AMD Radeon HD 8850M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data presents a clear but narrow picture: the AMD Radeon HD 8850M wins the only recorded head-to-head test, the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark, with a score of 7447 against the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M's 6389. That is a 16.6% advantage for the AMD part, and it is the sole data point separating the two in direct comparison.

Looking at the broader database context, the AMD Radeon HD 8850M sits at the 40th percentile among all GPUs, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M sits at the 37th percentile. The delta is modest in percentile terms, but the raw score gap is meaningful for compute-oriented workloads. The AMD card's nearest rivals include the Intel UHD Graphics 750 (7441, 0.1% behind), the AMD Radeon R7 350 (7425, 0.3% behind), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 (7472, 0.3% ahead). The GTX 580M, by contrast, sits exactly level with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE (6389, 0% delta), with the AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 (6330, 0.9% behind) and AMD Radeon R7 M350 (6327, 1% behind) closing in from below.

In terms of where each wins, the AMD Radeon HD 8850M wins the compute workload that the database records. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M does not win any recorded benchmark, but its architecture suggests a different strength profile. The GTX 580M has a texture rate of 39.68 GTexel/s versus 25.00 GTexel/s for the AMD part, and a pixel rate of 9.920 GPixel/s versus 10.00 GPixel/s. So while the AMD card edges out the NVIDIA card in pixel throughput, the NVIDIA card has a substantial 58.7% lead in texture fill rate. That points to the GTX 580M being better suited for texture-heavy rendering scenarios, even if the OpenCL compute score does not reflect it.

The AMD card also has a higher memory clock at 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) versus 750 MHz (3 Gbps effective) for NVIDIA, but the NVIDIA card compensates with a 256-bit bus versus 128-bit, yielding 96.00 GB/s bandwidth versus 64.00 GB/s. That 50% bandwidth advantage for NVIDIA is significant for memory-bound workloads. The data suggests AMD wins in raw compute throughput as measured by OpenCL, while NVIDIA likely wins in texture and memory bandwidth scenarios, though no direct benchmark confirms the latter.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two mobile GPUs is generational and process-driven. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M uses the Venus chip based on GCN 1.0 architecture, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M uses the GF114 chip based on Fermi 2.0 architecture, also from TSMC but on a 40 nm process. The process node difference is substantial: 28 nm versus 40 nm, which explains the transistor density gap of 12.2M per mm² for AMD versus 5.9M per mm² for NVIDIA.

In raw transistor count, NVIDIA actually has more: 1,950 million transistors on a 332 mm² die, versus 1,500 million on a 123 mm² die for AMD. The AMD die is far smaller, less than half the physical area, yet packs fewer total transistors. The density advantage for AMD is clear, but the NVIDIA chip has more silicon area to work with.

The compute configuration differs markedly. AMD fields 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. NVIDIA counters with 384 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The AMD card has 66.7% more shading units, but NVIDIA has 60% more TMUs and double the ROPs. Clock speeds tell the rest of the story: AMD runs at 575 MHz base and 625 MHz boost, while NVIDIA's clocks are not recorded in the database. The FP32 throughput figures reflect the shading unit and clock combination: AMD delivers 800.0 GFLOPS, NVIDIA delivers 952.3 GFLOPS, a 19% advantage for NVIDIA despite fewer shading units, presumably from a higher clock.

Memory architecture also diverges. Both use 2 GB of GDDR5, but AMD runs a 128-bit bus at 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) for 64.00 GB/s, while NVIDIA runs a 256-bit bus at 750 MHz (3 Gbps effective) for 96.00 GB/s. The NVIDIA card has 50% more memory bandwidth, which is a major architectural advantage for high-resolution texture streaming and framebuffer operations.

API support differs slightly. AMD lists DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. NVIDIA lists DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and no Vulkan support in the database. The DirectX version difference (11_1 vs 11_0) is minor, but the Vulkan support gap is notable for modern compute and rendering workloads.

Power and form factor also separate them. The NVIDIA card has a recorded TDP of 100 W and uses an MXM Module slot with MXM-B (3.0) interface, with no power connectors and portable-device-dependent display outputs. The AMD card has no TDP recorded, no slot width, and uses PCIe 3.0 x16. The NVIDIA card is designed as a replaceable mobile module, while the AMD card likely soldered or integrated via standard PCIe.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records exactly one head-to-head benchmark: Geekbench OpenCL. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M scores 7447, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M scores 6389. That is a 16.6% delta in favor of AMD. This is the only direct comparison available, and it is decisive in that single test.

