AMD Radeon Vega 8 vs NVIDIA GeForce MX330 Comparison

AMD Radeon Vega 8 and NVIDIA GeForce MX330 are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions, yet they represent two very different design philosophies: one is a system-on-chip integrated GPU, the other a discrete mobile part. Their head-to-head benchmark record is remarkably balanced, with each securing a single victory in the two tests where they share common ground. The data shows a clear split: AMD dominates one API workload, while NVIDIA counters in another, leaving the final choice heavily dependent on the specific software environment and the laptop's overall system design.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two GPUs faced off in two synthetic Geekbench workloads, and the results were polarizing. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the AMD Radeon Vega 8 posted a score of 8822, decisively beating the NVIDIA GeForce MX330's 7896. This represents a significant 11.7% advantage for the AMD part, suggesting a substantial lead in raw compute throughput under this particular API. The margin is large enough to be felt in general-purpose GPU compute tasks or OpenCL-accelerated applications, where the Vega 8's higher shading unit count appears to provide a tangible benefit.

However, the tables turned completely in the Geekbench Vulkan test. Here, the NVIDIA GeForce MX330 surged ahead with a score of 9019, while the AMD Radeon Vega 8 could only manage 8134. The deltaPct of -9.8% (from AMD's perspective) shows that NVIDIA won this round by a nearly ten-point margin. This is a notable reversal, as Vulkan is a modern, low-overhead API that often favors efficient driver implementations and architectural throughput. The MX330's Pascal architecture, with its higher clock speeds, proved more effective in this workload, overcoming the Vega 8's raw shader count advantage.

Looking at the broader benchmark landscape, the average scores reinforce this split. The AMD Radeon Vega 8 achieves an average benchmark score of 9221, placing it in the 45th percentile of all GPUs. In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce MX330's average score is 8458, which lands it in the 43rd percentile. The delta between their average scores is roughly 9%, mirroring the OpenCL result, but the Vulkan reversal shows that the MX330 is not simply a slower chip across the board. The data suggests a nuanced performance profile where the winner depends entirely on the API being used, with AMD strong in OpenCL and NVIDIA countering in Vulkan.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental architectural divide is evident from their specifications. The AMD Radeon Vega 8 is built on the GCN 5.0 architecture (chip: Raven) and represents the Vega IGP generation (Raven Ridge). It is manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries and integrates a massive 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. This large die is a system-on-chip design, meaning the GPU shares the package with the CPU and accesses system memory, which explains its System Shared memory configuration. Its compute configuration is robust: 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 8 render output units (ROPs). Clock speeds are relatively modest for a mobile part, with a 300 MHz base and 1100 MHz boost, reflecting its integrated nature and power constraints.

The NVIDIA GeForce MX330, conversely, is a discrete GPU based on the Pascal architecture (chip: GP108B), part of the GeForce MX (3xx) generation. It is also on a 14 nm process, but at Samsung's foundry, and uses far fewer resources: 1,800 million transistors on a much smaller 74 mm² die. Despite having fewer transistors, its density is slightly higher at 24.3M / mm² compared to AMD's 23.5M / mm². The MX330 relies on much higher clock speeds to compensate for its smaller size, with a 1531 MHz base and 1594 MHz boost clock—over 400 MHz higher than the Vega 8's boost. It features 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, but doubles the ROP count to 16. Crucially, it has its own dedicated memory: 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus, providing 56.06 GB/s of bandwidth, a stark contrast to the Vega 8's system-dependent bandwidth. The MX330 also connects via PCIe 3.0 x4, whereas the Vega 8 uses an IGP bus interface.

These architectural choices lead to different theoretical peak performances. The AMD Vega 8 achieves 1,126.4 GFLOPS of FP32 compute and 2.253 TFLOPS of FP16, while the MX330 offers 1,224.2 GFLOPS of FP32 but a paltry 19.13 GFLOPS of FP16 (at a 1:64 ratio). The MX330 counters with higher pixel rates (25.50 GPixel/s vs 8.800 GPixel/s) and texture rates (38.26 GTexel/s vs 35.20 GTexel/s). The power envelope also differs dramatically: the Vega 8 is rated at 25 W TDP, while the MX330 draws only 10 W, making the NVIDIA part significantly more power-efficient on paper. Both support DirectX 12 (12_1) and OpenGL 4.6, but the MX330 lists Vulkan 1.4 support compared to the Vega 8's Vulkan 1.3.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data points to distinct usage scenarios where each GPU excels. The AMD Radeon Vega 8 is the clear winner in OpenCL compute workloads. Its 11.7% lead in that test, combined with its superior FP16 throughput, suggests it is better suited for applications that leverage these capabilities, such as video encoding, image processing, or scientific computing tasks that use OpenCL. The higher shading unit count (512 vs 384) provides more parallel execution lanes, which is beneficial for these compute-heavy tasks. Its large average score of 9221 also places it closer to the performance of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, which scores 9273, a difference of only -0.6%, indicating that it can punch above its weight in certain aggregate metrics.

