AMD Radeon HD 8850M vs NVIDIA Quadro K620 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data contains one direct comparison between the AMD Radeon HD 8850M and the NVIDIA Quadro K620. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the AMD part scores 7447 points, while the NVIDIA part scores 6693 points. This gives the AMD Radeon HD 8850M an 11.3% lead, a decisive margin in a compute-oriented workload. The database records one win for the AMD card and zero wins for the NVIDIA card in this head-to-head.

The magnitude of this difference is notable. An 11.3% advantage in OpenCL suggests that the AMD architecture extracts more raw compute throughput from its available resources in this specific test. The NVIDIA Quadro K620, despite having a significantly higher boost clock (1124 MHz versus 625 MHz on the AMD card), still trails by a substantial margin. This implies that the AMD card's larger shading unit count and memory bandwidth more than compensate for its lower operating frequency.

Looking at the broader benchmark landscape, the AMD Radeon HD 8850M sits at the 40th percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the NVIDIA Quadro K620 sits at the 36th percentile. This four-percentile gap aligns with the 11.3% head-to-head delta. The AMD card's average benchmark score is 7447, while the NVIDIA card's average is 6282, reflecting the fact that the NVIDIA card has an additional Vulkan test score of 5870 that drags its average down relative to its OpenCL result.

The nearest rival data provides useful context for each card's standing. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M is nearly identical to the Intel UHD Graphics 750 (7447 versus 7441, a 0.1% difference), essentially a statistical tie. It is also within 0.3% of the AMD Radeon R7 350 (7425) and within 0.3% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 (7472). Interestingly, the AMD card trails the Intel Arc A310 by 1.4% (7550), showing that even a modern entry-level discrete GPU only marginally outpaces this older mobile part in OpenCL. The NVIDIA Quadro K620, by contrast, finds itself alongside much newer and more powerful GPUs in its nearest rival list. It is within 0.2% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti SUPER (6270) and within 0.2% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 (6270). This is a surprising result, suggesting that the Quadro K620's OpenCL and Vulkan scores place it in the same performance tier as these modern flagship cards in the database's aggregate metrics, likely due to the specific workload characteristics of these tests.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations and design philosophies. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M is built on GCN 1.0 architecture using the Venus chip, while the NVIDIA Quadro K620 uses the Maxwell architecture with the GM107 chip. Both are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, so the fabrication node is identical. However, the underlying transistor counts differ meaningfully. The NVIDIA chip packs 1,870 million transistors into a 148 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.6 million per square millimeter. The AMD chip contains 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, with a density of 12.2 million per square millimeter. The NVIDIA chip is larger and denser, but this does not translate into a compute advantage in the recorded benchmarks.

The execution resource configuration differs substantially. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M has 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 raster operation units. The NVIDIA Quadro K620 has 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units, and 16 raster operation units. The AMD card has 67% more shading units and 67% more TMUs, while both have the same number of ROPs. This explains the AMD card's leading pixel rate of 10.00 GPixel/s versus 17.98 GPixel/s for the NVIDIA card: the NVIDIA card's much higher clock speed compensates for the equal ROP count, giving it nearly 80% higher pixel throughput. In texture rate, the NVIDIA card slightly edges ahead at 26.98 GTexel/s versus 25.00 GTexel/s, again due to its clock advantage overcoming the TMU deficit.

Memory architecture is another key differentiator. The AMD card uses 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, achieving 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA card uses 2 GB of DDR3 memory on the same 128-bit bus, but only achieves 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a massive 122% bandwidth advantage for the AMD card, which likely explains its OpenCL performance lead. The memory clock difference is stark: the AMD card runs at 1000 MHz with 4 Gbps effective data rate, while the NVIDIA card runs at 900 MHz with only 1800 Mbps effective. The GDDR5 versus DDR3 choice is the primary driver of this gap.

Clock speeds also differ significantly. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M has a base clock of 575 MHz and a boost clock of 625 MHz. The NVIDIA Quadro K620 has a base clock of 1058 MHz and a boost clock of 1124 MHz. The NVIDIA card runs at nearly double the frequency of the AMD card. Despite this, the AMD card wins the compute benchmark, highlighting that raw clock speed is not the dominant factor in this comparison. The FP32 throughput tells a similar story: the AMD card delivers 800.0 GFLOPS, while the NVIDIA card delivers 863.2 GFLOPS. The NVIDIA card has a 7.9% FP32 advantage, yet loses in OpenCL by 11.3%, suggesting that the benchmark favors memory bandwidth and shader count over raw FLOPs.

