AMD Radeon HD 8730M vs Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 Comparison

Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 and AMD Radeon HD 8730M are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions, but they represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel part is an integrated GPU built into a Broadwell processor, while the AMD part is a discrete mobile GPU based on the Mars chip. Benchmark data shows a clear, if narrow, overall winner, though the specifics of each architecture tell a more nuanced story.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is Geekbench OpenCL, and the results are unambiguous. The AMD Radeon HD 8730M scores 5955, while the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 scores 4556. This gives the AMD part a 23.5% advantage in this compute workload. That is a substantial margin, placing the Radeon clearly ahead in raw OpenCL performance.

Looking at the broader benchmark picture, the AMD Radeon HD 8730M’s average benchmark score is 5955, which places it at the 34th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro K620M at 5957 (a 0% delta), the AMD Radeon HD 8750M at 5970 (-0.3%), the Intel UHD Graphics 730 at 5929 (0.4%), and the NVIDIA Quadro K4000 at 5982 (-0.5%). These are extremely tight margins, indicating the HD 8730M sits in a highly competitive cluster where performance differences are within a fraction of a percent.

The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 6117, which is actually higher than its OpenCL score alone because it also has Geekbench Metal and Vulkan results. Its percentile rank is 35, marginally better than the AMD part. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 8690M at 6137 (-0.3%), the NVIDIA RTX A400 at 6078 (0.6%), the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 at 6077 (0.7%), and the NVIDIA Quadro P2000 at 6049 (1.1%). Like the AMD part, it is surrounded by competitors within a single percentage point.

This creates an interesting paradox. In the head-to-head OpenCL test, the AMD Radeon HD 8730M wins by 23.5%. However, when averaging across all available benchmarks, the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 comes out ahead with an average score of 6117 versus 5955, a difference of about 2.7%. The explanation lies in the benchmark mix: the Intel part’s Geekbench Metal score of 7764 and Vulkan score of 6032 pull its average up significantly, while the AMD part only has the single OpenCL result. The data shows that for OpenCL-specific workloads, the AMD is the clear winner, but for other compute APIs, the Intel part demonstrates superior performance.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs could hardly be more different in their underlying designs. The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 is built on Intel’s 14 nm process node and uses the Generation 8.0 architecture, specifically the Broadwell GT3e chip. It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a Ring Bus interface, meaning it shares system memory rather than having its own dedicated VRAM. The AMD Radeon HD 8730M, on the other hand, is a discrete part manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process. It uses the GCN 1.0 architecture with the Mars chip, and it connects via PCIe 3.0 x8.

The transistor counts and die sizes highlight the difference in complexity. The AMD Radeon HD 8730M contains 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.3M per mm². The Intel part’s transistor count and die size are not listed in the data, but its 14 nm process is significantly more advanced than the AMD’s 28 nm node. This process advantage allows the Intel GPU to operate at higher clock speeds despite being integrated: its base clock is 300 MHz with a boost up to 1100 MHz, while the AMD part runs at 650 MHz base and 700 MHz boost.

Both GPUs have the same number of shading units at 384. However, the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 has double the texture mapping units (48 versus 24) and fewer ROPs (6 versus 8). This configuration gives the Intel part a higher texture rate of 52.80 GTexel/s versus 16.80 GTexel/s for the AMD part, and a higher pixel rate of 6.600 GPixel/s versus 5.600 GPixel/s. In terms of raw floating-point throughput, the Intel part achieves 844.8 GFLOPS compared to 537.6 GFLOPS for the AMD part.

Memory is another major differentiator. The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 uses system shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, whereas the AMD Radeon HD 8730M has 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD’s memory runs at 900 MHz with 1800 Mbps effective speed. This dedicated memory is likely why the AMD part excels in OpenCL, as it can access data without competing with the CPU for system memory bandwidth.

In terms of API support, the two are similar for DirectX, both supporting version 12 (11_1). However, the AMD part supports OpenGL 4.6 versus 4.4 on the Intel, and Vulkan 1.2.170 versus 1.0 on the Intel. The Intel part also has a TDP of 15 W, while the AMD part’s TDP is not listed. The Intel part’s display outputs are motherboard dependent, while the AMD part’s are not specified.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 has an average benchmark score of 6117, while the AMD Radeon HD 8730M has 5955. The Intel part also has a slightly higher percentile rank at 35 versus 34.

