AMD Radeon R5 M420 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 Comparison

The AMD Radeon R5 M420 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 are both end-of-life graphics processors, but they represent vastly different design philosophies and eras. The data shows the AMD R5 M420 leads in raw compute, while the NVIDIA GT 545 counters with superior memory bandwidth and legacy connectivity. Benchmark results indicate a clear but narrow victory for the AMD part in the single available test, yet the specification sheet tells a more complex story about which GPU is better suited for specific tasks.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R5 M420 is the compute-focused winner. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, it scores 3956 against the GT 545's 3594, a 10.1% advantage. This result is backed by a significantly higher FP32 throughput of 544.0 GFLOPS versus 414.7 GFLOPS for the NVIDIA part. The R5 M420 also has more shading units (320 vs 144) and a higher pixel rate (6.800 GPixel/s vs 4.320 GPixel/s), making it better suited for general-purpose compute workloads and fill-rate-dependent tasks. Its 28 nm process node also gives it a transistor density of 12.3M / mm², more than double the GT 545's 4.9M / mm², indicating a more efficient use of silicon.

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 wins on memory bandwidth and legacy system integration. Its 192-bit bus width delivers 38.40 GB/s of bandwidth, which is 140% higher than the R5 M420's 64-bit bus and 16.00 GB/s. This makes the GT 545 better for texture-heavy workloads and higher-resolution framebuffers, despite having fewer texture units (24 vs 20) but a higher texture rate (17.28 GTexel/s vs 17.00 GTexel/s). The GT 545 also offers a 16 ROPs count, double the R5 M420's 8, which helps with final pixel output. The NVIDIA card is a single-slot PCIe 2.0 x16 device with 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.3a, and 1x VGA outputs, making it a drop-in solution for older desktop systems, whereas the R5 M420 is an IGP with "Portable Device Dependent" outputs.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is fundamental. The AMD Radeon R5 M420 is built on GCN 1.0 architecture (chip "Jet") on a 28 nm TSMC process, packing 690 million transistors into a 56 mm² die. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 uses the older Fermi 2.0 architecture (chip "GF116") on a 40 nm TSMC process, with 1,170 million transistors spread across a much larger 238 mm² die. The transistor density difference is stark: 12.3M / mm² for AMD versus 4.9M / mm² for NVIDIA, reflecting the newer manufacturing process.

The AMD part supports newer API features, including DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the NVIDIA card only reaches DirectX 12 (11_0) and has no Vulkan support listed. Both support OpenGL 4.6. The R5 M420 is part of the "Gem System (R5 M400)" generation, succeeding the "Solar System" line, while the GT 545 belongs to the "GeForce 500" generation, succeeding "GeForce 400." The AMD chip is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with PCIe 3.0 x8, while the NVIDIA part is a discrete single-slot card with PCIe 2.0 x16.

Memory configurations also diverge. The R5 M420 uses 4 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, clocked at 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective). The GT 545 uses 1536 MB of DDR3 on a 192-bit bus, clocked at 800 MHz (1600 Mbps effective). The GT 545's wider bus compensates for slower clocks, yielding more than double the bandwidth.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute performance?

A: The AMD Radeon R5 M420. It scores 3956 in Geekbench OpenCL versus the GT 545's 3594, a 10.1% lead. Its FP32 throughput is 544.0 GFLOPS compared to 414.7 GFLOPS.

Q: Does the NVIDIA GT 545 have any performance advantage?

A: Yes, in memory bandwidth. The GT 545 delivers 38.40 GB/s via a 192-bit bus, versus the R5 M420's 16.00 GB/s on a 64-bit bus. It also has a higher texture rate (17.28 GTexel/s vs 17.00 GTexel/s) and double the ROPs (16 vs 8).

Q: Are these GPUs comparable in terms of API support?

A: No. The AMD R5 M420 supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the NVIDIA GT 545 only supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and lacks Vulkan support entirely. Both offer OpenGL 4.6.

Q: How do their manufacturing processes differ?

A: The AMD R5 M420 uses a 28 nm process with 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die (12.3M / mm² density). The NVIDIA GT 545 uses a 40 nm process with 1,170 million transistors on a 238 mm² die (4.9M / mm² density).

Q: Which card is more suitable for modern gaming workloads?

A: The data indicates the AMD R5 M420 likely has the edge in compute-heavy modern titles due to its 10.1% OpenCL lead and newer API support (Vulkan 1.2.170). However, the GT 545's 2.4x higher memory bandwidth may benefit older games that are bandwidth-bound.

