AMD Radeon R7 M365X vs NVIDIA Quadro M500M Comparison

The NVIDIA Quadro M500M and AMD Radeon R7 M365X are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions aimed at entry-level professional and consumer notebooks, respectively. Benchmark data shows the Quadro M500M holds a narrow but consistent edge over the Radeon R7 M365X in both tested workloads, with the largest advantage appearing in Vulkan performance. The data indicates the Quadro M500M is the stronger choice for users prioritizing compute and API-specific performance, while the Radeon R7 M365X offers a different memory configuration that may appeal in specific bandwidth-sensitive scenarios.

The Verdict

Benchmark results place the NVIDIA Quadro M500M ahead of the AMD Radeon R7 M365X in both head-to-head tests. In Geekbench OpenCL, the Quadro scores 5986 against 5939 for the Radeon, a 0.8% advantage. The gap widens significantly in Geekbench Vulkan, where the Quadro posts 5222 versus 4893, a 6.7% lead. The average benchmark score reinforces this: the Quadro averages 5604, while the Radeon averages 5416, a difference of approximately 3.5%. Both cards sit at the 32nd percentile among all GPUs, indicating they occupy the same performance tier overall.

For users choosing between these two, the data points clearly to the Quadro M500M as the superior performer. Its wins in both OpenCL and Vulkan suggest better driver optimization or architectural efficiency for general compute tasks. The Radeon R7 M365X, however, offers a wider memory bus and higher memory bandwidth, which may benefit specific workloads that are memory-bound despite the lower overall compute scores. The Verdict from the raw numbers: the Quadro M500M wins on compute performance, while the Radeon R7 M365X presents a viable alternative only if its 128-bit memory bus and GDDR5 type are considered essential for a particular application.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs stem from different architectural lineages. The NVIDIA Quadro M500M is built on the Maxwell architecture, using the GM108S chip manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process. It packs 1,020 million transistors into a 77 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 13.2 million per square millimeter. The AMD Radeon R7 M365X, in contrast, uses the GCN 1.0 architecture with the Litho chip, also produced by TSMC on 28 nm. Its transistor count is 950 million on the same 77 mm² die size, resulting in a slightly lower density of 12.3 million per square millimeter.

Memory subsystems diverge sharply between the two. The Quadro M500M comes with 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, delivering 14.40 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon R7 M365X has half the capacity at 1024 MB, but uses GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, quadrupling bandwidth to 64.00 GB/s. This trade-off between capacity and bandwidth is a defining architectural difference. The Quadro also runs at a higher memory clock of 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) versus the Radeon's 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective), though the bus width difference dominates the bandwidth calculation.

Core configuration shows both similarities and differences. Both GPUs feature 384 shading units and 8 ROPs. The Quadro M500M has 16 TMUs, while the Radeon R7 M365X has 24 TMUs, giving the AMD part a 50% advantage in texture units. Pixel rates reflect this: the Quadro achieves 8.992 GPixel/s, while the Radeon manages 6.600 GPixel/s, despite having fewer TMUs. Texture rates tell a different story: the Quadro delivers 17.98 GTexel/s, while the Radeon reaches 19.80 GTexel/s, thanks to its higher TMU count. FP32 compute also favors the Quadro at 863.2 GFLOPS versus 633.6 GFLOPS for the Radeon. API support shows minor differences, with the Quadro supporting DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.4, while the Radeon supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro M500M, with an average benchmark score of 5604, compared to the AMD Radeon R7 M365X's average of 5416.

Q: What is the margin of victory for the Quadro M500M in Vulkan performance?

A: The Quadro M500M scores 5222 in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 6.7% higher than the Radeon R7 M365X's score of 4893.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon R7 M365X have any memory advantage over the NVIDIA Quadro M500M?

A: Yes, the Radeon R7 M365X has a 128-bit memory bus with GDDR5 memory, providing 64.00 GB/s bandwidth, whereas the Quadro M500M uses DDR3 on a 64-bit bus with 14.40 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: How do the shading unit counts compare between the two GPUs?

A: Both GPUs have exactly 384 shading units, but the Radeon R7 M365X has 24 TMUs compared to 16 TMUs on the Quadro M500M.

