AMD Radeon R7 M350 vs NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 Comparison

The AMD Radeon R7 M350 and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 are both end-of-life graphics processors aimed at the entry-level segment, but the benchmark data reveals a clear, if modest, performance hierarchy. In the sole head-to-head benchmark available, the AMD Radeon R7 M350 outperforms the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 in Geekbench OpenCL, scoring 6991 versus 6698, a difference of 4.2%. This single data point sets the stage for a deeper analysis of how two very different architectures achieve similar overall results.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison in the data is the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the AMD Radeon R7 M350 emerges victorious with a score of 6991 against the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010's 6698. This 4.2% lead for the AMD part is the definitive performance gap between the two in this compute-oriented workload. The data shows that while the NVIDIA card is behind, it is not by a dramatic margin, suggesting that in some tasks the two could feel comparable.

Looking at the broader context of their respective nearest rivals, the performance picture becomes more nuanced. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010's average benchmark score is 6698, placing it at the 38th percentile of all GPUs. Its closest competitor, the AMD Radeon R7 M370, scores 6764, which is only 1% higher. This indicates the GT 1010 is right in the thick of the entry-level competition, trading blows with other low-end parts. On the other side, the AMD Radeon R7 M350 has an average benchmark score of 6327, which sits at the 36th percentile. However, this average is pulled down by its weaker Vulkan score of 5662, as its OpenCL score of 6991 is its strongest result. This discrepancy between its own OpenCL and Vulkan scores is a key characteristic of the M350.

The relative positioning of the two cards is interesting. The GT 1010's OpenCL score of 6698 is closer to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon R7 M370 (6764), which is only a 1% gap, than it is to the M350's OpenCL score. Meanwhile, the M350's OpenCL score of 6991 puts it in a slightly higher tier, but its average score of 6327 is lower than the GT 1010's average of 6698. This suggests that while the M350 can win in a pure OpenCL compute test, its overall performance profile, which includes other API workloads, may be less consistent. The data implies a scenario where the M350 is a specialist in one area, while the GT 1010 offers a more balanced, though slightly slower, performance baseline.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectural principles and manufacturing processes. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 is based on the Pascal architecture, built on a 14 nm process at Samsung, featuring the GP108 chip. This chip contains 1,800 million transistors on a die size of 74 mm², resulting in a transistor density of 24.3M / mm². In contrast, the AMD Radeon R7 M350 uses the older GCN 3.0 architecture, manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, with the Meso chip. The AMD chip has 1,550 million transistors but on a much larger die size of 125 mm², leading to a significantly lower transistor density of just 12.4M / mm².

This difference in manufacturing technology has direct implications for the cards' characteristics. The NVIDIA chip packs more transistors into a smaller space, which is a hallmark of its more modern 14 nm process. The AMD chip, despite having fewer transistors, occupies a larger physical area due to its older 28 nm process. The data shows the GT 1010 has a higher pixel rate of 11.74 GPixel/s compared to the M350's 8.120 GPixel/s, but the M350 has a higher texture rate of 24.36 GTexel/s versus the GT 1010's 23.49 GTexel/s.

The core configurations also differ significantly. The NVIDIA GT 1010 has 256 shading units, 16 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 8 ROPs. The AMD M350, however, is equipped with 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and also 8 ROPs. This means the AMD card has 50% more shading units and TMUs than the NVIDIA card, which explains its higher texture rate. Despite having fewer shaders, the NVIDIA card achieves a higher FP32 performance (751.6 GFLOPS) than the AMD card's 779.5 GFLOPS? No, the data shows the AMD card has a slightly higher FP32 at 779.5 GFLOPS, but the NVIDIA card is not far behind at 751.6 GFLOPS. This is a curious result, as the NVIDIA card's higher clock speeds (1468 MHz boost) help it close the gap with the AMD card's greater number of cores running at a lower clock speed (1015 MHz boost). The AMD card also supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio (779.5 GFLOPS), a feature not listed for the NVIDIA card.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data suggests distinct use-case advantages for each card. The AMD Radeon R7 M350's primary victory comes in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where its score of 6991 shows a 4.2% advantage over the GT 1010. This indicates that for compute-heavy workloads that leverage OpenCL, such as certain video encoding or scientific applications, the M350 holds a measurable edge. Its higher shading unit count and texture rate are the likely drivers of this performance, making it the better choice for general-purpose compute tasks on this API.

