AMD Radeon HD 8730M vs NVIDIA Quadro M5000M Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits cleanly between these two mobile graphics solutions, but only one of them has a meaningful body of recorded results. The NVIDIA Quadro M5000M wins the only head-to-head benchmark in the database, and it does so by a staggering margin. The AMD Radeon HD 8730M has no recorded wins in any shared test, which makes the use-case split straightforward: the Quadro M5000M is the performance pick, while the Radeon HD 8730M is the efficiency-oriented alternative for lighter workloads.

Looking at the individual benchmark suites, the Quadro M5000M shows its strength across every category it was tested in. In OpenCL compute workloads, it scores 22,920 points, a figure that places it firmly in the upper tier of mobile GPUs from its era. The Vulkan score of 24,875 reinforces that the architecture handles modern API workloads with ease. DirectX 9 performance is particularly strong at 119 points in Passmark, while DirectX 11 scores 54 points. Even the older DirectX 10 path returns 35 points, and DirectX 12 trails at 29 points, which is expected for a GPU designed before that API matured.

The Radeon HD 8730M, by contrast, has exactly one benchmark result in the database: a Geekbench OpenCL score of 5,955. That is the only recorded measurement for this GPU, and it is the basis for its average benchmark score of 5,955. With no Vulkan, DirectX, or compute results available, the data cannot show where this card wins in absolute terms. What the data does show is that its single score is competitive with a narrow band of rivals: the NVIDIA Quadro K620M sits at 5,957, the AMD Radeon HD 8750M at 5,970, and the Intel UHD Graphics 730 at 5,929. The HD 8730M is effectively in the same performance class as those parts, with deltas of 0%, -0.3%, and +0.4% respectively.

The practical takeaway from the recorded data is that the Quadro M5000M is the clear winner for anything compute-heavy or graphics-intensive. The Radeon HD 8730M is not a competitor in the same league, but it occupies a different niche: a smaller, lower-power chip that delivers adequate performance for basic display tasks and light 3D work. The lack of additional benchmark data for the HD 8730M means the database cannot quantify its wins in other areas, but its architecture and specifications suggest it was aimed at thin-and-light laptops rather than mobile workstations.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from entirely different design philosophies and generations. The NVIDIA Quadro M5000M is built on the Maxwell 2.0 architecture, using the GM204 chip fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. That chip packs 5,200 million transistors into a die size of 398 mm², resulting in a transistor density of 13.1 million per square millimeter. The AMD Radeon HD 8730M uses the GCN 1.0 architecture with the Mars chip, also on a 28 nm TSMC process, but the die is dramatically smaller at 77 mm² with just 950 million transistors. That yields a density of 12.3 million per square millimeter, which is slightly lower than the NVIDIA part despite the same process node.

Core configuration differences are stark. The Quadro M5000M fields 1,536 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. The Radeon HD 8730M has only 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. That is a 4x advantage in shading units and TMUs for the NVIDIA part, and an 8x advantage in ROPs. These numbers explain why the pixel rate and texture rate are so far apart: the M5000M achieves 67.26 GPixel/s and 100.9 GTexel/s, while the HD 8730M manages just 5.600 GPixel/s and 16.80 GTexel/s. Floating-point performance follows the same pattern, with the M5000M delivering 3.229 TFLOPS against the HD 8730M's 537.6 GFLOPS.

Memory architecture is another major differentiator. The Quadro M5000M uses 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, with a memory clock of 1253 MHz and an effective data rate of 5 Gbps. That configuration yields 160.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon HD 8730M uses 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, clocked at 900 MHz with an effective rate of 1800 Mbps, producing only 28.80 GB/s. The bandwidth gap is roughly 5.5x in favor of the NVIDIA part, which directly impacts texture-heavy workloads and large frame buffers.

Power and interface differences are also notable. The Quadro M5000M carries a 100 W TDP and uses an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface, with an MXM Module slot width and no power connectors required. The Radeon HD 8730M has no TDP listed in the database, uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface, and has no slot width or power connector data recorded. The lack of a TDP figure for the AMD part is worth noting, as it prevents a direct power efficiency comparison, but the smaller die and lower core counts strongly suggest it draws far less power in practice.

API support differences are minor but real. Both support DirectX 12, but the Quadro M5000M supports 12_1 while the Radeon HD 8730M supports 11_1. OpenGL 4.6 is common to both. Vulkan support differs: the M5000M lists Vulkan 1.4, while the HD 8730M lists Vulkan 1.2.170. The NVIDIA part also has a later release date, August 2015 versus March 2013, and the generation names reflect that gap: Quadro Maxwell-M (Mx000M) versus Solar System (HD 8700M).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records exactly one shared benchmark between these two GPUs: Geekbench OpenCL. The Quadro M5000M scores 22,920, while the Radeon HD 8730M scores 5,955. That is a delta of 284.9% in favor of the NVIDIA part, meaning the M5000M is nearly four times faster in this compute workload. This is the single largest performance gap recorded in the head-to-head comparison, and it dominates any other consideration.

