AMD Radeon R7 M260X vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M and AMD Radeon R7 M260X are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions, but they target different performance tiers. The data in the database shows a clear hierarchy, with the GTX 770M holding a significant lead in the only shared benchmark test.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains one direct comparison between these two GPUs: the Geekbench OpenCL test. In this test, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M scores 8552, while the AMD Radeon R7 M260X scores 5690. This results in a delta of 50.3%, meaning the NVIDIA part is roughly half again as fast in raw compute throughput. This is a decisive victory for the GTX 770M.

Looking at the broader benchmark picture, the GTX 770M also has a second score in the Geekbench Metal test, where it records 3448. The R7 M260X has a Geekbench Vulkan score of 4631, but since there is no overlapping test for that API, it cannot be directly compared. The average benchmark score tells a similar story: the GTX 770M averages 6000, while the R7 M260X averages 5161. That is a gap of approximately 16% in overall performance.

The percentile rankings reinforce this. The GTX 770M sits in the 35th percentile of all GPUs, while the R7 M260X sits in the 30th percentile. While neither is a high-flying part, the GTX 770M is measurably closer to the middle of the pack.

For context on the GTX 770M, its average score of 6000 places it right next to the AMD Radeon RX 6400 (6001, delta 0%) and the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server (5996, delta 0.1%). It also matches the AMD FirePro W4100 (5987, delta 0.2%) and NVIDIA Quadro K4000M (5986, delta 0.2%). This suggests the GTX 770M is a solid performer for its era, punching well above its mobile-class designation.

The R7 M260X, with its 5161 average, is closely bracketed by the NVIDIA Quadro K3100M (5154, delta 0.1%) and the AMD Radeon R7 240 (5063, delta 1.9%). It trails the NVIDIA Quadro 4000M (5211, delta -1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M (5236, delta -1.4%). In short, the R7 M260X is competitive with entry-level desktop cards, but it is not in the same league as the GTX 770M.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in OpenCL compute workloads?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M is significantly faster. It scores 8552 in Geekbench OpenCL, compared to 5690 for the AMD Radeon R7 M260X, a 50.3% advantage.

Q: How do their overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: The GTX 770M has an average benchmark score of 6000, while the R7 M260X averages 5161. This puts the NVIDIA part in the 35th percentile of all GPUs, versus the 30th percentile for the AMD part.

Q: Does the AMD card have any benchmark win over the NVIDIA card?

A: No. In the single head-to-head test recorded (Geekbench OpenCL), the GTX 770M wins. The database shows zero wins for the R7 M260X.

Q: What is the closest rival to the GTX 770M?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6400 is the nearest rival, with an average score of 6001 and a delta of 0% from the GTX 770M's 6000.

Q: What is the closest rival to the R7 M260X?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro K3100M is the nearest rival, with an average score of 5154 and a delta of 0.1% from the R7 M260X's 5161.

Q: Which GPU supports a newer DirectX version?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M260X supports DirectX 12 (11_1), while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M supports DirectX 12 (11_0). The AMD card has a slightly newer feature level.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded data, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M wins in essentially every measurable category. It has a higher raw performance score, a higher average benchmark score, and a higher percentile ranking. If the workload is compute-oriented, particularly OpenCL, the GTX 770M is the clear choice.

The AMD Radeon R7 M260X does not win any benchmark comparisons in this database. Its only technical advantages are a newer DirectX feature level (12_1 vs 12_0) and a slightly newer Vulkan API version (1.2.170 vs 1.2.175, though the GTX 770M actually has the newer Vulkan here; the R7 M260X has the newer DirectX). For practical gaming or compute tasks, the performance gap is too large for these API differences to matter.

The use case for the R7 M260X would be limited to systems where the GTX 770M is not an option. It is a lower-end part with less memory and fewer shading units, so it is suited for basic display output and light 3D acceleration. The GTX 770M, by contrast, is a more capable part that can handle heavier loads.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ substantially in their core specifications. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M is built on the GK106 chip, while the AMD Radeon R7 M260X uses the Opal chip. Both are fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the GTX 770M has a much larger die: 221 mm² versus 77 mm² for the AMD part. Transistor counts follow suit, with the GTX 770M packing 2,540 million transistors against 950 million for the R7 M260X. Interestingly, the transistor density is similar, with 11.5M per mm² for NVIDIA and 12.3M per mm² for AMD.

Clock speeds are close, but the NVIDIA card runs higher. The GTX 770M has a base clock of 706 MHz and a boost clock of 797 MHz. The R7 M260X runs at 620 MHz base and 715 MHz boost. Memory clocks are nearly identical: 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective) for NVIDIA and 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) for AMD.

Memory configuration is a major differentiator. The GTX 770M comes with 3 GB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus, yielding 96.19 GB/s of bandwidth. The R7 M260X has only 1024 MB (1 GB) of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, resulting in 64.00 GB/s. This gives the GTX 770M a 50% bandwidth advantage, matching its compute lead.

The compute unit counts are drastically different. The GTX 770M has 960 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs. The R7 M260X has just 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. These translate to a pixel rate of 15.94 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 63.76 GTexel/s for the GTX 770M, versus 5.720 GPixel/s and 17.16 GTexel/s for the AMD card. FP32 throughput is 1.530 TFLOPS for NVIDIA and 549.1 GFLOPS for AMD.

Power and interface also differ. The GTX 770M has a TDP of 75 W and uses an MXM Module slot with an MXM-B (3.0) interface. The R7 M260X has no listed TDP and uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface. Neither card requires external power connectors. Both have portable-device-dependent display outputs.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split is clear: NVIDIA uses the Kepler architecture, while AMD uses GCN 1.0. Kepler was designed for efficiency and higher clocks, while GCN 1.0 was an early iteration of AMD's compute-focused design.

The GTX 770M belongs to the GeForce 700M generation, with a predecessor in GeForce 600M and a successor in GeForce 800M. The R7 M260X is part of the "Gem System" (R7 M200) generation, with a predecessor called "Solar System" and a successor in "Polaris Mobile". These generational names reflect different product line strategies.

In terms of feature support, the GTX 770M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The R7 M260X supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The AMD card has a slightly newer DirectX feature level, but the NVIDIA card has a slightly newer Vulkan version. Neither card has ray tracing or tensor cores.

The GTX 770M also has a higher transistor density and a larger die, which generally indicates a more complex and capable design. The R7 M260X is a smaller, simpler chip that is cheaper to produce but offers lower performance.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M is the superior GPU. It wins the only direct benchmark comparison by a wide margin, has a higher average score, and sits at a higher percentile. Its memory bandwidth, texture rate, and pixel rate are all roughly three times higher than the R7 M260X. For any task that relies on GPU compute or graphics throughput, the GTX 770M is the right choice.

The AMD Radeon R7 M260X should only be considered if the system requires the newer DirectX 12 (11_1) feature level or if the GTX 770M is physically unavailable. It is a lower-tier part that is best suited for basic display duties or very light gaming. Its 1 GB of memory and 128-bit bus severely limit its usefulness in modern workloads.

For a builder or buyer choosing between these two, the GTX 770M is the obvious pick. It offers roughly 50% more compute performance, double the memory capacity, and a wider memory bus. The R7 M260X trails in every performance metric recorded. The GTX 770M is the benchmark winner, and the verdict is straightforward: take the NVIDIA card.