AMD Radeon R5 M420 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M Comparison

The AMD Radeon R5 M420 and NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions aimed at the entry-level segment, yet they represent fundamentally different design philosophies from their respective manufacturers. The data available shows a remarkably close contest in raw compute performance, with the NVIDIA part edging ahead by a razor-thin margin in the single shared benchmark. However, the underlying specifications reveal distinct architectural approaches that could influence real-world behavior in ways not captured by a single synthetic test score.

Where Each One Wins

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M claims the only victory, winning the sole head-to-head test available. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 3974 for the GT 740M narrowly surpasses the R5 M420’s 3956, a difference of just 0.5 percent. This places the two parts in a virtual tie for compute workloads, making the GT 740M the nominal winner in the only category where direct comparison is possible.

The AMD Radeon R5 M420 does not win any benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, but the data suggests it is far from a lost cause. Its OpenCL score of 3956 places it within 0.1 percent of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M and essentially tied with the GeForce 830M, indicating that in pure compute throughput, it sits squarely in the same performance tier as several NVIDIA competitors. The GT 740M, meanwhile, shows a broader benchmark profile with both OpenCL and Vulkan scores, with its Vulkan result of 3459 trailing its own OpenCL score by roughly 13 percent, hinting that its graphics API performance may be less consistent than its compute performance.

For users prioritizing compute-heavy tasks like OpenCL acceleration, the choice between these two is nearly a coin flip, with the GT 740M holding a negligible advantage. For those concerned with modern graphics API support, the GT 740M’s Vulkan score provides an additional data point, whereas the R5 M420 has no Vulkan result recorded, leaving its performance in that API unverified.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs originate from different architectural generations and design teams. The AMD Radeon R5 M420 is built on GCN 1.0 architecture, using the Jet chip, and belongs to the Gem System (R5 M400) generation. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M employs Kepler 2.0 architecture with the GK208 chip, part of the GeForce 700M family. Both are fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the transistor counts and die sizes diverge considerably.

The NVIDIA chip packs 1,020 million transistors into an 87 mm² die, while the AMD chip contains only 690 million transistors on a smaller 56 mm² die. This gives the AMD part a higher transistor density of 12.3 million per square millimeter compared to NVIDIA’s 11.7 million, despite having 34 percent fewer transistors overall. The larger NVIDIA die supports more execution resources, with 384 shading units and 32 texture mapping units versus the AMD’s 320 shading units and 20 TMUs. Both parts feature 8 ROPs, but the NVIDIA GPU compensates for its smaller memory bus width with higher clocks.

Clock speeds also differ meaningfully. The GT 740M runs at a base clock of 980 MHz with a boost of 1033 MHz, while the R5 M420 operates at a lower 780 MHz base and 850 MHz boost. This 200 MHz clock advantage for NVIDIA at base and 183 MHz at boost helps explain its slightly higher compute throughput despite the AMD chip’s more efficient transistor density. The AMD part also lacks a TDP rating in the data, whereas the GT 740M is rated at 33 W and uses an MXM module form factor, compared to the AMD’s IGP (integrated graphics processor) slot width.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is Geekbench OpenCL, where the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M scores 3974 against the AMD Radeon R5 M420’s 3956. The delta percentage of -0.5 percent (from the AMD perspective) indicates the NVIDIA part is ahead by half a percent, a margin so small it falls within typical run-to-run variance. This near-parity is striking given the architectural differences, as the GT 740M has 64 more shading units, 12 more TMUs, and a 31 percent higher FP32 throughput of 793.3 GFLOPS versus 544.0 GFLOPS for the AMD part.

The NVIDIA GPU’s higher pixel rate of 8.264 GPixel/s and texture rate of 33.06 GTexel/s, compared to 6.800 GPixel/s and 17.00 GTexel/s for the AMD, suggest it should have a clear advantage in fill-rate-bound workloads. Yet the OpenCL score tells a different story, implying that the R5 M420’s GCN architecture is comparatively efficient at compute tasks relative to its lower raw specifications. The GT 740M also holds a memory bandwidth edge at 14.40 GB/s versus 16.00 GB/s for the AMD part — wait, the data shows the AMD actually has higher bandwidth at 16.00 GB/s despite its smaller 64-bit bus and lower 1000 MHz memory clock versus the NVIDIA’s 900 MHz. This bandwidth advantage for AMD, combined with its 4 GB frame buffer versus 2 GB, may help close the gap in memory-intensive OpenCL workloads.

