AMD Radeon HD 8730M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M and the AMD Radeon HD 8730M are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions from the same 2013 era, built on the same 28 nm TSMC process. Despite their shared vintage, the benchmark data reveals a decisive performance gap, with the GTX 770M leading by a significant margin in the available compute test. This analysis breaks down the head-to-head results, architectural differences, and use-case scenarios based strictly on the provided facts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available for both GPUs is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the results are starkly one-sided. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M scores 8552 points, while the AMD Radeon HD 8730M scores 5955 points. This represents a 43.6% advantage for the NVIDIA part, a substantial lead that dwarfs the performance differences seen among their respective closest rivals.

To put this in context, the GTX 770M’s average benchmark score of 6000 places it at the 35th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6400, scoring a nearly identical 6001 (a 0% delta). The HD 8730M, with an average score of 5955, sits at the 34th percentile, just behind the NVIDIA Quadro K620M’s 5957 (a 0% delta). While both GPUs occupy a similar low-mid range in the overall GPU hierarchy, the head-to-head OpenCL result shows that the GTX 770M is not merely slightly faster; it is in a completely different performance tier than the HD 8730M.

The Geekbench OpenCL score is a composite measure of compute performance, reflecting raw throughput. The GTX 770M’s 1.530 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power versus the HD 8730M’s 537.6 GFLOPS explains the massive gulf. The data shows the GTX 770M delivering nearly three times the floating-point throughput, which directly translates to its 43.6% lead in the benchmark. This is not a close contest; it is a clear victory for the NVIDIA architecture in raw compute workloads.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures, which explains their divergent performance profiles. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M is based on the GK106 chip, using the Kepler architecture from the GeForce 700M generation. In contrast, the AMD Radeon HD 8730M uses the Mars chip, based on the older GCN 1.0 architecture from the Solar System (HD 8700M) generation.

The most significant physical difference lies in the silicon itself. The GTX 770M’s GK106 die is composed of 2,540 million transistors on a 221 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 11.5M / mm². The HD 8730M’s Mars chip is far smaller, with only 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, resulting in a slightly higher density of 12.3M / mm². This means the NVIDIA chip dedicates vastly more silicon area and transistor budget to compute resources.

This hardware discrepancy translates directly into execution resources. The GTX 770M features 960 shading units, 80 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 24 render output units (ROPs). The HD 8730M is configured with only 384 shaders, 24 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. The GTX 770M has 2.5 times the shading units, over 3 times the TMUs, and 3 times the ROPs of the AMD part. Consequently, the GTX 770M achieves a pixel rate of 15.94 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 63.76 GTexel/s, compared to the HD 8730M’s 5.600 GPixel/s and 16.80 GTexel/s.

Memory configurations also differ significantly. The GTX 770M comes with 3 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 96.19 GB/s. The HD 8730M has 2 GB of slower DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, resulting in only 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 770M’s memory is over three times faster, a crucial advantage in memory-intensive tasks.

Clock speeds tell a similar story. The GTX 770M runs at a base clock of 706 MHz with a boost up to 797 MHz, while the HD 8730M operates at a lower 650 MHz base and 700 MHz boost. The NVIDIA GPU also features higher effective memory speeds at 4 Gbps versus the AMD’s 1800 Mbps. Finally, the NVIDIA part uses an MXM-B (3.0) interface, while the AMD uses PCIe 3.0 x8.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M has an average benchmark score of 6000, which is higher than the AMD Radeon HD 8730M’s average score of 5955.

Q: How much faster is the GTX 770M in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The GTX 770M scores 8552 versus the HD 8730M’s 5955, giving the NVIDIA GPU a 43.6% performance advantage.

Q: What are the FP32 compute capabilities of each GPU?

A: The GTX 770M delivers 1.530 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the HD 8730M provides 537.6 GFLOPS.

Q: Do both GPUs support DirectX 12?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12, but with different feature levels. The GTX 770M supports 12 (11_0), while the HD 8730M supports 12 (11_1).

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8730M has a slightly higher transistor density of 12.3M / mm², compared to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M’s 11.5M / mm².

Q: What is the memory bandwidth for each card?

A: The GTX 770M has a memory bandwidth of 96.19 GB/s, while the HD 8730M has a bandwidth of 28.80 GB/s.

Specification Differences

The following table outlines the key specifications where the two GPUs differ, based on the provided data.

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M | AMD Radeon HD 8730M |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Chip | GK106 | Mars |

| Architecture | Kepler | GCN 1.0 |

| Transistors | 2,540 million | 950 million |

| Die Size | 221 mm² | 77 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 11.5M / mm² | 12.3M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 706 MHz | 650 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 797 MHz | 700 MHz |

| Memory Size | 3 GB | 2 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bus | 192 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 96.19 GB/s | 28.80 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 960 | 384 |

| TMUs | 80 | 24 |

| ROPs | 24 | 8 |

| Pixel Rate | 15.94 GPixel/s | 5.600 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 63.76 GTexel/s | 16.80 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 1.530 TFLOPS | 537.6 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 75 W | Not specified |

| Bus Interface | MXM-B (3.0) | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| Vulkan Version | 1.2.175 | 1.2.170 |

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

| Predecessor | GeForce 600M | London |

| Successor | GeForce 800M | Gem System |

| Release Date | 2013-05-29 | 2013-03-31 |

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M wins decisively in every measurable category where data exists. In the sole head-to-head benchmark, it wins 1 test and loses 0. Its advantages are comprehensive, spanning raw compute, memory bandwidth, and pixel/texture throughput. The GTX 770M is the clear choice for any application that demands higher FLOPS, such as compute-intensive tasks or gaming with higher graphical settings and resolutions, given its superior shader count and memory bandwidth.

The AMD Radeon HD 8730M does not win a single benchmark in the provided data. However, the data does show it has a slightly higher transistor density (12.3M / mm² vs 11.5M / mm²) and supports a slightly newer DirectX feature level (12 (11_1) vs 12 (11_0)). The HD 8730M also draws less power, as its TDP is not specified, while the GTX 770M has a TDP of 75 W. Its use case would be limited to scenarios where power consumption is the absolute primary constraint, or where the specific DirectX 11_1 feature set is required.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M is the superior mobile GPU in nearly every way that matters for performance. Its 43.6% lead in the Geekbench OpenCL test is a reflection of its larger die, more execution units, and significantly faster GDDR5 memory. The GTX 770M’s average benchmark score of 6000 versus the HD 8730M’s 5955 confirms its higher standing, even though both sit at a similar low percentile tier (35th vs 34th).

For a user choosing between these two based on the data, the GTX 770M is the obvious pick for any workload where compute or graphics performance is the priority. Its 1.530 TFLOPS of FP32 power and 96.19 GB/s of memory bandwidth provide a substantial advantage that would be felt in real-world applications.

The AMD Radeon HD 8730M, while not competitive in raw performance, does offer a lower-power alternative with a slightly more modern DirectX feature level. Its higher transistor density suggests a more efficient use of silicon area, but this does not translate into a performance win. The HD 8730M’s niche would be for systems where the 75 W TDP of the GTX 770M is prohibitive, and where the need for DirectX 12 (11_1) features outweighs the massive performance deficit. In all other scenarios, the data points squarely to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M as the stronger choice.