AMD Radeon R9 M375X vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M Comparison

The AMD Radeon R9 M375X and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M represent two distinct approaches to mobile graphics from the same 28 nm era, yet their benchmark results tell a surprisingly one-sided story. The data shows a single head-to-head comparison where the AMD part decisively outperforms its larger, more complex NVIDIA rival, despite the latter carrying double the memory and a much wider bus. This matchup raises immediate questions about how architectural choices from 2014 and 2015 translate into real-world compute performance, and what the numbers mean for users navigating the end-of-life mobile GPU landscape.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is in Geekbench OpenCL, and the result is stark. The AMD Radeon R9 M375X scores 8273 points, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M trails at 5622 points. This yields a delta of 47.2% in favor of the AMD chip — a massive gap that defies expectations based on raw hardware specifications alone. The GTX 880M carries a 1536 shading units versus only 640 on the R9 M375X, yet it loses nearly half the race in this compute workload.

This outcome is particularly curious when examining the broader context. The R9 M375X sits at the 43rd percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 880M ranks just one point lower at the 42nd percentile. Their average benchmark scores — 8325 for AMD and 8040 for NVIDIA — are much closer than the OpenCL head-to-head suggests. The R9 M375X’s average score of 8325 places it just 0.7% above the NVIDIA Quadro K1200 (8265) and 1.2% below the GTX 675MX (8427). Meanwhile, the GTX 880M’s 8040 average puts it statistically tied with the Quadro P5000 (8039, 0% delta) and 0.2% below the GTX 650 Ti (8053).

The OpenCL result appears anomalous when stacked against these nearest-rival comparisons. A 47.2% lead in one test seems inconsistent with the overall percentile standings, where both GPUs occupy nearly the same tier. This suggests the GTX 880M’s OpenCL drivers or compute architecture underperform in this specific workload, while its Metal score of 10458 — a test the R9 M375X does not have — indicates stronger performance on Apple’s API. The data implies that benchmark choice dramatically affects the perceived winner, and users should weigh which workloads matter most.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Radeon R9 M375X uses the Tropo chip built on GCN 1.0 architecture, fabricated on TSMC’s 28 nm process with 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die. This yields a transistor density of 12.2 million transistors per square millimeter. In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M employs the GK104 chip based on Kepler architecture, also on 28 nm TSMC, but packs 3,540 million transistors across a much larger 294 mm² die — nearly 2.4 times the area. The transistor density is virtually identical at 12.0 million per square millimeter, showing both foundries hit similar packing limits on that node.

The core configurations diverge sharply. The R9 M375X features 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The GTX 880M more than doubles the shading units to 1536, triples the TMUs to 128, and doubles the ROPs to 32. Clock speeds are close: the AMD chip runs at 925 MHz base and 1015 MHz boost, while the NVIDIA part starts at 954 MHz and boosts to 993 MHz. The AMD chip actually has a slightly higher boost clock, but the NVIDIA part’s massive shader count should theoretically dominate compute throughput.

Memory configurations differ dramatically. The R9 M375X uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 72.00 GB/s bandwidth with memory clocked at 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective). The GTX 880M ships with 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, producing 160.0 GB/s bandwidth at 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective). The NVIDIA part has more than double the bandwidth and four times the capacity, which should help in texture-heavy or high-resolution scenarios. The R9 M375X supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the GTX 880M lists DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175 — a minor API version advantage for NVIDIA.

Where Each One Wins

Based strictly on the data, the AMD Radeon R9 M375X wins the only direct comparison: Geekbench OpenCL with a 47.2% margin. This suggests it is the superior choice for generic compute tasks that leverage OpenCL, such as video encoding, physics simulations, or scientific calculations. Its smaller die and lower transistor count also imply better thermal efficiency in mobile chassis, though the TDP for the AMD part is not listed in the data.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M wins no direct head-to-head test, but the data reveals strengths that the R9 M375X cannot match. Its Metal benchmark score of 10458 indicates strong performance on Apple platforms, and the 8 GB memory capacity paired with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth makes it objectively better suited for large datasets or high-resolution textures. The GTX 880M also has a listed TDP of 122 W, which, while high, is a concrete figure that suggests it draws more power than the unspecified R9 M375X — a tradeoff for its larger GPU.