The bus interface also differs: the AMD card uses PCIe 3.0 x16, while the NVIDIA card uses PCIe 2.0 x16. This could affect data transfer rates in some workloads, though the recorded benchmarks do not isolate this variable. API support shows minor differences: both support DirectX 12, but the AMD card supports version 11_1 while the NVIDIA card supports 11_0. Both support OpenGL 4.6. Vulkan support differs: the AMD card supports Vulkan 1.2.170, while the NVIDIA card supports Vulkan 1.4. The NVIDIA card's more recent Vulkan version is reflected in its Vulkan benchmark score of 5870, which is notably lower than its OpenCL score of 6693.

Where Each One Wins

The data points to a clear split based on workload type. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M wins in OpenCL compute workloads, as evidenced by its 11.3% head-to-head victory. The card's substantial memory bandwidth advantage (64.00 GB/s versus 28.80 GB/s) likely drives this win, as OpenCL workloads often benefit from rapid data movement. The AMD card's larger shader count (640 versus 384) also contributes to its compute throughput, even though its raw FP32 rating is lower than the NVIDIA card's.

The NVIDIA Quadro K620, despite losing the head-to-head, shows strengths in other areas based on the recorded data. Its pixel rate of 17.98 GPixel/s is nearly double the AMD card's 10.00 GPixel/s, indicating superior fill-rate-bound performance. Its texture rate of 26.98 GTexel/s also slightly exceeds the AMD card's 25.00 GTexel/s. For applications that are fill-rate limited, such as certain rasterization tasks, the NVIDIA card should have an edge. The NVIDIA card's higher FP32 throughput (863.2 GFLOPS versus 800.0 GFLOPS) also suggests it may perform better in compute tasks that are not memory-bound. The NVIDIA card's Vulkan support (version 1.4 versus 1.2.170) and its recorded Vulkan score of 5870 indicate that it can run Vulkan workloads, though no direct comparison is available for this API.

The form factor and power characteristics also differentiate the use cases. The NVIDIA Quadro K620 has a TDP of 45 W, is single-slot, requires no power connectors, and has a suggested PSU of 200 W. It measures 160 mm in length and 69 mm in height. This makes it suitable for compact workstation builds where power and space are constrained. The AMD card's TDP is not recorded, but its mobile-oriented design (the "M" in its name) suggests it was intended for laptops. The NVIDIA card's display outputs are recorded as 1x DVI and 1x DisplayPort 1.2, making it ready for professional multi-monitor setups. The AMD card's display outputs are not recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher OpenCL benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8850M scores 7447 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the NVIDIA Quadro K620 scores 6693. This gives the AMD card an 11.3% lead in this specific test.

Q: How do their memory bandwidths compare?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8850M has 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth using GDDR5 memory, while the NVIDIA Quadro K620 has 28.80 GB/s using DDR3 memory, both on a 128-bit bus. The AMD card has more than double the bandwidth.

Q: What are the clock speed differences?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro K620 runs at a base clock of 1058 MHz and a boost clock of 1124 MHz. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M runs at a base clock of 575 MHz and a boost clock of 625 MHz. The NVIDIA card operates at nearly double the frequency.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8850M has 640 shading units, while the NVIDIA Quadro K620 has 384 shading units. The AMD card has 67% more shading units.

Q: Do both GPUs support DirectX 12?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12, but with different feature levels. The AMD Radeon HD 8850M supports version 11_1, while the NVIDIA Quadro K620 supports version 11_0.

