AMD Radeon R7 250 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M Comparison

AMD Radeon R7 250 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M: a comparison of two end-of-life graphics solutions from different eras and market segments. The R7 250 is a desktop card built on AMD's GCN 1.0 architecture, while the GTX 670M is a mobile MXM module based on NVIDIA's Fermi 2.0 design. The database records a single OpenCL benchmark for each, and the results show a clear, albeit modest, advantage for the AMD part.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon R7 250 wins the only recorded head-to-head test. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the R7 250 scores 7557, while the GTX 670M scores 6513. This represents a 16% delta in favor of the AMD card. There are no other tests in the database where the GTX 670M records a victory, as the wins tally shows 1 for the R7 250 and 0 for the GTX 670M.

The R7 250's advantage is rooted in its compute architecture. It features 512 shading units, which is significantly more than the GTX 670M's 336. The R7 250 also has a higher theoretical FP32 performance of 947.2 GFLOPS compared to the GTX 670M's 803.7 GFLOPS. This raw throughput advantage directly translates to the OpenCL score, where the AMD card outperforms by a solid margin. The R7 250 also benefits from a newer process node, 28 nm versus 40 nm, which allows for a smaller die (123 mm² versus 332 mm²) and better transistor density (12.2M per mm² versus 5.9M per mm²).

The GTX 670M does hold advantages in specific memory and texture-related metrics. It has a larger memory capacity of 1536 MB versus 1024 MB, and its GDDR5 memory on a 192-bit bus provides a substantial bandwidth advantage: 72.00 GB/s versus 28.80 GB/s. The GTX 670M also has more texture mapping units (56 versus 32) and a higher texture rate (33.49 GTexel/s versus 29.60 GTexel/s). However, these advantages do not manifest in the recorded OpenCL benchmark score, where the compute-heavy workload favors the R7 250's higher shading unit count and FP32 throughput.

When looking at the rival landscape, the R7 250 sits in a competitive position. Its nearest rival, the Intel Arc A310, scores 7550, a mere 0.1% difference. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 is slightly ahead at 7580, a -0.3% delta for the R7 250. The R7 250 is 1.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, which scores 7472, and 1.5% ahead of the AMD Radeon HD 8850M, which scores 7447. This places the R7 250 in the 41st percentile of all GPUs.

The GTX 670M, by contrast, sits in the 38th percentile. Its closest rivals are all within a narrow band. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M scores 6493, a 0.3% delta. The NVIDIA Quadro M5000M scores 6481, a 0.5% delta. The AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile scores 6476, a 0.6% delta. The Intel UHD Graphics P750 scores 6554, which puts it 0.6% ahead of the GTX 670M. The data shows that while the GTX 670M is competitive with its immediate peers, it sits roughly 14% behind the R7 250 in this specific test.

The Verdict

From the recorded data, the AMD Radeon R7 250 is the superior choice for compute-oriented workloads, as measured by the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark. It delivers a 16% higher score than the GTX 670M. For any user prioritizing general compute performance, OpenCL acceleration, or tasks that leverage shading unit throughput, the R7 250 is the clear winner based on the numbers.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M, while trailing in the benchmark, offers specific hardware characteristics that could be relevant in other contexts. Its larger memory pool (1536 MB versus 1024 MB) and significantly higher memory bandwidth (72.00 GB/s versus 28.80 GB/s) could be beneficial for texture-heavy or memory-bound scenarios, such as certain gaming or rendering tasks at higher resolutions. However, the database provides no benchmark to validate this, and the OpenCL result does not reflect this advantage.

The choice depends on the primary use case. If the task is compute-heavy, as represented by the recorded OpenCL score, the R7 250 is the pick. If the task is memory-bandwidth sensitive and the GTX 670M's larger memory capacity is critical, it might be worth considering, but the data does not support a performance win for the NVIDIA part. The R7 250 also offers a higher pixel rate (14.80 GPixel/s versus 8.372 GPixel/s), which could be relevant for basic display output and rasterization tasks.

