AMD Radeon R9 M290X vs NVIDIA Quadro M4000M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data contains a single direct comparison between the AMD Radeon R9 M290X and the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M, using the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark. In this test, the AMD Radeon R9 M290X scored 22,028 points, while the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M scored 19,989 points. The delta is 10.2% in favor of the AMD part, marking a clear victory in compute-oriented workloads measured through OpenCL.

This result aligns with the broader average benchmark scores for each GPU. The AMD Radeon R9 M290X holds an average benchmark score of 23,276 across all recorded tests, while the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M averages 20,480. That translates to a roughly 13.6% higher average score for the AMD card, though the head-to-head delta is slightly smaller at 10.2%. The difference between these two figures suggests that the AMD card’s advantage is consistent but not overwhelming in every possible workload.

The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M does have one additional benchmark result not shared by the AMD part: a Geekbench Vulkan score of 20,971. The AMD Radeon R9 M290X has no recorded Vulkan result in the database, so no direct comparison can be made in that API. Similarly, the AMD card has a Geekbench Metal score of 24,524, which the NVIDIA card does not have a recorded equivalent for. These platform-specific results hint at relative strengths, but they are not directly comparable due to missing counterpart scores.

Looking at the nearest rivals for each GPU provides useful context for interpreting these numbers. The AMD Radeon R9 M290X sits at the 68th percentile of all GPUs, with its closest competitors being the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (average score 23,273, delta 0%), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 (23,250, delta 0.1%), the NVIDIA P106-100 (23,249, delta 0.1%), and the AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 (23,315, delta -0.2%). These are all within a fraction of a percent of the R9 M290X, meaning the AMD card is firmly in a cluster of similarly performing mobile and workstation GPUs.

The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M sits at the 65th percentile, slightly lower than the AMD card. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (average score 20,534, delta -0.3%), the Intel Arc B570 (20,556, delta -0.4%), the Intel Arc A750 (20,582, delta -0.5%), and the AMD Radeon R9 M390X (20,662, delta -0.9%). The negative deltas indicate that the Quadro M4000M actually trails each of these rivals by small margins, placing it at the bottom of its nearest-rival cluster.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the measured benchmark data, the AMD Radeon R9 M290X is the stronger performer. It wins the only head-to-head comparison available, posting a 10.2% higher OpenCL score. Its average benchmark score across all tests is 23,276 versus 20,480 for the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M, a difference of about 13.6%. The AMD card also ranks higher in the overall GPU percentile distribution, at the 68th percentile versus the 65th percentile for NVIDIA.

For users prioritizing raw compute performance in OpenCL applications, the data clearly favors the AMD Radeon R9 M290X. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M does have a Vulkan score on record, but without a corresponding AMD Vulkan result, that cannot be used to justify selecting it over the AMD part. The Quadro’s nearest rivals all outperform it by 0.3% to 0.9%, while the R9 M290X either matches or slightly edges its nearest rivals. The AMD card is the better choice from a pure performance standpoint.

However, the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M is not without merit. Its 64 ROPs, higher pixel rate, and larger transistor count suggest architectural strengths that may matter in specific professional workloads, even if the recorded benchmarks do not capture those advantages. The data available, though, does not show any test where the Quadro wins, so a recommendation based on measurements must go to AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different manufacturers and use fundamentally different architectures. The AMD Radeon R9 M290X is built on GCN 1.0, a Graphics Core Next design from 2014, using the Neptune chip. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M uses Maxwell 2.0, a second-generation Maxwell design from 2015, built around the GM204 chip. Both are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, and both are fabricated at the same foundry.

The transistor counts differ substantially. The NVIDIA chip packs 5,200 million transistors on a 398 mm² die, while the AMD chip contains 2,800 million transistors on a 212 mm² die. The transistor density is nearly identical, at 13.1 million per mm² for NVIDIA and 13.2 million per mm² for AMD. The NVIDIA die is roughly 87% larger in area and carries about 86% more transistors, yet both are built on the same process node.

The rendering pipelines diverge in one notable area: ROP count. The AMD Radeon R9 M290X has 32 ROPs, while the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M has 64 ROPs, exactly double. This doubles the pixel fill rate, with the Quadro achieving 64.83 GPixel/s versus 28.80 GPixel/s for the AMD card. Texture rate also favors NVIDIA, at 81.04 GTexel/s versus 72.00 GTexel/s, despite both cards having 80 TMUs. Shading units are identical at 1,280 for both GPUs.

