AMD Radeon R7 M370 vs AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile Comparison

The AMD Radeon R7 M370 and the AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile are two very different solutions to mobile graphics, separated by nearly four years of architecture evolution. The data shows a narrow but clear victory for the older discrete card in raw compute, though the newer integrated part brings a much more modern feature set and dramatically higher efficiency. This comparison hinges on whether you prioritize raw benchmark scores or architectural longevity and power consumption.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and it is a close contest. The AMD Radeon R7 M370 scores 7063 points, while the AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile scores 6476 points. This gives the R7 M370 a 9.1% lead in this specific workload. While a 9.1% advantage is not a massive gap, it is a consistent one, and it places the R7 M370 in a slightly higher performance tier.

This 9.1% delta is reflected in their overall average benchmark scores. The R7 M370 has an average score of 6764, which is about 4.3% higher than the Vega 10 Mobile's average of 6476. In the broader context of all GPUs, this puts the R7 M370 in the 38th percentile, just one point ahead of the Vega 10 Mobile's 37th percentile ranking. They are effectively in the same performance class, but the R7 M370 has a slight edge in compute-bound tasks.

Looking at their nearest rivals clarifies their positioning. The R7 M370 sits just 1% behind the AMD FirePro M5100 (6830 avg) and 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010 (6698 avg). Meanwhile, the Vega 10 Mobile is essentially tied with the NVIDIA Quadro M5000M, scoring 0.1% lower, and trails the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M by a mere 0.6%. The data suggests that in terms of raw Geekbench performance, neither card is a standout; they are both mid-pack performers, with the R7 M370 having a slight statistical edge.

It is also worth remembering the R7 M370 has a second benchmark result (Geekbench Vulkan) of 6465, indicating it can handle the Vulkan API. The Vega 10 Mobile has no recorded Vulkan result in the data, which is a notable omission for a newer part, though its API support list suggests it should be capable.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M370 is faster, scoring 7063 compared to the Vega 10 Mobile's 6476. This represents a 9.1% performance advantage for the R7 M370.

Q: How do these two compare to their immediate rivals?

A: The R7 M370 is 1% slower than the AMD FirePro M5100 and 1% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1010. The Vega 10 Mobile is 0.1% slower than the NVIDIA Quadro M5000M and 0.6% slower than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The Vega 10 Mobile has a TDP of 10 W and is an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) with no power connectors. The R7 M370 has no TDP listed in the data, but it is a discrete card, implying a significantly higher power draw.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The Vega 10 Mobile has a much higher transistor density at 23.5M / mm², compared to the R7 M370's 12.3M / mm². This is due to its more modern 14 nm manufacturing process.

Q: Do both GPUs support DirectX 12?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12, but at different feature levels. The Vega 10 Mobile supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the R7 M370 supports DirectX 12 (11_1).

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The Vega 10 Mobile has a significantly higher boost clock of 1301 MHz, compared to the R7 M370's boost clock of 960 MHz.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is vast. The R7 M370 is built on the GCN 1.0 architecture, an older design that debuted in 2012. It is manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. In contrast, the Vega 10 Mobile uses the much newer GCN 5.0 architecture, built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. This newer node allows for a much denser chip; the Vega 10 Mobile packs 4,940 million transistors into a 210 mm² die, while the R7 M370 has only 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die.

The Vega 10 Mobile's architecture is also more feature-rich. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1), which includes features like conservative rasterization and rasterizer-ordered views, while the R7 M370 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1). In terms of software support, the Vega 10 Mobile supports Vulkan 1.3, a newer version of the API compared to the Vulkan 1.2.170 supported by the R7 M370. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

The compute capabilities also reflect the generational leap. The Vega 10 Mobile has a peak FP32 performance of 1.665 TFLOPS, more than double the R7 M370's 737.3 GFLOPS. Furthermore, the Vega 10 Mobile supports FP16 compute with a 2:1 ratio, offering 3.331 TFLOPS, a feature entirely absent from the older GCN 1.0 part. This makes the Vega 10 Mobile significantly more capable in workloads that can utilize half-precision math.

Specification Differences

The most fundamental difference lies in their nature: the R7 M370 is a discrete GPU, while the Vega 10 Mobile is an integrated graphics processor (IGP). This dictates nearly every other specification difference.

• Process Node: The R7 M370 is on a 28 nm process, while the Vega 10 Mobile is on a more advanced 14 nm process.
• Shading Units: The Vega 10 Mobile has 640 shading units, significantly more than the R7 M370's 384.
• Texture Mapping Units (TMUs): The Vega 10 Mobile has 40 TMUs, compared to the R7 M370's 24.
• ROPs: Both have 8 Raster Operations Pipelines (ROPs).
• Clock Speeds: The R7 M370 has a base clock of 875 MHz and a boost clock of 960 MHz. The Vega 10 Mobile has a much lower base clock of 300 MHz but a much higher boost clock of 1301 MHz, highlighting its power-saving design.
• Memory: The R7 M370 uses 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 57.60 GB/s of bandwidth. The Vega 10 Mobile uses System Shared memory, with its size, bus width, and bandwidth all being "System Dependent."
• Power & Form Factor: The Vega 10 Mobile has a TDP of 10 W, is an IGP, and requires no power connectors. The R7 M370 has no TDP listed but is a discrete card using a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface. The Vega 10 Mobile's bus interface is simply "IGP."
• Release Date: The R7 M370 was released on May 4, 2015, while the Vega 10 Mobile came much later, on January 7, 2019.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R7 M370 wins in raw benchmark scores. It has a 9.1% lead in the Geekbench OpenCL test and a higher average benchmark score of 6764 versus 6476. For any task that is purely about compute throughput in legacy APIs, the data shows the R7 M370 is the better performer. It also has a dedicated 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, which can be an advantage in scenarios where system memory bandwidth is a bottleneck, though the data does not directly measure this.

The AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile wins on efficiency and architectural modernity. Its 10 W TDP is extraordinarily low for the performance it delivers, making it ideal for thin-and-light laptops where battery life and heat are critical. It also wins on raw feature support, with a newer DirectX 12 feature level, newer Vulkan support, and the ability to perform FP16 compute at double the rate of FP32. Its higher shading unit count and boost clock (1301 MHz vs 960 MHz) indicate a design that can punch above its weight when power is available.

The Verdict

The choice between these two GPUs is dictated entirely by the use case and the platform. If you are looking at a legacy laptop with a discrete GPU slot and your primary concern is maximum compute performance in older applications, the AMD Radeon R7 M370 is the clear winner. Its 9.1% benchmark lead and higher average score make it the faster part in raw terms. It is the card to pick if you need that extra bit of performance for OpenCL compute workloads.

However, if you are considering a modern, power-efficient system, the AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile is the superior choice. Its 10 W TDP is a massive advantage, making it suitable for ultra-portable devices where a discrete card would be impractical. The data indicates it delivers nearly the same performance as the R7 M370 while consuming a fraction of the power. Furthermore, its support for newer APIs like Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_1) ensures better compatibility with modern software. The R7 M370 may be faster in a head-to-head benchmark, but the Vega 10 Mobile is the more practical, future-proof component for a modern system. Ultimately, the R7 M370 is a faster dinosaur, while the Vega 10 Mobile is a modern, efficient workhorse.