The NVIDIA GeForce MX330 wins decisively in Vulkan-based workloads. Its 9.8% advantage in the Vulkan test shows a stronger low-level API implementation, which is increasingly relevant for modern game engines and emulators. The higher boost clock of 1594 MHz and dedicated 56.06 GB/s of GDDR5 bandwidth give it a latency and throughput advantage that Pascal's architecture exploits well in Vulkan. Its superior pixel rate (25.50 GPixel/s) also indicates better fill-rate performance, which is crucial for resolution-heavy 2D workloads or games that rely on simple fragment shaders. The lower 10 W TDP also makes it a better candidate for thin-and-light laptops where thermal headroom is at a premium, allowing for more sustained performance in constrained chassis.

The Verdict

The choice between these two GPUs is not a matter of overall superiority, but rather one of matching the hardware to the software ecosystem. For users whose primary applications are built around OpenCL, such as certain Adobe Creative Cloud tools or compute-oriented utilities, the AMD Radeon Vega 8 is the stronger option. The data shows an 11.7% performance lead in that specific API, and its higher FP32 and FP16 throughput figures support its compute-oriented design. It also offers a higher percentile ranking (45th vs 43rd) and a better average benchmark score (9221 vs 8458), suggesting it is the more versatile performer in mixed workloads.

Conversely, for gamers or users who rely on Vulkan-based applications, the NVIDIA GeForce MX330 is the better choice. Its 9.8% victory in the Vulkan test is significant, and its dedicated memory and higher clock speeds provide a more consistent experience in these modern graphics APIs. The lower TDP also makes it more attractive for portable devices where battery life and thermals are critical. However, its 43rd percentile ranking and lower average score indicate that its strengths are narrowly focused. The user should prioritize the API they use most: OpenCL users go with AMD, Vulkan users go with NVIDIA. There is no universal winner in this matchup.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 has a higher average benchmark score of 9221, compared to the NVIDIA GeForce MX330's 8458.

Q: What is the performance difference in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 scores 8822 in OpenCL, which is 11.7% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce MX330's score of 7896.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in the Geekbench Vulkan test?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce MX330 wins the Vulkan test with a score of 9019, defeating the AMD Radeon Vega 8's 8134 by 9.8%.

Q: What are the memory configurations of each GPU?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce MX330 has 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus with 56.06 GB/s bandwidth, while the AMD Radeon Vega 8 uses System Shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor count?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 has 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX330 has 1,800 million transistors on a 74 mm² die.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 has a TDP of 25 W, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX330 is rated at a much lower 10 W.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon Vega 8 | NVIDIA GeForce MX330 |

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

| Architecture | GCN 5.0 | Pascal |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Samsung |

| Transistors | 4,940 million | 1,800 million |

| Die Size | 210 mm² | 74 mm² |

| Base Clock | 300 MHz | 1531 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1100 MHz | 1594 MHz |

| Memory Size | System Shared | 2 GB |

| Memory Type | System Shared | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | System Shared | 64 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | System Dependent | 56.06 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 512 | 384 |

| TMUs | 32 | 24 |

| ROPs | 8 | 16 |

| Pixel Rate | 8.800 GPixel/s | 25.50 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 35.20 GTexel/s | 38.26 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 1,126.4 GFLOPS | 1,224.2 GFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 2.253 TFLOPS (2:1) | 19.13 GFLOPS (1:64) |

| TDP | 25 W | 10 W |

| Bus Interface | IGP | PCIe 3.0 x4 |

| Vulkan Version | 1.3 | 1.4 |

| Release Date | 2018-02-11 | 2020-02-09 |