AMD Radeon R7 M265 vs NVIDIA GeForce 930M Comparison

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon R7 M265 and NVIDIA GeForce 930M represent two distinct GPU architectures from different vendors, both targeting the mobile discrete graphics segment. The R7 M265 is built on AMD's GCN 1.0 architecture, using the Opal chip, while the 930M employs NVIDIA's Maxwell architecture with the GM108S chip. Both are fabricated on TSMC's 28 nm process node, but the silicon designs diverge significantly in transistor count and density. The AMD part contains 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.3M per mm². NVIDIA's chip packs 1,020 million transistors into the same 77 mm² die, achieving a higher density of 13.2M per mm². This difference suggests NVIDIA packed more logic into the same physical area, which aligns with Maxwell's architectural efficiency improvements over older GCN designs.

The shading core counts are identical: 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units, and 8 render output units on both GPUs. However, the clock behavior sets them apart. The R7 M265 runs at a base clock of 725 MHz with a boost up to 825 MHz, while the 930M operates at a fixed 549 MHz for both base and boost. This clock advantage gives AMD a raw throughput lead, but the Maxwell architecture compensates through higher instructions per clock in certain workloads. The memory subsystems also differ: AMD pairs its 2 GB DDR3 frame buffer with a 128 bit bus, delivering 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth, whereas NVIDIA uses a narrower 64 bit bus with the same 2 GB DDR3 capacity, resulting in just 12.80 GB/s. The memory clock rates reflect this: AMD runs at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective), while NVIDIA runs at 800 MHz (1600 Mbps effective).

Feature support shows a split. The R7 M265 lists DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The 930M also supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, but a newer Vulkan 1.4. The API version difference indicates NVIDIA's driver stack has moved further forward. Both cards use PCIe 3.0 x8 interfaces, and NVIDIA's slot width is listed as IGP, meaning it is integrated into the motherboard package, with no power connectors required and a 33 W TDP. The AMD card has no recorded TDP or slot width in the database. The 930M's display outputs are portable device dependent, while the R7 M265's outputs are not recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher OpenCL benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 930M scores 5046 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the AMD Radeon R7 M265 scores 4929. The 930M wins by 2.3%.

Q: How do the memory buses compare between the two cards?

A: The AMD R7 M265 uses a 128 bit memory bus with 28.80 GB/s bandwidth, while the NVIDIA 930M uses a 64 bit bus with 12.80 GB/s. AMD's bus width is double, and its bandwidth is more than double.

Q: What is the transistor count difference?

A: NVIDIA's GM108S chip has 1,020 million transistors, while AMD's Opal chip has 950 million. Both are on 77 mm² dies, giving NVIDIA a density of 13.2M per mm² versus AMD's 12.3M per mm².

Q: Do both cards support the same DirectX version?

A: No. The AMD card lists DirectX 12 (11_1), while the NVIDIA card lists DirectX 12 (11_0). The AMD part has a slightly higher feature level profile.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each GPU?

A: The AMD R7 M265 has an average benchmark score of 4929, while the NVIDIA 930M has an average of 4388. The AMD card sits in the 29th percentile of all GPUs, and the NVIDIA card in the 26th percentile.

Q: Which card has a Vulkan version advantage?

A: The NVIDIA 930M supports Vulkan 1.4, while the AMD R7 M265 supports Vulkan 1.2.170. NVIDIA's implementation is newer.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in several recorded specifications. The process node is the same at 28 nm, and both use TSMC as the foundry. The die size is identical at 77 mm². Transistor count differs: AMD has 950 million, NVIDIA has 1,020 million. Transistor density follows: 12.3M per mm² for AMD, 13.2M per mm² for NVIDIA. Clock speeds diverge sharply: AMD runs at 725 MHz base and 825 MHz boost, while NVIDIA is fixed at 549 MHz for both. Memory clock also differs: AMD at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective), NVIDIA at 800 MHz (1600 Mbps effective). Memory bus width is 128 bit for AMD versus 64 bit for NVIDIA. Memory bandwidth is 28.80 GB/s for AMD versus 12.80 GB/s for NVIDIA. The pixel rate is 6.600 GPixel/s for AMD versus 4.392 GPixel/s for NVIDIA. The texture rate is 19.80 GTexel/s for AMD versus 13.18 GTexel/s for NVIDIA. FP32 compute is 633.6 GFLOPS for AMD versus 421.6 GFLOPS for NVIDIA. The NVIDIA card has a recorded TDP of 33 W, a slot width of IGP, and power connectors of none, none of which are recorded for AMD. The DirectX version differs: AMD 12 (11_1), NVIDIA 12 (11_0). Vulkan differs: AMD 1.2.170, NVIDIA 1.4. The 930M uses a 1,020 million transistor chip with 384 shading units, same as AMD's 384. Both have 24 TMUs and 8 ROPs. The 930M has a release date of March 2015, while the R7 M265 was released in January 2014. The predecessor and successor generations are different, with AMD coming from Solar System and going to Polaris Mobile, while NVIDIA comes from GeForce 800M and goes to GeForce 10 Mobile.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head benchmark is a single Geekbench OpenCL test. The AMD Radeon R7 M265 scores 4929, and the NVIDIA GeForce 930M scores 5046. The winner is the NVIDIA card with a delta of -2.3% from AMD's perspective, meaning the 930M is 2.3% ahead. This is a narrow margin, within typical run-to-run variance for mobile GPUs. However, the database records only one head-to-head result, so the overall picture relies on this single data point plus the individual benchmark lists.

