AMD Radeon HD 8750M vs NVIDIA Quadro M5000M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only directly comparable benchmark in the database is Geekbench OpenCL, and the result is overwhelmingly one-sided. The NVIDIA Quadro M5000M scores 22920, while the AMD Radeon HD 8750M scores 5970. That translates to a 283.9% advantage for the Quadro, meaning it delivers nearly four times the compute performance in this workload. The Radeon does not win a single head-to-head test in the recorded data.

Looking at the broader benchmark suite for the Quadro, its other scores reinforce the gap. In Passmark G3D, the Quadro posts 7062, with a Passmark G2D score of 476. Its compute-focused Passmark GPU compute result is 2756. The Radeon has no recorded Passmark scores in the database, so the comparison rests primarily on the OpenCL result and the average scores. The Quadro's average benchmark score is 6481, placing it in the 37th percentile of all GPUs. The Radeon's average is 5970, which puts it in the 34th percentile. The percentile difference is small, but the average score gap is 511 points, roughly 8.6% in favor of the Quadro.

Context from the nearest rivals clarifies what these averages mean. The Quadro sits within 1.1% of the Intel UHD Graphics P750 (6554) and within 0.5% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M (6513). It is effectively tied with the AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile (6476) and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M (6493). For the Radeon HD 8750M, its average of 5970 places it between the NVIDIA Quadro K4000 (5982, 0.2% lower) and the NVIDIA Quadro K620M (5957, 0.2% higher). The Radeon also sits close to the AMD Radeon HD 8730M (5955, 0.3% lower) and the NVIDIA Quadro K4000M (5986, 0.3% higher). In other words, the Quadro M5000M competes with midrange desktop and mobile parts from a few generations back, while the Radeon HD 8750M aligns with older entry-level workstation cards.

The OpenCL delta of 283.9% is not a marginal edge; it is a class-level separation. Such a large difference suggests the Quadro handles compute-heavy tasks, like rendering or simulation, at a fundamentally different pace than the Radeon.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations entirely. The NVIDIA Quadro M5000M uses the GM204 chip on the Maxwell 2.0 architecture, while the AMD Radeon HD 8750M uses the Mars chip on GCN 1.0. Both are built on the same 28 nm process at TSMC, but the similarities end there.

The Quadro packs 5,200 million transistors onto a 398 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 13.1M per mm². The Radeon has 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, with a density of 12.3M per mm². The Quadro's die is over five times larger and holds over five times more transistors.

Clock speeds differ significantly. The Quadro runs at a base of 962 MHz and boosts to 1051 MHz. The Radeon runs at 775 MHz base and 825 MHz boost. Memory clocks also diverge: the Quadro uses 1253 MHz with 5 Gbps effective, while the Radeon runs at 900 MHz with 1800 Mbps effective.

The compute resources are not remotely comparable. The Quadro has 1536 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. The Radeon has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. Pixel rate for the Quadro is 67.26 GPixel/s versus 6.600 GPixel/s for the Radeon. Texture rate is 100.9 GTexel/s versus 19.80 GTexel/s. FP32 throughput is 3.229 TFLOPS for the Quadro versus 633.6 GFLOPS for the Radeon. The Quadro delivers roughly 5.1 times the FP32 compute of the Radeon.

Memory subsystems are also widely separated. The Quadro has 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, providing 160.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon has 1024 MB of DDR3 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 28.80 GB/s. That is a bandwidth ratio of about 5.6 to 1 in favor of the Quadro.

API support differs as well. The Quadro supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Radeon supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The Radeon's Vulkan version is older, and its DirectX feature level is lower.

The bus interface also distinguishes them. The Quadro uses MXM-B (3.0), a mobile module standard, while the Radeon uses PCIe 3.0 x8. The Quadro's power draw is rated at 100 W, while the Radeon's TDP is not listed in the database. The Quadro has no power connectors, as it is an MXM module. Display outputs are listed as portable device dependent for the Quadro, and not specified for the Radeon.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 performance?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro M5000M delivers 3.229 TFLOPS, which is about 5.1 times the 633.6 GFLOPS of the AMD Radeon HD 8750M.

Q: How much memory bandwidth does each card provide?

A: The Quadro M5000M provides 160.4 GB/s over a 256-bit bus with 8 GB of GDDR5. The Radeon HD 8750M provides 28.80 GB/s over a 128-bit bus with 1024 MB of DDR3.

Q: Are both GPUs on the same manufacturing process?

A: Yes, both are fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. However, the Quadro uses a much larger die (398 mm²) and more transistors (5,200 million) than the Radeon (77 mm², 950 million).

