AMD Radeon R7 M445 vs NVIDIA GeForce 940M Comparison

The AMD Radeon R7 M445 and NVIDIA GeForce 940M are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions from the 28 nm era, targeting entry-level laptops. The benchmark data provides a single head-to-head comparison, but the specification sheets reveal starkly different design philosophies. The R7 M445 is an integrated-style part (IGP) with a narrow 64-bit memory path, while the 940M is a dedicated MXM module with a much higher power ceiling. This analysis focuses strictly on the performance metrics and architectural facts provided.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the available benchmark data, the NVIDIA GeForce 940M holds a clear, if narrow, advantage in the only direct comparison available. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the 940M scores 6018 points against the R7 M445’s 5358 points, a delta of 11%. This is the sole head-to-head benchmark provided, and NVIDIA wins it decisively. The AMD part does not win any of the recorded comparisons (winsA: 0), while the 940M claims one (winsB: 1).

However, the win is not a landslide when viewed against their respective peer groups. The R7 M445’s average score of 5358 places it in the 31st percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rival is the Intel UHD Graphics P630, which scores 5370 — a mere 0.2% difference. This suggests the AMD part is essentially on par with high-end integrated graphics. The 940M also sits in the 31st percentile, but its average score of 5284 is dragged down by the inclusion of a second, lower Vulkan benchmark (4549). In the OpenCL test, the 940M is clearly the more capable compute performer.

The R7 M445’s advantage is not in raw speed but in its memory configuration. It comes with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, whereas the 940M ships with only 2 GB of DDR3. The AMD part’s memory bandwidth is 32.00 GB/s, more than double the 940M’s 14.40 GB/s. For workloads that are bandwidth-sensitive, such as texture-heavy scenes or larger framebuffers, the R7 M445’s memory subsystem could prove more resilient, even if its compute cores are slower. This is a qualitative inference from the spec data, not a benchmark result.

The Verdict

The data points to a simple conclusion: the NVIDIA GeForce 940M is the faster GPU in compute tasks, and that is the only metric where a direct comparison exists. If you are choosing based on the Geekbench OpenCL score, the 940M is the pick, as it outperforms the R7 M445 by 11%. The 940M also offers substantially higher theoretical throughput in every core metric: its FP32 performance is 1,124.4 GFLOPS versus 588.8 GFLOPS, its texture rate is 35.14 GTexel/s versus 18.40 GTexel/s, and its pixel rate is 17.57 GPixel/s versus 7.360 GPixel/s.

The R7 M445 is not without merit, but its case rests on memory capacity and bandwidth, not execution speed. With 4 GB of GDDR5, it doubles the 940M’s 2 GB frame buffer and offers more than double the memory bandwidth. For a laptop user who values the ability to run games with higher resolution textures or larger data sets, the AMD part may hold up better in specific scenarios. Yet, the benchmark evidence shows that in raw compute, the 940M is the superior part.

For a buyer, the choice is straightforward: the 940M is the stronger performer in the tested workload. The R7 M445’s only real argument is its memory advantage, which is not reflected in the provided benchmark scores. Given that the 940M also supports Vulkan 1.4 (versus 1.2.170 on the AMD part) and has a higher base clock of 1020 MHz versus 780 MHz, it is the more future-proof and faster option. The R7 M445 is a capable part for basic tasks, but the data does not support choosing it over the 940M for performance.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark provided is the Geekbench OpenCL test. The NVIDIA GeForce 940M scores 6018, while the AMD Radeon R7 M445 scores 5358. This results in an 11% delta in favor of the 940M. To put that in perspective, the R7 M445’s score of 5358 is within 0.2% of the Intel UHD Graphics P630 (5370) and 0.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 840M (5322). The 940M’s score of 6018 is 0.9% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760M (5236) and 0.7% behind the GeForce 840M (5322) — wait, that is incorrect. The nearest rivals for the 940M show its average score is 5284, but the OpenCL score is 6018. The nearest rival list for the 940M is based on its average score, which includes the Vulkan test. The OpenCL score of 6018 is the figure to compare directly with the R7 M445’s 5358.

