AMD Radeon R7 M445 vs AMD Radeon R8 M445DX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only recorded benchmark comparison between these two mobile GPUs is Geekbench OpenCL, and the data shows a clear winner. The AMD Radeon R7 M445 scores 5,358 points against the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX's 4,727 points, a 13.3% advantage. This is the sole head-to-head test in the database, and the R7 M445 takes it.

Context from the nearest rivals helps interpret this gap. The R7 M445 sits at the 31st percentile among all GPUs in the database. Its closest competitor is the Intel UHD Graphics P630 with an average score of 5,370, which is only 0.2% ahead. The NVIDIA GeForce 840M trails at 5,322, a 0.7% deficit, while the NVIDIA GeForce 930A scores 5,317, 0.8% behind. Even the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, a high-end part, records 5,308, which is 0.9% lower than the R7 M445 in this workload. This clustering suggests the R7 M445 is performing right at the expected level for its class, neither punching far above nor falling behind.

The R8 M445DX, by contrast, sits at the 27th percentile. Its rivals tell a different story. The AMD Radeon R5 M335 scores 4,752, which is 0.5% higher than the R8 M445DX. The NVIDIA Quadro P400 is 0.9% behind at 4,684. The AMD Radeon R5 M255 scores 4,788, 1.3% ahead. Notably, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB appears in its rival list with a score of 4,791, also 1.3% ahead, which is an unusual pairing but the data lists it. The R8 M445DX is essentially trading blows with entry-level parts, and its 4,727 score is 631 points lower than the R7 M445's result.

The 13.3% delta between the two AMD parts is meaningful for mobile gaming. In practical terms, a 13.3% lead in OpenCL compute can translate to noticeably smoother frame pacing in lighter titles, though the R7 M445 is still firmly in entry-level territory. The R8 M445DX, despite its higher boost clock, cannot overcome the advantages the R7 M445 holds in memory configuration.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs share the same foundational architecture. The chip is Meso for both, built on GCN 3.0, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. Transistor count is identical at 1,550 million, and the die size matches at 125 mm², yielding the same transistor density of 12.4M per mm². The shading unit count is 320 for both, with 20 texture mapping units and 8 render output units. Neither has ray tracing cores or tensor cores. Both support DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both are IGP slot width, both are end-of-life, and both released on 2016-05-14.

The differences lie in clock behavior and memory architecture. The R7 M445 has a base clock of 780 MHz and a boost clock of 920 MHz. The R8 M445DX has the same 780 MHz base but a higher boost of 1,021 MHz. That 101 MHz boost advantage for the R8 M445DX translates to higher peak throughput: pixel rate of 8.168 GPixel/s versus 7.360 GPixel/s, texture rate of 20.42 GTexel/s versus 18.40 GTexel/s, and FP32 of 653.4 GFLOPS versus 588.8 GFLOPS. FP16 is 1:1 with FP32 for both.

Memory is where the gap widens. The R7 M445 uses 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus, with a 1000 MHz memory clock and 4 Gbps effective, yielding 32.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The R8 M445DX uses system shared memory, with type, bus width, and bandwidth all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent". This is a fundamental architectural split: the R7 M445 has dedicated video memory, while the R8 M445DX relies on the system's main memory. For a GPU, dedicated VRAM is typically preferable because it has predictable latency and bandwidth. The R8 M445DX's performance depends entirely on the host system's memory configuration, which explains its lower benchmark score despite the higher boost clock.

The bus interface also differs. The R7 M445 connects via PCIe 3.0 x8, while the R8 M445DX is listed simply as "IGP". This reinforces the hybrid nature of the R8 M445DX, which is designed to work within the system's memory pool rather than as a discrete part. Both are marked as "Portable Device Dependent" for display outputs.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX has a boost clock of 1,021 MHz, while the AMD Radeon R7 M445 boosts to 920 MHz. The R8 M445DX is 101 MHz higher in boost.

Q: Why does the R7 M445 score higher despite the R8 M445DX having a higher boost clock?

A: The R7 M445 uses 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus with 32.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The R8 M445DX uses system shared memory with system dependent bandwidth. The dedicated VRAM gives the R7 M445 a 13.3% lead in Geekbench OpenCL scoring 5,358 versus 4,727.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same APIs?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. There is no difference in API support between them.

Q: What is the transistor count for each chip?

A: Both use the Meso chip with 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC.

Q: Are these GPUs still in production?

A: No, both are listed as end-of-life with a release date of 2016-05-14.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel rate?

