AMD Radeon R6 M255DX vs NVIDIA GeForce 930A Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data does not contain any direct head-to-head benchmark comparisons between the NVIDIA GeForce 930A and the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX. The database shows no overlapping test scores for these two parts in a shared test suite. Instead, each GPU was evaluated under a different benchmark workload, which limits direct numerical comparison.

The NVIDIA GeForce 930A was tested using Geekbench OpenCL, where it recorded a score of 5317. The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX was tested using Geekbench Vulkan, where it recorded a score of 4867. These are distinct test methodologies, so the raw scores are not directly comparable as a like-for-like measurement. However, the percentile rankings offer a broader context. The GeForce 930A sits at the 31st percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the Radeon R6 M255DX sits at the 28th percentile. This indicates that the NVIDIA part holds a slightly higher overall standing within the database's complete GPU population.

The nearest rival data provides additional context for each card. For the GeForce 930A, the closest competitors are the NVIDIA GeForce 840M with an average score of 5322 and a delta of -0.1%, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M at 5308 with a delta of 0.2%, the NVIDIA GeForce 940M at 5284 with a delta of 0.6%, and the AMD Radeon R7 M445 at 5358 with a delta of -0.8%. This places the GeForce 930A within a very tight cluster of scores, all within roughly one point or less of each other. The data shows the 930A trailing the R7 M445 by 0.8% and the 840M by 0.1%, while leading the GTX 980M by 0.2% and the 940M by 0.6%. These are marginal differences, indicating that the 930A performs essentially on par with a broad swath of mobile and entry-level discrete GPUs from its era.

For the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX, the nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M with an average score of 4855 and a delta of 0.2%, the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX at 4844 with a delta of 0.5%, the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 at 4893 with a delta of -0.5%, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB at 4901 with a delta of -0.7%. The R6 M255DX leads the GTX 560M by 0.2% and the 940MX by 0.5%, but trails the GTS 450 by 0.5% and the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB by 0.7%. The inclusion of a modern RTX card in the rival list is notable, as it suggests that in this particular workload, the R6 M255DX's score lands in a similar range despite the vast generational gap. The deltas remain small, reinforcing the idea that the R6 M255DX performs within a narrow band of its closest database neighbors.

The absence of head-to-head tests means the database does not support a direct claim of superiority for either product in a shared benchmark. What the data does show is that the GeForce 930A holds a higher percentile rank and a higher absolute score in its respective test, while the Radeon R6 M255DX sits slightly lower in both measures. The wins count in the database is zero for both parts, reflecting the lack of shared tests rather than a tie in performance.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural lineages, and the database records several fundamental differences. The NVIDIA GeForce 930A is built on the Maxwell architecture using the GM108 chip, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX is built on the GCN 1.0 architecture using the Jet chip, also fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. Both use the same process node and the same foundry, but their underlying designs differ substantially.

Transistor counts and die sizes reveal the physical scale of each chip. The GeForce 930A packs 1,020 million transistors into a die size of 77 mm², yielding a transistor density of 13.2M per mm². The Radeon R6 M255DX contains 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die, with a transistor density of 12.3M per mm². The NVIDIA chip is larger in both absolute transistor count and die area, and it also achieves a higher packing density.

The execution resources differ clearly. The GeForce 930A has 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. The Radeon R6 M255DX has 320 shading units, 20 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. Both share the same ROP count, but NVIDIA leads in shader count and TMU count. Clock speeds also favor the NVIDIA part. The GeForce 930A has a base clock of 928 MHz and a boost clock of 941 MHz, while the Radeon R6 M255DX has a base clock of 780 MHz and a boost clock of 855 MHz. The combination of more shading units and higher clocks gives the GeForce 930A a clear theoretical throughput advantage.

Memory architecture is one of the most significant differentiators. The GeForce 930A has 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 16.02 GB/s and a memory clock of 1001 MHz (2 Gbps effective). The Radeon R6 M255DX uses System Shared memory, meaning it has no dedicated video memory. Its memory size, type, and bus width are all listed as System Shared, and its bandwidth is listed as System Dependent. This means the AMD part relies on the host system's memory, which can introduce variability in performance depending on the laptop's configuration. The NVIDIA part, by contrast, has a fixed and dedicated memory pool.

Compute rates reflect these architectural choices. The GeForce 930A achieves a pixel rate of 7.528 GPixel/s, a texture rate of 22.58 GTexel/s, and FP32 throughput of 722.7 GFLOPS. The Radeon R6 M255DX achieves a pixel rate of 6.840 GPixel/s, a texture rate of 17.10 GTexel/s, and FP32 throughput of 547.2 GFLOPS. NVIDIA leads in all three measured compute categories.

API support also differs. The GeForce 930A supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Radeon R6 M255DX supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. DirectX 11_1 support on the AMD part is a slightly newer feature level than the 11_0 on the NVIDIA part, while the NVIDIA Vulkan version is newer. Power characteristics are only partially recorded. The GeForce 930A has a TDP of 33 W and uses no power connectors. The Radeon R6 M255DX has no TDP listed and no power connector data. Both are IGP-class parts with portable-device-dependent display outputs.