Q: What are the DirectX support levels?

A: The Quadro supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the Radeon supports DirectX 12 (11_1). The Quadro also has a newer Vulkan version (1.4) compared to the Radeon's 1.2.170.

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Quadro M5000M has an average benchmark score of 6481, while the Radeon HD 8750M has an average of 5970. The Quadro also sits in the 37th percentile of all GPUs versus the Radeon's 34th.

Q: Does the Radeon win any head-to-head tests?

A: No. In the recorded head-to-head benchmark (Geekbench OpenCL), the Radeon loses to the Quadro by 283.9%.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every measurable specification. The Quadro M5000M uses the GM204 chip with Maxwell 2.0 architecture, while the Radeon HD 8750M uses the Mars chip with GCN 1.0. Process node is identical (28 nm, TSMC), but transistor count is 5,200 million versus 950 million, die size is 398 mm² versus 77 mm², and density is 13.1M per mm² versus 12.3M per mm².

Clock speeds: Quadro base 962 MHz, boost 1051 MHz, memory 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective). Radeon base 775 MHz, boost 825 MHz, memory 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective).

Memory: Quadro has 8 GB GDDR5, 256-bit bus, 160.4 GB/s. Radeon has 1024 MB DDR3, 128-bit bus, 28.80 GB/s.

Compute units: Quadro has 1536 shading units, 96 TMUs, 64 ROPs. Radeon has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, 8 ROPs.

Rates: Quadro pixel rate 67.26 GPixel/s, texture rate 100.9 GTexel/s, FP32 3.229 TFLOPS. Radeon pixel rate 6.600 GPixel/s, texture rate 19.80 GTexel/s, FP32 633.6 GFLOPS.

Power and interface: Quadro TDP 100 W, MXM Module slot, no power connectors, MXM-B (3.0) bus. Radeon TDP not listed, slot width not listed, power connectors not listed, PCIe 3.0 x8 bus.

APIs: Quadro DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4. Radeon DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.2.170.

Production status for both is end-of-life. Release dates differ, with the Quadro released later. The Quadro's predecessor is Quadro Kepler-M and successor is Quadro Pascal-M. The Radeon's predecessor is London and successor is Gem System.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA Quadro M5000M wins every recorded comparison. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 22920 is 283.9% higher than the Radeon's 5970. Its average benchmark score (6481) is higher, its percentile rank (37 vs 34) is higher, and it has more than five times the FP32 throughput, over five times the pixel rate, and roughly 5.6 times the memory bandwidth. For any workload that stresses raw compute, texture throughput, or memory bandwidth, the Quadro is the clear choice. The 8 GB GDDR5 frame buffer also gives it far more headroom for large datasets or high-resolution textures compared to the Radeon's 1024 MB DDR3.

The AMD Radeon HD 8750M has no wins in the database. Its only recorded benchmark is the Geekbench OpenCL result, and there is no scenario in the data where it outperforms the Quadro. Its smaller die and lower transistor count mean it consumes far less silicon area, but the database provides no power figures for the Radeon, so any efficiency claim cannot be substantiated from the recorded numbers. The Radeon does support PCIe 3.0 x8, which is a standard bus interface, whereas the Quadro uses an MXM module, so in systems that require a PCIe card, the Radeon's interface is more standard. However, benchmark data does not favor the Radeon in any test.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The NVIDIA Quadro M5000M is the superior GPU across every measured dimension. Its OpenCL score is nearly four times that of the Radeon HD 8750M, its memory bandwidth is over five times higher, and its FP32 compute is over five times higher. The Quadro also posts a better average benchmark score and a higher percentile rank. For any application that uses OpenCL compute, the Quadro will complete tasks in a fraction of the time.

The Radeon HD 8750M, by contrast, sits in a lower performance tier. Its average benchmark score of 5970 puts it in the same neighborhood as older NVIDIA Quadro K-series parts, and it lacks the VRAM, bandwidth, and shading resources to compete with the Quadro M5000M. The Radeon's only advantage is its standard PCIe interface, which may fit certain system configurations, but that does not translate into a performance win.

Buyers choosing between these two should base the decision on the workload. If the task involves OpenCL compute, large textures, or high-throughput rendering, the Quadro M5000M is the only viable option. If the system requires a PCIe 3.0 x8 card and the workload is extremely light, the Radeon HD 8750M exists, but the recorded data provides no reason to select it over the Quadro. The Quadro wins the head-to-head, wins the average score comparison, and wins on every architectural specification that matters for performance.