The NVIDIA part also recorded a Vulkan score of 3459, which is 13 percent lower than its OpenCL result, suggesting that its compute performance varies by API. The AMD R5 M420 has no Vulkan score in the data, so it remains unclear whether it would show similar variance or maintain its OpenCL-level performance across APIs.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher raw compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M leads in FP32 throughput at 793.3 GFLOPS, well ahead of the AMD Radeon R5 M420’s 544.0 GFLOPS. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GT 740M scores 3974 versus 3956 for the R5 M420, a 0.5 percent advantage.

Q: How do their memory configurations compare?

A: The AMD Radeon R5 M420 offers 4 GB of DDR3 memory with a 16.00 GB/s bandwidth, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M has 2 GB of DDR3 at 14.40 GB/s. Both use a 64-bit bus, but the AMD part has a 1000 MHz memory clock versus 900 MHz for NVIDIA.

Q: Are these GPUs still in production?

A: No, both are marked as end-of-life. The AMD Radeon R5 M420 was released on May 14, 2016, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M launched earlier on June 19, 2013.

Q: What are the key architectural differences?

A: The AMD uses GCN 1.0 with the Jet chip, while NVIDIA uses Kepler 2.0 with GK208. NVIDIA has more execution units (384 shading units, 32 TMUs) versus AMD’s 320 shading units and 20 TMUs, but AMD has a smaller die at 56 mm² versus 87 mm².

Q: Which GPU has better modern API support?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M supports Vulkan 1.2.175 and DirectX 12 (11_0), while the AMD Radeon R5 M420 supports Vulkan 1.2.170 and DirectX 12 (11_1). Only the NVIDIA part has a recorded Vulkan benchmark score of 3459.

Q: How does the GT 740M compare to its own nearest rivals?

A: The GT 740M’s average benchmark score of 3717 is essentially tied with the NVIDIA Quadro 3000M at 3718 (0 percent delta), 0.6 percent ahead of the GeForce 825M at 3694, and 1.9 percent ahead of the AMD Radeon HD 6770 at 3649.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every hardware specification. The AMD Radeon R5 M420 uses the Jet chip with GCN 1.0 architecture, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M employs GK208 with Kepler 2.0. Transistor counts are 690 million for AMD versus 1,020 million for NVIDIA, with die sizes of 56 mm² and 87 mm² respectively. Clock speeds show the NVIDIA part at 980 MHz base and 1033 MHz boost, compared to 780 MHz base and 850 MHz boost for AMD. Memory configurations differ with 4 GB DDR3 at 1000 MHz for AMD versus 2 GB DDR3 at 900 MHz for NVIDIA, though both use a 64-bit bus.

Execution resources favor NVIDIA with 384 shading units and 32 TMUs versus AMD’s 320 shading units and 20 TMUs, while both have 8 ROPs. Fill rates are higher on NVIDIA at 8.264 GPixel/s and 33.06 GTexel/s, exceeding AMD’s 6.800 GPixel/s and 17.00 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is 793.3 GFLOPS for NVIDIA versus 544.0 GFLOPS for AMD. The NVIDIA part carries a 33 W TDP and MXM module form factor, while AMD lists no TDP and uses IGP slot width. Both use PCIe 3.0 x8 interfaces and have no power connectors listed. The APIS differ slightly with DirectX 12 (11_0) for NVIDIA versus 12 (11_1) for AMD, but both support OpenGL 4.6, with Vulkan versions 1.2.175 and 1.2.170 respectively.

The Verdict

The data presents a close contest where neither GPU can claim a decisive victory. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M wins the only head-to-head benchmark by 0.5 percent, but the AMD Radeon R5 M420 counters with a larger 4 GB frame buffer and higher memory bandwidth of 16.00 GB/s versus 14.40 GB/s. For users whose workloads are dominated by OpenCL compute, the choice between these two is effectively a tie, as the 18-point score difference is negligible.

However, the GT 740M’s architectural advantages are substantial on paper: 793.3 GFLOPS of FP32 performance, 33.06 GTexel/s texture rate, and a 33 W TDP rating that suggests a more power-efficient design. The R5 M420’s lack of a TDP rating and its lower clock speeds make it a less attractive option for sustained performance, even though its GCN architecture appears to extract competitive compute performance from fewer resources. The NVIDIA part’s additional Vulkan benchmark score of 3459 also demonstrates a broader testing profile, though that score is notably lower than its OpenCL result.

For users who prioritize memory capacity, the AMD R5 M420 offers 4 GB versus 2 GB, which could matter for certain workloads. For those who value newer architecture features and documented power consumption, the GT 740M is the safer pick. The benchmark results indicate that in the single measurable category, the GT 740M is the winner, but the margin is so slim that real-world differences would likely be imperceptible. Given that the GT 740M wins the head-to-head and offers higher raw specifications, the data leans toward NVIDIA, but only by a hair.