AMD Radeon R7 240 vs Intel UHD Graphics 730 Comparison

FAQ

Q: What is the average benchmark score for the Intel UHD Graphics 730?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 has an average benchmark score of 5929 across its recorded tests, which include Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan results.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon R7 240 compare to the Intel UHD Graphics 730 in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark, the Intel UHD Graphics 730 scores 5988, while the AMD Radeon R7 240 scores 5063. The Intel part wins this test with an 18.3% advantage.

Q: What is the percentile ranking for each GPU in the database?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 sits at the 33rd percentile among all GPUs, while the AMD Radeon R7 240 is at the 30th percentile. This places both in the lower-middle range of the overall performance distribution.

Q: Which GPU has the higher shading unit count?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 240 has 320 shading units, whereas the Intel UHD Graphics 730 has 192 shading units. Despite having fewer shading units, the Intel part records the higher benchmark scores.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two chips?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 is built on a 14 nm+++ process, while the AMD Radeon R7 240 uses a 28 nm process. Intel's node is smaller, which contributes to its lower 15 W TDP compared to AMD's 30 W.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon R7 240 have a dedicated memory interface?

A: Yes, the AMD Radeon R7 240 has 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 uses system shared memory with bandwidth described as system dependent.

Architecture Differences

The Intel UHD Graphics 730 is an integrated graphics processor based on the Rocket Lake chip, using Intel's Generation 12.1 architecture. It is fabricated on a 14 nm+++ process at Intel's own foundry. The AMD Radeon R7 240, in contrast, is a discrete graphics card built on the Oland chip with AMD's GCN 1.0 architecture, manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process. The Intel part belongs to the HD Graphics generation for Rocket Lake, while the AMD part is part of the Volcanic Islands family within the R7 200 series.

The transistor counts and die sizes differ substantially. The AMD Radeon R7 240 contains 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.3 million per mm². The Intel UHD Graphics 730 does not have recorded transistor or die size data in the database, so a direct density comparison is not possible. However, the manufacturing process difference is clear: 14 nm+++ versus 28 nm.

The memory subsystems are fundamentally different. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 relies on system shared memory, with no dedicated VRAM, bus width, or fixed bandwidth. Its memory clock is listed as "System Shared" and bandwidth as "System Dependent." The AMD Radeon R7 240 has a dedicated 2 GB DDR3 frame buffer on a 128-bit interface, with a memory clock of 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) and a fixed bandwidth of 28.80 GB/s. This gives the AMD card a predictable memory performance profile, whereas the Intel iGPU's memory performance varies with the host system's RAM configuration.

The compute units also differ. Intel's UHD Graphics 730 has 192 shading units, 12 texture mapping units, and 8 raster operation pipelines. The AMD Radeon R7 240 has 320 shading units, 20 texture mapping units, and also 8 ROPs. Interestingly, both GPUs achieve the same texture rate of 15.60 GTexel/s, despite the AMD card having more TMUs, because the Intel part runs at a higher boost clock. The pixel rates differ, with the Intel part reaching 10.40 GPixel/s versus the AMD's 6.240 GPixel/s. Both deliver the same FP32 compute throughput of 499.2 GFLOPS. The Intel GPU supports FP16 with a 2:1 ratio at 998.4 GFLOPS, while the AMD card has no recorded FP16 capability.

The API support shows a generation gap. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The AMD Radeon R7 240 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The Intel part has a more recent Vulkan version, while the AMD card's DirectX 12 feature level is lower (11_1). Both are end-of-life products, but the Intel part was released on March 29, 2021, while the AMD card dates back to October 7, 2013.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains a single head-to-head benchmark between these two GPUs: the Geekbench OpenCL test. In this test, the Intel UHD Graphics 730 scores 5988, while the AMD Radeon R7 240 scores 5063. The Intel part wins by 18.3%, and the recorded delta percentage for this comparison is 18.3 in favor of the Intel GPU. This is the only direct comparison available, so the win count stands at 1 for Intel and 0 for AMD.

Beyond the head-to-head, the average benchmark scores tell a consistent story. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 has an average score of 5929 across its two recorded benchmarks (OpenCL and Vulkan). The AMD Radeon R7 240 has an average score of 5063, based solely on its OpenCL result. The difference in average scores is roughly 866 points, which aligns with the 18.3% head-to-head delta.

The nearest rivals in the database provide context for these scores. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 sits near the AMD Radeon HD 8730M (average 5955, delta -0.4%), the NVIDIA Quadro K620M (5957, -0.5%), the AMD Radeon HD 8750M (5970, -0.7%), and the NVIDIA Quadro K4000 (5982, -0.9%). All of these rivals are within 1% of the Intel part, indicating that the UHD 730 performs at parity with that cluster of mobile and workstation GPUs. The AMD Radeon R7 240's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R7 M340 (5063, 0% delta), the AMD FirePro W4170M (5034, 0.6%), the AMD Radeon R5 M430 (5018, 0.9%), and the AMD Radeon R7 Graphics (4998, 1.3%). The R7 240 is essentially tied with the R7 M340, and it sits slightly ahead of the other three rivals by fractions of a percent.

