AMD Radeon HD 8870M vs NVIDIA Quadro M2000M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains one directly comparable benchmark between these two mobile graphics processors: Geekbench OpenCL. In that test, the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M scores 10057, while the AMD Radeon HD 8870M scores 8462. The delta is 18.8% in favor of the NVIDIA part. That is a substantial margin, placing the Quadro M2000M nearly a fifth faster in raw compute throughput as measured by this workload.

The Quadro M2000M also holds a higher average benchmark score across all recorded tests: 9832 versus 8462 for the AMD part. This average includes the Vulkan result for the NVIDIA card, which is 9606, while the AMD card has no recorded Vulkan score in the database. The absence of a Vulkan score for the Radeon HD 8870M is telling for its software support profile.

Looking at the percentile ranks, the Quadro M2000M sits at the 47th percentile among all GPUs, while the Radeon HD 8870M sits at the 43rd percentile. The four-point gap in percentile ranking reflects the performance delta measured in the OpenCL test.

The nearest rivals for each card provide context. The Quadro M2000M is within 0.1% of the NVIDIA Quadro 6000 (which averages 9846), within 0.3% of the AMD FirePro W5000 (9803), within 0.5% of the GeForce GTX 1070 (9780), and 1.1% ahead of the Tesla M10 (9724). This places the Quadro M2000M in a tight cluster of desktop-class GPUs with average scores between roughly 9700 and 9850.

The Radeon HD 8870M sits in a lower performance tier. It is 0.1% ahead of the GeForce MX330 (8458), 0.3% ahead of the Radeon 880M (8436), 0.4% ahead of the GeForce GTX 675MX (8427), and 1.1% behind the Intel Arc A380 (8558). The clustering here is also tight, but at a lower absolute level: roughly 8400 to 8600.

The head-to-head result shows the Quadro M2000M winning the single available comparison, with no recorded wins for the AMD card. The 18.8% advantage in OpenCL is the only direct measurement, and it is decisive.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA Quadro M2000M wins the compute-oriented OpenCL benchmark by a clear margin. It also demonstrates Vulkan capability with a score of 9606, which is close to its own OpenCL result. This suggests the Maxwell architecture handles both compute APIs with similar efficiency. The card's higher pixel rate and texture rate support this: 18.19 GPixel/s and 45.48 GTexel/s respectively.

The AMD Radeon HD 8870M has no recorded win in any benchmark. Its OpenCL score of 8462 is 18.8% behind the Quadro M2000M. Its pixel rate of 12.40 GPixel/s and texture rate of 31.00 GTexel/s are both lower, which means it trails in fill-rate-bound workloads as well.

Where the AMD card does not lose outright is in API support. It lists DirectX 12 (11_1) support, which is one minor revision ahead of the Quadro M2000M's DirectX 12 (11_0). Both cards support OpenGL 4.6. For Vulkan, the AMD card lists version 1.2.170, while the NVIDIA card lists 1.4. The NVIDIA card has the newer Vulkan implementation.

In practical terms, the Quadro M2000M is the pick for compute workloads, particularly OpenCL-based tasks. The Radeon HD 8870M is a lower-performing part across all measured metrics. The data does not show a single benchmark category where the AMD card leads.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations. The NVIDIA Quadro M2000M uses the GM107 chip based on Maxwell architecture, manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 1,870 million transistors on a 148 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 12.6M per mm².

The AMD Radeon HD 8870M uses the Venus chip based on GCN 1.0 architecture, also manufactured on 28 nm at TSMC. It contains 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, with a transistor density of 12.2M per mm².

The Maxwell chip is larger and denser, but the difference is modest. The NVIDIA part integrates 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The AMD part matches those exact counts: 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The core configuration is identical, yet the performance differs significantly.

Clock speeds tell the story. The Quadro M2000M runs at a base clock of 1098 MHz with a boost clock of 1137 MHz. The Radeon HD 8870M runs at 725 MHz base and 775 MHz boost. That is a 373 MHz difference at base and a 362 MHz difference at boost, favoring NVIDIA. The higher clocks translate directly into higher throughput: the Quadro M2000M delivers 1,455.4 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the Radeon HD 8870M delivers 992.0 GFLOPS.

