AMD Radeon R7 M465 vs NVIDIA GeForce 940M Comparison

AMD Radeon R7 M465 and NVIDIA GeForce 940M are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions, but the benchmark data from the database shows a narrow, yet decisive, victory for the NVIDIA part. In the sole recorded head-to-head benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, the GeForce 940M scores 6018 against the Radeon R7 M465's 5841, a 2.9% advantage. While this margin is slim, the underlying architectural and specification differences reveal a more complex picture, where the NVIDIA chip's superior raw compute and pixel throughput are offset by a significantly slower memory subsystem. The data indicates that the 940M is the more balanced performer for general tasks, while the R7 M465's higher memory bandwidth could be a deciding factor in specific, memory-sensitive workloads.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded benchmark results, the NVIDIA GeForce 940M is the stronger option. It holds the only head-to-head win in the database, outperforming the AMD Radeon R7 M465 in Geekbench OpenCL by 2.9%. This is a consistent result when considering the overall average score, where the 940M posts 5284, although the R7 M465 shows a higher single-test score of 5841. The GeForce 940M's percentile rank of 31 versus the R7 M465's 33 indicates that while the AMD part sits slightly higher in the overall distribution, the NVIDIA chip's performance in the direct comparison is superior.

For users choosing between these two, the GeForce 940M should be the default pick for general compute and OpenCL-accelerated applications, as its raw FP32 throughput and texture fill rates are substantially higher. However, the R7 M465 is not without merit. Its GDDR5 memory provides 36.00 GB/s of bandwidth, which is 150% higher than the 940M's 14.40 GB/s. In scenarios where memory bandwidth is the primary bottleneck, such as high-resolution texture streaming or certain compute workloads, the AMD part could close the gap or even take the lead, despite its lower compute rating. The data suggests a clear winner in raw performance, but the memory configuration makes the R7 M465 a niche alternative.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on different architectures from their respective manufacturers, leading to distinct design philosophies. The AMD Radeon R7 M465 is based on the GCN 3.0 architecture, using the Topaz chip, and is part of the "Gem System (R7 M400)" generation. In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce 940M uses the Maxwell architecture with the GM107 chip, belonging to the GeForce 900M series. Both are fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but they diverge significantly in their internal layouts.

The NVIDIA chip is physically larger and more complex, with 1,870 million transistors on a 148 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 12.6M/mm². The AMD chip is smaller, with 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, yielding a slightly lower density of 12.4M/mm². This size difference translates into a clear specification gap: the GeForce 940M has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 16 raster output units (ROPs), while the Radeon R7 M465 has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and only 8 ROPs. The NVIDIA part offers 33% more shading units and double the ROPs, which directly impacts its pixel fill rate and geometry processing capability.

A crucial architectural difference lies in the memory controller and type. The R7 M465 uses GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus, achieving 36.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The GeForce 940M, despite having a similarly sized 64-bit bus, uses DDR3 memory, which caps its bandwidth at just 14.40 GB/s. This is a major divergence in design priorities: AMD opted for high-bandwidth memory to feed its compute units, while NVIDIA chose a slower, more power-efficient memory type. The API support also differs, with the R7 M465 supporting DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the 940M lists DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.4, indicating a more modern Vulkan driver stack for the NVIDIA part.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only recorded head-to-head benchmark in the database is Geekbench OpenCL, and it provides a clear, if narrow, result. The NVIDIA GeForce 940M scores 6018, while the AMD Radeon R7 M465 scores 5841, giving the NVIDIA part a 2.9% lead. This is a relatively small delta, suggesting that in this specific compute test, the two GPUs are closely matched. The 940M's advantage likely stems from its higher clock speeds and greater number of shading units, which allow it to execute more parallel operations per cycle.