To contextualize the AMD score, its nearest rivals in the database are all within 1.5% of its result. The Intel UHD Graphics 750 scores 7441 (0.1% behind), the AMD Radeon R7 350 scores 7425 (0.3% behind), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 scores 7472 (0.3% ahead). The Intel Arc A310 scores 7550, which is 1.4% ahead. This places the HD 8850M in a tightly packed cluster of modern integrated and entry-level discrete GPUs, despite its 2013 release date.

The GTX 580M's nearest rivals cluster differently. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE scores exactly 6389, a 0% delta, meaning the GTX 580M and GTX 460 SE are performance twins in this database. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 72 GB Blackwell scores 6407, which is 0.3% ahead. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 scores 6330 (0.9% behind), and the AMD Radeon R7 M350 scores 6327 (1% behind). The GTX 580M is at the bottom edge of a group that includes a modern workstation GPU, which suggests the OpenCL score is not purely a function of age.

Looking at the raw compute specifications, the FP32 difference explains part of the gap. NVIDIA has 952.3 GFLOPS versus AMD's 800.0 GFLOPS, so NVIDIA has more theoretical FP32 throughput. Yet AMD wins the OpenCL test by 16.6%. This suggests the GCN 1.0 architecture is more efficient at executing the specific OpenCL workload, or that driver optimizations favor the AMD part. The texture rate goes the other way: NVIDIA at 39.68 GTexel/s versus AMD at 25.00 GTexel/s, a 58.7% NVIDIA advantage. The pixel rates are close: 10.00 GPixel/s for AMD versus 9.920 GPixel/s for NVIDIA, a 0.8% AMD edge.

The memory bandwidth difference is also stark. NVIDIA has 96.00 GB/s versus AMD's 64.00 GB/s, a 50% advantage. Yet the OpenCL score does not reflect this, which implies the benchmark is compute-bound rather than memory-bound. The shading unit count (640 vs 384) may play a role in AMD's favor, but the FP32 numbers suggest NVIDIA should have the edge. The recorded data shows AMD wins, and the architectural details do not fully explain why, which is typical of real-world benchmark behavior versus theoretical specifications.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the AMD Radeon HD 8850M is the better choice for OpenCL compute workloads. Its 7447 score versus 6389 for the GTX 580M is a 16.6% advantage, and it holds a higher percentile ranking at 40 versus 37. The AMD card also has a smaller, denser die (123 mm² at 12.2M transistors per mm²) and newer process node (28 nm versus 40 nm), which suggests better efficiency per unit area.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M is not without merits. Its 952.3 GFLOPS FP32 throughput exceeds AMD's 800.0 GFLOPS, and its texture rate of 39.68 GTexel/s is nearly 60% higher. Its 96.00 GB/s memory bandwidth is 50% higher. For workloads that are texture-heavy or memory-bandwidth-bound, the GTX 580M has a theoretical edge, but the database does not include a benchmark that confirms this.

For a buyer or system builder choosing between the two, the data supports the AMD Radeon HD 8850M for general compute and OpenCL tasks. The NVIDIA card may be preferable in scenarios where texture fill and memory bandwidth dominate, but no recorded benchmark backs that up. The GTX 580M also carries a 100 W TDP, which is high for a mobile part, while the AMD card has no recorded TDP, possibly indicating lower power draw.

The production status for both is end-of-life, and both are from older generations (2013 for AMD, 2011 for NVIDIA). Neither is a modern part. But within the recorded data, the AMD card is the winner in the only head-to-head test, and it sits in a higher performance percentile. The GTX 580M's performance is essentially identical to the GTX 460 SE (0% delta), which was a desktop card from the same era, suggesting it has not aged well in compute terms.

The verdict is straightforward: for OpenCL compute, choose the AMD Radeon HD 8850M. For texture-heavy rendering, the GTX 580M's specifications are more promising, but without benchmark confirmation, that remains speculative.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher OpenCL benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8850M scores 7447, which is 16.6% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M's 6389.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon HD 8850M compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD card is within 1.4% of all four nearest rivals. It is 0.1% ahead of the Intel UHD Graphics 750, 0.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon R7 350, 0.3% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, and 1.4% behind the Intel Arc A310.

Q: What are the memory bandwidth specifications for each GPU?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M has 96.00 GB/s bandwidth from a 256-bit bus at 750 MHz (3 Gbps effective), while the AMD Radeon HD 8850M has 64.00 GB/s from a 128-bit bus at 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective).

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8850M has 640 shading units, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M has 384 shading units.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8850M is built on a 28 nm process, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M uses a 40 nm process. Both are fabricated by TSMC.

Q: Does the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M support Vulkan?

A: No, the database lists no Vulkan support for the GTX 580M. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M supports Vulkan 1.2.170.