AMD Radeon HD 8750M vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 and AMD Radeon HD 8750M represent two very different eras of mobile and desktop graphics. The GT 1010 is a modern, low-power Pascal-based card, while the HD 8750M is an older GCN 1.0 mobile part. The benchmark data shows a clear, albeit modest, victory for the newer NVIDIA solution.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the recorded OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 scores 6698 points in the Geekbench OpenCL test, which is 12.2% higher than the AMD Radeon HD 8750M's score of 5970.

Q: How does the GT 1010 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The GT 1010 sits between the AMD Radeon R7 M370 and the AMD FirePro M5100. It is 1% slower than the R7 M370, 1.3% faster than the R7 M460, 1.8% faster than the HD 7730M, and 1.9% slower than the FirePro M5100.

Q: What is the performance context for the HD 8750M?

A: The HD 8750M is nearly tied with several NVIDIA Quadro workstation parts. It is 0.2% slower than the Quadro K4000, 0.2% faster than the K620M, 0.3% faster than the HD 8730M, and 0.3% slower than the Quadro K4000M.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The NVIDIA GT 1010 has a transistor density of 24.3M per mm², while the AMD HD 8750M has a density of 12.3M per mm². This is despite the GT 1010 using a much smaller chip.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The GT 1010 has a memory bandwidth of 48.06 GB/s, which is significantly higher than the HD 8750M's 28.80 GB/s. This is due to the GT 1010 using faster GDDR5 memory, albeit on a narrower 64-bit bus.

Q: Which GPU supports a newer version of Vulkan?

A: The NVIDIA GT 1010 supports Vulkan 1.4, whereas the AMD HD 8750M supports Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support DirectX 12, with the GT 1010 at version 12 (12_1) and the HD 8750M at 12 (11_1).

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is substantial, reflecting nearly eight years of semiconductor evolution. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 is built on the Pascal architecture using the GP108 chip, manufactured on a 14 nm process at Samsung. This modern node allows for a compact die size of 74 mm², yet it packs 1,800 million transistors. In contrast, the AMD Radeon HD 8750M uses the older GCN 1.0 architecture with the Mars chip, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. Its die is slightly larger at 77 mm² but contains only 950 million transistors, resulting in a much lower transistor density of 12.3M per mm² compared to the GT 1010's 24.3M per mm².

The compute configurations differ significantly. The GT 1010 has 256 shading units, 16 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 8 raster operating units (ROPs). The HD 8750M, on the other hand, has a higher count of 384 shading units and 24 TMUs, but also 8 ROPs. Despite having fewer shaders, the GT 1010 achieves higher clock speeds with a base of 1228 MHz and a boost of 1468 MHz, compared to the HD 8750M's base of 775 MHz and boost of 825 MHz. This clock advantage, combined with the architecture efficiency, gives the GT 1010 the performance edge.

Memory subsystems also tell a story of progress. The GT 1010 uses 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus, running at 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective), delivering 48.06 GB/s of bandwidth. The HD 8750M uses 1024 MB of DDR3 memory on a wider 128-bit bus, but at a lower 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective), resulting in only 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The GT 1010's smaller bus is more than compensated by its faster memory technology.

Feature support is another point of separation. The GT 1010 offers DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The HD 8750M supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and the older Vulkan 1.2.170. The GT 1010 also has a defined PCIe 3.0 x4 interface, while the HD 8750M uses PCIe 3.0 x8. The GT 1010 is a single-slot card with no power connectors and a 30 W TDP, whereas the HD 8750M's power characteristics are not recorded in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains a single head-to-head benchmark for these two GPUs: the Geekbench OpenCL test. In this test, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 scored 6698, while the AMD Radeon HD 8750M scored 5970. The resulting delta is 12.2% in favor of the GT 1010, giving NVIDIA one win and AMD zero.

This 12.2% margin is notable because it places the GT 1010 in a slightly higher performance tier. The GT 1010's score of 6698 puts it at the 38th percentile of all GPUs in the database, whereas the HD 8750M's score of 5970 lands at the 34th percentile. This four-percentile gap reflects the tangible difference in raw compute throughput.

The GT 1010's advantage stems from its higher pixel rate and texture rate. It achieves 11.74 GPixel/s and 23.49 GTexel/s, respectively. The HD 8750M manages only 6.600 GPixel/s and 19.80 GTexel/s. In floating-point performance, the GT 1010 delivers 751.6 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the HD 8750M provides 633.6 GFLOPS. The GT 1010 is ahead in every measured throughput metric.

Interestingly, the nearest rivals for each card show how close the competition is within their respective tiers. The GT 1010 is nearly indistinguishable from the AMD Radeon R7 M370, with a delta of only -1%. Meanwhile, the HD 8750M is virtually tied with the NVIDIA Quadro K4000, showing a delta of -0.2%. This suggests that the GT 1010 competes directly with mid-range AMD parts from a similar era, while the HD 8750M aligns with older workstation-class NVIDIA GPUs.

The single benchmark result is consistent with the architectural differences. The GT 1010's newer process node and faster memory give it a clear, repeatable advantage in compute workloads. The HD 8750M's higher shader count cannot overcome its lower clocks and severely limited bandwidth.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 | AMD Radeon HD 8750M |

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

| Architecture | Pascal | GCN 1.0 |

| Process Node | 14 nm (Samsung) | 28 nm (TSMC) |

| Transistors | 1,800 million | 950 million |

| Die Size | 74 mm² | 77 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 24.3M / mm² | 12.3M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1228 MHz | 775 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1468 MHz | 825 MHz |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 1024 MB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bus | 64 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Clock | 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) | 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 48.06 GB/s | 28.80 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 256 | 384 |

| TMUs | 16 | 24 |

| ROPs | 8 | 8 |

| Pixel Rate | 11.74 GPixel/s | 6.600 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 23.49 GTexel/s | 19.80 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Compute | 751.6 GFLOPS | 633.6 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 30 W | Not recorded |

| Slot Width | Single-slot | Not recorded |

| Power Connectors | None | Not recorded |

| Suggested PSU | 200 W | Not recorded |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x4 | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| Display Outputs| 1x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 2.0 | Not recorded |

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

| Vulkan | 1.4 | 1.2.170 |

| Release Date | 2021-01-12 | 2013-02-25 |

| Predecessor | GeForce 900 | London |

| Successor | GeForce 20 | Gem System |

The Verdict

The data points to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 as the superior performer. Its 12.2% lead in the Geekbench OpenCL test is consistent across all measured specifications, from pixel rate to memory bandwidth. For users seeking a low-power, modern discrete GPU with up-to-date API support, the GT 1010 is the clear choice based on the recorded measurements.

The AMD Radeon HD 8750M, while older and slower, still holds relevance in specific contexts. Its 384 shading units and wider 128-bit memory bus nominally suggest processing flexibility, but the benchmark results show this does not translate into real-world compute wins. The HD 8750M's performance level is nearly identical to several Quadro workstation parts, indicating it was a solid mid-range mobile option in its day.

However, the GT 1010's advantages are decisive. It offers double the memory capacity, over 1.6 times the bandwidth, and more than 1.7 times the pixel rate. Its 30 W TDP and lack of power connectors make it an easy fit for systems with modest power supplies, as reflected by the 200 W suggested PSU. The newer release date of 2021 versus 2013 also means better long-term driver support and software compatibility.

For any workload that relies on OpenCL compute performance, the GT 1010 is the recommended part. The HD 8750M is only preferable if the user is constrained to a specific legacy platform or requires the PCIe 3.0 x8 interface. Based strictly on the database's benchmark results, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 wins this comparison without qualification.