AMD Radeon R5 M230 vs AMD Radeon R5 M420 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The AMD Radeon R5 M230 scores 4577, which is 15.7% higher than the AMD Radeon R5 M420’s 3956. The M230 wins the only recorded head-to-head benchmark.

Q: How does each GPU rank against all other GPUs in the database?

A: The R5 M230 sits at the 27th percentile, while the R5 M420 sits at the 23rd percentile. This means the M230 performs better relative to the broader GPU pool.

Q: What are the closest rivals for each card based on average benchmark score?

A: For the R5 M230, the nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 560 with a score of 4569 (0.2% delta). For the R5 M420, the nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce 830M with a score of 3957 (0% delta).

Q: Do both cards use the same chip and architecture?

A: Yes, both use the Jet chip with GCN 1.0 architecture, built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. Both have 690 million transistors and a die size of 56 mm².

Q: What is the difference in memory capacity between the two?

A: The R5 M230 has 2 GB of DDR3 memory, while the R5 M420 has 4 GB of DDR3 memory. Both use a 64-bit bus with 16.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Are there any clock speed differences between the two GPUs?

A: Yes. The R5 M230 has no listed base or boost clock, while the R5 M420 has a base clock of 780 MHz and a boost clock of 850 MHz. The memory clock is identical at 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective) for both.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs are built on the same fundamental architecture: GCN 1.0 with the Jet chip. They share the same 28 nm process node from TSMC, the same 690 million transistor count, and the same 56 mm² die size. The transistor density is identical at 12.3M per mm².

The shading unit count is also identical: 320 shading units, 20 texture mapping units, and 8 render output units for both. Neither GPU includes ray tracing cores or tensor cores, and both lack FP16 support.

The key architectural difference lies in clock behavior. The R5 M230 does not have recorded base or boost clock values in the database, whereas the R5 M420 explicitly lists a base clock of 780 MHz and a boost clock of 850 MHz. This clock advantage for the M420 translates directly into higher pixel and texture rates: the M420 achieves 6.800 GPixel/s and 17.00 GTexel/s, compared to 4.880 GPixel/s and 12.20 GTexel/s for the M230.

Both GPUs belong to the Gem System generation, but the M230 comes from the R5 M200 series while the M420 comes from the R5 M400 series. The M230 was released on January 6, 2014, while the M420 was released on May 14, 2016. Both are marked as end-of-life and have the same predecessor (Solar System) and successor (Polaris Mobile).

The memory subsystem is nearly identical: both use DDR3 type memory with a 64-bit bus and 16.00 GB/s bandwidth. The only difference is capacity, with the M230 offering 2 GB and the M420 doubling that to 4 GB. The memory clock is the same at 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective).

Both cards are IGP (integrated graphics processor) solutions with portable device dependent display outputs, meaning they are designed for laptops and similar mobile form factors. They share the same PCIe 3.0 x8 bus interface and support identical API levels: DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only recorded head-to-head benchmark is Geekbench OpenCL, and the result is a clear win for the R5 M230. The M230 scores 4577, while the M420 scores 3956, producing a delta of 15.7% in favor of the older card.

This result is notable because the M420 has higher clock speeds and a larger memory pool. The M420’s boost clock of 850 MHz and base clock of 780 MHz are both explicit in the database, while the M230’s clocks are unlisted. Despite this, the M230 still outperforms the M420 by a substantial margin.

The benchmark data indicates that the M230’s performance advantage is not a marginal one. A 15.7% delta is significant in the context of integrated GPUs, where gains of a few percentage points are more typical. The M230 effectively punches above its weight relative to its newer sibling.

Looking at the nearest rivals confirms the positioning. The M230’s closest competitor is the AMD Radeon RX 560 with an average score of 4569, just 0.2% behind. The M230 also edges out the Intel HD Graphics P530 (4560, 0.4% behind) and trails the NVIDIA Quadro M3000M (4621, -0.9%) and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M (4628, -1.1%) by less than 1.1%.

The M420, by contrast, sits in a lower performance tier. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce 830M at 3957, a 0% delta. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M (3953, 0.1%) is nearly identical, while the NVIDIA Quadro K2000 (3964, -0.2%) and AMD Radeon HD 6850 X2 (3977, -0.5%) are slightly ahead. None of these rivals exceed the M420 by more than 0.5%.

