AMD Radeon R7 M380 vs NVIDIA Quadro K4100M Comparison

The benchmark data places the AMD Radeon R7 M380 and NVIDIA Quadro K4100M in the same performance tier, but with distinct strengths that matter for different tasks. In the single recorded head-to-head benchmark, the AMD part wins by a narrow margin, while the NVIDIA part counters with a much larger compute resource allocation and a professional-grade feature set. The overall database percentiles tell a similar story: the R7 M380 sits at the 46th percentile of all GPUs, while the Quadro K4100M sits at the 41st percentile. Neither is a flagship, but both are capable mobile parts for their respective eras.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison in the database is the Geekbench OpenCL test. In that benchmark, the AMD Radeon R7 M380 scores 9313 points, while the NVIDIA Quadro K4100M scores 9149 points. This gives the AMD part a 1.8% lead, a slim but consistent advantage. The data records this as a win for the AMD Radeon R7 M380, with the delta showing a clear, if modest, performance gap.

Looking at how each compares to its own nearest rivals, the AMD part is extremely close to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M, which scores 9302 points, a delta of only 0.1%. It is also within 0.2% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 (9294 points) and 0.4% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (9273 points). The AMD part even edges out the AMD Radeon Vega 8 by 1% (9221 points). This cluster of scores shows that the R7 M380 is positioned right at a performance plateau, where a few points separate many different GPUs.

The NVIDIA Quadro K4100M, on the other hand, sits in a slightly lower band. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 at 7925 points, which it trails by 0.2%. It is also behind the NVIDIA Quadro P5000 by 1.7% (8039 points) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M by 1.7% (8040 points). The closest comparison is with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti at 8053 points, which the Quadro trails by 1.8%. The data indicates that the Quadro K4100M's OpenCL result is not just behind the AMD Radeon R7 M380, but also slightly below a cluster of other NVIDIA parts in the database.

It is important to note that the Quadro K4100M also has a recorded Geekbench Metal score of 6662 points. This is a separate API benchmark, not directly comparable to the OpenCL score of the AMD part, but it provides a second data point for the NVIDIA GPU. The AMD Radeon R7 M380 has no recorded Metal score, so the OpenCL result remains the sole basis for their direct comparison.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures from different vendors. The AMD Radeon R7 M380 uses the Tropo chip with the GCN 1.0 architecture, while the NVIDIA Quadro K4100M uses the GK104 chip with the Kepler architecture. Both are fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the chips themselves are very different in scale.

The NVIDIA chip is substantially larger and more complex. It contains 3,540 million transistors on a die size of 294 mm², yielding a transistor density of 12.0M per mm². The AMD chip is much smaller, with 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, giving it a slightly higher density of 12.2M per mm². The difference in transistor count is stark, with the NVIDIA chip having over twice as many transistors.

This scale difference translates into a major difference in compute resources. The Quadro K4100M has 1152 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units. The Radeon R7 M380, by contrast, has 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The NVIDIA part has roughly 80% more shading units, 140% more TMUs, and double the ROPs. This theoretical resource advantage is not fully reflected in the OpenCL benchmark, where the AMD part still wins, which suggests that the AMD architecture is more efficient in this particular workload or that clock speeds play a decisive role.

Clock speeds are another major differentiator. The AMD Radeon R7 M380 runs at a base clock of 900 MHz with a boost up to 915 MHz. The NVIDIA Quadro K4100M is locked at a flat 706 MHz for both base and boost. The AMD part has a 27% clock speed advantage at base, which helps explain its benchmark win despite having fewer cores.

Memory configurations are also very different. The AMD Radeon R7 M380 uses 4 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 32.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA Quadro K4100M uses 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA part has a 3.2x bandwidth advantage, which is a significant spec difference even if it did not translate into a win on the OpenCL test. The memory clocks also differ: the AMD memory runs at 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective), while the NVIDIA memory runs at 800 MHz (3.2 Gbps effective). The GDDR5 type on the wider bus is what gives the NVIDIA part its large bandwidth lead.

API support is comparable, with both supporting DirectX 12 (though AMD lists 11_1 and NVIDIA lists 11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan (1.2.170 for AMD, 1.2.175 for NVIDIA). The NVIDIA part has a slightly newer Vulkan version. The bus interface also differs: the AMD part uses PCIe 3.0 x16, while the NVIDIA part uses an MXM-B (3.0) module interface, reflecting its intended use in professional laptops.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R7 M380 wins in the compute benchmark that is available for comparison. Its 1.8% lead in Geekbench OpenCL is the clear headline result. This suggests that for general-purpose compute tasks using OpenCL, the AMD part is the faster option. The higher clock speed of 900 MHz base and 915 MHz boost appears to be a decisive factor, allowing the smaller GPU to outpace the larger one in this specific test.

The NVIDIA Quadro K4100M wins in the broader architectural comparison. It has 1152 shading units versus 640, 96 TMUs versus 40, and 32 ROPs versus 16. It also has a massive memory bandwidth advantage at 102.4 GB/s versus 32.00 GB/s. For workloads that are heavily dependent on raw shader throughput or memory bandwidth, the NVIDIA part has the theoretical edge. The data does not include a benchmark that directly measures these strengths, but the specification sheet points clearly in that direction.

The NVIDIA part also has a recorded Metal benchmark score of 6662 points, which the AMD part lacks entirely. This means the Quadro K4100M is the only one of the two with a measurable result in Apple's Metal API. For users in a Metal-centric environment, the NVIDIA part is the only one with data to support its performance.

