AMD Radeon R7 M350 vs NVIDIA GeForce 840M Comparison

The AMD Radeon R7 M350 and the NVIDIA GeForce 840M are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions from the mid-2010s, aimed at thin-and-light laptops rather than gaming rigs. The database records show a clear winner in raw compute performance, but the architectural story is more nuanced. This analysis compares the two based strictly on recorded measurements and specifications.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results in the database are unambiguous: the AMD Radeon R7 M350 wins both recorded tests outright. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the R7 M350 scores 6991 points against 5764 for the GeForce 840M. That is a 21.3% advantage, a substantial margin for any product comparison. The Vulkan test narrows the gap but still favors AMD: 5662 versus 4880, a 16% delta. Notably, both GPUs are far from top-tier hardware; the R7 M350 sits at the 36th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the 840M sits at the 31st percentile. This means both are below-average performers in the broader landscape, but the R7 M350 is meaningfully closer to mid-pack.

The OpenCL result is particularly telling because it reflects general-purpose compute workloads, where the R7 M350’s higher texture rate and larger memory allocation contribute to its lead. The Vulkan result, while still a win for AMD, shows that NVIDIA’s Maxwell architecture narrows the gap in a more modern graphics API context. Still, two wins and zero losses for the R7 M350 is the kind of clean sweep that makes a purchasing decision easier when compute matters more than power efficiency.

The average benchmark score reinforces this trend. The R7 M350 averages 6327 across all recorded tests, while the 840M averages 5322. That is an 18.9% difference in average performance, placing the AMD part in a different performance tier despite the similar product class. Looking at the nearest rivals in the database, the R7 M350’s average score sits within 0.7% of the NVIDIA Quadro K620 and within 0.9% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102, which is a surprising company for a mobile entry-level chip. The 840M’s nearest rivals tell a flatter story: it is within 0.7% of the NVIDIA GeForce 940M and within 0.1% of the NVIDIA GeForce 930A, indicating the 840M is essentially at the bottom of its own performance neighborhood.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations and design philosophies. The R7 M350 uses the Meso chip built on GCN 3.0, part of the Gem System generation for the R7 M300 series. The 840M uses the GM108S chip on the Maxwell architecture, part of the GeForce 800M generation. Both are manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process, so the process node itself is not a differentiator. However, the transistor counts diverge sharply: the R7 M350 packs 1,550 million transistors onto a 125 mm² die, while the 840M has 1,020 million transistors on a 77 mm² die. This gives the R7 M350 a larger physical footprint and more raw logic, though the 840M actually has a higher transistor density at 13.2 million per square millimeter versus 12.4 million for the AMD part.

The shading unit count is identical at 384, which is a useful point of comparison. Both GPUs feed these shaders at similar clock speeds: the R7 M350 runs at a base of 1000 MHz with a boost of 1015 MHz, while the 840M runs at a base of 1029 MHz with a boost of 1124 MHz. The NVIDIA part has the higher clock advantage, which shows up in its FP32 output: 863.2 GFLOPS versus 779.5 GFLOPS for the AMD part. Despite this, the R7 M350 wins benchmarks, which suggests its other resources compensate for the lower shader throughput.

The texture and pixel pipelines diverge. The R7 M350 has 24 texture mapping units and 8 ROPs, producing a texture rate of 24.36 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 8.120 GPixel/s. The 840M has only 16 TMUs and 8 ROPs, yielding a texture rate of 17.98 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 8.992 GPixel/s. The AMD part delivers 35% more texture throughput, which directly aids fill-rate-heavy workloads. Memory configurations also differ: the R7 M350 comes with 4 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, while the 840M has 2 GB of DDR3 on the same 64-bit bus. Memory bandwidth is nearly identical (16.00 GB/s versus 16.02 GB/s), so the capacity difference matters more for larger datasets and higher resolution textures.

API support is another differentiator. The R7 M350 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The 840M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The higher Vulkan version on the NVIDIA part is notable, but the R7 M350 has full DirectX 12 feature level 12_0, whereas the 840M is limited to 11_0. For modern titles that rely on DX12 features, the AMD part has a hardware advantage.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M350 has an average benchmark score of 6327, while the NVIDIA GeForce 840M averages 5322. The R7 M350 also ranks higher in the overall percentile, at 36 versus 31.

Q: How much faster is the R7 M350 in OpenCL?

A: The R7 M350 scores 6991 in Geekbench OpenCL compared to 5764 for the 840M, a 21.3% lead. This is the largest performance gap recorded between the two.

Q: Does the NVIDIA chip have any clock speed advantage?

A: Yes, the 840M runs at a base clock of 1029 MHz and boosts to 1124 MHz, while the R7 M350 runs at 1000 MHz base and 1015 MHz boost. The NVIDIA part also produces higher FP32 throughput at 863.2 GFLOPS versus 779.5 GFLOPS.

Q: Do both GPUs use the same memory type?

A: Both use DDR3 memory with a 64-bit bus. The R7 M350 has 4 GB of memory with 16.00 GB/s bandwidth, while the 840M has 2 GB with 16.02 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has better texture processing capability?

