AMD Radeon R5 M330 vs AMD Radeon R8 M445DX Comparison

FAQ

Q: How does the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX compare to the AMD Radeon R5 M330 in raw compute performance?

A: In the only shared benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, the R8 M445DX scores 4727 against the R5 M330’s 4302, a 9.9% advantage. The R5 M330 also has a Geekbench Vulkan score of 4037, but no comparable Vulkan result exists for the R8 M445DX in the database.

Q: Which GPU occupies a higher percentile among all GPUs?

A: The R8 M445DX sits at the 27th percentile, while the R5 M330 is at the 25th percentile. This places both in the lower quarter of all GPUs, but the R8 M445DX is slightly higher overall.

Q: What are the closest rivals to each GPU according to the database?

A: For the R8 M445DX, the nearest rival is the AMD Radeon R5 M335 (score 4752, delta -0.5%), followed by the NVIDIA Quadro P400 (4684, +0.9%). For the R5 M330, the closest is the NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (4151, +0.4%), followed by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (4193, -0.5%).

Q: Do the two GPUs share the same architecture?

A: No. The R8 M445DX uses GCN 3.0 on the Meso chip, while the R5 M330 uses GCN 1.0 on the Exo chip. Both are built on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the architectural generation differs significantly.

Q: How do their memory configurations differ?

A: The R8 M445DX relies entirely on system shared memory, with bandwidth described as system dependent. The R5 M330 has 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, delivering 14.40 GB/s.

Q: Which GPU has a higher base clock speed?

A: The R5 M330 runs at a 955 MHz base clock and 1030 MHz boost, while the R8 M445DX has a 780 MHz base and 1021 MHz boost. Despite the lower base clock, the R8 M445DX still outperforms in OpenCL.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent different generations of AMD’s GCN architecture. The R8 M445DX is built on GCN 3.0, using the Meso chip, and belongs to the Gem System Hybrid (Rx M400) generation. The R5 M330 uses the older GCN 1.0 architecture, based on the Exo chip, and comes from the Gem System (R5 M300) generation. This generational gap is the most significant structural difference, as GCN 3.0 introduced refinements in instruction scheduling and resource management compared to the original GCN design.

Both GPUs are manufactured on the same 28 nm process at TSMC, but their transistor budgets diverge sharply. The R8 M445DX packs 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, while the R5 M330 contains 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die. Transistor density is nearly identical (12.4M per mm² versus 12.3M per mm²), meaning the R8 M445DX’s larger die is simply scaled up with more hardware.

Interestingly, both GPUs share the same core counts: 320 shading units, 20 texture mapping units, and 8 render output units. This means the architectural advantage of GCN 3.0 in the R8 M445DX does not come from having more parallel execution units but from the newer design’s efficiency. The pixel rate (8.168 GPixel/s versus 8.240 GPixel/s) and texture rate (20.42 GTexel/s versus 20.60 GTexel/s) are nearly identical, with the R5 M330 holding a marginal edge due to its higher clocks.

The R8 M445DX supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the R5 M330 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170. The R8 M445DX also lists FP16 performance at 653.4 GFLOPS (1:1), whereas the R5 M330 has no recorded FP16 capability, suggesting the newer architecture handles half-precision math more natively.

Memory architecture is a major differentiator. The R8 M445DX uses system shared memory with no dedicated VRAM, making its bandwidth dependent on the host system. The R5 M330 has 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 on a 64-bit bus with 14.40 GB/s bandwidth. This means the R5 M330 offers more predictable memory performance, while the R8 M445DX’s performance depends heavily on the laptop’s RAM configuration.

Power characteristics also differ. The R5 M330 has a recorded TDP of 18 W and no power connectors, while the R8 M445DX has no TDP listed. Both are integrated into the system as IGP solutions, but the R5 M330 uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 bus interface while the R8 M445DX is listed strictly as IGP.

The Verdict

The data points to the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX as the stronger GPU in raw compute. Its 9.9% lead in Geekbench OpenCL (4727 versus 4302) is the only direct comparison available, and it wins that test decisively. The percentile ranking reinforces this: 27th versus 25th overall. For users who prioritize OpenCL compute workloads, the R8 M445DX is the clear choice.

However, the R5 M330 has its own advantages. It comes with dedicated 2 GB DDR3 memory, which provides consistent bandwidth (14.40 GB/s) independent of system RAM. The R8 M445DX’s system shared memory means its performance can vary widely depending on the host laptop’s memory speed and configuration. In scenarios where memory latency and bandwidth consistency matter, the R5 M330 may be more reliable.

The R5 M330 also benefits from higher base and boost clocks (955 MHz vs 780 MHz, 1030 MHz vs 1021 MHz), which partially compensates for its older GCN 1.0 architecture. Its pixel and texture rates are slightly higher (8.240 GPixel/s vs 8.168 GPixel/s; 20.60 GTexel/s vs 20.42 GTexel/s), giving it a marginal edge in fill-rate-bound tasks.

