AMD Radeon R7 M260 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data contains a single direct benchmark comparison between these two mobile graphics processors. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M posts a score of 4934, while the AMD Radeon R7 M260 records 3708. This translates to a delta of -24.8% for the AMD part, meaning NVIDIA holds a substantial lead in this compute workload. The margin is not marginal; it is a decisive gap that separates the two in raw throughput-oriented tasks.

The GT 755M's OpenCL result also sits well above its own average benchmark score of 4033, suggesting that this particular workload plays to its strengths. Conversely, the R7 M260's OpenCL score of 3708 falls noticeably short of its average of 4499, indicating that the AMD chip underperforms in this specific test relative to its broader results. The database records exactly one head-to-head win, and it belongs entirely to NVIDIA.

Looking at the broader benchmark context, the GT 755M's OpenCL score of 4934 outperforms the R7 M260's score by 1226 points. In percentage terms, that is the 24.8% delta already noted. The R7 M260 does have a separate Geekbench Vulkan score of 5289, which is higher than its OpenCL result, but there is no corresponding Vulkan score for the GT 755M in the database, so no direct comparison is possible there. The AMD part also has a Metal score of 3132 on the NVIDIA side, but again, no matching AMD Metal result exists for comparison.

The overall percentile rankings place the R7 M260 at the 26th percentile of all GPUs, while the GT 755M sits at the 24th percentile. Despite losing the head-to-head, the AMD chip actually ranks slightly higher in the global distribution. This suggests that the R7 M260's average score of 4499, which is higher than the GT 755M's average of 4033, reflects a different workload profile. The NVIDIA part is faster in the one test where they meet, but the AMD part performs better across the broader set of benchmarks that feed into its average.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different architectural lineages. The AMD Radeon R7 M260 uses the Topaz chip built on GCN 3.0, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M uses the GK107 chip based on Kepler. Both are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, so the underlying fabrication node is identical. However, the transistor counts differ: AMD packs 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, while NVIDIA uses 1,270 million on a smaller 118 mm² die. This gives the AMD chip a higher transistor density of 12.4M per mm² versus 10.8M per mm² for NVIDIA.

The memory subsystem presents a major divergence. The R7 M260 comes with 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, delivering 14.40 GB/s of bandwidth. The GT 755M also has 2 GB, but it uses GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, achieving 86.40 GB/s. That is a sixfold difference in memory bandwidth, which likely explains the NVIDIA part's advantage in the OpenCL benchmark. The clocks also differ: AMD runs at a base of 940 MHz with a boost of 980 MHz, while NVIDIA runs at 980 MHz base and 1020 MHz boost. Memory clocks are 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) for AMD versus 1350 MHz (5.4 Gbps effective) for NVIDIA.

The compute resources are partially similar. Both have 384 shading units, but the GT 755M has 32 texture mapping units and 16 raster output units, while the R7 M260 has 24 TMUs and 8 ROPs. This affects pixel and texture rates: NVIDIA achieves 8.160 GPixel/s and 32.64 GTexel/s, while AMD manages 7.840 GPixel/s and 23.52 GTexel/s. Floating-point performance is close, with AMD at 752.6 GFLOPS for FP32 and NVIDIA slightly ahead at 783.4 GFLOPS. AMD also lists FP16 at 752.6 GFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio, while NVIDIA does not report FP16 capability.

The bus interface differs as well: AMD uses PCIe 3.0 x8, while NVIDIA uses PCIe 3.0 x16. Power characteristics are only recorded for NVIDIA, which lists a TDP of 50 W, a slot width of MXM Module, and no power connectors. The AMD entry has no TDP or slot width data. API support shows AMD with DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170, while NVIDIA lists DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The NVIDIA part has a slightly newer Vulkan version.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded data, the GT 755M wins the single head-to-head benchmark in OpenCL with a 24.8% margin. This indicates that the NVIDIA part is the stronger choice for compute-heavy workloads that rely on OpenCL, such as general-purpose GPU tasks or applications that leverage this API. The higher memory bandwidth and wider bus are likely contributing factors, as OpenCL workloads often stress memory throughput.

The R7 M260, however, shows a higher average benchmark score of 4499 versus 4033 for the GT 755M. This suggests that across the full set of tests in the database, the AMD chip performs better on average. The R7 M260 also has a Vulkan score of 5289, which is its strongest recorded result, and it ranks at the 26th percentile versus the 24th percentile for NVIDIA. For users or applications that favor Vulkan or a broader mix of workloads, the AMD part appears more capable.