Q: What are the transistor densities of these two chips?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro M500M (GM108S) has a transistor density of 13.2 million per mm², while the AMD Radeon R7 M365X (Litho) has a density of 12.3 million per mm², both on a 77 mm² die.

Q: Which GPU has a higher FP32 compute rating?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro M500M leads with 863.2 GFLOPS, compared to 633.6 GFLOPS for the AMD Radeon R7 M365X.

Specification Differences

The table below lists the key specifications where the two GPUs differ, based solely on the provided data.

| Specification | NVIDIA Quadro M500M | AMD Radeon R7 M365X |

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

| Architecture | Maxwell | GCN 1.0 |

| Chip | GM108S | Litho |

| Generation | Quadro Maxwell-M (Mx000M) | Gem System (R7 M300) |

| Transistors | 1,020 million | 950 million |

| Transistor Density | 13.2M / mm² | 12.3M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1029 MHz | Not specified |

| Boost Clock | 1124 MHz | Not specified |

| Memory Clock | 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) | 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 1024 MB |

| Memory Type | DDR3 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | 64 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 14.40 GB/s | 64.00 GB/s |

| TMUs | 16 | 24 |

| Pixel Rate | 8.992 GPixel/s | 6.600 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 17.98 GTexel/s | 19.80 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 863.2 GFLOPS | 633.6 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 30 W | Not specified |

| Slot Width | MXM Module | Not specified |

| Power Connectors | None | Not specified |

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

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | Not specified |

| DirectX Support | 12 (11_0) | 12 (11_1) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.2.170 |

| Release Date | 2016-04-26 | 2015-05-04 |

| Predecessor | Quadro Kepler-M | Solar System |

| Successor | Quadro Pascal-M | Polaris Mobile |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark data covers two tests, and the NVIDIA Quadro M500M wins both. In Geekbench OpenCL, the Quadro M500M scores 5986, while the AMD Radeon R7 M365X scores 5939. The margin is a slim 0.8%, indicating near-parity in this compute workload. The Vulkan test shows a more pronounced difference: the Quadro M500M scores 5222, surpassing the Radeon's 4893 by 6.7%. This suggests the Maxwell architecture handles Vulkan API calls more efficiently than GCN 1.0 in this configuration.

The average benchmark scores further contextualize these results. The Quadro M500M averages 5604 across all recorded benchmarks, placing it among rivals like the AMD FirePro M4000 (avg 5537, 1.2% slower) and the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 (avg 5508, 1.7% slower). The Radeon R7 M365X averages 5416, with its closest competitors including the AMD Radeon 610M (avg 5444, 0.5% faster) and the Intel UHD Graphics P630 (avg 5370, 0.9% slower). Both GPUs sit at the 32nd percentile of all GPUs, confirming their placement in the lower-midrange segment. The Quadro's 6.7% Vulkan lead is its most decisive victory, while the OpenCL result is too close to call definitively from a single run.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA Quadro M500M wins decisively in compute performance. Its FP32 throughput of 863.2 GFLOPS is 36% higher than the Radeon's 633.6 GFLOPS, and it also leads in pixel rate with 8.992 GPixel/s versus 6.600 GPixel/s. The Quadro's higher base clock of 1029 MHz and boost clock of 1124 MHz (the Radeon lists no clock speeds) likely contribute to this advantage. In benchmark terms, the Quadro wins both OpenCL and Vulkan tests, with the Vulkan margin being particularly substantial. Users running OpenCL-based applications, Vulkan games, or any general-purpose compute workload should favor the Quadro M500M based on this data.

The AMD Radeon R7 M365X does not win any of the two head-to-head benchmarks, but it holds advantages in specific hardware specifications that may translate to wins in certain scenarios. Its memory bandwidth of 64.00 GB/s is 4.4 times higher than the Quadro's 14.40 GB/s, and its 128-bit bus with GDDR5 memory is a fundamentally different memory architecture. Texture rate also favors the Radeon at 19.80 GTexel/s versus 17.98 GTexel/s, thanks to its 24 TMUs. For applications that are heavily memory-bandwidth-bound or texture-fetch-bound, the Radeon R7 M365X could outperform the Quadro despite its lower compute scores. However, the benchmark data provided does not include such tests, so this remains a speculative advantage based on specification analysis rather than measured performance.