Q: What are the physical and power requirements of each?

A: The GT 545 is a single-slot, 145 mm (5.7 inches) card with a 70 W TDP and a suggested PSU of 250 W, requiring no power connectors. The R5 M420 is an IGP with no listed TDP or power connectors, and its slot width is listed as "IGP."

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon R5 M420 | NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 |

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

| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Fermi 2.0 |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |

| Transistors | 690 million | 1,170 million |

| Die Size | 56 mm² | 238 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.3M / mm² | 4.9M / mm² |

| Memory Size | 4 GB | 1536 MB |

| Memory Bus Width | 64 bit | 192 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 16.00 GB/s | 38.40 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 320 | 144 |

| ROPs | 8 | 16 |

| Pixel Rate | 6.800 GPixel/s | 4.320 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 17.00 GTexel/s | 17.28 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 544.0 GFLOPS | 414.7 GFLOPS |

| TDP | Not listed | 70 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Single-slot |

| Power Connectors | Not listed | None |

| Suggested PSU | Not listed | 250 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x8 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.3a, 1x VGA |

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

| Vulkan Support | 1.2.170 | Not listed |

| Memory Clock | 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective) | 800 MHz (1600 Mbps effective) |

| Release Date | 2016-05-14 | 2011-05-13 |

| Length | Not listed | 145 mm (5.7 inches) |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | 149 USD |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison is the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the AMD Radeon R5 M420 decisively wins. The AMD part scored 3956, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 scored 3594. This yields a deltaPct of 10.1% in favor of the AMD card. This is a substantial margin in a compute benchmark, indicating that the R5 M420's architectural advantages — more shading units (320 vs 144) and higher FP32 throughput (544.0 vs 414.7 GFLOPS) — translate directly into real-world compute performance.

However, the win is not universal across all GPU capabilities. The GT 545 counters with a 38.40 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is 140% higher than the R5 M420's 16.00 GB/s. In memory-bound scenarios, this could offset the AMD card's compute lead. The GT 545 also has a slightly higher texture rate (17.28 GTexel/s vs 17.00 GTexel/s), despite fewer TMUs, because its higher memory bandwidth feeds the texture units more effectively. In pixel throughput, the AMD card wins again with 6.800 GPixel/s vs 4.320 GPixel/s, a 57% advantage, driven by its higher clock speeds (base 780 MHz, boost 850 MHz) versus the GT 545's unlisted core clocks.

The deltaPct values in the nearestRivals lists further contextualize these scores. The R5 M420's nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce 830M, with a deltaPct of 0, meaning the M420 is essentially tied with it. The GT 545's nearest rival is the NVIDIA RTX 5000 Mobile Ada Generation, with a deltaPct of -0.1%, meaning the GT 545 is essentially tied with that much newer card in this specific benchmark, which is a notable data point.

The Verdict

The data suggests a clear split: choose the AMD Radeon R5 M420 for raw compute performance and modern API support. It wins the only benchmark test by 10.1%, has 57% higher pixel rate, and supports Vulkan 1.2.170 and DirectX 12 (11_1). Its 28 nm process and higher transistor density (12.3M / mm² vs 4.9M / mm²) indicate a more modern, efficient design. This makes it the better choice for compute workloads, newer game engines that leverage Vulkan, and any task relying on FP32 throughput.

Choose the NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 for memory bandwidth and legacy system compatibility. It delivers 140% more memory bandwidth (38.40 GB/s vs 16.00 GB/s), has double the ROPs (16 vs 8), and offers a higher texture rate (17.28 GTexel/s vs 17.00 GTexel/s). Its 192-bit bus is a significant advantage for high-resolution textures and older bandwidth-hungry games. The GT 545 is also a discrete single-slot card with a 70 W TDP, a 250 W suggested PSU, and standard display outputs (DVI, HDMI 1.3a, VGA), making it a practical drop-in upgrade for older desktop PCs. The R5 M420, as an IGP, is inherently limited to portable devices with dependent outputs.

The verdict is not about which GPU is "better" overall, but which is better for a given context. The R5 M420 wins on compute and API modernity, while the GT 545 wins on memory throughput and physical integration. The benchmark data shows the AMD card is faster in OpenCL, but the specification sheet reveals the NVIDIA card is not without its own strengths.