The benchmark data indicates that the Intel UHD Graphics 730 outperforms the AMD Radeon R7 240 by a significant margin, despite having fewer shading units and relying on shared memory. The Intel part's higher clock speeds (300 MHz base, 1300 MHz boost versus 730 MHz base, 780 MHz boost) and newer architecture likely compensate for its lower raw compute resource count. The FP32 throughput is identical at 499.2 GFLOPS for both, yet the Intel part achieves higher real-world scores, suggesting better efficiency in the OpenCL workload.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification category. The process node is 14 nm+++ for Intel and 28 nm for AMD. The Intel chip is from Rocket Lake, while the AMD chip is Oland. The Intel architecture is Generation 12.1, and the AMD architecture is GCN 1.0. The AMD card has a recorded transistor count of 950 million and a die size of 77 mm², while the Intel part has no such data.

Clock speeds differ substantially. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 1300 MHz. The AMD Radeon R7 240 has a base clock of 730 MHz and a boost clock of 780 MHz. The memory configuration is entirely different: the Intel part uses system shared memory with no dedicated type, bus width, or bandwidth figure, while the AMD card has 2 GB of DDR3 on a 128-bit bus with 28.80 GB/s bandwidth and a memory clock of 900 MHz.

The shading unit count is 192 for Intel and 320 for AMD. The TMU count is 12 for Intel and 20 for AMD. Both have 8 ROPs. The pixel rate is 10.40 GPixel/s for Intel and 6.240 GPixel/s for AMD. The texture rate is identical at 15.60 GTexel/s for both. The FP32 compute is the same at 499.2 GFLOPS, but only the Intel part has an FP16 rate of 998.4 GFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio.

The TDP is 15 W for the Intel iGPU and 30 W for the AMD discrete card. The Intel part is an IGP with a slot width of "IGP" and no power connectors, while the AMD card is a single-slot design with no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 200 W. The bus interface is "Ring Bus" for Intel and PCIe 3.0 x8 for AMD. Display outputs are motherboard dependent for Intel, while the AMD card offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x VGA. The AMD card has physical dimensions of 168 mm in length (6.6 inches) and 69 mm in height (2.7 inches), while the Intel IGP has no recorded dimensions.

The API support differs: DirectX 12 (12_1) for Intel versus DirectX 12 (11_1) for AMD, same OpenGL 4.6 for both, and Vulkan 1.4 for Intel versus 1.2.170 for AMD. The release dates are March 29, 2021, for Intel and October 7, 2013, for AMD. The AMD part has a predecessor (Sea Islands) and successor (Pirate Islands) listed, while the Intel part has none. The AMD card has a launch MSRP of 69 USD, which is the only price-related data available.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel UHD Graphics 730 wins in the only recorded benchmark comparison. It takes the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 5988 versus 5063, a 18.3% advantage. The Intel part also wins on efficiency metrics: its 15 W TDP is half of the AMD card's 30 W, and it achieves higher pixel rates (10.40 GPixel/s versus 6.240 GPixel/s) while matching the AMD part in texture rate and FP32 throughput. The Intel GPU has better API support, particularly in Vulkan (1.4 versus 1.2.170) and DirectX feature level (12_1 versus 11_1). It also supports FP16 compute, which the AMD card lacks.

The AMD Radeon R7 240 wins in areas related to dedicated hardware. It has 320 shading units versus 192, and 20 TMUs versus 12. Its dedicated 2 GB DDR3 memory with a 128-bit bus and 28.80 GB/s bandwidth provides a fixed memory performance profile, whereas the Intel iGPU's memory bandwidth is system dependent and could bottleneck in scenarios where the host system has slow or insufficient RAM. The AMD card also has a higher base clock (730 MHz versus 300 MHz) and a slightly higher boost clock relative to its base, though the absolute boost is lower than Intel's. The AMD part is a discrete card with its own display outputs (DVI, HDMI 1.4a, VGA), making it a drop-in solution for systems without integrated graphics or with limited motherboard outputs.

In terms of the database percentiles, the Intel part ranks at the 33rd percentile and the AMD part at the 30th, so the Intel GPU holds a small overall standing advantage. The nearest rival data shows that the Intel UHD 730 is competitive with a group of GPUs scoring around 5955 to 5982, while the AMD R7 240 is competitive with a group scoring around 4998 to 5063. This places the two GPUs in different performance tiers despite their similar FP32 compute specifications.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the Intel UHD Graphics 730 for raw benchmark performance. It wins the sole head-to-head test by 18.3%, has a higher average benchmark score (5929 versus 5063), and ranks three percentile points higher (33rd versus 30th). For users who prioritize compute performance in OpenCL workloads, the Intel iGPU is the stronger choice, especially given its half-power TDP (15 W versus 30 W) and its support for newer API versions. The Intel part's Vulkan 1.4 and DirectX 12_1 support make it more future-proof for modern applications.

The AMD Radeon R7 240 is the better option for scenarios requiring dedicated memory and fixed bandwidth. Its 2 GB DDR3 frame buffer on a 128-bit bus provides consistent 28.80 GB/s bandwidth, which is not dependent on the host system's memory configuration. This makes it suitable for older systems where the integrated graphics would otherwise compete with the CPU for system RAM. The AMD card also has more shading units (320 versus 192) and more TMUs (20 versus 12), which could theoretically benefit workloads that scale with these resources, even though the recorded benchmarks do not show such an advantage.

The verdict depends on the use case. For a modern Rocket Lake system with fast system memory, the Intel UHD Graphics 730 delivers better benchmark results and lower power consumption. For a legacy system or a build requiring a discrete card with dedicated VRAM, the AMD Radeon R7 240 offers a fixed memory pipeline and a physical card form factor with its own display outputs. The database shows one clear winner in benchmark performance, but the AMD card's dedicated memory and discrete design remain its distinguishing strengths.