The gap between the two cards is also visible in their percentile rankings. The M230’s 27th percentile places it in a higher performance bracket than the M420’s 23rd percentile. This difference reinforces the benchmark result, showing that the M230 is not just faster in one test but also better positioned across the entire GPU landscape.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in several key specification fields, even though they share the same underlying silicon:

• Generation: M230 is in the R5 M200 series, M420 is in the R5 M400 series
• Release Date: M230 launched January 6, 2014; M420 launched May 14, 2016
• Base Clock: M230 has no listed base clock; M420 has 780 MHz
• Boost Clock: M230 has no listed boost clock; M420 has 850 MHz
• Memory Size: M230 has 2 GB; M420 has 4 GB
• Pixel Rate: M230 achieves 4.880 GPixel/s; M420 achieves 6.800 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: M230 achieves 12.20 GTexel/s; M420 achieves 17.00 GTexel/s
• FP32 Performance: M230 delivers 390.4 GFLOPS; M420 delivers 544.0 GFLOPS
• Geekbench OpenCL Score: M230 scores 4577; M420 scores 3956
• Percentile vs All GPUs: M230 is at the 27th percentile; M420 is at the 23rd

All other specifications are identical: chip, architecture, process node, foundry, transistors, die size, transistor density, memory type, bus width, bandwidth, shading units, TMUs, ROPs, slot width, bus interface, display outputs, APIs, production status, predecessor, and successor.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear picture: the AMD Radeon R5 M230 is the faster GPU despite being the older product. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 4577 beats the R5 M420’s 3956 by 15.7%, and it holds a higher percentile ranking at 27% versus 23%.

This is counterintuitive at first glance because the M420 has explicit clock speeds (780 MHz base, 850 MHz boost) and double the memory (4 GB versus 2 GB). The M420 also posts higher theoretical peak numbers: 544.0 GFLOPS versus 390.4 GFLOPS, 6.800 GPixel/s versus 4.880 GPixel/s, and 17.00 GTexel/s versus 12.20 GTexel/s.

However, benchmark results do not always align with theoretical specifications. The recorded Geekbench OpenCL score shows that the M230 delivers better real-world compute performance, and the margin is substantial. The M230’s nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 560, a discrete-class GPU, while the M420’s nearest rivals are lower-tier mobile and workstation chips.

For users choosing between these two integrated GPUs, the M230 is the better performer based on the database’s measurements. The M420’s additional memory capacity does not translate into a benchmark win, and its higher theoretical throughput does not overcome the M230’s actual score advantage.

The M230’s position in the 27th percentile versus the M420’s 23rd percentile reinforces this conclusion. While both are low-performing GPUs by modern standards, the M230 holds a meaningful edge in the only metric recorded for both.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Radeon R5 M230 wins on:

• Geekbench OpenCL performance: 4577 versus 3956, a 15.7% advantage
• Overall percentile ranking: 27th versus 23rd
• Closer competition with higher-tier rivals: its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 560, and it stays within 1.1% of the NVIDIA Quadro M3000M and GeForce GTX 970M

AMD Radeon R5 M420 wins on:

• Memory capacity: 4 GB versus 2 GB, which could matter for workloads that need larger frame buffers
• Clock speeds: explicit 780 MHz base and 850 MHz boost, compared to the M230’s unlisted clocks
• Theoretical compute rates: 544.0 GFLOPS versus 390.4 GFLOPS, with correspondingly higher pixel and texture rates

The M230 is the clear choice for compute-oriented tasks that rely on OpenCL acceleration. Its benchmark score is 15.7% higher, and it sits in a better percentile bracket. The M420, meanwhile, offers more memory for applications that require larger data sets or higher resolution textures, even though its measured performance is lower.

In practical terms, the M230 would be the better pick for general GPU acceleration and compute workloads. The M420’s 4 GB memory pool might offer an advantage in memory-bound scenarios, but the recorded data shows no benchmark where that translates into a win. The M230 wins the only head-to-head test, and that result aligns with its higher percentile ranking.

For users who value measured performance, the M230 is the superior GPU. For users who prioritize memory capacity or need a newer release date, the M420 has those specific attributes, but it cannot match the M230’s benchmark results.