The average benchmark score in the database also favors the AMD part, with a score of 9313 versus 7906 for the NVIDIA part. This 17.8% difference is driven by the fact that the NVIDIA part's average is dragged down by its lower Metal score. The AMD part has only the one OpenCL score, so its average is the same as its single result.

The Verdict

The data is clear: for the measured benchmark, the AMD Radeon R7 M380 is the faster GPU. It wins the Geekbench OpenCL test by 1.8%, and it holds a higher position in the database percentile ranking at 46th versus 41st. Users who prioritize OpenCL compute performance should choose the AMD part based on this evidence.

However, the NVIDIA Quadro K4100M is the more technically substantial GPU. It has more than double the transistors, nearly double the shading units, and more than triple the memory bandwidth. It also has a professional-grade MXM module interface and a 100 W TDP, which is a documented power figure. The AMD part has no TDP listed in the database. For tasks that are not captured by the OpenCL test, such as those relying on massive memory bandwidth or high shader throughput, the NVIDIA part's specification sheet suggests it would be the stronger choice, even if the recorded data does not prove it.

The launch MSRP of the NVIDIA Quadro K4100M is 1,499 USD. This positions it as a premium professional mobile workstation part. The AMD Radeon R7 M380 has no launch MSRP recorded, which is consistent with it being a mainstream consumer part. The production status for both is end-of-life, with the AMD part released in 2015 and the NVIDIA part released in 2013. The AMD part is two years newer. The AMD part's predecessor is listed as Solar System, with Polaris Mobile as its successor. The NVIDIA part's predecessor is Quadro Fermi-M, with Quadro Maxwell-M as its successor. These lineage notes confirm that the AMD part is from a newer generation, even if the underlying architecture is older (GCN 1.0 versus Kepler, both from 2012-era designs).

For a user choosing between these two, the decision hinges on the workload. If the primary use is OpenCL compute, the AMD Radeon R7 M380 has the proven advantage. If the workload demands memory bandwidth or raw shader count, the NVIDIA Quadro K4100M has the specification-level advantage. The data does not support a blanket recommendation for either; it supports a workload-specific choice.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M380 wins, scoring 9313 points against the NVIDIA Quadro K4100M's 9149 points, a 1.8% difference.

Q: How much memory bandwidth does each GPU have?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro K4100M has 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth, while the AMD Radeon R7 M380 has 32.00 GB/s.

Q: What are the shading unit counts for each GPU?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro K4100M has 1152 shading units, while the AMD Radeon R7 M380 has 640 shading units.

Q: Does the NVIDIA Quadro K4100M have a benchmark result in a different API?

A: Yes, it has a Geekbench Metal score of 6662 points. The AMD Radeon R7 M380 has no recorded Metal score.

Q: What is the clock speed difference between the two GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M380 has a base clock of 900 MHz and a boost clock of 915 MHz. The NVIDIA Quadro K4100M is locked at 706 MHz for both base and boost.

Q: What is the process node for both chips?

A: Both the AMD Radeon R7 M380 and the NVIDIA Quadro K4100M are fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC.

Specification Differences

The following table lists the fields where the two GPUs differ according to the database.

• Chip: AMD Radeon R7 M380 uses Tropo, NVIDIA Quadro K4100M uses GK104
• Architecture: AMD uses GCN 1.0, NVIDIA uses Kepler
• Generation: AMD is Gem System (R7 M300), NVIDIA is Quadro Kepler-M (Kx100M)
• Transistors: AMD has 1,500 million, NVIDIA has 3,540 million
• Die Size: AMD is 123 mm², NVIDIA is 294 mm²
• Transistor Density: AMD is 12.2M / mm², NVIDIA is 12.0M / mm²
• Base Clock: AMD is 900 MHz, NVIDIA is 706 MHz
• Boost Clock: AMD is 915 MHz, NVIDIA is 706 MHz
• Memory Clock: AMD is 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective), NVIDIA is 800 MHz (3.2 Gbps effective)
• Memory Type: AMD uses DDR3, NVIDIA uses GDDR5
• Bus Width: AMD is 128 bit, NVIDIA is 256 bit
• Bandwidth: AMD is 32.00 GB/s, NVIDIA is 102.4 GB/s
• Shading Units: AMD has 640, NVIDIA has 1152
• TMUs: AMD has 40, NVIDIA has 96
• ROPs: AMD has 16, NVIDIA has 32
• Pixel Rate: AMD is 14.64 GPixel/s, NVIDIA is 16.94 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: AMD is 36.60 GTexel/s, NVIDIA is 67.78 GTexel/s
• FP32: AMD is 1,171.2 GFLOPS, NVIDIA is 1.627 TFLOPS
• TDP: AMD has none listed, NVIDIA is 100 W
• Slot Width: AMD has none listed, NVIDIA is MXM Module
• Power Connectors: AMD has none listed, NVIDIA is None
• Bus Interface: AMD is PCIe 3.0 x16, NVIDIA is MXM-B (3.0)
• Display Outputs: AMD has none listed, NVIDIA is Portable Device Dependent
• Vulkan Version: AMD is 1.2.170, NVIDIA is 1.2.175
• Release Date: AMD is 2015-05-04, NVIDIA is 2013-07-22
• Predecessor: AMD is Solar System, NVIDIA is Quadro Fermi-M
• Successor: AMD is Polaris Mobile, NVIDIA is Quadro Maxwell-M
• Launch MSRP: AMD has none listed, NVIDIA is 1,499 USD
• Geekbench OpenCL Score: AMD is 9313, NVIDIA is 9149
• Percentile vs All GPUs: AMD is 46, NVIDIA is 41
• Average Benchmark Score: AMD is 9313, NVIDIA is 7906