Looking at the individual benchmark lists, the 930M also has a Geekbench Vulkan score of 3729, which the AMD card lacks entirely. The OpenCL results are close: AMD at 4929, NVIDIA at 5046. The average benchmark scores, however, tell a different story. AMD's average is 4929, which equals its single OpenCL result. NVIDIA's average is 4388, dragged down by the Vulkan score being significantly lower than the OpenCL score. This means the 930M's OpenCL performance is strong, but its Vulkan performance is much weaker relative to its own OpenCL result, and the average reflects this disparity.

In terms of raw throughput metrics, AMD leads substantially. The FP32 compute of 633.6 GFLOPS versus 421.6 GFLOPS is a 50% advantage for AMD. The texture rate of 19.80 GTexel/s versus 13.18 GTexel/s is also about 50% higher. The pixel rate of 6.600 GPixel/s versus 4.392 GPixel/s is approximately 50% higher as well. Memory bandwidth is the biggest gap: 28.80 GB/s versus 12.80 GB/s, a 125% advantage for AMD. Yet the OpenCL benchmark result does not reflect this dominance, suggesting the workload is not bandwidth-bound or that NVIDIA's architecture extracts more useful work per clock.

The nearest rivals in the database provide context. The AMD R7 M265 sits between the R7 M360 (4931, 0% delta) and the FirePro W5130M (4904, 0.5% delta). It also matches the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB (4901, 0.6% delta) and the GTS 450 (4893, 0.7% delta). This means the R7 M265 is essentially tied with a modern RTX card in this specific OpenCL test, an unusual finding. The NVIDIA 930M sits between the GT 645M (4411, -0.5% delta) and the Iris Pro 5200 (4360, 0.7% delta), with the RTX 4070 GDDR6 at 4335 (1.2% delta) and the FirePro W2100 at 4295 (2.2% delta). The 930M's OpenCL score of 5046 is higher than its average of 4388, meaning it overperforms in OpenCL relative to its overall position.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R7 M265 wins on every raw throughput metric recorded. It has higher pixel rate, texture rate, and FP32 compute, all by approximately 50%. Its memory bandwidth is more than double that of the 930M. These figures suggest that workloads heavily dependent on fill rate, texture filtering, or raw compute throughput would favor the AMD part. The wider 128 bit memory bus also gives AMD an advantage in scenarios where large texture sets or high-resolution framebuffers exceed the 64 bit bus capacity of the NVIDIA card.

The NVIDIA GeForce 930M wins on the actual benchmark result, scoring 5046 versus 4929 in Geekbench OpenCL, a 2.3% margin. It also has a Vulkan benchmark score of 3729, which the AMD card does not have recorded, indicating NVIDIA has validated Vulkan performance while AMD's Vulkan capability is listed only as an API version without a corresponding benchmark. The newer Vulkan 1.4 support on the NVIDIA card also suggests better forward compatibility for newer applications. The 930M has a lower TDP of 33 W recorded, which combined with its IGP slot width and no power connectors, indicates it is designed for thinner, lower-power laptops, whereas the AMD card has no such efficiency data.

The percentile rankings favor AMD: 29th percentile versus 26th percentile for NVIDIA, based on average benchmark scores. This means the R7 M265 sits slightly higher in the overall GPU distribution. The average score of 4929 for AMD versus 4388 for NVIDIA is a 12.3% gap, but this is misleading because NVIDIA's average includes the much lower Vulkan score. For pure OpenCL workloads, the two are nearly identical, with NVIDIA holding a slight edge.

The Verdict

The data presents a nuanced picture. If the selection criterion is the recorded Geekbench OpenCL score, the NVIDIA GeForce 930M is the winner by 2.3%, scoring 5046 versus 4929. This is a small but measurable advantage in the only head-to-head benchmark available. The 930M also offers Vulkan 1.4 support and a recorded Vulkan benchmark score, making it the more complete package for Vulkan-based applications.

If the criterion is raw specification throughput, the AMD Radeon R7 M265 dominates. Its FP32 compute of 633.6 GFLOPS is 50% higher than the 930M's 421.6 GFLOPS. Its texture rate of 19.80 GTexel/s versus 13.18 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 6.600 GPixel/s versus 4.392 GPixel/s follow the same pattern. The memory bandwidth advantage is even larger: 28.80 GB/s versus 12.80 GB/s. These numbers suggest that in theory, the AMD card should be substantially faster in fill-rate-bound and compute-bound tasks, yet the benchmark does not reflect this.

The average benchmark scores favor AMD: 4929 versus 4388, a 12.3% lead. This is driven by the 930M's weaker Vulkan score dragging its average down. For OpenCL-only workloads, the 930M is the pick. For Vulkan workloads, only the 930M has data, so it wins by default. For raw throughput and bandwidth, the R7 M265 is the clear choice.

The practical verdict: users prioritizing OpenCL performance with a slight edge should choose the NVIDIA 930M. Users prioritizing theoretical maximum fill rate, texture throughput, or memory bandwidth should choose the AMD R7 M265. Users running Vulkan applications have only one option with recorded performance, the NVIDIA card. The 930M also has a recorded 33 W TDP and no power connectors, indicating lower power draw, whereas the AMD card has no power data recorded. The R7 M265 holds a higher percentile rank (29th versus 26th), meaning it sits better in the overall GPU distribution. Ultimately, the single head-to-head benchmark gives NVIDIA the win, but the specification sheet gives AMD the throughput crown.