A: The R7 M350 has 24 texture mapping units and a texture rate of 24.36 GTexel/s, versus 16 TMUs and 17.98 GTexel/s for the 840M. This is a 35% advantage in texture throughput.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The database records a TDP of 33 W for the NVIDIA GeForce 840M only. No TDP is listed for the AMD Radeon R7 M350, so a direct comparison cannot be made from recorded data.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two GPUs in the database:

• Chip: Meso (AMD) versus GM108S (NVIDIA)
• Architecture: GCN 3.0 versus Maxwell
• Generation: Gem System (R7 M300) versus GeForce 800M
• Transistors: 1,550 million versus 1,020 million
• Die Size: 125 mm² versus 77 mm²
• Transistor Density: 12.4 million per mm² versus 13.2 million per mm²
• Base Clock: 1000 MHz versus 1029 MHz
• Boost Clock: 1015 MHz versus 1124 MHz
• Memory Size: 4 GB versus 2 GB
• Memory Bandwidth: 16.00 GB/s versus 16.02 GB/s
• Texture Mapping Units: 24 versus 16
• Texture Rate: 24.36 GTexel/s versus 17.98 GTexel/s
• Pixel Rate: 8.120 GPixel/s versus 8.992 GPixel/s
• FP32 Performance: 779.5 GFLOPS versus 863.2 GFLOPS
• FP16 Performance: 779.5 GFLOPS (1:1) versus not listed
• TDP: Not listed versus 33 W
• Slot Width: Not listed versus IGP
• Power Connectors: Not listed versus None
• Display Outputs: Not listed versus Portable Device Dependent
• DirectX Support: 12 (12_0) versus 12 (11_0)
• Vulkan Support: 1.2.170 versus 1.4
• Release Date: 2015-05-04 versus 2014-03-11
• Predecessor: Solar System versus GeForce 700M
• Successor: Polaris Mobile versus GeForce 900M
• OpenCL Score: 6991 versus 5764
• Vulkan Score: 5662 versus 4880
• Average Benchmark Score: 6327 versus 5322
• Percentile: 36 versus 31

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R7 M350 wins in every recorded benchmark, but its advantages are concentrated in specific workload types. In compute-heavy tasks like OpenCL, the R7 M350’s larger texture pipeline and double the memory capacity give it a clear edge. The 21.3% OpenCL lead suggests that applications leveraging general-purpose GPU compute, such as video encoding filters, image processing, or physics simulations, will see tangible benefits from the AMD part. The Vulkan win, though smaller at 16%, indicates that the R7 M350 also holds up in modern graphics APIs, making it the better choice for games that support Vulkan or DirectX 12 feature level 12_0.

The NVIDIA GeForce 840M has no benchmark wins, but it does have structural advantages that could matter in specific scenarios. Its higher clock speeds (1124 MHz boost versus 1015 MHz) and higher FP32 throughput (863.2 GFLOPS versus 779.5 GFLOPS) mean that in raw shader-bound workloads where texture and memory capacity are not bottlenecks, the 840M could close the gap or even overtake the R7 M350. Its lower TDP of 33 W, recorded in the database, suggests better power efficiency, which is critical for thin laptops where thermal headroom is limited. The 840M also has a smaller die (77 mm² versus 125 mm²) and fewer transistors, which typically translates to lower production complexity, though this is not a performance metric.

For pixel-heavy tasks, the 840M actually has a higher pixel rate at 8.992 GPixel/s versus 8.120 GPixel/s, so in fill-rate-limited scenarios like simple 2D compositing or older game engines, the NVIDIA part could edge ahead. However, the R7 M350’s 35% higher texture rate means that any workload involving detailed textures, mipmapping, or anisotropic filtering will favor AMD.

The Verdict

The data points to the AMD Radeon R7 M350 as the stronger performer overall. It wins both recorded benchmarks by double-digit margins, has a higher average score (6327 versus 5322), and ranks higher in the overall GPU percentile (36 versus 31). Its 4 GB memory capacity is double that of the 840M, which is a practical advantage for applications that load large textures or datasets into VRAM. The R7 M350 also supports DirectX 12 at feature level 12_0, whereas the 840M is limited to 11_0, making the AMD part more future-proof for modern games and graphics APIs.

However, the NVIDIA GeForce 840M should not be dismissed entirely. Its recorded 33 W TDP is a significant advantage for ultraportable laptops where battery life and thermals are paramount. The 840M’s higher boost clock and FP32 throughput mean that in a narrow band of shader-bound, memory-light workloads, it could perform competitively. The Vulkan 1.4 support is also newer than the R7 M350’s 1.2.170, which matters for developers targeting the latest Vulkan extensions.

For anyone choosing between these two for a legacy laptop upgrade or a budget system, the verdict is straightforward: pick the AMD Radeon R7 M350 for better compute performance, more memory, and superior DirectX 12 support. Pick the NVIDIA GeForce 840M only if power draw is the overriding constraint and the workload is light on textures and memory capacity. The benchmark record is clear, and the AMD part is the better all-around choice.