AMD Radeon R8 M445DX vs NVIDIA GeForce MX110 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a clear overall winner in this pairing, but the margin is narrower than the specification sheets might suggest. In the only directly comparable benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX scores 4727 against the NVIDIA GeForce MX110’s 4255. That translates to a 10% advantage for the AMD part, a meaningful gap in synthetic compute workloads but not a dominant one.

The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX sits in the 27th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX110 lands in the 23rd percentile. A four-percentile gap is modest in the broader GPU landscape, but it does indicate that the AMD solution is the more capable of the two in raw compute performance. The average benchmark score reinforces this: the R8 M445DX averages 4727 across its recorded tests, while the MX110 averages 3834 across its two benchmarks. That 893-point difference in average scores is driven entirely by the OpenCL result, since the MX110’s Vulkan score of 3413 is not directly comparable to any R8 M445DX result.

When placing these scores in context with their nearest rivals, the picture sharpens. The MX110’s average score of 3834 places it within 0.3% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 (3823) and 1.1% ahead of the Intel UHD Graphics 710 (3792). It trails the AMD Radeon R5 Graphics (3883) by 1.2% and the NVIDIA Quadro 2000 (3898) by 1.6%. These are tight margins, suggesting the MX110 is competitive with a specific cluster of older mid-range parts but does not break out of its class.

The R8 M445DX, by contrast, posts an average score of 4727, which puts it 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon R5 M335 (4752) and 1.3% behind the AMD Radeon R5 M255 (4788). It runs 0.9% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro P400 (4684) and 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB (4791, delta -1.3% from the R8). That last comparison is unusual, but the data records it as a near-tie in this specific benchmark metric. The practical takeaway is that the R8 M445DX operates in a slightly higher performance tier than the MX110, closer to entry-level discrete parts from the same era.

The MX110 does not win any head-to-head benchmark in the database. The single recorded comparison, Geekbench OpenCL, goes to the AMD part. However, the MX110’s Vulkan score of 3413 is not paired with a corresponding R8 M445DX Vulkan result, so no cross-API conclusion can be drawn from that number alone. The data simply does not support a scenario where the NVIDIA part leads in any measured test.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations and design philosophies. The NVIDIA GeForce MX110 uses the GM108S chip built on the Maxwell architecture, manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX uses the Meso chip on the GCN 3.0 architecture, also built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. Both parts are end-of-life products, but their internal designs diverge significantly.

The MX110 packs 1,020 million transistors into a 77 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 13.2 million per square millimeter. The R8 M445DX is physically larger and denser in absolute terms: 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, but the density works out to 12.4 million per square millimeter. The AMD chip has more transistors overall, but the NVIDIA chip packs them more tightly per area.

Shader resources favor the AMD part. The R8 M445DX carries 320 shading units, 20 texture mapping units, and 8 raster operation units. The MX110 has 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. The R8’s extra shading units and TMUs explain its higher texture rate of 20.42 GTexel/s versus the MX110’s 16.10 GTexel/s. Pixel rates are nearly identical: 8.168 GPixel/s for the R8 and 8.048 GPixel/s for the MX110, a difference of less than 1.5%.

Compute throughput also favors AMD. The R8 M445DX delivers 653.4 GFLOPS of FP32 performance, and it also supports FP16 at 653.4 GFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio. The MX110 posts 515.1 GFLOPS of FP32 and has no recorded FP16 capability. That 138.3 GFLOPS gap in FP32 is substantial in percentage terms, roughly 27% more compute for the AMD part.

Clock behavior differs as well. The MX110 has a base clock of 978 MHz and a boost clock of 1006 MHz, a very narrow boost range. The R8 M445DX starts lower at 780 MHz base but boosts to 1021 MHz, a wider dynamic range that lets it close the clock gap under load. Memory architecture is fundamentally different: the MX110 uses 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus, delivering 40.10 GB/s of bandwidth. The R8 M445DX relies on system shared memory, with bandwidth listed as system dependent. That means the AMD part’s memory performance is tied to the host system’s RAM configuration, not a fixed hardware specification.

API support splits along vendor lines. The MX110 supports DirectX 12 at feature level 11_0, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The R8 M445DX supports DirectX 12 at feature level 12_0, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The AMD part has a higher DirectX feature level, while the NVIDIA part offers a newer Vulkan version. The MX110 connects via PCIe 3.0 x4, while the R8 M445DX is listed as an integrated graphics processor with an IGP bus interface. Both are integrated into portable devices with display outputs dependent on the laptop design.

The R8 M445DX has no listed TDP in the database, while the MX110 is rated at 30 W. Both are slot-width IGP parts with no power connectors required. The R8’s power draw is effectively unknown from the recorded data, which complicates any efficiency comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU scores higher in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX scores 4727, which is 10% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce MX110’s 4255.

Q: Does the NVIDIA GeForce MX110 win any benchmark against the R8 M445DX?

A: No. The only direct head-to-head benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, goes to the AMD part. The MX110 has a separate Vulkan score of 3413, but there is no corresponding R8 M445DX Vulkan result to compare it against.

Q: How do these GPUs compare to their nearest rivals in the database?

A: The MX110’s average score of 3834 is within 1.6% of four nearby GPUs, ranging from 0.3% ahead of the GTX 650 to 1.6% behind the Quadro 2000. The R8 M445DX’s average score of 4727 sits between 1.3% behind the R5 M255 and 0.9% ahead of the Quadro P400.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX has 320 shading units, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX110 has 256.

Q: What type of memory does each GPU use?

A: The MX110 uses 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus with 40.10 GB/s bandwidth. The R8 M445DX uses system shared memory, with bandwidth described as system dependent.