The API support differs as well. The AMD card supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The NVIDIA card supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The higher DirectX feature level and newer Vulkan version on the NVIDIA card indicate more modern API compliance, though the recorded benchmarks do not test these capabilities directly.

Specification Differences

The clock speeds differ between the two cards. The AMD Radeon R9 M290X runs at a base clock of 850 MHz and a boost clock of 900 MHz. The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M runs at 975 MHz base and 1013 MHz boost, making it about 14.7% faster at base and 12.6% faster at boost. Memory clocks also differ: the AMD card runs at 1200 MHz with 4.8 Gbps effective, while the NVIDIA card runs at 1253 MHz with 5 Gbps effective.

Memory configuration is similar but not identical. Both cards have 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus. The NVIDIA card achieves a bandwidth of 160.4 GB/s, while the AMD card reaches 153.6 GB/s, a difference of about 4.4% in favor of NVIDIA.

The compute throughput figures favor NVIDIA. The Quadro M4000M delivers 2.593 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the Radeon R9 M290X delivers 2.304 TFLOPS, a difference of about 12.5%. Neither card has recorded FP16 performance.

Both cards are rated at 100 W TDP and use MXM modules with no power connectors. Both use a PCIe 3.0 x16 bus interface, and both have display outputs described as portable device dependent. The release dates differ: the AMD card launched in January 2014, while the NVIDIA card launched in August 2015. Both are end-of-life products. The AMD card’s predecessor is listed as Solar System with a successor of Polaris Mobile, while the NVIDIA card’s predecessor is Quadro Kepler-M with a successor of Quadro Pascal-M.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M290X has an average benchmark score of 23,276, compared to 20,480 for the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M.

Q: What is the difference in the Geekbench OpenCL head-to-head test?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M290X scored 22,028, and the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M scored 19,989. The AMD card is ahead by 10.2%.

Q: Do both GPUs have the same amount of memory?

A: Yes, both have 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus. The NVIDIA card has slightly higher bandwidth at 160.4 GB/s versus 153.6 GB/s for AMD.

Q: How do the shading unit counts compare?

A: Both GPUs have exactly 1,280 shading units. They also both have 80 texture mapping units, but the NVIDIA card has 64 ROPs while the AMD card has 32.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M has a pixel rate of 64.83 GPixel/s, which is more than double the 28.80 GPixel/s of the AMD Radeon R9 M290X.

Q: What is the percentile ranking for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M290X is at the 68th percentile of all GPUs, while the NVIDIA Quadro M4000M is at the 65th percentile.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R9 M290X wins in the only direct benchmark comparison available. Its Geekbench OpenCL score is 10.2% higher than the NVIDIA card, and its average benchmark score is about 13.6% higher. It also ranks higher in the overall GPU percentile distribution. For compute-heavy tasks that rely on OpenCL, such as general-purpose GPU computing or certain scientific workloads, the data shows a clear AMD advantage.

The NVIDIA Quadro M4000M wins in several architectural categories that are not directly benchmarked. Its FP32 throughput is 12.5% higher at 2.593 TFLOPS versus 2.304 TFLOPS. Its pixel rate is more than double at 64.83 GPixel/s versus 28.80 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is about 12.6% higher at 81.04 GTexel/s. Its memory bandwidth is also higher at 160.4 GB/s versus 153.6 GB/s. The NVIDIA card also has a newer DirectX feature level (12_1 versus 11_1) and a newer Vulkan version (1.4 versus 1.2.170).

For users working with pixel-bound graphics pipelines, the Quadro M4000M’s 64 ROPs could provide a real advantage in fill-rate-limited scenarios. For users running compute workloads through OpenCL, the Radeon R9 M290X is the better choice based on measured results. The AMD card also has a Metal benchmark score of 24,524, which may be relevant for macOS or Metal-based applications, while the NVIDIA card has a Vulkan score of 20,971 for Vulkan-based workloads. Neither card has a direct counterpart score for the other’s unique benchmark, so those remain platform-specific data points rather than comparative ones.