AMD Radeon R7 M350 vs NVIDIA GeForce MX230 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data for the AMD Radeon R7 M350 and the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 presents a split decision, with each GPU claiming victory in one of the two tested workloads. The AMD Radeon R7 M350 takes the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 6991, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 counters with a win in the Geekbench Vulkan test at 6414. The margin in the OpenCL test is substantial, with the AMD part leading by 21.8% over the NVIDIA offering. This is a significant gap that suggests the R7 M350 has a clear advantage in compute workloads that leverage OpenCL.

Conversely, the Vulkan result flips the script. The NVIDIA GeForce MX230 scores 6414 against the AMD Radeon R7 M350's 5662, a delta of -11.7% from the perspective of the AMD card. This means the MX230 is ahead by roughly 13.3% when the calculation is reversed. The Vulkan test often reflects different driver optimizations and architectural efficiencies, and here the Pascal-based MX230 demonstrates superior performance in this API.

When looking at the average benchmark scores, the AMD Radeon R7 M350 posts an average of 6327 across its tested workloads, placing it at the 36th percentile of all GPUs. The NVIDIA GeForce MX230, with an average score of 6077, sits at the 35th percentile. The AMD card's average is 4.1% higher than its rival's. This positions the R7 M350 slightly ahead in overall compute capability as measured by these two tests, but the difference is marginal enough that the architecture-specific wins are more telling than the aggregate.

The nearest rivals for the AMD Radeon R7 M350 provide context for its performance tier. Its average score of 6327 places it within a fraction of a point of the AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100, which has an average score of 6330 and a deltaPct of 0. It also edges out the NVIDIA Quadro K620, which scores 6282, by 0.7%. Interestingly, the data shows the R7 M350 is statistically tied with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti SUPER and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102, both of which have average scores of 6270 and a deltaPct of 0.9%. This suggests that in this narrow benchmark context, the older R7 M350 is performing on par with these much more recent and higher-tier parts, though this is likely a reflection of the specific workload rather than indicative of real-world gaming or rendering parity.

For the NVIDIA GeForce MX230, its average score of 6077 places it in close competition with a different set of rivals. It is effectively tied with the NVIDIA RTX A400, which scores 6078, and it leads the NVIDIA Quadro P2000 by 0.5%, which scores 6049. The MX230 also edges out the AMD Radeon 760M by 1%, which scores 6019. However, it trails the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200, which scores 6117, by -0.7%. These figures show that the MX230 sits in a performance cluster with these other GPUs, and its position in that cluster is highly dependent on the specific test.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture for distinct use cases. The AMD Radeon R7 M350 is the better choice for workloads that rely heavily on OpenCL compute. Its 21.8% lead in that specific test is a decisive advantage that cannot be ignored. For developers or users running applications that are optimized for OpenCL, the R7 M350 offers significantly better performance. Its higher average benchmark score of 6327, compared to the MX230's 6077, also indicates a slightly stronger overall compute profile in the tested scenarios.

The NVIDIA GeForce MX230, on the other hand, is the superior option for Vulkan-based applications. Its 11.7% lead in the Geekbench Vulkan test is a clear win. This is particularly relevant for modern gaming and graphics applications that increasingly leverage Vulkan for its lower overhead and better multi-threading capabilities. The MX230 also has the advantage of a more modern architecture, which may have implications for feature support.

Ultimately, the choice hinges on the software environment. If the primary applications are OpenCL-centric, the AMD Radeon R7 M350 is the data-backed winner. If Vulkan is the target API, the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 is the clear pick. The data does not support a single "best" GPU; it supports two GPUs that are optimized for different workloads. The overall average score slightly favors AMD, but the per-test wins are what matter most for real-world performance in specific applications.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M350 has a higher average benchmark score of 6327, compared to the NVIDIA GeForce MX230's 6077.

Q: How large is the AMD Radeon R7 M350's lead in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M350 scores 6991 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 21.8% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce MX230's score of 5739.

Q: Does the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 win any benchmark tests?

A: Yes, the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 wins the Geekbench Vulkan test with a score of 6414, beating the AMD Radeon R7 M350's score of 5662 by 11.7%.

Q: How does the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 compare to the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce MX230 has an average score of 6077, which is 0.7% lower than the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200's average score of 6117.

Q: What is the percentile ranking for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M350 is at the 36th percentile of all GPUs, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX230 is at the 35th percentile.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce MX230 has a significantly higher transistor density of 24.3M / mm², compared to the AMD Radeon R7 M350's 12.4M / mm².

