AMD Radeon HD 8790M vs AMD Radeon R5 M430 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8790M has a higher average benchmark score of 5691, compared to the AMD Radeon R5 M430's 5018. The HD 8790M also sits at the 33rd percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the R5 M430 sits at the 30th percentile.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The AMD Radeon R5 M430 wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 5152, versus 5017 for the HD 8790M. That is a 2.6% advantage for the R5 M430.

Q: Which GPU wins the Vulkan test, and by how much?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8790M wins the Geekbench Vulkan test decisively, scoring 6365 against the R5 M430's 4884. This represents a 30.3% lead for the HD 8790M.

Q: What are the memory specifications for each GPU?

A: The HD 8790M has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The R5 M430 has 4 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, delivering 16.00 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same modern APIs?

A: Yes, both the HD 8790M and the R5 M430 support DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170, according to the recorded data.

Q: What is the process node and transistor density for these chips?

A: Both chips are built on a 28 nm process at TSMC, and both have a transistor density of 12.3M per mm². The HD 8790M uses the Mars chip with 950 million transistors, while the R5 M430 uses the Jet chip with 690 million transistors.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits the two GPUs cleanly across different workloads. The AMD Radeon HD 8790M dominates in the Vulkan API test, where it scores 6365 compared to the R5 M430's 4884, a 30.3% advantage. This suggests the HD 8790M is the stronger choice for Vulkan-based applications and modern graphics workloads that leverage this API.

The AMD Radeon R5 M430, conversely, takes the win in the OpenCL test. Its score of 5152 edges out the HD 8790M's 5017 by 2.6%. This indicates the R5 M430 holds a slight edge in OpenCL compute tasks, which are common in general-purpose GPU computing and certain content creation workloads.

For overall average performance, the HD 8790M leads with an average benchmark score of 5691, while the R5 M430 trails at 5018. The HD 8790M also ranks higher in the database, at the 33rd percentile versus the R5 M430's 30th percentile. The data suggests the HD 8790M is the better all-around performer, but the R5 M430 is not without its own niche where it comes out ahead.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs share the same GCN 1.0 architecture, but they are built on different chips with distinct characteristics. The HD 8790M uses the Mars chip, while the R5 M430 uses the Jet chip. Both are fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, which gives them the same transistor density of 12.3M per mm². However, the Mars chip is larger, with a die size of 77 mm² and 950 million transistors, while the Jet chip is smaller at 56 mm² with 690 million transistors.

The HD 8790M belongs to the Solar System generation (HD 8700M series), and its predecessor is London with a successor of Gem System. The R5 M430 belongs to the Gem System generation (R5 M400 series), with a predecessor of Solar System and a successor of Polaris Mobile. This places the two GPUs in adjacent generations, with the HD 8790M coming from the earlier generation and the R5 M430 from the later one.

In terms of compute resources, the HD 8790M has 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units, and 8 raster operations units. The R5 M430 has fewer shading units at 320, fewer TMUs at 20, but the same 8 ROPs. The HD 8790M also has higher clock speeds, with a base of 850 MHz and a boost of 900 MHz, while the R5 M430 runs at 780 MHz base and 855 MHz boost.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across several key specification fields. The most striking differences are in memory configuration and interface.

The HD 8790M uses 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 64.00 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The R5 M430 uses 4 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, providing only 16.00 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a fourfold difference in memory bandwidth, which has significant implications for performance in memory-intensive tasks.

The clock speeds also differ. The HD 8790M has a base clock of 850 MHz and a boost clock of 900 MHz, while the R5 M430 has a base clock of 780 MHz and a boost clock of 855 MHz. Memory clock is 1000 MHz for both, but the effective data rate differs: the HD 8790M achieves 4 Gbps effective, while the R5 M430 achieves only 2 Gbps effective.

The bus interface differs as well. The HD 8790M uses an MXM-A (3.0) interface and comes as an MXM Module, while the R5 M430 uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface and is classified as an IGP (integrated graphics processor). The HD 8790M has no power connectors listed, while the R5 M430 lists no power connectors at all.

Compute rates differ accordingly. The HD 8790M delivers 7.200 GPixel/s pixel rate and 21.60 GTexel/s texture rate, with FP32 performance of 691.2 GFLOPS. The R5 M430 delivers 6.840 GPixel/s and 17.10 GTexel/s, with FP32 performance of 547.2 GFLOPS.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data includes two head-to-head benchmark comparisons between these GPUs. The results show a split decision, with each GPU winning one test.

In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the AMD Radeon R5 M430 comes out ahead with a score of 5152, versus 5017 for the HD 8790M. The delta is 2.6% in favor of the R5 M430. This is a modest but measurable win for the newer chip in a compute-oriented workload.

In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the AMD Radeon HD 8790M wins decisively with a score of 6365, versus 4884 for the R5 M430. The delta is 30.3% in favor of the HD 8790M. This is a substantial margin that suggests the HD 8790M has significantly better graphics API performance under Vulkan.

The average benchmark scores reflect this split. The HD 8790M has an average score of 5691, which is 13.4% higher than the R5 M430's 5018. The HD 8790M's nearest rival, the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P6300, has an average score of 5712, putting the HD 8790M just 0.4% behind it. The R5 M430's nearest rival, the AMD FirePro W4170M, scores 5034, putting the R5 M430 just 0.3% behind it.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear, though nuanced, picture. The AMD Radeon HD 8790M is the stronger GPU overall, with a higher average benchmark score, a higher percentile ranking, and a dominant 30.3% win in the Vulkan test. Its higher clock speeds, more shading units, and vastly higher memory bandwidth (64.00 GB/s versus 16.00 GB/s) all point to a more capable graphics processor.

The AMD Radeon R5 M430, however, wins the OpenCL test by 2.6%, showing that it is not without merit. Its larger 4 GB memory capacity could be an advantage in workloads that require more memory, even if the bandwidth is much lower. The R5 M430 also comes from a later generation (Gem System) and uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface, which may offer better system integration for its intended IGP role.

For users whose workloads rely on Vulkan, the HD 8790M is the clear choice. For users who prioritize OpenCL compute performance, the R5 M430 holds a slight edge. For general use, the HD 8790M's higher average score and better overall specifications make it the more compelling option. The HD 8790M ranks at the 33rd percentile of all GPUs, while the R5 M430 ranks at the 30th, confirming that the HD 8790M is the better-positioned GPU in the database's performance hierarchy.