AMD Radeon Vega 3 vs NVIDIA GeForce 930M Comparison

The GeForce 930M and Radeon Vega 3 are both end-of-life integrated and entry-level mobile graphics solutions, but they represent fundamentally different approaches to the same problem. The NVIDIA part is a discrete-class IGP from the Maxwell era, while the AMD part is a modern IGP built into a Picasso APU. Benchmark data shows they are incredibly close in overall performance, with the 930M holding a slight edge in average score, but the nature of their wins tells a more nuanced story about which tasks each handles best.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two GPUs split their head-to-head benchmark wins evenly, with each taking one test by a significant margin. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the NVIDIA GeForce 930M delivers a decisive victory, scoring 5046 against the Radeon Vega 3's 3963. That is a 27.3% advantage for the 930M, a substantial gap that indicates a clear edge in compute workloads that leverage OpenCL. This is the 930M's strongest showing, and it aligns with its dedicated memory and higher raw shading power.

The AMD Radeon Vega 3 counters in the Geekbench Vulkan test, scoring 3961 against the 930M's 3729. While the delta is smaller—a 5.9% win for AMD—it is still a meaningful reversal. This result suggests that the Vega 3's architecture handles Vulkan's modern API overhead more efficiently than the older Maxwell design. The fact that the Vega 3 nearly matches its OpenCL score in Vulkan, while the 930M drops significantly from 5046 to 3729, highlights a key behavioral difference: the NVIDIA part is highly optimized for OpenCL but struggles relatively in Vulkan, whereas the AMD part shows more consistent performance across both APIs.

Looking at the wider benchmark landscape, the overall averages reinforce how close these two are. The GeForce 930M has an average benchmark score of 4388, placing it in the 26th percentile of all GPUs. The Radeon Vega 3's average is 4268, which puts it in the 25th percentile. The 120-point difference between them is less than 3%, meaning that in typical mixed workloads, users would be hard-pressed to notice a difference. The nearest rival data for the 930M shows it trading blows with the GeForce GT 645M (4411, -0.5% delta) and the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 (4360, +0.7% delta), while the Vega 3 sits alongside the GeForce GTX 460M (4282, -0.3% delta) and the FirePro W2100 (4295, -0.6% delta). Both GPUs are effectively in the same performance tier, but they achieve that tier through very different architectural strengths.

Where Each One Wins

The GeForce 930M is the clear winner for OpenCL-accelerated compute tasks. Its 27.3% lead in Geekbench OpenCL is the single largest performance gap in this comparison, making it the better choice for any application that relies heavily on that API for general-purpose GPU computing. This could include older professional applications, certain physics simulations, or media encoding tools that are optimized for NVIDIA's OpenCL implementation. The 930M's dedicated 2 GB of DDR3 memory also gives it a structural advantage in these workloads, as it does not have to contend with system memory bandwidth contention.

The Radeon Vega 3, by contrast, takes the Vulkan crown. Its 5.9% win in that test suggests it is better suited for modern game engines and applications that have moved to Vulkan as their primary graphics API. Vulkan's lower overhead and better multi-threading characteristics play to the Vega 3's strengths, likely because its GCN 5.0 architecture was designed with these modern API paradigms in mind. For users playing recent titles or using Vulkan-based emulators, the Vega 3 will provide a smoother experience. It also offers a higher boost clock of 1100 MHz compared to the 930M's fixed 549 MHz, which helps it in bursty, latency-sensitive workloads.

In terms of raw throughput metrics, the two are nearly identical, with the 930M posting a texture rate of 13.18 GTexel/s and the Vega 3 at 13.20 GTexel/s. Pixel rates are similarly matched at 4.392 GPixel/s and 4.400 GPixel/s, respectively. This means that for simple fill-rate-bound scenarios, neither has a material advantage. The real differentiator in the data is API preference: NVIDIA leads OpenCL, AMD leads Vulkan.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is vast, reflecting their different release eras. The GeForce 930M is built on NVIDIA's Maxwell architecture using the GM108S chip, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 1,020 million transistors into a 77 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 13.2M per mm². The Vega 3 uses AMD's GCN 5.0 architecture with the Picasso chip, built on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. This chip is massive by comparison, containing 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, with a density of 23.5M per mm². The newer process node gives AMD a significant manufacturing advantage, allowing nearly five times the transistor count in less than three times the die area.

