GPU Comparison

# NVIDIA GRID K2 vs AMD Radeon R5 M240: A Data-Driven Comparison

The database records two distinctly different mobile graphics solutions in the NVIDIA GRID K2 and the AMD Radeon R5 M240. The GRID K2 is a professional virtualization card built on NVIDIA's Kepler architecture, while the R5 M240 is AMD's entry-level mobile part based on the GCN 1.0 architecture. Benchmark results show a clear performance gap between them, but the data reveals a more nuanced story about where each part excels.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database is a Geekbench OpenCL test, and the results are decisive. The NVIDIA GRID K2 scores 10,602 points, while the AMD Radeon R5 M240 scores 6,975 points. That is a 52% advantage for the NVIDIA card, a substantial margin that places the GRID K2 in a different performance class for compute workloads.

Looking at the broader benchmark averages, the GRID K2 maintains a lead over its immediate rivals. Its average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 8,080. The nearest competitor in the database, the NVIDIA GeForce 945M, scores 8,099, a minuscule 0.2% difference. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost averages 8,067, again a 0.2% delta. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti scores 8,053, a 0.3% gap. These results show the GRID K2 is positioned within a tight cluster of mid-range NVIDIA parts.

The AMD Radeon R5 M240, on the other hand, shows a different profile. Its average benchmark score is 6,975. The closest recorded rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M at 6,946 (0.4% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M at 7,023 (a 0.7% delta), and the NVIDIA T600 at 7,035 (a 0.8% delta). The AMD part sits at the lower edge of this performance group, trailing the NVIDIA cards by a small but consistent margin.

Architecture Differences

The two parts come from different architectural schools. The NVIDIA GRID K2 uses the GK104 chip, NVIDIA's Kepler architecture, built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, for a transistor density of 12.0 million per mm². The AMD Radeon R5 M240, in contrast, uses the "Jet" chip, based on the older GCN 1.0 architecture, also at TSMC but on a 28 nm process. It contains 690 million transistors on a much smaller 56 mm² die, giving a density of 12.3 million per mm². Interestingly, the AMD chip achieves a slightly higher transistor density, but NVIDIA's much larger die allows for substantially more compute resources.

Memory configurations could not be more different. The NVIDIA card comes with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD Radeon has just 1024 MB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, with 14.40 GB/s of bandwidth. That is an 11x difference in memory bandwidth, an enormous gap that impacts memory-bound workloads.

The compute resources also differ dramatically. The NVIDIA GRID K2 has 1,536 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. It is capable of 2.29 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, 23.84 GPixel/s pixel fill, and 95.36 GTexel/s texture fill. The AMD Radeon R5 M240 has 320 shading units, 20 texture units, and 8 ROPs. It delivers 659.2 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, 8.24 GPixel/s pixel fill, and 20.60 GTexel/s texture fill. In every shading, texture, and pixel throughput category, the NVIDIA card holds a significant lead, often over 3-4x.

FAQ

Q: What APIs do these cards support?

A: The NVIDIA GRID K2 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The AMD Radeon R5 M240 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Q: What is the launch date and production status?

A: The NVIDIA GRID K2 was released on May 10, 2013, and is now marked as End-of-life. The AMD Radeon R5 M240 was released later, on September 17, 2014, and is also End-of-life. The GRID K2's predecessor was the Solar System, and its successor is the Polaris Mobile. The AMD card follows the "Gem System (R5 M200)" family.

Q: What are the power and interface requirements?

A: The NVIDIA GRID K2 is a dual-slot card using one 6-pin and one 8-pin power connector, with a recommended 550 W PSU. It uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface. The AMD Radeon R5 M240 uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface, and the database lists no power connector or PSU recommendation. The NVIDIA card has no display outputs, while the AMD card's outputs are not specified in the database.

Q: What are the recorded clock speeds?

A: The AMD Radeon R5 M240 has a base clock of 1000 MHz and a boost of 1030 MHz. The memory runs at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective). The NVIDIA GRID K2 database does not list a base or boost clock. Its memory clock is listed as 1250 MHz with 5 Gbps effective. The AMD card's clocks are modest, while the NVIDIA card's memory clock is significantly higher.

Specification Differences

The table below only lists the fields where the two parts differ:

| Field | NVIDIA GRID K2 | AMD Radeon R5 M240 |

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

| Chip | GK104 | Jet |

| Architecture | Kepler | GCN 1.0 |

| Transistors | 3.54 billion | 690 million |

| Die Size | 294 mm² | 56 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.0M / mm² | 12.3M / mm² |

| Memory | 4 GB GDDR5 | 1024 MB DDR3 |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 64 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 160.0 GB/s | 14.40 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1536 | 320 |

| TMUs | 128 | 20 |

| ROPs | 32 | 8 |

| Pixel Rate | 23.84 GPixel/s | 8.24 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 95.36 GTexel/s | 20.60 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 2.289 TFLOPS | 659.2 GFLOPS |

| Thermal/Power | 225 W | Not specified |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | Not specified |

| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin | Not specified |

| Recommended PSU | 550 W | Not specified |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| Release Date | 2013-05-10 | 2014-09-17 |

| Launch MSRP | 5,199 USD | None |

The Verdict

From the recorded data, the NVIDIA GRID K2 is the clear choice for users who prioritize raw compute performance. It wins the only head-to-head benchmark by 52%, and it dominates in every shading, texture, pixel fill, and memory bandwidth metric. Its 160.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and 2.289 TFLOPS of FP32 compute are in a different class than the AMD Radeon R5 M240, which offers 14.40 GB/s and 659.2 GFLOPS. The GRID K2 is also a generation ahead, supporting newer API revisions (DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.2.175) than the AMD part (DirectX 12 11_1, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.2.170).

The AMD Radeon R5 M240 does have one thing in its favor: a higher transistor density (12.3M/mm² vs 12.0M/mm²) and a more recent release date. But for anyone whose priority is processing, the database is clear: NVIDIA GRID K2 is the pick.

Where Each One Wins

Choose based on the benchmark results, not on paper specs.

Pick the NVIDIA GRID K2 if:

• Your workload is compute heavy or memory heavy. The head-to-head Geekbench OpenCL result is 52% faster, and the FP32, texture, pixel, and memory bandwidth advantages are all greater than 3x.
• You need large frame buffer memory: 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus is far beyond the 1 GB DDR3 on a 64-bit bus.
• You are running a vetted application or a game that can use the NVIDIA's superior OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.2.175, or DirectX 12 feature level 11_0.

Pick the AMD Radeon R5 M240 if:

• The absolute lowest transistor density is not a concern. It has a slightly higher transistor density (12.3M/mm² vs 12.0M/mm²), though it comes with far fewer total transistors (690M vs 3.54B).
• Your workload is primarily API compatibility, and you want the newer driver model (Vulkan 1.2.170 vs 1.2.175) and a more recent driver.
• You have a physical space or power constraint: no external power connectors are needed, and the card uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 slot instead of a dual-slot, 550W PSU PCIe 3.0 x16 card. The database does not list a TDP for the AMD card, while the GRID K2 is listed at 225 W.

In almost every measurable aspect, the GRID K2 is the superior part. The benchmark data is decisive.