AMD Radeon R7 M340 vs NVIDIA GeForce 930A Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce 930A and AMD Radeon R7 M340 are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions aimed at entry-level laptops, built on the same 28 nm TSMC process. The data places them almost identically in the overall performance distribution, with the 930A at the 31st percentile and the R7 M340 at the 30th percentile. However, their architectural approaches and benchmark results show distinct strengths that matter depending on the workload.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data shows a clear, if narrow, victory for the NVIDIA GeForce 930A. In the only head-to-head benchmark available, Geekbench OpenCL, the 930A scores 5317 points against the R7 M340’s 4932 points, a delta of 7.8%. This makes the 930A the definitive winner in compute-bound OpenCL tasks, which often reflect general-purpose GPU acceleration in applications like video encoding, image processing, and some physics simulations.

The AMD Radeon R7 M340, despite losing the OpenCL contest, has its own unique advantage: it is the only one of the two with a Vulkan benchmark score. Its Geekbench Vulkan result is 5193 points, which is actually higher than its own OpenCL score of 4932. This suggests that the R7 M340 may be the better choice for workloads that leverage the Vulkan API, particularly modern games or applications built around this lower-overhead graphics interface. In contrast, the 930A has no Vulkan benchmark score recorded in the data, leaving its Vulkan performance unknown.

For pure compute throughput, the 930A wins. For Vulkan-specific workloads, the R7 M340 is the only option with verified performance data. The 930A’s lead in OpenCL, while meaningful, is modest; the R7 M340’s Vulkan capability is a qualitative differentiator that could tip the scales in specific software environments.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The NVIDIA GeForce 930A uses the GM108 chip, built on the Maxwell architecture, while the AMD Radeon R7 M340 uses the Meso chip, based on Graphics Core Next (GCN) 3.0. These are not just different names; they represent different approaches to shader processing, memory management, and feature support.

The chip sizes differ significantly. NVIDIA’s GM108 packs 1,020 million transistors into a 77 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 13.2 million per square millimeter. AMD’s Meso chip is much larger, with 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, but its density is slightly lower at 12.4 million per square millimeter. This means NVIDIA achieved higher packing efficiency, while AMD used more silicon area to implement its design.

Shader configurations also diverge. The 930A has 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 8 raster operation units (ROPs). The R7 M340 has fewer shading units at 320, fewer TMUs at 20, but the same 8 ROPs. Despite having fewer shaders, the R7 M340 runs at higher clocks: its base is 943 MHz and boost is 1021 MHz, compared to the 930A’s 928 MHz base and 941 MHz boost. This higher clock speed partially compensates for the lower shader count in some scenarios.

Memory configurations are nearly identical: both use 2 GB of DDR3 with a 64-bit bus. The 930A has a memory clock of 1001 MHz (2 Gbps effective) yielding 16.02 GB/s bandwidth, while the R7 M340 runs at 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective) for 16.00 GB/s. The difference is negligible.

API support marks a notable split. The 930A supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The R7 M340 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The higher DirectX 12 feature level (12_0 vs 11_0) is a clear advantage for the AMD part, potentially enabling better compatibility with newer graphics features in some titles.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single head-to-head benchmark paints a straightforward picture. In Geekbench OpenCL, the NVIDIA GeForce 930A scores 5317, while the AMD Radeon R7 M340 scores 4932. The 930A wins by 7.8%, a decisive margin in the context of these entry-level parts.

This result aligns with the broader benchmark averages. The 930A has an average benchmark score of 5317 across its recorded test, while the R7 M340 averages 5063 across its two tests (OpenCL and Vulkan). The 930A’s OpenCL score is 7.8% higher than the R7 M340’s OpenCL score, but the R7 M340’s Vulkan score of 5193 is only 2.4% lower than the 930A’s OpenCL result. This suggests that in Vulkan workloads, the R7 M340 may approach or even exceed the 930A’s performance, though no direct comparison exists in the data.

Looking at the nearest rivals provides context. The 930A’s closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce 840M at 5322 (a 0.1% delta), meaning the 930A is statistically tied with that card. The AMD Radeon R7 M340’s closest rival is the AMD Radeon R7 240 at 5063 (a 0% delta), showing that the R7 M340 sits exactly at the expected performance level for its class. The 930A is also 0.6% ahead of the GeForce 940M and 0.2% ahead of the GeForce GTX 980M, while the R7 M340 is 0.6% ahead of the FirePro W4170M and 1.3% ahead of the Radeon R7 Graphics.