Interpreting this score requires context. Geekbench OpenCL exercises raw compute throughput, memory bandwidth, and driver efficiency. The M5000M's 3.229 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 160.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth provide the theoretical foundation for that result. The HD 8730M's 537.6 GFLOPS and 28.80 GB/s bandwidth explain its much lower score. The 284.9% delta is consistent with the hardware differences: the NVIDIA part has 4x the shading units, 8x the ROPs, and 5.5x the memory bandwidth.

The other benchmark scores for the M5000M, while not shared with the HD 8730M, help characterize its overall performance. The Passmark G3D score of 7,062 places it near the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M, which scores 6,513, and the GeForce GT 555M at 6,493. The AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile is the closest rival at 6,476, just 0.1% behind the M5000M's average benchmark score of 6,481. This puts the Quadro M5000M in the upper midrange of mobile GPUs from its generation, sitting at the 37th percentile of all GPUs in the database.

For the HD 8730M, the single OpenCL score of 5,955 gives it an average benchmark score of 5,955 and a 34th percentile ranking. Its nearest rivals are all within a fraction of a percent: the NVIDIA Quadro K620M at 5,957 (0% delta), the AMD Radeon HD 8750M at 5,970 (-0.3%), and the Intel UHD Graphics 730 at 5,929 (+0.4%). The HD 8730M sits in a tight cluster of low-end mobile parts, with no standout wins or losses in its recorded data.

The Passmark results for the M5000M tell a more nuanced story than the raw average. The DirectX 9 score of 119 is the strongest legacy API result, while DirectX 11 at 54 and DirectX 10 at 35 show the expected scaling. DirectX 12 at 29 is the weakest, reflecting the GPU's 2015 design predating widespread DX12 adoption. The compute score of 2,756 in Passmark and the 2D score of 476 round out the picture: this is a GPU that handles both gaming-era APIs and professional compute workloads competently.

The Verdict

The database points to a clear conclusion for anyone choosing between these two GPUs: the NVIDIA Quadro M5000M is the superior performer in every recorded metric, and the only reason to pick the AMD Radeon HD 8730M is if the workload is limited to basic display output or the system constraints demand a smaller, lower-power chip.

For professional users running compute-heavy applications, the M5000M is the obvious choice. Its 284.9% lead in Geekbench OpenCL over the HD 8730M is not a marginal difference; it is a generational and architectural gap. The 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus provides 160.4 GB/s of bandwidth, which is essential for large datasets in CAD, scientific visualization, or machine learning inference. The 3.229 TFLOPS of FP32 performance handles complex shaders and compute kernels with headroom to spare.

The Radeon HD 8730M, on the other hand, is suited for laptops where battery life and thermals matter more than raw throughput. With only 2 GB of DDR3 memory and 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth, it is not designed for serious compute work. Its single benchmark score of 5,955 places it in the same class as integrated graphics like the Intel UHD Graphics 730, which suggests it is best used for everyday desktop tasks, video playback, and light 3D applications.

The percentile rankings reinforce this split: the M5000M sits at the 37th percentile of all GPUs, while the HD 8730M sits at the 34th. That is a narrow gap in percentile terms, but the average benchmark scores tell the real story: 6,481 for the M5000M versus 5,955 for the HD 8730M. The M5000M's nearest rivals are all within 1.1% of its average score, while the HD 8730M's rivals are within 0.5%. Both GPUs are in competitive clusters, but the M5000M operates in a higher performance bracket.

The verdict is straightforward: buy the Quadro M5000M if you need compute performance and memory bandwidth for professional workloads. Choose the Radeon HD 8730M only if you are constrained by physical space, power budget, or cost, and your applications do not demand more than the HD 8730M's modest capabilities.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in OpenCL compute?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro M5000M scores 22,920 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the AMD Radeon HD 8730M scores 5,955. The M5000M is 284.9% faster in this workload.

Q: How do these GPUs compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The M5000M has an average benchmark score of 6,481, with its closest rival being the AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile at 6,476, a 0.1% delta. The HD 8730M averages 5,955, with the NVIDIA Quadro K620M at 5,957, a 0% delta.

Q: What memory configurations do these GPUs use?

A: The Quadro M5000M uses 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 160.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Radeon HD 8730M uses 2 GB of DDR3 on a 128-bit bus with 28.80 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Do both GPUs support DirectX 12?

A: Yes, but with different feature levels. The M5000M supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the HD 8730M supports DirectX 12 (11_1).

Q: What are the core counts for each GPU?

A: The M5000M has 1,536 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The HD 8730M has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 8 ROPs.

Q: Which GPU was released later?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro M5000M was released in August 2015, while the AMD Radeon HD 8730M was released in March 2013.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA Quadro M5000M | AMD Radeon HD 8730M |

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

| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 | GCN 1.0 |

| Chip | GM204 | Mars |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 5,200 million | 950 million |

| Die Size | 398 mm² | 77 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 13.1M / mm² | 12.3M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 962 MHz | 650 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1051 MHz | 700 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1253 MHz | 900 MHz |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 2 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 160.4 GB/s | 28.80 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1536 | 384 |

| TMUs | 96 | 24 |

| ROPs | 64 | 8 |

| Pixel Rate | 67.26 GPixel/s | 5.600 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 100.9 GTexel/s | 16.80 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 3.229 TFLOPS | 537.6 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 100 W | Not listed |

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

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

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.2.170 |

| Release Date | August 2015 | March 2013 |