AMD Radeon R7 M360 vs NVIDIA GeForce 940M Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce 940M and AMD Radeon R7 M360 are two end-of-life mobile graphics solutions from 2015, aimed at entry-level laptops. Benchmark data shows they are closely matched overall, with the 940M holding a slight edge in average score (5284 vs. 4931). However, the individual tests reveal a clear split: NVIDIA dominates in OpenCL compute, while AMD takes a decisive lead in Vulkan performance.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The GeForce 940M wins the Geekbench OpenCL test by a substantial margin. It scores 6018 points against the R7 M360’s 4638 points, a delta of 29.8% in NVIDIA’s favor. This is the single largest performance gap between the two cards in any metric. The 940M’s higher FP32 throughput (1,124.4 GFLOPS vs. 864.0 GFLOPS) and larger number of shading units (512 vs. 384) likely explain this advantage in raw compute workloads.

The AMD Radeon R7 M360 strikes back in the Geekbench Vulkan test. Here, it scores 5223 points versus the 940M’s 4549 points, a 12.9% lead for AMD. This is a notable reversal, as Vulkan is a modern low-level API that can expose architectural efficiencies. The R7 M360’s GCN 3.0 architecture, with its support for DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170, appears to handle this workload more effectively than NVIDIA’s Maxwell.

Looking at the overall averages, the 940M’s average benchmark score of 5284 places it in the 31st percentile of all GPUs. The R7 M360’s average of 4931 places it in the 29th percentile. This 353-point difference (roughly 7%) is modest, but it means the 940M sits slightly higher in the global performance hierarchy. The nearest rival data reinforces this: the 940M is only 0.4% behind the GeForce GTX 980M (avg 5308) and 0.9% ahead of the GTX 760M (avg 5236). The R7 M360, by contrast, is exactly tied with the Radeon R7 M265 (avg 4929) and just 0.6% behind the FirePro W5130M (avg 4904).

In terms of win count, each card takes one test. This is a split decision, but the magnitude of the wins differs. NVIDIA’s 29.8% OpenCL victory is more than double AMD’s 12.9% Vulkan margin in relative terms. For users prioritizing compute-heavy tasks, the 940M is the clear pick; for those relying on Vulkan-based games or applications, the R7 M360 offers a meaningful advantage.

Where Each One Wins

The GeForce 940M is the stronger choice for general-purpose compute and OpenCL-accelerated workloads. Its 29.8% lead in the OpenCL test is decisive, and its higher texture rate (35.14 GTexel/s vs. 27.00 GTexel/s) and pixel rate (17.57 GPixel/s vs. 9.000 GPixel/s) suggest better performance in fill-rate-bound scenarios. The 940M’s 16 ROPs, double the R7 M360’s 8, also points to an advantage in tasks that require heavy pixel processing.

The Radeon R7 M360 wins in Vulkan-based scenarios. Its 12.9% lead in that specific benchmark indicates that modern games using this API will run better on AMD hardware. Additionally, the R7 M360 has a higher base clock (1100 MHz vs. 1020 MHz) and boost clock (1125 MHz vs. 1098 MHz), which can help in lightly threaded or latency-sensitive tasks. Its DirectX 12 (12_0) support is also more feature-complete than the 940M’s DirectX 12 (11_0), which could matter for future titles that rely on level 12_0 features.

For everyday use, the data suggests both cards are adequate for light gaming and multimedia, but neither excels. The 940M’s higher average score and better compute performance make it the safer all-rounder. The R7 M360’s Vulkan edge, however, means it is the better option for users who specifically play Vulkan-enabled titles.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations. The GeForce 940M is built on NVIDIA’s Maxwell architecture, using the GM107 chip. It is fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, with 1,870 million transistors on a 148 mm² die. The transistor density is 12.6M per mm². The Radeon R7 M360 uses AMD’s GCN 3.0 architecture, with the Meso chip. It is also on a 28 nm TSMC process, but packs 1,550 million transistors on a smaller 125 mm² die, yielding a slightly lower density of 12.4M per mm².

The compute configurations differ significantly. The 940M features 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 16 ROPs. In contrast, the R7 M360 has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and only 8 ROPs. This explains the 940M’s higher fill rates and FP32 performance. The 940M’s FP32 output is 1,124.4 GFLOPS, while the R7 M360 manages 864.0 GFLOPS. Interestingly, the R7 M360 lists FP16 performance at 864.0 GFLOPS (1:1 with FP32), whereas the 940M does not list FP16 capabilities.