The data indicates that the 930A’s OpenCL lead is consistent with its overall performance class. It outperforms the R7 M340 by a margin similar to its lead over several other entry-level cards.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher OpenCL benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 930A scores 5317 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 7.8% higher than the AMD Radeon R7 M340’s score of 4932.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon R7 M340 have any benchmark advantage over the NVIDIA GeForce 930A?

A: Yes, the R7 M340 has a Geekbench Vulkan score of 5193, while the 930A has no Vulkan benchmark recorded. This gives the R7 M340 a verified advantage in Vulkan-specific workloads.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in terms of shader count?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 930A has 384 shading units, while the AMD Radeon R7 M340 has 320 shading units. The 930A also has 24 TMUs versus the R7 M340’s 20 TMUs, but both have 8 ROPs.

Q: What are the clock speed differences between the two?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M340 runs at a base clock of 943 MHz and boost clock of 1021 MHz. The NVIDIA GeForce 930A runs at 928 MHz base and 941 MHz boost, making the R7 M340 the higher-clocked part.

Q: Which GPU supports a higher DirectX feature level?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M340 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the NVIDIA GeForce 930A supports DirectX 12 (11_0). This means the R7 M340 has a higher DirectX feature level.

Q: What is the transistor count difference between the two chips?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M340’s Meso chip contains 1,550 million transistors, while the NVIDIA GeForce 930A’s GM108 chip contains 1,020 million transistors. The AMD chip is also larger at 125 mm² versus 77 mm².

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across several key specifications, with the most significant gaps appearing in chip size, shader configuration, and API support.

The NVIDIA GeForce 930A uses the GM108 chip with 1,020 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, while the AMD Radeon R7 M340 uses the Meso chip with 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die. The 930A has a higher transistor density at 13.2 million per mm² compared to the R7 M340’s 12.4 million per mm².

Shader units differ, with the 930A offering 384 shading units and 24 TMUs versus the R7 M340’s 320 shading units and 20 TMUs. Both have 8 ROPs. Clock speeds favor the R7 M340, which has a base of 943 MHz and boost of 1021 MHz, while the 930A is at 928 MHz and 941 MHz.

Memory is essentially identical: both have 2 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, with the 930A’s bandwidth at 16.02 GB/s and the R7 M340’s at 16.00 GB/s.

Compute rates show the 930A ahead: its FP32 performance is 722.7 GFLOPS versus the R7 M340’s 653.4 GFLOPS. The 930A also has higher pixel and texture rates at 7.528 GPixel/s and 22.58 GTexel/s, compared to the R7 M340’s 8.168 GPixel/s and 20.42 GTexel/s. Notably, the R7 M340 has a higher pixel rate despite lower texture and compute rates.

Power and physical specs differ: the 930A has a TDP of 33 W and is listed as an IGP with no power connectors, while the R7 M340 has no TDP listed. API support favors the R7 M340 for DirectX 12 (12_0 vs 11_0) but favors the 930A for Vulkan (1.4 vs 1.2.170). The 930A also has a display output specification of “Portable Device Dependent,” while the R7 M340 has none listed.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the NVIDIA GeForce 930A for general compute workloads. Its 7.8% OpenCL lead over the AMD Radeon R7 M340 is the most significant benchmark difference between the two, and it also holds advantages in FP32 throughput, texture rate, and transistor density. The 930A’s higher shader count and texture units give it a structural edge in traditional GPU compute tasks.

The AMD Radeon R7 M340 is not without merit. Its Vulkan benchmark score of 5193 provides verified performance in that API, which the 930A lacks entirely. Additionally, its higher DirectX 12 feature level (12_0) could offer better compatibility with modern game features. The R7 M340’s higher clock speeds and pixel rate suggest it may handle certain rasterization-heavy tasks differently, though the 930A still wins the one direct comparison.

For users prioritizing OpenCL compute performance, the NVIDIA GeForce 930A is the clear choice. For those who specifically need Vulkan performance or the higher DirectX feature level, the AMD Radeon R7 M340 is the only option with data supporting its capability. Given that the 930A wins the only head-to-head benchmark and sits at a higher overall percentile, it is the safer pick for most general-purpose use cases, while the R7 M340 should be considered only when its unique API support is a requirement.