GPU Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4010 are separated by over a decade of architecture, yet the data reveals a nuanced comparison, not a simple generational blowout. The GT 730M, a Kepler-era mobile chip, posts a higher average benchmark score than the RTX 4010 in the available tests, but the RTX 4010’s single test is a far more demanding workload. The benchmark results indicate that while the older card wins on raw aggregate numbers, the newer card is in a different performance class for modern rendering tasks.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The direct comparison is complicated by the fact that the two GPUs have no overlapping benchmark tests in the data. The GT 730M has scores for Geekbench OpenCL (3107) and Geekbench Vulkan (3524), resulting in an average benchmark score of 3316. The RTX 4010 has a single score for 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 (2893), which is its sole recorded benchmark. This means the avgBenchmarkScore field, which is often used for direct comparison, shows the GT 730M at 3316 versus the RTX 4010 at 2893. That is a 14.6% advantage for the GT 730M, but this is misleading.

The GT 730M’s average is buoyed by its Geekbench Vulkan score of 3524, which is its strongest result. The RTX 4010’s 2893 score comes from the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, a modern, DirectX 12-based workload that stresses features the GT 730M simply does not have. The data shows the GT 730M’s percentile ranking is 20, while the RTX 4010 sits at 18. This close percentile placement suggests that in the broader database context, both are near the bottom of performance charts, but their nearest rivals tell different stories.

The RTX 4010’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB (avgScore 2907, deltaPct -0.5) and the RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB (avgScore 2913, deltaPct -0.7). This is a critical insight: the RTX 4010 is being compared against high-end desktop cards, and its score is within 1% of them. The GT 730M, by contrast, is rivaled by integrated graphics like the Intel HD Graphics 530 (avgScore 3332, deltaPct -0.5) and the Intel HD Graphics P4600 (avgScore 3389, deltaPct -2.2). The GT 730M is trading blows with iGPUs, while the RTX 4010 is in the same bracket as premium discrete GPUs, despite its lower absolute score. The deltaPct values confirm this: the GT 730M is 0.9% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 920M, while the RTX 4010 is only 0.5% behind the RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB.

Where Each One Wins

The GT 730M wins in the aggregate benchmark average. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 3107 and Vulkan score of 3524 show it can handle compute and graphics API workloads from its era. For legacy applications, DX11-era games, and basic GPU compute tasks, the data suggests the GT 730M is the more proven performer, as its scores are consistent across two different test suites. It is also 3.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 in the rivals list, indicating it held its own against older desktop parts.

The RTX 4010 wins in the modern workload that matters most: DirectX 12 Ultimate. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 2893 is a standalone figure, but it places the card within 1% of the RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB and the RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB. This is a massive win for the RTX 4010 in terms of architectural relevance. The data shows the RTX 4010 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the GT 730M only supports DirectX 12 (11_0). This means the RTX 4010 is the only one of the two that can run games and applications built for the latest DirectX feature set. The RTX 4010 also has dedicated ray tracing cores (6) and tensor cores (24), which the GT 730M lacks entirely. For any workload that uses ray tracing, DLSS, or AI-accelerated features, the RTX 4010 is the clear winner, as the GT 730M cannot execute those tasks at all.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide is stark. The GT 730M uses the GK107 chip, built on the Kepler architecture, and manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 1,270 million transistors into a 118 mm² die, giving it a transistor density of 10.8M / mm². The RTX 4010 uses the GA107 chip, built on the Ampere architecture, and manufactured on an 8 nm process at Samsung. It houses 8,700 million transistors on a 200 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 43.5M / mm². This represents a 4x increase in transistor density, enabling the RTX 4010 to fit vastly more complex logic into a similar physical footprint.

The shader configuration differs fundamentally. The GT 730M has 384 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The RTX 4010 has 768 shading units (double), but only 24 TMUs and 16 ROPs. The GT 730M has a higher texture rate (23.20 GTexel/s) relative to its pixel rate (5.800 GPixel/s), while the RTX 4010 has a much higher pixel rate (28.19 GPixel/s) and texture rate (42.29 GTexel/s). The RTX 4010 also introduces specialized hardware: 6 RT cores and 24 tensor cores, which are entirely absent from the GT 730M. The FP32 compute performance is a clear indicator of the generational gap: the GT 730M delivers 556.8 GFLOPS, while the RTX 4010 delivers 2.706 TFLOPS, a 4.86x improvement. The RTX 4010 also offers FP16 performance at a 1:1 ratio (2.706 TFLOPS), while the GT 730M has no recorded FP16 capability.

Specification Differences

The specifications where the two GPUs diverge are numerous. The memory subsystem is the most obvious difference. The GT 730M uses 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 28.80 GB/s. The RTX 4010 uses 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit bus, but achieves a bandwidth of 96.00 GB/s due to the much higher memory clock (1500 MHz / 12 Gbps effective vs. 900 MHz / 1800 Mbps effective). The RTX 4010 has 3.33x the memory bandwidth of the GT 730M.

Clock speeds show the RTX 4010’s advantage. The GT 730M runs at a base and boost clock of 725 MHz. The RTX 4010 has a base clock of 1417 MHz and a boost clock of 1762 MHz. The power envelope is also different: the GT 730M has a TDP of 33 W, while the RTX 4010 has a TDP of 50 W. The RTX 4010 is a single-slot card with a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the GT 730M is an MXM Module with no power connectors. The bus interface differs as well: the GT 730M uses PCIe 3.0 x16, while the RTX 4010 uses PCIe 4.0 x8. The RTX 4010 also supports Vulkan 1.4, whereas the GT 730M supports Vulkan 1.2.175. The GT 730M’s display outputs are "Portable Device Dependent," while the RTX 4010 has 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a. The RTX 4010 is 163 mm long and 69 mm high, while the GT 730M has no recorded dimensions. Finally, the GT 730M is End-of-life, released on 2013-01-19, while the RTX 4010 is Active, released on 2024-04-15.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M has an average benchmark score of 3316, which is higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4010’s average of 2893.

Q: Does the RTX 4010 support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the RTX 4010 has 6 dedicated RT cores, while the GT 730M has none.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The RTX 4010 has a memory bandwidth of 96.00 GB/s, which is significantly higher than the GT 730M’s 28.80 GB/s.

Q: Which card is closer to the RTX 4060 Ti in performance?

A: The RTX 4010 is within 0.5% of the RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB and 0.7% of the RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB in average score, according to the nearest rivals data.

Q: What is the DirectX support level for each?

A: The GT 730M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), while the RTX 4010 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2).

Q: Which GPU has a higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The RTX 4010 delivers 2.706 TFLOPS, which is almost 5 times the GT 730M’s 556.8 GFLOPS.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture for two distinct use cases. For users running legacy software, older DirectX 11 titles, or basic compute tasks, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M is the safer bet based on its higher aggregate benchmark scores and its proven compatibility with Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan workloads. Its 3.3% lead over the GT 640 suggests it was a competent performer in its era.

For anyone building a system for modern gaming, content creation, or AI-adjacent workloads, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4010 is the only rational choice. Despite the lower average score, its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result places it within 1% of the RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB and RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB, which are far more powerful cards on paper. The RTX 4010’s support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, ray tracing, and tensor cores makes it architecturally capable of tasks the GT 730M cannot even attempt. The 4.86x advantage in FP32 compute and 3.33x advantage in memory bandwidth further solidify its position. The GT 730M is an end-of-life product from 2013; the RTX 4010 is an active product from 2024. The verdict is straightforward: the GT 730M wins the aggregate score war, but the RTX 4010 wins the performance war where it counts.