Intel UHD Graphics 730 vs NVIDIA GeForce 840M Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data presents a clear overall winner: the Intel UHD Graphics 730 takes both head-to-head benchmark rounds against the NVIDIA GeForce 840M, with a 3.9% lead in Geekbench OpenCL and a substantial 20.3% advantage in Geekbench Vulkan. However, the verdict is not simply a matter of which GPU is faster; it is a question of which workload profile matters more to the user, and the database shows that these two parts occupy surprisingly similar performance tiers despite their architectural differences.

For users running Vulkan-based applications, the Intel UHD Graphics 730 is the unambiguous choice. Its 5870 Vulkan score against the 840M's 4880 represents a 20.3% gap, which is the largest single benchmark delta between the two. For OpenCL workloads, the Intel part still leads, but by a much narrower 3.9% margin (5988 vs 5764). The data indicates that if a user's software stack is Vulkan-centric, the Intel solution is measurably better.

The NVIDIA GeForce 840M is not without its own rationale, though the benchmark data does not favor it. Its average benchmark score of 5322 sits below the Intel part's 5929, and its percentile rank of 31 versus 33 places it slightly lower in the overall GPU distribution. The 840M does have a dedicated 2 GB DDR3 memory pool with a 64-bit bus and 16.02 GB/s of bandwidth, which matters for frame buffer consistency, but the database does not show this translating into a benchmark victory. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 relies on system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, which is a different trade-off entirely. Users who need predictable, dedicated VRAM may still prefer the 840M, but the numbers say it is slower in both recorded tests.

From a production status perspective, both parts are end-of-life, with the Intel UHD Graphics 730 released in 2021-03-29T17:00:00.000Z and the GeForce 840M released in 2014-03-11T17:00:00.000Z. Neither is a current product, so the choice is limited to existing systems. The verdict is straightforward: the Intel UHD Graphics 730 wins on raw compute in both measured APIs, while the GeForce 840M offers dedicated memory and a different feature set but cannot match the Intel part's benchmark scores.

Where Each One Wins

The use-case split is defined entirely by the two benchmark tests in the database. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 wins both, but the magnitude of its wins tells a story. In Geekbench OpenCL, the Intel part scores 5988 versus 5764, a 3.9% edge. This is a close contest, suggesting that for general-purpose compute tasks using OpenCL, the two are nearly interchangeable in performance. In Geekbench Vulkan, the Intel part's 5870 versus 4880 is a 20.3% blowout, indicating a clear advantage in Vulkan-optimized rendering workloads.

The NVIDIA GeForce 840M does not win any recorded benchmark, but it has architectural attributes that could matter in specific scenarios. Its 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 memory with a 64-bit bus and 16.02 GB/s bandwidth means it does not compete with the CPU for system memory, which could reduce memory contention in portable devices. Its higher shading unit count (384 vs 192) and TMU count (16 vs 12) suggest a different compute layout, but these do not manifest as benchmark wins in the recorded data. The 840M's FP32 throughput of 863.2 GFLOPS is notably higher than the Intel part's 499.2 GFLOPS, yet the Intel part still wins both compute tests, which indicates that raw FP32 capability is not the sole determinant of these benchmark outcomes.

For users whose workloads are Vulkan-heavy, the Intel UHD Graphics 730 is the clear winner. For OpenCL workloads, the margin is slim enough that other system factors, such as CPU performance or memory configuration, could sway real-world results. The GeForce 840M's only conceptual win is the dedicated memory pool, which the database does not reward with any benchmark victory.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is substantial. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 is built on Intel's Generation 12.1 architecture using a 14 nm+++ process node at Intel's foundry, while the NVIDIA GeForce 840M uses the Maxwell architecture on TSMC's 28 nm process. The process node difference is significant: 14 nm+++ versus 28 nm, which indicates a newer manufacturing process for the Intel part.

The chip designs are fundamentally different. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 uses the Rocket Lake chip, while the 840M uses the GM108S chip. The 840M has 1,020 million transistors on a 77 mm² die with a transistor density of 13.2M per mm². The Intel part does not have recorded transistor or die size data in the database. The 840M's clock behavior is also distinct: its base clock is 1029 MHz with a boost of 1124 MHz, while the Intel part runs at a 300 MHz base and 1300 MHz boost. The Intel part's boost clock is higher, but its base clock is dramatically lower.

Memory architecture is a major differentiator. The 840M has 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus with 16.02 GB/s bandwidth and a memory clock of 1001 MHz (2 Gbps effective). The Intel UHD Graphics 730 uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, meaning its memory performance is entirely dependent on the host system's RAM configuration. This is a fundamental architectural split: dedicated VRAM versus shared memory.

The compute unit counts differ as well. The Intel part has 192 shading units, 12 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. The 840M has 384 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. The 840M's pixel rate is 8.992 GPixel/s and texture rate is 17.98 GTexel/s, while the Intel part achieves 10.40 GPixel/s and 15.60 GTexel/s respectively. The FP32 throughput is also different: 863.2 GFLOPS for the 840M versus 499.2 GFLOPS for the Intel part. The Intel part has FP16 capability at 998.4 GFLOPS (2:1), while the 840M has no recorded FP16 data. The bus interface differs too: the Intel part uses Ring Bus, while the 840M uses PCIe 3.0 x8. Power consumption is another split: the Intel part has a 15 W TDP, while the 840M is rated at 33 W.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 has an average benchmark score of 5929, while the NVIDIA GeForce 840M scores 5322. The Intel part also holds a higher percentile rank at 33 versus the 840M's 31.