The AMD part's FP16 support, listed at 752.6 GFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio, could be relevant for workloads that use half-precision arithmetic. The NVIDIA part does not report FP16 data. On the other hand, the GT 755M has a higher pixel rate and texture rate, which may benefit traditional rasterization tasks. The NVIDIA chip also has double the ROPs (16 versus 8) and more TMUs (32 versus 24), which could improve fill-rate-bound scenarios.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher OpenCL benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M scores 4934 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the AMD Radeon R7 M260 scores 3708. NVIDIA leads by 24.8%.

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

A: The AMD R7 M260 delivers 14.40 GB/s using DDR3 on a 64-bit bus. The NVIDIA GT 755M delivers 86.40 GB/s using GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus.

Q: Do both GPUs have the same number of shading units?

A: Yes, both have 384 shading units. However, the NVIDIA part has 32 TMUs and 16 ROPs, while the AMD part has 24 TMUs and 8 ROPs.

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD R7 M260 has an average benchmark score of 4499, while the NVIDIA GT 755M has an average of 4033.

Q: What are the transistor counts for each chip?

A: The AMD Topaz chip contains 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die. The NVIDIA GK107 chip contains 1,270 million transistors on a 118 mm² die.

Q: Which GPU supports Vulkan with a newer version?

A: The NVIDIA GT 755M supports Vulkan 1.2.175, while the AMD R7 M260 supports Vulkan 1.2.170.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across several specification fields. The chip names are Topaz for AMD and GK107 for NVIDIA. The architecture is GCN 3.0 for AMD and Kepler for NVIDIA. The generation is listed as "Gem System (R7 M200)" for AMD and "GeForce 700M" for NVIDIA.

Transistor count: AMD has 1,550 million, NVIDIA has 1,270 million. Die size: AMD is 125 mm², NVIDIA is 118 mm². Transistor density: AMD is 12.4M per mm², NVIDIA is 10.8M per mm².

Base clock: AMD is 940 MHz, NVIDIA is 980 MHz. Boost clock: AMD is 980 MHz, NVIDIA is 1020 MHz. Memory clock: AMD is 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective), NVIDIA is 1350 MHz (5.4 Gbps effective).

Memory type: AMD uses DDR3, NVIDIA uses GDDR5. Bus width: AMD is 64 bit, NVIDIA is 128 bit. Bandwidth: AMD is 14.40 GB/s, NVIDIA is 86.40 GB/s.

TMUs: AMD has 24, NVIDIA has 32. ROPs: AMD has 8, NVIDIA has 16. Pixel rate: AMD is 7.840 GPixel/s, NVIDIA is 8.160 GPixel/s. Texture rate: AMD is 23.52 GTexel/s, NVIDIA is 32.64 GTexel/s. FP32: AMD is 752.6 GFLOPS, NVIDIA is 783.4 GFLOPS. FP16: AMD is 752.6 GFLOPS (1:1), NVIDIA is not reported.

TDP: AMD is not reported, NVIDIA is 50 W. Slot width: AMD is not reported, NVIDIA is MXM Module. Power connectors: AMD is not reported, NVIDIA is none. Bus interface: AMD is PCIe 3.0 x8, NVIDIA is PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs: AMD is not reported, NVIDIA is Portable Device Dependent.

DirectX support: AMD is 12 (12_0), NVIDIA is 12 (11_0). Vulkan: AMD is 1.2.170, NVIDIA is 1.2.175. Release date: AMD is 2014-06-10, NVIDIA is 2013-06-24. Predecessor: AMD is Solar System, NVIDIA is GeForce 600M. Successor: AMD is Polaris Mobile, NVIDIA is GeForce 800M.

The GT 755M has a Geekbench Metal score of 3132 and an OpenCL score of 4934. The R7 M260 has an OpenCL score of 3708 and a Vulkan score of 5289.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split. For users prioritizing OpenCL compute performance, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M is the superior choice, as it leads by 24.8% in the direct head-to-head test. The NVIDIA part also has significantly higher memory bandwidth, more TMUs and ROPs, and a wider bus, all of which contribute to its advantage in that specific benchmark.

For users looking at the broader benchmark landscape, the AMD Radeon R7 M260 holds a higher average score of 4499 versus 4033, and it ranks at a slightly higher percentile. The AMD chip also offers Vulkan support with a score of 5289, which is its best recorded result, and it lists FP16 compute capabilities that NVIDIA does not report.

The choice depends on the workload. OpenCL-centric applications favor the GT 755M. A more varied mix that includes Vulkan or other tests favors the R7 M260. The GT 755M also has a lower TDP of 50 W recorded, while the AMD part has no power data, which may matter in mobile designs where thermals are constrained. Both chips are end-of-life products, so the decision is limited to existing hardware. The recorded data shows one decisive win for NVIDIA in OpenCL, but the AMD part holds its own across the broader set of measurements.