Q: How much faster is the AMD Radeon HD 8730M in the head-to-head OpenCL test?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8730M scores 5955 versus 4556 for the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200, which is a 23.5% advantage for the AMD part.

Q: What are the process node differences between the two GPUs?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 is built on a 14 nm process by Intel, while the AMD Radeon HD 8730M is built on a 28 nm process by TSMC.

Q: How much memory does the AMD Radeon HD 8730M have, and what type?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8730M has 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, with 28.80 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel part uses system shared memory.

Q: Which GPU has more texture mapping units?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 has 48 TMUs, while the AMD Radeon HD 8730M has 24 TMUs. The Intel part also has a higher texture rate of 52.80 GTexel/s versus 16.80 GTexel/s.

Q: What is the release date of each GPU?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 was released on 2014-09-04, and the AMD Radeon HD 8730M was released on 2013-03-31.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a split decision. For OpenCL compute tasks, the AMD Radeon HD 8730M is the clear choice, offering a 23.5% performance advantage over the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200. This is a decisive margin that would be noticeable in any OpenCL-accelerated application. The AMD part also has the advantage of dedicated 2 GB DDR3 memory with 28.80 GB/s bandwidth, which likely contributes to its OpenCL strength.

However, the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 has a higher average benchmark score (6117 versus 5955) and a better percentile rank (35 versus 34). Its additional benchmarks in Metal (7764) and Vulkan (6032) show that it is competitive or superior in other compute APIs. The Intel part also has significantly higher texture rate (52.80 GTexel/s versus 16.80 GTexel/s) and FP32 throughput (844.8 GFLOPS versus 537.6 GFLOPS), plus a more advanced 14 nm process and higher boost clock (1100 MHz versus 700 MHz).

For users who primarily work with OpenCL, the AMD Radeon HD 8730M is the better performer. For those who need broader API support or who can leverage Metal or Vulkan, the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 is superior. The data does not support a single overall winner; it depends entirely on the workload. The Intel part’s higher average score suggests it is more versatile, but the AMD part’s OpenCL dominance is too large to ignore.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 | AMD Radeon HD 8730M |

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

| Architecture | Generation 8.0 | GCN 1.0 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 28 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not listed | 950 million |

| Die Size | Not listed | 77 mm² |

| Transistor Density | Not listed | 12.3M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 300 MHz | 650 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1100 MHz | 700 MHz |

| Memory Size | System Shared | 2 GB |

| Memory Type | System Shared | DDR3 |

| Memory Bus Width | System Shared | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | System Dependent | 28.80 GB/s |

| TMUs | 48 | 24 |

| ROPs | 6 | 8 |

| Pixel Rate | 6.600 GPixel/s | 5.600 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 52.80 GTexel/s | 16.80 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 844.8 GFLOPS | 537.6 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 15 W | Not listed |

| Bus Interface | Ring Bus | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| OpenGL | 4.4 | 4.6 |

| Vulkan | 1.0 | 1.2.170 |

| Release Date | 2014-09-04 | 2013-03-31 |

| Predecessor | Not listed | London |

| Successor | Not listed | Gem System |

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon HD 8730M wins decisively in OpenCL compute performance, with a 23.5% lead in the head-to-head test. This makes it the better choice for any application that relies heavily on OpenCL, such as certain scientific computing tasks, video encoding workflows, or legacy compute APIs. Its dedicated 2 GB of DDR3 memory with 28.80 GB/s bandwidth also means it does not contend with the CPU for system memory, which can be a significant advantage in memory-intensive workloads.

The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 wins in several other areas. Its average benchmark score of 6117 is higher than the AMD’s 5955, and it has a better percentile rank. It excels in Geekbench Metal with a score of 7764, which is over 30% higher than its own OpenCL score and far above the AMD’s single benchmark. Its Vulkan score of 6032 also exceeds the AMD’s OpenCL score. The Intel part’s higher texture rate (52.80 GTexel/s) and FP32 throughput (844.8 GFLOPS) suggest it is better suited for graphics-heavy tasks that utilize those capabilities. Its 14 nm process and 15 W TDP indicate greater energy efficiency, which is critical for thin-and-light laptops.

In terms of API support, the AMD part has more modern OpenGL and Vulkan versions, which could be beneficial for compatibility with newer software. However, the Intel part’s higher clock speeds and larger TMU count give it a theoretical edge in texture-heavy rendering. The data ultimately shows that the AMD Radeon HD 8730M is the OpenCL specialist, while the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 is the more balanced performer with strengths in Metal and Vulkan workloads.