For DirectX 12 gaming, the R8 M445DX’s support for 12_0 versus the R5 M330’s 11_1 suggests better compatibility with modern game features. The R8 M445DX also has FP16 support, which is absent from the R5 M330’s records, making it more suitable for workloads that leverage half-precision arithmetic.

In summary, the R8 M445DX wins on architecture, compute performance, and API support. The R5 M330 wins on dedicated memory, clock speeds, and fill rates. Neither GPU is positioned for high-end gaming, but the R8 M445DX is the better all-rounder in the database’s measurements.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon R8 M445DX | AMD Radeon R5 M330 |

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

| Architecture | GCN 3.0 | GCN 1.0 |

| Chip | Meso | Exo |

| Transistors | 1,550 million | 690 million |

| Die Size | 125 mm² | 56 mm² |

| Base Clock | 780 MHz | 955 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1021 MHz | 1030 MHz |

| Memory Size | System Shared | 2 GB |

| Memory Type | System Shared | DDR3 |

| Memory Bus Width | System Shared | 64 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | System Dependent | 14.40 GB/s |

| FP16 | 653.4 GFLOPS (1:1) | null |

| TDP | null | 18 W |

| Bus Interface | IGP | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

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

| Release Date | 2016-05-14 | 2015-05-04 |

| Maximum OpenCL Score | 4727 | 4302 |

| Vulkan Score | null | 4037 |

| Average Benchmark Score | 4727 | 4170 |

| Percentile | 27 | 25 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records one head-to-head benchmark between these two GPUs: Geekbench OpenCL. The R8 M445DX scores 4727, while the R5 M330 scores 4302. This yields a delta of 9.9% in favor of the R8 M445DX. The win is meaningful but not overwhelming, indicating that the newer GCN 3.0 architecture provides a measurable compute advantage over GCN 1.0.

The R5 M330 has an additional Geekbench Vulkan score of 4037, though no comparable Vulkan result exists for the R8 M445DX in the database. This absence makes it impossible to assess their relative performance under Vulkan. It is importantly the R5 M330’s OpenCL score of 4302 is higher than its Vulkan score of 4037, suggesting the GPU performs better under OpenCL in this specific test.

Looking at the nearest rivals provides context. The R8 M445DX’s 4727 score places it within 0.5% of the AMD Radeon R5 M335 (4752) and 0.9% above the NVIDIA Quadro P400 (4684). The R5 M330’s 4302 OpenCL score is 0.4% above the NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (4151) and 0.5% below the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (4193). Notably, the R5 M330’s average benchmark score is 4170, dragged down by its Vulkan result, while its OpenCL score alone is 4302.

The R8 M445DX’s performance relative to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB (4791) is within 1.3%, which is a surprising data point given the massive generational and performance gap between these GPUs. This likely reflects the specific nature of the OpenCL workload rather than general gaming performance.

Where Each One Wins

The R8 M445DX wins decisively in OpenCL compute. Its 4727 score versus 4302 represents a 9.9% advantage, and it holds a higher percentile ranking (27th versus 25th). The newer GCN 3.0 architecture, with its DirectX 12 (12_0) support and FP16 capability, makes it the better choice for modern compute workloads and applications that leverage half-precision math.

The R5 M330 wins on memory architecture. Its dedicated 2 GB DDR3 with 14.40 GB/s bandwidth provides consistent, predictable performance. The R8 M445DX’s system shared memory makes its bandwidth system dependent, meaning a laptop with slow RAM could bottleneck the GPU significantly. For users who need reliable memory performance without depending on host system specifications, the R5 M330 is the safer option.

The R5 M330 also holds a slight edge in fill rates. Its pixel rate of 8.240 GPixel/s and texture rate of 20.60 GTexel/s are marginally higher than the R8 M445DX’s 8.168 GPixel/s and 20.42 GTexel/s. In pixel-bound or texture-bound scenarios, such as certain older games or 2D workloads, the R5 M330 could perform slightly better despite its older architecture.

Clock speed is another area where the R5 M330 leads. Its 955 MHz base clock is 175 MHz higher than the R8 M445DX’s 780 MHz, and its boost clock of 1030 MHz is 9 MHz higher. This helps the R5 M330 compensate for its architectural disadvantage in scalar workloads.

The R8 M445DX wins on transistor budget and die size, with 1,550 million transistors versus 690 million, and 125 mm² versus 56 mm². This indicates a much more complex design, though both deliver similar shading unit counts. The R8 M445DX also has a later release date (2016-05-14) compared to the R5 M330 (2015-05-04), suggesting it benefits from a year of additional design maturity.

For users choosing between these two in a laptop, the decision hinges on workload. Compute-heavy tasks, modern API support, and half-precision math favor the R8 M445DX. Memory consistency, fill-rate-bound tasks, and lower power consumption (18 W TDP recorded for the R5 M330) favor the R5 M330. The database shows the R8 M445DX as the overall stronger performer, but the R5 M330 has specific niches where it remains competitive.