AMD Radeon R5 M420 vs NVIDIA Quadro M3000M Comparison

The NVIDIA Quadro M3000M and the AMD Radeon R5 M420 represent two very different approaches to mobile graphics, separated by more than just their manufacturers. The recorded data shows a decisive performance gap, but the comparison also highlights significant architectural and specification differences that define their respective positions in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct head-to-head benchmark recorded between these two GPUs is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the result is overwhelmingly in favor of the NVIDIA Quadro M3000M. In this compute-oriented workload, the Quadro M3000M scores 16,646 points, while the Radeon R5 M420 scores 3,956 points. This translates to a delta of 320.8%, meaning the NVIDIA solution is over four times faster in this specific test.

The magnitude of this win is substantial, but it is important to contextualize it within the broader performance landscape. The Quadro M3000M's average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 4,621, which places it in the 27th percentile of all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals in terms of average score include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M at 4,628 (a delta of -0.1%), the AMD Radeon R5 M320 at 4,657 (a delta of -0.8%), and the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB at 4,657 (a delta of -0.8%). The AMD Radeon R5 M230 trails slightly with an average score of 4,577, representing a 1% delta in favor of the Quadro M3000M.

The Radeon R5 M420, in contrast, has a single recorded average benchmark score of 3,956, placing it in the 23rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals are remarkably close: the NVIDIA GeForce 830M scores 3,957 (a delta of 0%), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M scores 3,953 (a delta of 0.1%), and the NVIDIA Quadro K2000 scores 3,964 (a delta of -0.2%). The AMD Radeon HD 6850 X2 scores 3,977, representing a -0.5% delta. This clustering suggests that the R5 M420 is firmly positioned in a lower performance tier, competing with older entry-level discrete GPUs rather than the high-end mobile workstation class.

The data indicates that the Quadro M3000M is not merely faster in a single test; it also demonstrates a broader range of capabilities. Beyond the Geekbench OpenCL result, the Quadro M3000M has recorded scores in Passmark DirectX 10 (26), DirectX 11 (42), DirectX 12 (23), DirectX 9 (98), G2D (402), G3D (5,543), and GPU Compute (2,139). These scores show a consistent, if modest, level of performance across legacy and modern graphics APIs. The Radeon R5 M420 has no such supplementary scores in the database, meaning its performance profile is only defined by the single OpenCL result.

The Verdict

The benchmark data provides a clear verdict for most use cases. The NVIDIA Quadro M3000M is the superior performer in every measurable metric. The 320.8% lead in the OpenCL compute test is a massive gap that reflects a fundamental difference in processing power. The Quadro M3000M's shading units, texture units, and memory bandwidth all contribute to this dominance.

For users seeking a mobile GPU for compute workloads, professional applications, or any task that leverages OpenCL, the Quadro M3000M is the only viable choice based on this data. Its average benchmark score of 4,621 places it in the 27th percentile, which is higher than the R5 M420's 23rd percentile, but more importantly, its raw compute score is far superior.

The Radeon R5 M420, with its average score of 3,956, is positioned near the NVIDIA GeForce 830M and GeForce GT 745M. These are legacy entry-level parts. The data suggests that the R5 M420 is suitable only for the most basic graphical tasks, where its 4 GB of DDR3 memory might be sufficient for simple display output but not for demanding applications.

There is no scenario in the recorded data where the Radeon R5 M420 comes out ahead. The wins column confirms this: the Quadro M3000M has 1 win, and the R5 M420 has 0 wins. The verdict is therefore straightforward: the Quadro M3000M is the recommended part for any performance-sensitive application, while the R5 M420 should only be considered for systems where the absolute lowest power draw and cost are paramount, and performance expectations are minimal.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the NVIDIA Quadro M3000M than the AMD Radeon R5 M420 in OpenCL?