However, the database also reveals a significant discrepancy when looking at the average benchmark score for each GPU. The GeForce 940M has an average score of 5284, which is notably lower than its single Geekbench OpenCL result of 6018. This implies that the 940M has been tested in other benchmarks where it performed worse, pulling its average down. The R7 M465, by contrast, has an average score of 5841, identical to its single test result, indicating a more consistent performance profile. When comparing the 940M's average score to the R7 M465's single score, the AMD part appears 10.5% faster on average, but this is misleading because the head-to-head test is the only direct comparison. The data shows that in the direct matchup, NVIDIA wins, but the overall performance consistency of the AMD part is superior.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets for these two GPUs reveal several key differences that explain their benchmark behavior. The most impactful divergence is in memory type and bandwidth. The R7 M465 uses GDDR5 with a 64-bit bus, delivering 36.00 GB/s, while the 940M uses DDR3 on the same bus width, delivering only 14.40 GB/s. This 150% bandwidth advantage for the AMD part is critical for memory-intensive tasks. The clock speeds also differ substantially: the R7 M465 has a base clock of 730 MHz and a boost of 1024 MHz, whereas the 940M has a higher base of 1020 MHz and a boost of 1098 MHz. The NVIDIA chip's higher clocks, combined with its 512 shading units, give it a theoretical FP32 performance of 1,124.4 GFLOPS, compared to 786.4 GFLOPS for the AMD part, a 43% advantage.

Pixel and texture rates follow a similar pattern. The 940M achieves 17.57 GPixel/s and 35.14 GTexel/s, while the R7 M465 manages only 8.192 GPixel/s and 24.58 GTexel/s. The NVIDIA part is 114% faster in pixel fill rate and 43% faster in texture fill rate, making it the clear winner for rasterization-heavy workloads. The TDP is listed only for the 940M at 75 W, with the R7 M465's TDP not provided. The 940M is a MXM module with no power connectors, while the R7 M465 uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface. Both are end-of-life products, but the 940M was released on 2015-03-12, while the R7 M465 came later on 2016-05-14.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M465 has a higher average benchmark score of 5841, compared to the NVIDIA GeForce 940M's average of 5284. However, in the direct head-to-head Geekbench OpenCL test, the 940M wins with 6018 against 5841.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M465 has a memory bandwidth of 36.00 GB/s using GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus. The NVIDIA GeForce 940M has a memory bandwidth of 14.40 GB/s using DDR3 memory on the same 64-bit bus.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 940M has 512 shading units, while the AMD Radeon R7 M465 has 384 shading units. This gives the NVIDIA part a 33% increase in shading unit count.

Q: How do their pixel rates compare?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 940M has a pixel rate of 17.57 GPixel/s, which is more than double the AMD Radeon R7 M465's pixel rate of 8.192 GPixel/s. This indicates a significant advantage for the NVIDIA part in fill-rate-bound scenarios.

Q: What are the DirectX version supports for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M465 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the NVIDIA GeForce 940M supports DirectX 12 (11_0). The AMD part has a higher feature level in this regard.

Q: Are these GPUs still in production?

A: No, both the AMD Radeon R7 M465 and the NVIDIA GeForce 940M are listed as end-of-life products in the database. The 940M was released earlier in 2015, while the R7 M465 was released in 2016.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce 940M wins in raw compute and rasterization performance. Its higher clock speeds, 512 shading units, and 32 TMUs give it a 43% advantage in FP32 throughput (1,124.4 GFLOPS versus 786.4 GFLOPS) and a 43% advantage in texture rate (35.14 GTexel/s versus 24.58 GTexel/s). Its pixel rate of 17.57 GPixel/s is more than double that of the R7 M465, making it the superior choice for games and applications that rely heavily on pixel shading and fill rates. The 940M's higher base and boost clocks also suggest better sustained performance in short bursts. This GPU is the pick for general-purpose compute and traditional gaming workloads where the GPU's compute units are the primary bottleneck.

The AMD Radeon R7 M465 wins in memory bandwidth and API feature level. Its GDDR5 memory provides 36.00 GB/s, a 150% increase over the 940M's 14.40 GB/s. This makes the R7 M465 potentially faster in workloads that are memory-bandwidth limited, such as high-resolution texture streaming, large data set processing, or specific OpenCL compute kernels that access memory frequently. Additionally, the R7 M465 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), a higher feature level than the 940M's DirectX 12 (11_0), which could offer better compatibility with certain modern titles or advanced rendering features. The database shows the R7 M465 also has a higher average score of 5841 versus 5284, indicating more consistent performance across multiple tests, even though it loses the direct head-to-head. For users prioritizing memory throughput and a more modern DirectX feature set, the R7 M465 is the appropriate choice.