AMD Radeon R9 M360 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M and AMD Radeon R9 M360 are two mobile graphics processors from the same era, both targeting the mainstream laptop segment. The benchmark data shows a near-perfect stalemate in overall average score, with the GTX 950M at 8135 and the R9 M360 at 8129, a difference of just 0.1%. However, this aggregate parity masks a complete divergence in workload-specific performance, where each card claims a decisive victory in one of the two tested disciplines.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The GeForce GTX 950M wins the Geekbench OpenCL test decisively, posting a score of 9745 against the Radeon R9 M360’s 8211. This represents an 18.7% advantage for the NVIDIA part, a substantial margin that indicates a clear edge in compute-heavy, general-purpose GPU workloads. The data suggests that the GTX 950M’s Maxwell architecture is significantly more efficient at translating its raw resources into OpenCL performance, despite having a lower memory bandwidth figure of 28.80 GB/s compared to the R9 M360’s 72.00 GB/s.

The AMD Radeon R9 M360 strikes back in the Geekbench Vulkan test, where it scores 8047 against the GTX 950M’s 6525. This is an 18.9% lead for the AMD part, a mirror-image reversal of the OpenCL result. The Vulkan API, which allows for lower-level hardware access, appears to favor the R9 M360’s GCN 1.0 architecture. This is a significant finding, as it demonstrates that the two cards are not simply faster or slower than one another, but rather that their performance hierarchy flips entirely depending on the software interface being used.

Looking at the broader competitive landscape, both cards sit in the 42nd percentile of all GPUs, indicating they are mid-range performers. The GTX 950M’s nearest rival is the R9 M360 itself, with a deltaPct of 0.1%, meaning the two are statistically tied. The next closest rival for the GTX 950M is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980, which scores 8167, a -0.4% difference. The R9 M360’s nearest rival list includes the same set of cards, with the GTX 950M leading at -0.1% delta. This cluster of scores, ranging from 8080 for the NVIDIA GRID K2 to 8167 for the GTX 980, shows that all four GPUs are within a 1.1% performance band of each other in average benchmark score, making the choice between them highly workload-dependent.

Where Each One Wins

The GeForce GTX 950M is the clear winner for tasks that utilize the OpenCL framework. This API is commonly used in content creation applications, video editing software, and scientific computing, where the 18.7% performance advantage would translate into noticeably faster rendering or processing times. The GTX 950M’s higher shading unit count of 640, compared to the R9 M360’s 512, likely contributes to this OpenCL dominance, as does its higher base and boost clocks of 993 MHz and 1124 MHz, respectively.

The Radeon R9 M360 takes the crown for Vulkan-based workloads. Vulkan is a modern graphics API used in many newer game titles and emulators, and the R9 M360’s 18.9% lead here is just as substantial as the GTX 950M’s OpenCL advantage. The R9 M360’s GDDR5 memory, operating at 4.5 Gbps effective and delivering 72.00 GB/s of bandwidth, is a significant asset in this scenario, providing over twice the bandwidth of the GTX 950M’s DDR3 memory. This suggests that for gaming scenarios using Vulkan, the R9 M360 would provide a smoother experience with higher frame rates.

In terms of raw theoretical throughput, the GTX 950M leads in several key metrics. It has a pixel rate of 17.98 GPixel/s versus the R9 M360’s 14.80 GPixel/s, a texture rate of 44.96 GTexel/s versus 29.60 GTexel/s, and FP32 performance of 1,438.7 GFLOPS versus 947.2 GFLOPS. These numbers all point to the NVIDIA card having a higher theoretical compute ceiling. However, the R9 M360’s victory in Vulkan shows that theoretical specifications do not always dictate real-world API-specific performance, and the AMD card’s memory subsystem is a critical differentiator.

The Verdict

The choice between these two GPUs is not about which is universally better, but rather which API the user prioritizes. The data indicates a perfect split, with each card winning exactly one of the two benchmark tests. For users whose primary applications leverage OpenCL, such as Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or various 3D rendering tools, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M is the superior choice. Its 18.7% OpenCL lead is decisive, and its higher compute rates in pixel fill, texture fill, and FP32 operations provide a solid foundation for these tasks.

Conversely, for users focused on modern gaming or applications that utilize the Vulkan API, the AMD Radeon R9 M360 is the better option. Its 18.9% Vulkan performance advantage is equally decisive, and its high-bandwidth GDDR5 memory is a key asset for pushing pixels in real-time 3D applications. The R9 M360’s support for Vulkan 1.2.170, compared to the GTX 950M’s 1.4, is a minor specification difference, but the actual benchmark result shows AMD has optimized its hardware better for this specific workload.