Q: What are the DirectX feature levels for these two parts?

A: The MX110 supports DirectX 12 with feature level 11_0. The R8 M445DX supports DirectX 12 with feature level 12_0, which is a higher feature level.

Specification Differences

The database records several specification differences between the two GPUs. The most consequential are in compute resources and memory architecture.

• Shading Units: MX110 has 256, R8 M445DX has 320.
• Texture Mapping Units: MX110 has 16, R8 M445DX has 20.
• Raster Operation Units: Both have 8, so no difference there.
• FP32 Performance: MX110 delivers 515.1 GFLOPS, R8 M445DX delivers 653.4 GFLOPS.
• FP16 Performance: MX110 has no recorded FP16 value, R8 M445DX delivers 653.4 GFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio.
• Texture Rate: MX110 hits 16.10 GTexel/s, R8 M445DX hits 20.42 GTexel/s.
• Pixel Rate: MX110 posts 8.048 GPixel/s, R8 M445DX posts 8.168 GPixel/s, a negligible difference.
• Base Clock: MX110 runs at 978 MHz, R8 M445DX runs at 780 MHz.
• Boost Clock: MX110 boosts to 1006 MHz, R8 M445DX boosts to 1021 MHz.
• Memory Size: MX110 has 2 GB GDDR5, R8 M445DX uses system shared.
• Memory Bus Width: MX110 uses 64-bit, R8 M445DX is system shared.
• Memory Bandwidth: MX110 delivers 40.10 GB/s, R8 M445DX is system dependent.
• Memory Clock: MX110 runs at 1253 MHz with 5 Gbps effective, R8 M445DX is not specified beyond system shared.
• Transistors: MX110 has 1,020 million, R8 M445DX has 1,550 million.
• Die Size: MX110 is 77 mm², R8 M445DX is 125 mm².
• Transistor Density: MX110 achieves 13.2M per mm², R8 M445DX achieves 12.4M per mm².
• Chip: MX110 uses GM108S, R8 M445DX uses Meso.
• Architecture: MX110 is Maxwell, R8 M445DX is GCN 3.0.
• Release Date: MX110 launched in November 2017, R8 M445DX launched in May 2016.
• TDP: MX110 is rated at 30 W, R8 M445DX has no listed TDP.
• Bus Interface: MX110 uses PCIe 3.0 x4, R8 M445DX uses IGP.
• DirectX Support: MX110 supports 12 (11_0), R8 M445DX supports 12 (12_0).
• Vulkan Support: MX110 supports version 1.4, R8 M445DX supports version 1.2.170.

Both GPUs are built on the same 28 nm TSMC process, have the same 8 ROPs, share an IGP slot width, and list no power connectors. Neither part has RT cores or tensor cores.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX wins the only direct benchmark comparison, and it extends that lead across several theoretical compute metrics. In FP32 performance, the R8 M445DX is 27% ahead of the MX110. In texture rate, it is 27% ahead as well. It has 25% more shading units and 25% more TMUs. These are consistent, compounding advantages that point to better raw throughput in compute-heavy tasks like physics simulations, image processing, or any workload that saturates shader resources.

The R8 M445DX also carries a higher DirectX feature level (12_0 versus 11_0), which may matter for games or applications that explicitly require newer DirectX features. Its boost clock is slightly higher at 1021 MHz versus 1006 MHz, which helps close the base clock deficit under sustained load. The larger transistor count and die size reflect a more substantial implementation overall.

The NVIDIA GeForce MX110 does not win any recorded benchmark, but it holds advantages in specific areas. Its memory subsystem is dedicated GDDR5 with a fixed 40.10 GB/s bandwidth, whereas the R8 M445DX relies on system shared memory with variable performance. In laptops where system RAM is slow or shared with the CPU, the MX110’s dedicated memory could provide more predictable performance in memory-bound scenarios. The MX110 also supports Vulkan 1.4 versus the R8’s 1.2.170, which is a newer API version. Its base clock is 25% higher than the R8’s, which helps in short-duration workloads that do not trigger sustained boost behavior.

The MX110 has a lower transistor density in absolute terms (13.2M versus 12.4M per mm²), meaning it packs more transistors per area, but that does not translate to a performance win in the measured data. The NVIDIA part also has a listed TDP of 30 W, while the R8’s power draw is unrecorded, so no efficiency verdict can be drawn.

The Verdict

The recorded data points to the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX as the stronger GPU. It wins the only head-to-head benchmark, posts a higher average benchmark score (4727 versus 3834), and sits in a higher performance percentile (27th versus 23rd). Its advantages in shading units, texture rate, FP32 compute, and DirectX feature level are consistent across the specification sheet. Any user prioritizing raw compute performance in OpenCL workloads should select the R8 M445DX.

The NVIDIA GeForce MX110 is not without merit, but its strengths are narrower. The dedicated GDDR5 memory with fixed bandwidth offers a specification advantage over system shared memory, and the newer Vulkan API version could be relevant for specific applications. The 30 W TDP is documented, which may matter in system design contexts where power limits are strictly managed. However, the MX110 does not win a single recorded benchmark against the R8 M445DX, and its compute resources are uniformly lower.

For users who value dedicated memory and a newer Vulkan implementation, the MX110 is the logical choice, provided the workload does not saturate shader throughput. For users who run OpenCL-heavy applications, games that leverage DirectX 12 feature level 12_0, or any task that scales with shading units and texture rate, the R8 M445DX is the better pick. The database records a 10% performance gap in the only direct comparison, and the specification differences align with that result. The verdict is straightforward: the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX is the faster part, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX110 offers specific memory and API advantages that may suit narrower use cases.