Given the single benchmark and the 16% delta, the verdict is straightforward: the R7 250 wins the head-to-head on the only recorded metric. The GTX 670M's strengths, while real in terms of specifications, do not translate to a benchmark victory.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database is the Geekbench OpenCL test. In this test, the AMD Radeon R7 250 scores 7557, against the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M's 6513. The delta is 16% in favor of the AMD card. This is a decisive victory that aligns with the theoretical compute specifications.

The R7 250's 512 shading units and 947.2 GFLOPS FP32 performance provide a strong foundation for OpenCL workloads. The GTX 670M, with 336 shading units and 803.7 GFLOPS, is less capable in this regard. The R7 250 also has a higher pixel rate (14.80 GPixel/s versus 8.372 GPixel/s), indicating stronger fill-rate capabilities for certain rendering tasks.

The GTX 670M's counterpoints are its texture rate (33.49 GTexel/s versus 29.60 GTexel/s) and memory bandwidth (72.00 GB/s versus 28.80 GB/s). These are meaningful advantages in specific workloads, but they do not appear to influence the OpenCL score. The benchmark result suggests that the compute throughput of the R7 250 is the dominant factor in this test.

The 16% delta is a substantial gap in a single-generation comparison. It places the R7 250 clearly ahead of the GTX 670M in the database's performance ranking, with the R7 250 at the 41st percentile and the GTX 670M at the 38th percentile. The R7 250's nearest rivals, such as the Intel Arc A310 and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100, are within 0.3% of its score, indicating it is well-positioned among its peers. The GTX 670M's rivals are also tightly clustered, but at a lower absolute performance level.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 250 scores 7557, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M scores 6513. The R7 250 is 16% faster in this test.

Q: How much memory does each GPU have?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 250 has 1024 MB of DDR3 memory. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M has 1536 MB of GDDR5 memory.

Q: Which GPU offers higher memory bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M has a memory bandwidth of 72.00 GB/s, due to its 192-bit bus and GDDR5 memory. The AMD Radeon R7 250 has a bandwidth of 28.80 GB/s via a 128-bit bus.

Q: What are the architecture differences between the two?

A: The R7 250 uses AMD's GCN 1.0 architecture on a 28 nm process. The GTX 670M uses NVIDIA's Fermi 2.0 architecture on a 40 nm process.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 250 has 512 shading units. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M has 336 shading units.

Q: What is the percentile ranking for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 250 is in the 41st percentile of all GPUs. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M is in the 38th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent distinct architectural generations and design philosophies. The AMD Radeon R7 250 is built on the GCN 1.0 architecture, using a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 1,500 million transistors into a die size of 123 mm², resulting in a transistor density of 12.2M per mm². The chip, codenamed Cape Verde, is part of the Volcanic Islands (R7 200) generation. It features 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The memory subsystem consists of 1024 MB of DDR3 on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 28.80 GB/s. The card is a single-slot design with no power connectors, a TDP of 55 W, and a suggested PSU of 250 W. It uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface and supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M is based on the Fermi 2.0 architecture, manufactured on a 40 nm process, also at TSMC. It contains 1,950 million transistors on a much larger die of 332 mm², with a lower transistor density of 5.9M per mm². The chip, GF114, is part of the GeForce 600M generation. It has 336 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs. The memory configuration uses 1536 MB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 72.00 GB/s. The GTX 670M is an MXM module (MXM-B 3.0 interface) with a TDP of 75 W and no power connectors. Its display outputs are listed as portable device dependent. It supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but has no Vulkan support.

The architectural differences are significant. The R7 250 is a newer design with a smaller, denser chip that emphasizes compute throughput (512 shaders, 947.2 GFLOPS). The GTX 670M is a larger, older chip with higher memory bandwidth and texture rate, but lower compute performance. The R7 250's process advantage (28 nm versus 40 nm) allows for better efficiency and a higher pixel rate (14.80 GPixel/s versus 8.372 GPixel/s). The GTX 670M's larger memory bus and faster GDDR5 memory give it a clear edge in bandwidth, which is a common strength of NVIDIA's Fermi architecture. The API support also differs, with the R7 250 offering Vulkan while the GTX 670M does not, and the R7 250 supporting a slightly higher DirectX feature level (11_1 versus 11_0).