The 940M’s victory is significant because it comes despite the AMD part’s memory bandwidth advantage. The R7 M445 has 32.00 GB/s of bandwidth, but the 940M still wins the compute test. This indicates that the 940M’s higher core count (512 shading units vs. 320) and higher clock speeds (boost 1098 MHz vs. 920 MHz) more than compensate for the memory deficit. The 940M also has double the ROPs (16 vs. 8) and TMUs (32 vs. 20), which explains its higher pixel and texture rates. In this single test, the NVIDIA part demonstrates a clear performance lead that aligns with its superior core specifications.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 940M scores 6018, which is 11% higher than the AMD Radeon R7 M445’s score of 5358.

Q: How much memory does each GPU have?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M445 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the NVIDIA GeForce 940M has 2 GB of DDR3 memory.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The R7 M445 offers 32.00 GB/s of bandwidth, which is more than double the 940M’s 14.40 GB/s.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor count?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 940M has 1,870 million transistors, compared to 1,550 million on the AMD Radeon R7 M445.

Q: Do both GPUs support DirectX 12?

A: Yes, but at different levels. The R7 M445 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the 940M supports DirectX 12 (11_0). The AMD part has a higher feature level.

Q: What is the process node for both GPUs?

A: Both GPUs are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The R7 M445 has a die size of 125 mm², while the 940M has a die size of 148 mm².

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations. The AMD Radeon R7 M445 is built on GCN 3.0 architecture with the Meso chip, part of the Gem System (R7 M400) generation. In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce 940M uses the Maxwell architecture with the GM107 chip, part of the GeForce 900M generation. Both are fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process, but the transistor counts differ: the R7 M445 contains 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, while the 940M contains 1,870 million transistors on a 148 mm² die. The transistor density is nearly identical (12.4M / mm² vs. 12.6M / mm²), indicating similar manufacturing efficiency.

The core configurations diverge significantly. The R7 M445 has 320 shading units, 20 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. The 940M has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs — a 60% increase in shading units and a doubling of ROPs. This explains the 940M’s higher pixel rate (17.57 GPixel/s vs. 7.360 GPixel/s) and texture rate (35.14 GTexel/s vs. 18.40 GTexel/s). The FP32 performance also favors NVIDIA: 1,124.4 GFLOPS vs. 588.8 GFLOPS. The AMD part does offer FP16 at a 1:1 ratio (588.8 GFLOPS), while the 940M does not list FP16 support.

API support also differs. The R7 M445 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the 940M supports DirectX 12 (11_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6, but the Vulkan versions differ: the R7 M445 supports Vulkan 1.2.170, while the 940M supports Vulkan 1.4. The 940M’s higher Vulkan version suggests better support for newer graphics APIs. The AMD part’s architecture is older (GCN 3.0 vs. Maxwell), but its DirectX 12 feature level is higher.

Specification Differences

The most notable difference is the memory subsystem. The AMD Radeon R7 M445 uses 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus, yielding 32.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA GeForce 940M uses 2 GB of DDR3 on the same 64-bit bus, yielding only 14.40 GB/s. This is a substantial gap in both capacity and speed. The R7 M445’s memory clock is listed as 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective), while the 940M’s is 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective). The effective data rate on the AMD part is more than double.

Clock speeds favor NVIDIA. The 940M has a base clock of 1020 MHz and a boost clock of 1098 MHz, while the R7 M445 runs at 780 MHz base and 920 MHz boost. This 240 MHz base clock difference contributes to the NVIDIA part’s higher compute throughput. The power and form factor also differ: the R7 M445 is an IGP with no listed TDP, while the 940M is an MXM Module with a TDP of 75 W. The bus interface reflects this: the R7 M445 uses PCIe 3.0 x8, while the 940M uses MXM-B (3.0).

The release dates and lifecycles differ as well. The R7 M445 was released on 2016-05-14, while the 940M came earlier on 2015-03-12. Both are end-of-life, with the R7 M445’s predecessor being Solar System and its successor Polaris Mobile, while the 940M’s predecessor is GeForce 800M and its successor is GeForce 10 Mobile. Neither part has a launch MSRP listed in the data. The 940M has a lower average benchmark score (5284) than the R7 M445 (5358), but this is due to the 940M’s additional Vulkan benchmark (4549) dragging its average down, while its OpenCL score is higher.