Memory configurations are identical on paper: both have 2 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, with 14.40 GB/s of bandwidth and 900 MHz memory clocks (1800 Mbps effective). The bus interface differs, however. The 940M uses an MXM-B (3.0) connector, while the R7 M360 uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface. This reflects different design targets—MXM is common in modular laptops, while PCIe is standard for soldered or replaceable units.

API support also splits the two. The 940M offers DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The R7 M360 provides DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. AMD’s higher DirectX feature level and R7 M360’s lower Vulkan version number (1.2.170 vs. 1.4) suggest trade-offs: AMD is more modern on the DX12 front, while NVIDIA’s Vulkan driver support is more recent. The 940M’s TDP is listed at 75 W, while the R7 M360 has no TDP listed in the data.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 940M, with an average score of 5284 compared to the AMD Radeon R7 M360’s 4931. This places the 940M in the 31st percentile of all GPUs, one point higher than the R7 M360’s 29th percentile.

Q: How big is the gap in the OpenCL test?

A: The 940M wins by 29.8%, scoring 6018 against the R7 M360’s 4638. This is the largest performance difference between the two cards in any benchmark.

Q: Does the AMD card win any benchmark?

A: Yes, the R7 M360 wins the Geekbench Vulkan test with a score of 5223, beating the 940M’s 4549 by 12.9%. This gives each card one win out of two head-to-head tests.

Q: What are the memory specifications for both cards?

A: Both have 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, with 14.40 GB/s bandwidth and a 900 MHz memory clock (1800 Mbps effective). There is no difference in memory capacity, type, or bandwidth.

Q: How do their shading unit counts compare?

A: The 940M has 512 shading units, which is 128 more than the R7 M360’s 384. The 940M also has more TMUs (32 vs. 24) and double the ROPs (16 vs. 8).

Q: Which card supports a higher DirectX version?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M360 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the NVIDIA GeForce 940M supports DirectX 12 (11_0). However, the 940M supports a newer Vulkan version (1.4) than the R7 M360 (1.2.170).

The Verdict

The data points to the NVIDIA GeForce 940M as the better overall GPU for most users. Its higher average score (5284 vs. 4931) and dominant 29.8% OpenCL win make it the superior choice for compute-heavy tasks, which are common in productivity and creative applications. The 940M’s higher pixel rate (17.57 GPixel/s) and texture rate (35.14 GTexel/s) also suggest better performance in traditional rasterization workloads. If you are choosing between these two for a laptop that will handle general use, light gaming, or OpenCL-accelerated software, the 940M is the safer pick.

The AMD Radeon R7 M360 is the pick for a specific niche: Vulkan-based gaming and applications. Its 12.9% Vulkan lead is significant, and its DirectX 12 (12_0) support is more future-proof than the 940M’s 11_0 feature level. If your primary software leverages Vulkan, the R7 M360 will deliver better results despite its lower overall average score. However, this advantage is narrow compared to NVIDIA’s OpenCL dominance.

The 940M’s nearest rival data shows it is nearly on par with the GeForce GTX 980M (0.4% slower) and faster than the GTX 760M (0.9% ahead), which puts it in a respectable performance class for its era. The R7 M360, meanwhile, is tied with the R7 M265 and only 0.6% behind the FirePro W5130M, indicating a slightly lower ceiling.

In short: pick the GeForce 940M for balanced performance and compute wins; pick the Radeon R7 M360 only if Vulkan is your primary workload. Both are end-of-life products, so availability and driver support are legacy concerns, but from a pure benchmark perspective, NVIDIA edges out the win.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce 940M | AMD Radeon R7 M360 |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Maxwell | GCN 3.0 |

| Chip | GM107 | Meso |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 1,870 million | 1,550 million |

| Die Size | 148 mm² | 125 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.6M / mm² | 12.4M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1020 MHz | 1100 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1098 MHz | 1125 MHz |

| Shading Units | 512 | 384 |

| TMUs | 32 | 24 |

| ROPs | 16 | 8 |

| Pixel Rate | 17.57 GPixel/s | 9.000 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 35.14 GTexel/s | 27.00 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 1,124.4 GFLOPS | 864.0 GFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | Not listed | 864.0 GFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 75 W | Not listed |

| Bus Interface | MXM-B (3.0) | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| DirectX Support | 12 (11_0) | 12 (12_0) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.2.170 |

| Release Date | 2015-03-12 | 2015-05-04 |

| Predecessor | GeForce 800M | Solar System |

| Successor | GeForce 10 Mobile | Polaris Mobile |

| Geekbench OpenCL | 6018 | 4638 |

| Geekbench Vulkan | 4549 | 5223 |

| Avg Benchmark Score | 5284 | 4931 |

| Percentile vs All GPUs | 31 | 29 |