Q: How large is the Vulkan performance gap between the two?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 scores 5870 in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 20.3% higher than the GeForce 840M's 4880. This is the largest delta in any recorded benchmark between the two.

Q: Does the GeForce 840M have more shading units?

A: Yes, the GeForce 840M has 384 shading units, which is double the Intel UHD Graphics 730's 192 shading units. Despite this, the Intel part wins both recorded benchmarks.

Q: What memory configurations do these GPUs use?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, while the GeForce 840M has 2 GB of dedicated DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus with 16.02 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the power consumption figures?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 has a TDP of 15 W, while the NVIDIA GeForce 840M has a TDP of 33 W.

Q: Which GPU has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 730 has a boost clock of 1300 MHz, which is higher than the GeForce 840M's 1124 MHz boost clock. The 840M's base clock of 1029 MHz is much higher than the Intel part's 300 MHz base.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows two benchmark tests, and the Intel UHD Graphics 730 wins both. The first test is Geekbench OpenCL, where the Intel part scores 5988 against the 840M's 5764. The delta is 3.9%, which is a modest but consistent lead. In this test, the Intel part's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 8730M at 5955 (-0.4% delta), the NVIDIA Quadro K620M at 5957 (-0.5%), the AMD Radeon HD 8750M at 5970 (-0.7%), and the NVIDIA Quadro K4000 at 5982 (-0.9%). The Intel part sits at the top of this cluster, just barely ahead of the Quadro K4000. The 840M, meanwhile, has nearest rivals like the NVIDIA GeForce 930A at 5317 (0.1% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M at 5308 (0.3%), the AMD Radeon R7 M445 at 5358 (-0.7%), and the NVIDIA GeForce 940M at 5284 (0.7%). The 840M's cluster is a full tier below the Intel part's cluster, with roughly 600 points separating the two groups.

The second test is Geekbench Vulkan, where the Intel UHD Graphics 730 scores 5870 versus the 840M's 4880. The delta is 20.3%, a much larger gap than in OpenCL. This test shows a clear separation: the Intel part's Vulkan implementation is significantly stronger relative to the 840M. The 840M's Vulkan score of 4880 is its weaker result in the database, while the Intel part's Vulkan score of 5870 is only slightly below its OpenCL score of 5988. This suggests the Intel architecture handles Vulkan workloads with greater efficiency.

The wins tally is 2 for the Intel UHD Graphics 730 and 0 for the NVIDIA GeForce 840M. The average benchmark score reinforces this: 5929 for the Intel part versus 5322 for the 840M, a difference of 607 points. The percentile ranks also align, with the Intel part at 33 and the 840M at 31. The data consistently places the Intel UHD Graphics 730 ahead of the GeForce 840M in compute performance, with the Vulkan test being the decisive differentiator.

Specification Differences

The specification differences between these two GPUs are extensive. The manufacturer differs: Intel versus NVIDIA. The chip is Rocket Lake for the Intel part and GM108S for the 840M. The architecture is Generation 12.1 for Intel and Maxwell for NVIDIA. The process node is 14 nm+++ for Intel and 28 nm for the 840M, with Intel using its own foundry and NVIDIA using TSMC. The 840M has recorded transistor count of 1,020 million, die size of 77 mm², and transistor density of 13.2M per mm²; the Intel part has no recorded values for these fields.

Clocks differ notably. The Intel part has a 300 MHz base and 1300 MHz boost, while the 840M has a 1029 MHz base and 1124 MHz boost. The 840M has a recorded memory clock of 1001 MHz (2 Gbps effective), while the Intel part's memory clock is listed as system shared. Memory configuration is a major split: the 840M has 2 GB DDR3 on a 64-bit bus with 16.02 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel part uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth.

Compute unit counts differ: the Intel part has 192 shading units, 12 TMUs, and 8 ROPs, while the 840M has 384 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. Pixel rates are 10.40 GPixel/s for Intel and 8.992 GPixel/s for the 840M. Texture rates are 15.60 GTexel/s for Intel and 17.98 GTexel/s for the 840M. FP32 performance is 499.2 GFLOPS for Intel and 863.2 GFLOPS for the 840M. The Intel part has FP16 at 998.4 GFLOPS (2:1), while the 840M has no recorded FP16 value.

TDP differs: 15 W for Intel versus 33 W for the 840M. The 840M lists power connectors as none, while the Intel part has no recorded power connector field. The bus interface is Ring Bus for Intel and PCIe 3.0 x8 for the 840M. Display outputs are motherboard dependent for Intel and portable device dependent for the 840M. DirectX support differs: Intel supports 12 (12_1) while the 840M supports 12 (11_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4. The release dates differ by years: 2021-03-29 for Intel and 2014-03-11 for the 840M. The 840M has a recorded predecessor (GeForce 700M) and successor (GeForce 900M), while the Intel part has neither recorded.