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ markedly in their core specifications. The AMD Radeon R7 M350 features 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 8 render output units (ROPs). The NVIDIA GeForce MX230 has 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The AMD card has more shading and texture hardware, while the NVIDIA card has double the ROP count.

Memory configurations also diverge. The AMD Radeon R7 M350 comes with 4 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 16.00 GB/s. The NVIDIA GeForce MX230 is equipped with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, also on a 64-bit bus, but provides a much higher bandwidth of 48.06 GB/s. The memory clock differs as well, with the R7 M350 running at 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective) and the MX230 at 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective).

Clock speeds show the NVIDIA part running significantly higher. The MX230 has a base clock of 1519 MHz and a boost clock of 1531 MHz, while the R7 M350's base clock is 1000 MHz with a boost of 1015 MHz. The bus interface also differs, with the AMD card using PCIe 3.0 x8 and the NVIDIA card using PCIe 3.0 x4.

The power characteristics are distinct. The NVIDIA GeForce MX230 has a TDP of 10 W, a slot width of "IGP," and no power connectors. The AMD Radeon R7 M350 has no listed TDP, slot width, or power connector information in the data. The MX230 also lists its display outputs as "Portable Device Dependent," while the R7 M350 has no display output information.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is substantial. The AMD Radeon R7 M350 is built on the GCN 3.0 architecture, using the Meso chip, and is manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The NVIDIA GeForce MX230 uses the Pascal architecture, built on the GP108 chip, and is manufactured on a 14 nm process at Samsung. The process node difference is significant, with the MX230 utilizing a more advanced fabrication technology.

The die sizes and transistor counts reflect these architectural choices. The AMD chip has a die size of 125 mm² and contains 1,550 million transistors. The NVIDIA chip, despite having a higher transistor count of 1,800 million, has a smaller die size of 74 mm². This results in a transistor density of 12.4M / mm² for the AMD part and 24.3M / mm² for the NVIDIA part, showing the MX230 packs transistors much more densely.

Memory technology is a key differentiator. The R7 M350 uses DDR3, while the MX230 uses GDDR5. The compute capabilities also differ in their FP16 support. The AMD card offers FP16 performance of 779.5 GFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio to FP32. The NVIDIA card's FP16 performance is 12.25 GFLOPS with a 1:64 ratio, meaning it is heavily optimized for FP32 workloads and offers weak FP16 performance by comparison.

API support shows the NVIDIA card having a slight edge in DirectX, supporting version 12 (12_1) versus the AMD card's 12 (12_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6, but the MX230 supports Vulkan 1.4, while the R7 M350 supports Vulkan 1.2.170. The R7 M350's generation is listed as "Gem System (R7 M300)," while the MX230's is "GeForce MX (2xx)." The release dates are about four years apart, with the R7 M350 from 2015 and the MX230 from 2019. Both are end-of-life products.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R7 M350 is the clear winner in OpenCL compute tasks. Its 21.8% advantage in the Geekbench OpenCL test is the largest margin in any comparison between the two. This makes it the preferable choice for applications that offload parallel compute to the GPU using OpenCL. Its higher shading unit count of 384 and TMU count of 24 likely contribute to this advantage, allowing it to process more parallel work per clock cycle. The R7 M350's higher average benchmark score of 6327 also gives it a slight edge in overall compute throughput when both tests are considered.

The NVIDIA GeForce MX230 wins in Vulkan-based workloads. Its 11.7% lead in the Geekbench Vulkan test indicates better driver support and architectural efficiency for this modern graphics API. The MX230's higher pixel rate of 24.50 GPixel/s, compared to the R7 M350's 8.120 GPixel/s, is a notable advantage for fill-rate bound tasks. Its doubled ROP count of 16 versus 8 also helps in this regard. The significantly higher memory bandwidth of 48.06 GB/s versus 16.00 GB/s gives the MX230 a substantial edge in any workload that is memory-bandwidth sensitive.

For gaming, the MX230's Vulkan performance and higher memory bandwidth suggest it would be the better choice for Vulkan-based titles. However, for older DirectX 11 games that rely on OpenCL or other compute features, the R7 M350's raw compute power might come into play. The MX230's lower TDP of 10 W also makes it a more power-efficient option for thin-and-light laptops, where thermal and power constraints are tight. The R7 M350, with no TDP listed, does not provide comparable data on power efficiency. In essence, the R7 M350 is the compute-oriented workhorse for OpenCL, while the MX230 is the graphics-oriented chip for Vulkan, with its higher clocks, faster memory, and more modern architecture providing the foundation for its win in that API.