Q: What is the NVIDIA Quadro K620's power requirement?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro K620 has a TDP of 45 W, requires no power connectors, and has a suggested PSU of 200 W. It is a single-slot card.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two GPUs:

• Chip: AMD uses Venus; NVIDIA uses GM107.
• Architecture: AMD uses GCN 1.0; NVIDIA uses Maxwell.
• Generation: AMD is in the Solar System (HD 8800M) family; NVIDIA is in the Quadro Kepler (Kx200) family.
• Transistors: AMD has 1,500 million; NVIDIA has 1,870 million.
• Die Size: AMD is 123 mm²; NVIDIA is 148 mm².
• Transistor Density: AMD has 12.2M / mm²; NVIDIA has 12.6M / mm².
• Base Clock: AMD is 575 MHz; NVIDIA is 1058 MHz.
• Boost Clock: AMD is 625 MHz; NVIDIA is 1124 MHz.
• Memory Clock: AMD is 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective); NVIDIA is 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective).
• Memory Type: AMD uses GDDR5; NVIDIA uses DDR3.
• Memory Bandwidth: AMD has 64.00 GB/s; NVIDIA has 28.80 GB/s.
• Shading Units: AMD has 640; NVIDIA has 384.
• TMUs: AMD has 40; NVIDIA has 24.
• Pixel Rate: AMD is 10.00 GPixel/s; NVIDIA is 17.98 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: AMD is 25.00 GTexel/s; NVIDIA is 26.98 GTexel/s.
• FP32: AMD is 800.0 GFLOPS; NVIDIA is 863.2 GFLOPS.
• TDP: AMD is not recorded; NVIDIA is 45 W.
• Slot Width: AMD is not recorded; NVIDIA is single-slot.
• Power Connectors: AMD is not recorded; NVIDIA is none.
• Suggested PSU: AMD is not recorded; NVIDIA is 200 W.
• Bus Interface: AMD uses PCIe 3.0 x16; NVIDIA uses PCIe 2.0 x16.
• Display Outputs: AMD is not recorded; NVIDIA has 1x DVI and 1x DisplayPort 1.2.
• DirectX Support: AMD supports 12 (11_1); NVIDIA supports 12 (11_0).
• Vulkan Support: AMD supports 1.2.170; NVIDIA supports 1.4.
• Dimensions: AMD is not recorded; NVIDIA is 160 mm (6.3 inches) long and 69 mm (2.7 inches) high.
• Release Date: AMD was released on 2013-03-31; NVIDIA was released on 2014-07-21.
• Predecessor: AMD's is London; NVIDIA's is Quadro Fermi.
• Successor: AMD's is Gem System; NVIDIA's is Quadro Maxwell.
• Benchmark Scores: AMD has one OpenCL score of 7447; NVIDIA has an OpenCL score of 6693 and a Vulkan score of 5870.
• Percentile: AMD is at the 40th percentile; NVIDIA is at the 36th percentile.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly favors the AMD Radeon HD 8850M in compute performance. Its 11.3% OpenCL lead over the NVIDIA Quadro K620, combined with its higher percentile ranking (40th versus 36th), makes it the stronger choice for OpenCL-based workloads. The AMD card's massive memory bandwidth advantage (64.00 GB/s versus 28.80 GB/s) and larger shader count (640 versus 384) are the likely drivers of this performance gap, outweighing the NVIDIA card's substantial clock speed advantage.

The NVIDIA Quadro K620 does have its own strengths. Its higher pixel rate (17.98 GPixel/s versus 10.00 GPixel/s) and texture rate (26.98 GTexel/s versus 25.00 GTexel/s) suggest it could outperform the AMD card in fill-rate-bound scenarios. Its higher FP32 throughput (863.2 GFLOPS versus 800.0 GFLOPS) also gives it an edge in compute tasks that are not memory-limited. The NVIDIA card's professional workstation features, including its single-slot form factor, 45 W TDP, no power connector requirement, and DVI plus DisplayPort outputs, make it a more practical choice for constrained workstation environments. The card's newer Vulkan support (version 1.4) also provides better API compatibility for modern applications.

The database records one win for the AMD card and zero for the NVIDIA card in head-to-head comparisons. This is a decisive result within the available data. However, the absence of Vulkan benchmark data for the AMD card means the comparison is incomplete. The NVIDIA card's Vulkan score of 5870 suggests it has reasonable performance in that API, and the AMD card's support for Vulkan 1.2.170 means it could compete in that area, but no direct measurement exists.

For users prioritizing raw OpenCL compute performance, the AMD Radeon HD 8850M is the clear choice based on the recorded data. For users who need a low-power, single-slot professional card with specific display outputs and newer API support, the NVIDIA Quadro K620 offers advantages that the benchmark scores do not capture. The decision ultimately depends on whether the workload is compute-bound, where the AMD card wins, or fill-rate-bound and form-factor-constrained, where the NVIDIA card holds the edge.