The compute layout is where NVIDIA's design philosophy shows. The 930M has 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. The Vega 3, despite its larger chip, has only 192 shading units, 12 TMUs, and 4 ROPs. This means NVIDIA has exactly double the shader cores and TMUs, yet the overall performance is similar. This is because the Vega 3 compensates with a much higher boost clock of 1100 MHz versus the 930M's static 549 MHz. The Vega 3's FP32 throughput is 422.4 GFLOPS, marginally ahead of the 930M's 421.6 GFLOPS, showing that AMD's fewer, faster cores match NVIDIA's more numerous, slower cores.

Memory architecture is completely different. The 930M uses a dedicated 2 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, delivering 12.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The Vega 3 uses system shared memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This is a critical distinction: the 930M has guaranteed dedicated bandwidth, while the Vega 3's performance will vary based on the system's RAM configuration. The Vega 3 also supports FP16 at 844.8 GFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, a capability the 930M lacks entirely. API support differs as well, with the Vega 3 supporting DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3, while the 930M is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.4.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce 930M has a higher average benchmark score of 4388, compared to the AMD Radeon Vega 3's 4268. This places the 930M in the 26th percentile of all GPUs, one point higher than the Vega 3's 25th percentile.

Q: How big is the performance gap in OpenCL workloads?

A: The GeForce 930M leads decisively in Geekbench OpenCL, scoring 5046 against the Vega 3's 3963. This represents a 27.3% advantage for the NVIDIA part, making it the largest performance delta in this comparison.

Q: Does the Radeon Vega 3 win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the Vega 3 wins the Geekbench Vulkan test with a score of 3961, defeating the 930M's 3729. The 5.9% margin shows AMD's advantage in modern API efficiency.

Q: What is the transistor count difference between the two?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 3's Picasso chip contains 4,940 million transistors, while the NVIDIA GeForce 930M's GM108S chip has 1,020 million. The Vega 3's chip is built on a 12 nm process, versus the 930M's 28 nm process.

Q: How do their memory systems differ?

A: The GeForce 930M has 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, providing 12.80 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon Vega 3 uses system shared memory, with its bandwidth being system dependent.

Q: Which GPU supports newer API features?

A: The Radeon Vega 3 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the GeForce 930M is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0). The Vega 3 also supports FP16 compute at 844.8 GFLOPS, a feature the 930M does not offer.

The Verdict

The data points to a split decision based on workload. For users prioritizing OpenCL compute performance, the NVIDIA GeForce 930M is the clear choice, holding a 27.3% advantage in that specific benchmark. Its dedicated 2 GB of memory also provides a consistent performance baseline that is not dependent on system RAM. The 930M's higher average score of 4388 makes it the safer pick for general purpose use, especially in older applications that rely on OpenCL.

For users focused on modern gaming or Vulkan-based applications, the AMD Radeon Vega 3 is the better option. Its 5.9% win in Geekbench Vulkan indicates better compatibility with current graphics APIs, and its support for DirectX 12 (12_1) means it can handle newer game features that the 930M cannot. The Vega 3's higher boost clock of 1100 MHz also gives it an edge in latency-sensitive scenarios.

The overall percentile rankings are nearly identical—26th for the 930M and 25th for the Vega 3—meaning neither will provide a transformative gaming experience. However, the choice between them should be dictated by the software environment. If the software stack is OpenCL-heavy, the 930M wins decisively. If it is Vulkan-heavy, the Vega 3 takes the lead. Given that the Vega 3 is part of an APU, it also carries the advantage of a newer platform with more modern CPU cores, which can indirectly benefit GPU performance in real-world scenarios. The 930M, as a standalone IGP, is more limited by its older Maxwell architecture and fixed clock speed.

Specification Differences

| Field | NVIDIA GeForce 930M | AMD Radeon Vega 3 |

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

| Architecture | Maxwell | GCN 5.0 |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 12 nm |

| Chip | GM108S | Picasso |

| Transistors | 1,020 million | 4,940 million |

| Die Size | 77 mm² | 210 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 13.2M / mm² | 23.5M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 549 MHz | 300 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 549 MHz | 1100 MHz |

| Shading Units | 384 | 192 |

| TMUs | 24 | 12 |

| ROPs | 8 | 4 |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | System Shared |

| Memory Type | DDR3 | System Shared |

| Memory Bus Width | 64 bit | System Shared |

| Memory Bandwidth | 12.80 GB/s | System Dependent |

| FP16 Performance | None | 844.8 GFLOPS (2:1) |

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

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.3 |

| TDP | 33 W | 15 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x8 | IGP |