost clocks, where the R7 M460 runs nearly 46% higher. The R7 M460’s boost capability is a key reason for its benchmark lead.

Memory architecture also differs. The R7 M460 uses GDDR5 memory at 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective) on a 64-bit bus, yielding 36.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The HD 8730M uses DDR3 at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) on a 128-bit bus, yielding 28.80 GB/s. Despite the narrower bus, the R7 M460’s faster GDDR5 memory delivers higher bandwidth.

API support shows a generation gap. The R7 M460 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the HD 8730M supports DirectX 12 (11_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170. The R7 M460 also supports FP16 at 786.4 GFLOPS (1:1 ratio), while the HD 8730M has no recorded FP16 capability.

The R7 M460 belongs to the Gem System (R7 M400) generation, while the HD 8730M is part of the Solar System (HD 8700M) generation. The R7 M460’s predecessor is Solar System and its successor is Polaris Mobile, while the HD 8730M’s predecessor is London and its successor is Gem System. Both are end-of-life products, but they come from different eras: the HD 8730M released in March 2013, while the R7 M460 released in May 2016.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R7 M460 wins the only recorded benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 6612 versus 5955 for the HD 8730M, an 11% delta. This makes the R7 M460 the clear choice for general-purpose compute workloads that rely on OpenCL acceleration.

Where does the HD 8730M hold ground? Its 128-bit memory bus is wider, but the DDR3 memory runs slower, so bandwidth is actually lower. In terms of raw specifications, the HD 8730M has no category where it beats the R7 M460: the newer card has higher clock speeds, higher pixel rate, higher texture rate, higher FP32 throughput, and higher memory bandwidth.

The HD 8730M’s only advantage is architectural heritage. As a GCN 1.0 part, it may have broader driver maturity in older software environments, but the recorded data does not show any benchmark win for it. The R7 M460 wins the sole head-to-head test, and its percentile ranking (38th vs 34th) confirms it sits higher in the overall performance distribution.

For users choosing between these two for a laptop or small form factor system, the R7 M460 offers the better compute performance and newer feature set. The HD 8730M remains a functional entry-level part, but every measured metric favors its successor.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon R7 M460 | AMD Radeon HD 8730M |

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

| Chip | Meso | Mars |

| Architecture | GCN 3.0 | GCN 1.0 |

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

| Transistors | 1,550 million | 950 million |

| Die Size | 125 mm² | 77 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.4M / mm² | 12.3M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 730 MHz | 650 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1024 MHz | 700 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective) | 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bus Width | 64 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 36.00 GB/s | 28.80 GB/s |

| Pixel Rate | 8.192 GPixel/s | 5.600 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 24.58 GTexel/s | 16.80 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 786.4 GFLOPS | 537.6 GFLOPS |

| FP16 | 786.4 GFLOPS (1:1) | Not specified |

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

| Release Date | May 14, 2016 | March 31, 2013 |

| Predecessor | Solar System | London |

| Successor | Polaris Mobile | Gem System |

Identical specifications include: 2 GB memory size, 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, 8 ROPs, 28 nm process, TSMC foundry, PCIe 3.0 x8 interface, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.2.170, and end-of-life production status.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records exactly one head-to-head benchmark between these two GPUs: Geekbench OpenCL. The AMD Radeon R7 M460 scores 6612, and the AMD Radeon HD 8730M scores 5955. That is an 11% advantage for the R7 M460, which is a meaningful gap for two mobile GPUs in the same performance class.

To put this in context, the R7 M460’s nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7730M (6581, 0.5% behind) and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 (6698, 1.3% ahead). The HD 8730M’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro K620M (5957, 0% delta) and the AMD Radeon HD 8750M (5970, 0.3% ahead). The R7 M460 sits in a slightly higher performance band, and its 11% lead over the HD 8730M is larger than the typical delta between either card and its own nearest rivals.

The biggest wins for the R7 M460 come from its clock advantage. The boost clock of 1024 MHz versus 700 MHz on the HD 8730M directly translates to higher pixel and texture rates. The R7 M460’s pixel rate is 8.192 GPixel/s versus 5.600 GPixel/s, a 46% advantage. Texture rate is 24.58 GTexel/s versus 16.80 GTexel/s, a 46% advantage. FP32 throughput is 786.4 GFLOPS versus 537.6 GFLOPS, a 46% advantage. These ratios mirror the clock ratio, suggesting the architecture is scaling efficiently with frequency.

Memory bandwidth also favors the R7 M460, at 36.00 GB/s versus 28.80 GB/s, a 25% advantage. This is notable because the HD 8730M has a 128-bit bus, twice the width of the R7 M460’s 64-bit bus. The faster GDDR5 memory on the R7 M460 overcomes the bus width deficit, delivering higher bandwidth in practice.

There are no recorded wins for the HD 8730M in the head-to-head data. Its only consolation is that it is not far behind in the overall percentile ranking: 34th versus 38th. In absolute terms, the R7 M460 is the faster GPU across every measured specification and the only benchmark result.

The 11% delta in the OpenCL test is consistent with the specification differences. Higher clocks, newer architecture, and better memory bandwidth all contribute to the R7 M460’s lead. For any workload that stresses compute, pixel fill, or texture throughput, the R7 M460 is the stronger part. The HD 8730M is a capable GPU for its generation, but the data shows it is clearly outclassed by its successor.