Conversely, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010, while losing the OpenCL test, demonstrates strengths that are not captured in a direct head-to-head comparison. Its higher pixel rate of 11.74 GPixel/s suggests it may be more efficient at fill-rate-limited tasks, which are common in traditional 3D rendering. Furthermore, its higher transistor density and more modern architecture allow it to achieve this performance with a lower TDP of 30 W, compared to the M350 whose TDP is not listed. The GT 1010 also supports a more recent version of Vulkan (1.4) compared to the M350's Vulkan 1.2.170, which could translate to better performance and feature support in newer games that utilize this API. The GT 1010's average benchmark score of 6698 is also higher than the M350's average of 6327, indicating that in a broader range of tests, the NVIDIA card may be more consistent.

Specification Differences

The specification sheet reveals several key differences beyond the core architecture. The most glaring is memory configuration. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 comes with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 48.06 GB/s. The AMD Radeon R7 M350, on the other hand, offers 4 GB of DDR3 memory, also on a 64-bit bus, but with a significantly lower bandwidth of just 16.00 GB/s. This is a three-fold difference in memory bandwidth, which could severely bottleneck the M350 in memory-intensive tasks, despite its larger frame buffer.

Other differences include the process node, with the GT 1010 at 14 nm and the M350 at 28 nm, and the foundry, with Samsung producing the NVIDIA chip and TSMC producing the AMD chip. The bus interface differs as well: the GT 1010 uses PCIe 3.0 x4, while the M350 uses PCIe 3.0 x8. The NVIDIA card has a defined TDP of 30 W and a suggested PSU of 200 W, while these figures are not provided for the AMD card. The GT 1010 also lists its dimensions (147 mm in length) and display outputs (1x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 2.0), while the M350 lacks this information. API support also differs, with the GT 1010 supporting DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the M350 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M350 is faster, scoring 6991 compared to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010's 6698, a margin of 4.2%.

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

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 has an average benchmark score of 6698, while the AMD Radeon R7 M350 has a lower average of 6327, despite its higher OpenCL score.

Q: How much memory does each GPU have, and what type?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the AMD Radeon R7 M350 has 4 GB of DDR3 memory.

Q: Which GPU has the higher memory bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 has a significantly higher memory bandwidth of 48.06 GB/s, compared to the AMD Radeon R7 M350's 16.00 GB/s.

Q: What are the power consumption figures for the GT 1010?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 has a TDP of 30 W and a suggested PSU of 200 W. The AMD Radeon R7 M350's power consumption is not listed in the data.

Q: Which GPU has a higher shading unit count?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M350 has 384 shading units, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 has 256 shading units.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the choice between these two GPUs depends on the workload. The AMD Radeon R7 M350 is the winner in the only direct head-to-head test, the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark, where it holds a 4.2% advantage. For users whose primary applications are compute-heavy and rely on OpenCL, the M350 is the better performer. Its higher shading unit count and texture rate appear to give it an edge in these parallel processing tasks.

However, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 presents a more compelling case for general use. Its higher average benchmark score of 6698 versus the M350's 6327 suggests it is more consistent across different types of workloads. The GT 1010's massively higher memory bandwidth (48.06 GB/s vs 16.00 GB/s) and its support for newer API versions (Vulkan 1.4 vs 1.2.170) make it a more future-proof option for gaming and other graphics applications. Its lower TDP of 30 W also indicates higher efficiency. The data suggests that for a user who wants a balanced, efficient entry-level card for gaming and everyday tasks, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 is the safer pick, while the AMD Radeon R7 M350 is a specialist that wins in specific compute scenarios.