The nearest-rival data adds nuance. The R9 M375X’s closest competitors are all within 1.6% in either direction, showing it sits in a dense performance cluster. The GTX 880M similarly ties with several desktop-class NVIDIA parts like the Quadro P5000 and GTX 650 Ti Boost. Neither GPU dominates its tier, but the AMD chip’s OpenCL victory is the single largest delta in any comparison, making it the clear winner for that specific workload.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has better OpenCL performance?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M375X scores 8273 in Geekbench OpenCL versus 5622 for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M, a 47.2% advantage for AMD.

Q: How much memory does each GPU have?

A: The R9 M375X has 2 GB of GDDR5, while the GTX 880M has 8 GB of GDDR5. The NVIDIA part also has a 256-bit bus versus 128-bit, yielding 160.0 GB/s versus 72.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the transistor counts and die sizes?

A: The R9 M375X has 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, while the GTX 880M has 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. Both use TSMC’s 28 nm process.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The GTX 880M has 1536 shading units, compared to 640 on the R9 M375X. The NVIDIA part also has 128 TMUs and 32 ROPs versus 40 and 16, respectively.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each GPU?

A: The R9 M375X averages 8325, placing it at the 43rd percentile. The GTX 880M averages 8040, at the 42nd percentile.

Q: Does the GTX 880M support any benchmark the R9 M375X does not?

A: Yes, the GTX 880M has a Geekbench Metal score of 10458. No Metal score is listed for the R9 M375X in the data.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon R9 M375X | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M |

|---|---|---|

| Chip | Tropo | GK104 |

| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Kepler |

| Transistors | 1,500 million | 3,540 million |

| Die Size | 123 mm² | 294 mm² |

| Base Clock | 925 MHz | 954 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1015 MHz | 993 MHz |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 8 GB |

| Memory Bus | 128 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 72.00 GB/s | 160.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 640 | 1536 |

| TMUs | 40 | 128 |

| ROPs | 16 | 32 |

| Pixel Rate | 16.24 GPixel/s | 31.78 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 40.60 GTexel/s | 127.1 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 1,299.2 GFLOPS | 3.050 TFLOPS |

| TDP | Not listed | 122 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | MXM-B (3.0) |

| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 12 (11_0) |

| Vulkan | 1.2.170 | 1.2.175 |

| Release Date | 2015-05-04 | 2014-03-11 |

| Predecessor | Solar System | GeForce 700M |

| Successor | Polaris Mobile | GeForce 900M |

The Verdict

The data points to a surprising conclusion: the AMD Radeon R9 M375X is the better choice for OpenCL compute workloads, beating the GTX 880M by 47.2% in the only direct benchmark available. Its smaller die, lower transistor count, and higher boost clock (1015 MHz versus 993 MHz) suggest it achieves this victory through efficiency rather than brute force. For users running OpenCL-based applications, the R9 M375X delivers nearly half again the performance of the NVIDIA part, making it the logical pick despite its smaller memory footprint.

However, the GTX 880M remains the stronger candidate for memory-intensive tasks. Its 8 GB capacity and 160.0 GB/s bandwidth are double the R9 M375X’s 2 GB and 72.00 GB/s, which could matter for large textures or multi-tasking. The NVIDIA part also shows a Metal score of 10458, indicating excellent performance on Apple platforms where the R9 M375X has no comparable data. Its higher theoretical FP32 (3.050 TFLOPS versus 1,299.2 GFLOPS) and greater shader count suggest untapped potential that the OpenCL test fails to expose.

The verdict hinges on workload. If the priority is raw OpenCL compute, the R9 M375X wins decisively. If the priority is memory capacity, bandwidth, or Metal compatibility, the GTX 880M is the safer bet. Both GPUs sit at nearly the same percentile (43rd versus 42nd), meaning neither offers a significant overall advantage in the broader GPU hierarchy. The R9 M375X’s aggregate score of 8325 versus 8040 gives it a slight edge in average performance, but the GTX 880M’s 122 W TDP — the only power figure listed — suggests it will demand more from a laptop’s cooling and battery. Based strictly on the data, the AMD chip wins the compute crown, while the NVIDIA part wins on memory and platform reach.