Memory configurations differ in capacity but not in bus width. The Quadro M2000M has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, with memory clocked at 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective) for 80.19 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon HD 8870M has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, with memory at 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective) for 72.00 GB/s. The NVIDIA card has double the capacity and 11.4% more bandwidth.

The power envelope is documented for the Quadro M2000M at 55 W TDP, while the AMD card's TDP is not recorded in the database. The NVIDIA card uses an MXM module form factor with MXM-A (3.0) bus interface, while the AMD card uses PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs for the Quadro M2000M are listed as portable device dependent, and no display output data is recorded for the Radeon HD 8870M.

Release timing differs by roughly two and a half years. The Quadro M2000M launched on December 2, 2015, while the Radeon HD 8870M launched on March 31, 2013. Both are end-of-life products now.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M in OpenCL?

A: The Quadro M2000M scores 10057 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the Radeon HD 8870M scores 8462, giving the NVIDIA card an 18.8% advantage.

Q: Do both cards have the same core configuration?

A: Yes, both have 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The performance difference comes from clock speeds and architecture, not core counts.

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The Quadro M2000M has 80.19 GB/s of bandwidth on a 128-bit bus, compared to 72.00 GB/s for the Radeon HD 8870M on the same 128-bit bus.

Q: Does the Radeon HD 8870M support Vulkan?

A: Yes, it lists Vulkan 1.2.170 support. The Quadro M2000M lists Vulkan 1.4 support, which is a newer version.

Q: How do these cards compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The Quadro M2000M is within 1.1% of the NVIDIA Quadro 6000, AMD FirePro W5000, GeForce GTX 1070, and Tesla M10. The Radeon HD 8870M is within 1.1% of the GeForce MX330, Radeon 880M, GeForce GTX 675MX, and Intel Arc A380.

Q: Which card has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The Quadro M2000M delivers 18.19 GPixel/s versus 12.40 GPixel/s for the Radeon HD 8870M, a clear NVIDIA advantage in fill-rate-bound scenarios.

The Verdict

The data points to one conclusion: the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M is the stronger GPU. It wins the only head-to-head benchmark by 18.8%, has a higher average benchmark score (9832 versus 8462), and sits at a higher percentile rank (47 versus 43). Its higher clock speeds, larger memory capacity, and greater bandwidth all support the measured performance gap.

Pick the Quadro M2000M for OpenCL compute workloads, for tasks that benefit from higher fill rates, or for applications that need 4 GB of VRAM. The Vulkan score of 9606 also shows solid compute capability in that API.

The Radeon HD 8870M is a weaker choice across every recorded metric. Its only advantage is a slightly newer DirectX feature level (12 11_1 versus 12 11_0), which is unlikely to compensate for an 18.8% compute deficit. It has half the memory, lower bandwidth, and significantly lower pixel and texture rates.

For anyone choosing between these two used mobile GPUs, the Quadro M2000M is the clear winner. The Radeon HD 8870M only makes sense if software compatibility or platform constraints force the choice, but the database shows no performance category where it leads.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA Quadro M2000M | AMD Radeon HD 8870M |

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

| Architecture | Maxwell | GCN 1.0 |

| Chip | GM107 | Venus |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 1,870 million | 1,500 million |

| Die Size | 148 mm² | 123 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.6M / mm² | 12.2M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1098 MHz | 725 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1137 MHz | 775 MHz |

| Memory Size | 4 GB | 2 GB |

| Memory Clock | 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective) | 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 80.19 GB/s | 72.00 GB/s |

| Pixel Rate | 18.19 GPixel/s | 12.40 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 45.48 GTexel/s | 31.00 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Compute | 1,455.4 GFLOPS | 992.0 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 55 W | Not recorded |

| Bus Interface | MXM-A (3.0) | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| DirectX Support | 12 (11_0) | 12 (11_1) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.2.170 |

| Release Date | 2015-12-02 | 2013-03-31 |