AMD Radeon R5 M430 vs AMD Radeon R8 M445DX Comparison

# AMD Radeon R5 M430 vs AMD Radeon R8 M445DX

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon R5 M430 is the faster GPU in this pairing. In the only head-to-head benchmark available, Geekbench OpenCL, the R5 M430 scores 5152 against the R8 M445DX's 4727, a 9% advantage. The R5 M430 also sits at the 30th percentile of all GPUs, while the R8 M445DX sits at the 27th. For any workload that leans on raw compute, the R5 M430 is the pick. The R8 M445DX, however, is not without purpose — its hybrid architecture and newer GCN 3.0 design point toward a different class of system integration, even if its benchmark scores trail.

The Verdict

Pick the AMD Radeon R5 M430 if your priority is raw performance in synthetic compute benchmarks. It wins the only direct comparison, posting 5152 in Geekbench OpenCL against 4727 for the R8 M445DX. That 9% lead is consistent with its average benchmark score of 5018 versus 4727, and its nearest-rival delta shows it is essentially at parity with the AMD FirePro W4170M (-0.3%) and slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon R7 Graphics (+0.4%). The R5 M430 is a conventional discrete-class IGP solution with dedicated 4 GB DDR3 memory, which likely explains its consistent compute showing.

Pick the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX if you value architectural modernity over raw score. It runs GCN 3.0, a full generation newer than the R5 M430's GCN 1.0, and it supports DirectX 12 (12_0) compared to the R5 M430's DirectX 12 (11_1). It also has a higher boost clock: 1021 MHz versus 855 MHz. But the data shows this newer design does not translate into benchmark wins — it loses the only head-to-head test. The R8 M445DX's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro P400 (+0.9%) and the AMD Radeon R5 M255 (-1.3%), placing it in a similar performance class to older entry-level parts. For raw compute, the R5 M430 is the verdict; for feature-set completeness, the R8 M445DX has the edge.

Where Each One Wins

The R5 M430 wins in pure compute throughput. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 5152 is 9% higher than the R8 M445DX's 4727. Its FP32 output is 547.2 GFLOPS, and its texture rate is 17.10 GTexel/s, both lower than the R8 M445DX's figures, yet the benchmark result favors the R5 M430. This suggests the dedicated memory subsystem — 4 GB DDR3 on a 64-bit bus with 16.00 GB/s bandwidth — provides a practical advantage in real workloads over the R8 M445DX's system-shared memory. The R5 M430 also has a higher average benchmark score (5018 versus 4727) and a higher percentile rank (30th versus 27th).

The R8 M445DX wins on architectural features and clock speed. Its boost clock of 1021 MHz is substantially higher than the R5 M430's 855 MHz, and its pixel rate (8.168 GPixel/s) and texture rate (20.42 GTexel/s) are both higher. It also supports FP16 compute at a 1:1 ratio (653.4 GFLOPS), which the R5 M430 does not list. The R8 M445DX is built on GCN 3.0, which brings DirectX 12 (12_0) feature support — a meaningful advantage for modern API compatibility. It also leverages system-shared memory, which can be more flexible in a hybrid setup, though the data shows this does not help benchmark scores. In short: the R5 M430 wins on measured performance, the R8 M445DX wins on paper specifications and API support.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different generations of AMD's GCN architecture. The R5 M430 uses the Jet chip on GCN 1.0, while the R8 M445DX uses the Meso chip on GCN 3.0. Both are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the transistor counts differ drastically: the R5 M430 packs 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die, while the R8 M445DX has 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die. The transistor density is nearly identical (12.3M / mm² versus 12.4M / mm²), indicating the size difference comes from the larger chip design, not a denser process.

Core counts are identical: both have 320 shading units, 20 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. The base clock is also the same at 780 MHz. The difference lies in the boost clock — 855 MHz for the R5 M430 versus 1021 MHz for the R8 M445DX — which drives the R8 M445DX's higher pixel rate (8.168 GPixel/s vs 6.840 GPixel/s) and texture rate (20.42 GTexel/s vs 17.10 GTexel/s). FP32 output follows suit: 653.4 GFLOPS for the R8 M445DX versus 547.2 GFLOPS for the R5 M430.