Production status for both is end-of-life. The GeForce 930A was released on March 12, 2015, and has a predecessor in the GeForce 800A. The Radeon R6 M255DX was released on January 6, 2014, with no predecessor listed. The NVIDIA part belongs to the GeForce 900A generation, while the AMD part belongs to the Gem System Hybrid (Rx M200) generation.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 930A has 384 shading units, while the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX has 320 shading units.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX have dedicated video memory?

A: No. The Radeon R6 M255DX uses System Shared memory, with its memory size, type, and bus width all listed as System Shared and bandwidth listed as System Dependent. The GeForce 930A, by contrast, has 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus.

Q: What is the FP32 performance difference between the two?

A: The GeForce 930A delivers 722.7 GFLOPS of FP32 throughput, while the Radeon R6 M255DX delivers 547.2 GFLOPS. This represents a roughly 32% advantage for the NVIDIA part in raw compute throughput.

Q: Which GPU has a higher percentile ranking in the database?

A: The GeForce 930A sits at the 31st percentile of all GPUs, while the Radeon R6 M255DX sits at the 28th percentile.

Q: What are the boost clock speeds for each GPU?

A: The GeForce 930A has a boost clock of 941 MHz, and the Radeon R6 M255DX has a boost clock of 855 MHz.

Q: Do both GPUs use the same manufacturing process?

A: Yes, both are fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but they use different architectures: Maxwell for the NVIDIA part and GCN 1.0 for the AMD part.

Specification Differences

The database records the following differences between the two GPUs. The GeForce 930A uses the GM108 chip, while the Radeon R6 M255DX uses the Jet chip. The architecture differs, with Maxwell on the NVIDIA side and GCN 1.0 on the AMD side. The generation is listed as GeForce 900A for NVIDIA and Gem System Hybrid (Rx M200) for AMD. Transistor count is 1,020 million versus 690 million, and die size is 77 mm² versus 56 mm², giving transistor densities of 13.2M per mm² and 12.3M per mm² respectively.

Base clocks are 928 MHz for the GeForce 930A and 780 MHz for the Radeon R6 M255DX. Boost clocks are 941 MHz and 855 MHz. The NVIDIA part has a memory clock of 1001 MHz (2 Gbps effective), while the AMD part lists System Shared. Memory size is 2 GB of DDR3 for NVIDIA and System Shared for AMD. Bus width is 64 bit versus System Shared, and bandwidth is 16.02 GB/s versus System Dependent.

Shading units are 384 versus 320, TMUs are 24 versus 20, and ROPs are 8 for both. Pixel rate is 7.528 GPixel/s versus 6.840 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 22.58 GTexel/s versus 17.10 GTexel/s. FP32 is 722.7 GFLOPS versus 547.2 GFLOPS. TDP is 33 W for NVIDIA, with no value recorded for AMD. Power connectors are listed as None for NVIDIA and null for AMD. The bus interface is PCIe 3.0 x8 for NVIDIA and IGP for AMD.

DirectX support is 12 (11_0) for NVIDIA and 12 (11_1) for AMD. OpenGL is 4.6 for both. Vulkan is 1.4 for NVIDIA and 1.2.170 for AMD. Release dates differ, with the GeForce 930A launched on March 12, 2015, and the Radeon R6 M255DX launched on January 6, 2014. The GeForce 930A has a predecessor, the GeForce 800A, while no predecessor is listed for the AMD part. Neither GPU has a listed successor. The GeForce 930A has a benchmark score of 5317 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the Radeon R6 M255DX has a benchmark score of 4867 in Geekbench Vulkan. Percentile ranks are 31 and 28 respectively.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear choice for users who prioritize raw compute throughput and dedicated memory. The NVIDIA GeForce 31st percentile ranking and its 722.7 GFLOPS FP32 throughput, along with 384 shading units and 24 TMUs, give it a measurable edge over the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX in raw processing capability. The GeForce 930A also benefits from 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 memory with a fixed 16.02 GB/s bandwidth, which removes the variability inherent in the AMD part's System Shared memory configuration.

The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX, sitting at the 28th percentile, offers lower clock speeds, fewer shading units, and lower compute rates across the board. Its 547.2 GFLOPS FP32 output and 320 shading units place it behind the NVIDIA part in every measured compute category. The lack of dedicated memory means performance will vary with the host system, a factor the database records explicitly as System Dependent.

For users who need a GPU for workloads with strong FP32 performance, the GeForce 930A is the higher-performing part per the recorded data. For users who are constrained to a system that relies on shared memory, the Radeon R6 M255DX is the only option among the two, but its performance ceiling is lower. The absence of head-to-head benchmarks means the database cannot confirm direct win counts, but the aggregate measurements and percentile ranks both favor the NVIDIA GPU. The GeForce 930A is the stronger choice based on the available evidence.