The overall average benchmark scores are a tie for all practical purposes, with a 0.1% difference that is within the margin of error. Therefore, the deciding factor must be the specific software environment. A user who primarily plays Vulkan-based games should choose the R9 M360, while a user who does GPU-accelerated compute work in OpenCL should choose the GTX 950M. The data does not support a universal recommendation, as each card is the clear winner in its respective domain. The GTX 950M offers higher raw compute throughput and OpenCL strength, while the R9 M360 offers superior memory bandwidth and Vulkan performance.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M has an average benchmark score of 8135, while the AMD Radeon R9 M360 scores 8129. The difference is 0.1%, making them effectively equal in overall performance.

Q: Which GPU performs better in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M wins the OpenCL test with a score of 9745, which is 18.7% higher than the AMD Radeon R9 M360’s score of 8211.

Q: Which GPU performs better in the Geekbench Vulkan test?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M360 wins the Vulkan test with a score of 8047, which is 18.9% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M’s score of 6525.

Q: How many benchmark wins does each GPU have?

A: Each GPU has exactly one win. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M wins the OpenCL test, and the AMD Radeon R9 M360 wins the Vulkan test, resulting in a 1-1 tie.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth between the two GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M360 has a memory bandwidth of 72.00 GB/s, which is significantly higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M’s 28.80 GB/s. The R9 M360 uses GDDR5 memory, while the GTX 950M uses DDR3.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor count?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M has 1,870 million transistors, while the AMD Radeon R9 M360 has 1,500 million transistors. The GTX 950M also has a larger die size of 148 mm² compared to the R9 M360’s 123 mm².

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures from their respective manufacturers. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M is based on the Maxwell architecture, specifically the GM107 chip, and belongs to the GeForce 900M generation. It is fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 148 mm² and 1,870 million transistors. The AMD Radeon R9 M360, in contrast, uses the GCN 1.0 architecture with the Tropo chip, and is part of the Gem System (R9 M300) generation. It is also on a 28 nm TSMC process but has a smaller die at 123 mm² and fewer transistors at 1,500 million. The transistor density is similar, with the GTX 950M at 12.6M / mm² and the R9 M360 at 12.2M / mm².

The internal compute layout differs significantly. The GTX 950M has 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 raster operation pipelines. The R9 M360 has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. This gives the NVIDIA card a theoretical advantage in pixel rate (17.98 GPixel/s vs 14.80 GPixel/s), texture rate (44.96 GTexel/s vs 29.60 GTexel/s), and FP32 compute (1,438.7 GFLOPS vs 947.2 GFLOPS). The R9 M360 counters with its memory subsystem, using faster GDDR5 memory that delivers 72.00 GB/s of bandwidth, compared to the GTX 950M’s DDR3 at 28.80 GB/s.

Both GPUs support DirectX 12, but with different feature levels. The GTX 950M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), while the R9 M360 supports DirectX 12 (11_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6. For Vulkan, the GTX 950M supports version 1.4, while the R9 M360 supports 1.2.170. The bus interface also differs, with the GTX 950M using PCIe 3.0 x8 and the R9 M360 using PCIe 3.0 x16. The GTX 950M has a TDP of 75 W and is listed as an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with no power connectors, while the R9 M360’s TDP and power connector specifications are not listed.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets reveal several key differences between the two mobile GPUs. The most significant divergence is in memory technology and bandwidth. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M uses 4 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, achieving 28.80 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD Radeon R9 M360 also has 4 GB of memory, but it uses GDDR5 on the same 128-bit bus, resulting in 72.00 GB/s bandwidth, which is 2.5 times higher.

Clock speeds also differ. The GTX 950M has a base clock of 993 MHz and a boost clock of 1124 MHz. The R9 M360 has a lower base clock of 900 MHz and a boost clock of 925 MHz. The memory clock is listed as 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) for the GTX 950M, while the R9 M360’s memory runs at 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective).

The compute unit counts are different, as noted: the GTX 950M has 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, while the R9 M360 has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The bus interface is another difference, with the GTX 950M using PCIe 3.0 x8 and the R9 M360 using PCIe 3.0 x16. The GTX 950M is specified with a TDP of 75 W and a slot width of IGP, while these fields are null for the R9 M360. The GTX 950M’s display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," while the R9 M360’s are null. Both GPUs are end-of-life products, with the GTX 950M released on 2015-03-12 and the R9 M360 on 2015-05-04. The GTX 950M’s predecessor is the GeForce 800M and its successor is the GeForce 10 Mobile, while the R9 M360’s predecessor is the Solar System and its successor is the Polaris Mobile.