Memory is the biggest architectural split. The R5 M430 has dedicated 4 GB DDR3 on a 64-bit bus with 16.00 GB/s bandwidth and a 1000 MHz memory clock (2 Gbps effective). The R8 M445DX uses system-shared memory — size, type, bus width, and bandwidth are all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent." This is a fundamental design choice: the R5 M430 is a self-contained IGP, while the R8 M445DX is a hybrid part that relies on system memory. The R8 M445DX also has a release date of May 2016, whereas the R5 M430's release date is not listed. Both are end-of-life products.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon R5 M430 scores 5152 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX scores 4727. The R5 M430 leads by 9% in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: Do the two GPUs have the same core configuration?

A: Yes, both have 320 shading units, 20 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. They also share the same base clock of 780 MHz.

Q: Which GPU supports a newer DirectX version?

A: The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the AMD Radeon R5 M430 supports DirectX 12 (11_1). The R8 M445DX has the newer feature level.

Q: How does memory differ between the two?

A: The R5 M430 has 4 GB of dedicated DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus with 16.00 GB/s bandwidth. The R8 M445DX uses system-shared memory, with size, type, bus width, and bandwidth all dependent on the host system.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each GPU?

A: The R5 M430's nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro W4170M (avg score 5034, -0.3%) and the AMD Radeon R7 M340 (avg score 5063, -0.9%). The R8 M445DX's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R5 M335 (avg score 4752, -0.5%) and the NVIDIA Quadro P400 (avg score 4684, +0.9%).

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX has a boost clock of 1021 MHz, compared to 855 MHz for the AMD Radeon R5 M430. The R8 M445DX is clocked higher despite losing the benchmark comparison.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is Geekbench OpenCL, and it is a clear win for the AMD Radeon R5 M430. The R5 M430 scores 5152, while the R8 M445DX scores 4727 — a 9% delta in favor of the R5 M430. This result is notable because the R8 M445DX has a higher boost clock (1021 MHz versus 855 MHz), higher FP32 throughput (653.4 GFLOPS versus 547.2 GFLOPS), and higher texture and pixel rates. Yet the R5 M430 still wins, which points to the value of its dedicated 4 GB DDR3 memory with 16.00 GB/s bandwidth. The R8 M445DX's system-shared memory is evidently a bottleneck in this workload.

Looking at average benchmark scores, the R5 M430 again leads: 5018 versus 4727. The R5 M430's percentile rank of 30th is also three points higher than the R8 M445DX's 27th. In terms of nearest rivals, the R5 M430 sits within a tight cluster — its closest competitor, the AMD FirePro W4170M, scores 5034 (-0.3%), and the AMD Radeon R7 M340 scores 5063 (-0.9%). The R8 M445DX, by contrast, is slightly below its closest rival, the AMD Radeon R5 M335 (4752, -0.5%), and just above the NVIDIA Quadro P400 (4684, +0.9%). The data consistently places the R5 M430 in a higher performance tier than the R8 M445DX, despite the latter's newer architecture and higher clock speeds.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in several key specification fields, and the differences tell a clear story. The chip design is different: the R5 M430 uses the Jet chip, while the R8 M445DX uses the Meso chip. The architecture is a full generation apart — GCN 1.0 for the R5 M430, GCN 3.0 for the R8 M445DX. This drives the DirectX support difference: the R5 M430 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), while the R8 M445DX supports DirectX 12 (12_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170.

The transistor count and die size differ substantially. The R5 M430 has 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die, while the R8 M445DX has 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die. Transistor density is nearly the same (12.3M / mm² versus 12.4M / mm²), so the R8 M445DX is simply a larger, more complex chip. The clocks differ on the boost side: both run at 780 MHz base, but the R5 M430 boosts to 855 MHz, while the R8 M445DX boosts to 1021 MHz. Memory is another major split — the R5 M430 has 4 GB DDR3 on a 64-bit bus with 16.00 GB/s bandwidth, while the R8 M445DX has system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth. The bus interface also differs: the R5 M430 uses PCIe 3.0 x8, while the R8 M445DX is listed as IGP. Both are end-of-life, IGP-class parts with portable-device-dependent display outputs, and neither has a listed TDP, power connector, or launch MSRP. The R8 M445DX has a release date of May 14, 2016, while the R5 M430's release date is not provided.