A: The R8 M445DX has a pixel rate of 8.168 GPixel/s, while the R7 M445 is at 7.360 GPixel/s. The R8 M445DX also leads in texture rate at 20.42 GTexel/s versus 18.40 GTexel/s.

Specification Differences

The table below lists only the fields where the two GPUs differ.

| Specification | AMD Radeon R7 M445 | AMD Radeon R8 M445DX |

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

| Boost clock | 920 MHz | 1,021 MHz |

| Memory size | 4 GB | System Shared |

| Memory type | GDDR5 | System Shared |

| Memory bus width | 64 bit | System Shared |

| Memory clock | 1000 MHz / 4 Gbps effective | System Shared |

| Memory bandwidth | 32.00 GB/s | System Dependent |

| Pixel rate | 7.360 GPixel/s | 8.168 GPixel/s |

| Texture rate | 18.40 GTexel/s | 20.42 GTexel/s |

| FP32 performance | 588.8 GFLOPS | 653.4 GFLOPS |

| FP16 performance | 588.8 GFLOPS (1:1) | 653.4 GFLOPS (1:1) |

| Bus interface | PCIe 3.0 x8 | IGP |

| Generation | Gem System (R7 M400) | Gem System Hybrid (Rx M400) |

| Predecessor | Solar System | None listed |

| Successor | Polaris Mobile | None listed |

All other specifications are identical: 28 nm process, TSMC foundry, 1,550 million transistors, 125 mm² die, 780 MHz base clock, 320 shading units, 20 TMUs, 8 ROPs, GCN 3.0 architecture, Meso chip, DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.2.170, IGP slot width, end-of-life status, and 2016-05-14 release date.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous. The AMD Radeon R7 M445 wins the only recorded head-to-head test by 13.3%, scoring 5,358 against the R8 M445DX's 4,727. The R7 M445 also ranks higher overall at the 31st percentile versus the 27th percentile for the R8 M445DX.

The R8 M445DX's higher boost clock (1,021 MHz versus 920 MHz) gives it superior theoretical peak rates in pixel fill, texture fill, and FP32 compute. But these advantages do not translate to real-world OpenCL performance. The likely culprit is the memory subsystem. The R7 M445 has dedicated 4 GB GDDR5 with 32.00 GB/s bandwidth on a 64-bit bus. The R8 M445DX uses system shared memory, which makes its bandwidth dependent on the host system. In practice, the R8 M445DX cannot feed its compute units fast enough to overcome the R7 M445's memory advantage.

The nearest rival data reinforces this. The R7 M445 is clustered with parts like the Intel UHD Graphics P630, NVIDIA GeForce 840M, and even the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M, all within 0.9% of its score. The R8 M445DX is clustered with entry-level Radeon R5 parts and the NVIDIA Quadro P400, all within 1.3%. The R7 M445 sits in a slightly higher performance class.

For a buyer choosing between these two, the R7 M445 is the stronger pick based on benchmark results. It delivers 13.3% better OpenCL performance, which is the only measured metric available. The R8 M445DX's peak compute rates look better on paper, but the recorded data shows they do not materialize into faster execution.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Radeon R7 M445 wins on:

• Overall benchmark performance: 5,358 versus 4,727 in Geekbench OpenCL, a 13.3% lead.
• Dedicated memory: 4 GB GDDR5 with 32.00 GB/s bandwidth versus system shared memory. This provides predictable performance regardless of the host system's memory configuration.
• PCIe connectivity: PCIe 3.0 x8 interface versus IGP, which may offer more consistent data transfer in some workloads.
• Percentile ranking: 31st percentile versus 27th percentile among all GPUs.

AMD Radeon R8 M445DX wins on:

• Boost clock: 1,021 MHz versus 920 MHz.
• Pixel rate: 8.168 GPixel/s versus 7.360 GPixel/s, an 11% advantage.
• Texture rate: 20.42 GTexel/s versus 18.40 GTexel/s, an 11% advantage.
• FP32 compute: 653.4 GFLOPS versus 588.8 GFLOPS, an 11% advantage.
• FP16 compute: 653.4 GFLOPS versus 588.8 GFLOPS, identical ratio to FP32.

The R8 M445DX's wins are purely theoretical. They come from its higher boost clock on identical hardware. In the only actual test recorded, these advantages were not sufficient to beat the R7 M445. The R7 M445 wins where it matters: real measured performance. If a workload is heavily dependent on raw compute throughput and can ignore memory bandwidth, the R8 M445DX might edge ahead, but the database does not contain any test that demonstrates this. The single recorded benchmark shows the R7 M445 as the definitive winner, and that is the data a buyer should trust.