A: The Quadro M3000M scores 16,646 in the Geekbench OpenCL test, while the R5 M420 scores 3,956. This represents a 320.8% advantage for the NVIDIA GPU.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each GPU?

A: The Quadro M3000M has an average benchmark score of 4,621, while the Radeon R5 M420 has an average score of 3,956.

Q: How does each GPU rank in the overall database?

A: The Quadro M3000M sits in the 27th percentile of all GPUs, while the Radeon R5 M420 is in the 23rd percentile.

Q: Which GPUs are the closest rivals to the Radeon R5 M420?

A: The nearest rivals by average score are the NVIDIA GeForce 830M at 3,957 (delta 0%), the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M at 3,953 (delta 0.1%), the NVIDIA Quadro K2000 at 3,964 (delta -0.2%), and the AMD Radeon HD 6850 X2 at 3,977 (delta -0.5%).

Q: Does the Radeon R5 M420 have any recorded wins against the Quadro M3000M?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows 1 win for the Quadro M3000M and 0 wins for the Radeon R5 M420.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference between the two?

A: The Quadro M3000M uses 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with 160.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Radeon R5 M420 uses 4 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus with 16.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every core specification. The NVIDIA Quadro M3000M is built around the GM204 chip with a Maxwell 2.0 architecture, while the AMD Radeon R5 M420 uses the Jet chip with a GCN 1.0 architecture.

The Quadro M3000M has 1,024 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The Radeon R5 M420 has 320 shading units, 20 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. This fundamental difference in execution resources is the primary driver of the performance gap.

Clock speeds also differ. The Quadro M3000M has a base clock of 823 MHz and a boost clock of 924 MHz. The Radeon R5 M420 has a base clock of 780 MHz and a boost clock of 850 MHz. The memory clocks are even more divergent: the Quadro M3000M runs at 1,253 MHz (5 Gbps effective), while the R5 M420 runs at 1,000 MHz (2 Gbps effective).

These differences lead to vastly different throughput figures. The Quadro M3000M achieves a pixel rate of 29.57 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 59.14 GTexel/s. The R5 M420 achieves 6.800 GPixel/s and 17.00 GTexel/s. Floating-point performance follows the same pattern: the Quadro M3000M delivers 1.892 TFLOPS FP32, while the R5 M420 delivers 544.0 GFLOPS.

Power and interface specifications also differ. The Quadro M3000M has a TDP of 75 W and uses an MXM Module slot width with no power connectors. The R5 M420 has no recorded TDP and is classified as an IGP with a PCIe 3.0 x8 bus interface. The Quadro M3000M uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two parts is substantial. The NVIDIA Quadro M3000M is based on Maxwell 2.0, a second-generation iteration of the Maxwell architecture. It is built on a 28 nm process at TSMC, using 5,200 million transistors on a 398 mm² die. This results in a transistor density of 13.1 million transistors per mm².

The AMD Radeon R5 M420 is based on the older GCN 1.0 architecture. It also uses a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the chip is far smaller: 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 12.3 million transistors per mm². The GCN 1.0 architecture was designed for different performance and power targets, and this is reflected in the much lower resource counts.

In terms of API support, the Quadro M3000M supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Radeon R5 M420 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. This means the NVIDIA GPU has a higher feature level in DirectX and a more recent Vulkan version.

The generation and release timeline also differ. The Quadro M3000M is from the Quadro Maxwell-M (Mx000M) generation, released on 2015-08-17. Its predecessor is Quadro Kepler-M and its successor is Quadro Pascal-M. The Radeon R5 M420 is from the Gem System (R5 M400) generation, released on 2016-05-14. Its predecessor is Solar System and its successor is Polaris Mobile. Both are marked as end-of-life in production status.

The memory architecture is another key differentiator. The Quadro M3000M uses GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 160.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon R5 M420 uses DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, providing only 16.00 GB/s. This tenfold difference in bandwidth is critical for memory-intensive workloads and explains why the compute benchmark results are so lopsided.