AMD Radeon 540 vs Intel UHD Graphics 750 Comparison

AMD Radeon 540 and Intel UHD Graphics 750 are both end-of-life graphics solutions, but they target fundamentally different segments: one is a discrete entry-level card, the other an integrated processor graphics unit. The benchmark data shows a split decision, with the AMD card winning decisively in Vulkan workloads while the Intel silicon takes the OpenCL crown. Their average benchmark scores are remarkably close, with the Radeon 540 averaging 7673 against the UHD 750’s 7441, a gap of just over 3%. Both sit in the lower quartile of all GPUs, with the Radeon at the 41st percentile and the Intel at the 40th, indicating they are both firmly entry-level performers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two benchmarks in the data paint contrasting pictures of these GPUs. In Geekbench Vulkan, the AMD Radeon 540 posts a score of 9162, which is 12.6% higher than the Intel UHD Graphics 750’s 8138. This is a substantial margin for integrated graphics to overcome, and it suggests the Radeon’s dedicated memory and higher raw compute throughput give it a clear edge in this API. The Vulkan result is the Radeon’s strongest showing, and it aligns with its higher FP32 throughput of 908.5 GFLOPS compared to the Intel’s 665.6 GFLOPS.

However, the situation reverses in Geekbench OpenCL. Here, the Intel UHD Graphics 750 scores 6743, outperforming the Radeon 540’s 6184 by 8.3%. This is a notable upset, as the discrete card has a dedicated 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory and a 32-bit bus, while the Intel solution uses System Shared memory with bandwidth that is System Dependent. The OpenCL result suggests that Intel’s Generation 12.1 architecture is better optimized for this particular workload, despite having fewer shading units (256 vs. 384) and lower pixel and texture rates.

Looking at the wider competitive landscape, the Radeon 540’s average score of 7673 places it just 0.6% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (7723), a much more powerful card in most gaming scenarios. It also edges out the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 by 1.2% and the AMD Radeon R7 250 by 1.5%. The Intel UHD Graphics 750, with an average of 7441, is nearly tied with the AMD Radeon HD 8850M (7447, -0.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 (7472, -0.4%). Interestingly, both GPUs are within 1.6% of the Intel Arc A310, which scores 7550.

Architecture Differences

The architectural chasm between these two is wide. The AMD Radeon 540 is built on the Lexa chip using the GCN 4.0 architecture, part of the Polaris (RX 500) generation. It is fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with 2,200 million transistors packed into a 103 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 21.4M per mm². In contrast, the Intel UHD Graphics 750 uses the Rocket Lake chip with Generation 12.1 architecture, part of the HD Graphics (Rocket Lake) generation. It is built on Intel’s 14 nm+++ process, though its transistor count and die size are not specified in the data.

Memory configurations are entirely different. The Radeon 540 has a dedicated 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 32-bit bus, delivering 24.00 GB/s of bandwidth at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective). The Intel UHD Graphics 750 relies on System Shared memory, meaning its bandwidth is System Dependent and its bus width is also System Shared. This fundamentally changes how each GPU accesses data, with the discrete card having a fixed, dedicated pool versus the integrated solution sharing system RAM.

Compute resources also differ significantly. The Radeon 540 has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, while the Intel UHD 750 has 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. This gives the AMD card higher pixel rates (18.93 GPixel/s vs. 10.40 GPixel/s) and texture rates (28.39 GTexel/s vs. 20.80 GTexel/s). In FP32 compute, the Radeon leads again at 908.5 GFLOPS versus 665.6 GFLOPS. However, in FP16, the Intel GPU flips the script with 1,331.2 GFLOPS (at a 2:1 ratio) compared to the Radeon’s 908.5 GFLOPS (at a 1:1 ratio).

Clock speeds show the Intel part boosting to 1300 MHz from a 300 MHz base, while the Radeon’s base and boost clocks are not listed. Power consumption heavily favors the integrated part, with the UHD 750 rated at 15 W TDP versus the Radeon’s 50 W TDP. The Radeon is a single-slot card with no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the Intel is an IGP with no slot width or power connector requirements. API support shows the Intel part supporting DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the Radeon supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

The Verdict

The data points to a nuanced choice. For users prioritizing Vulkan performance, the AMD Radeon 540 is the clear winner, offering a 12.6% advantage in that specific benchmark. Its dedicated GDDR5 memory and higher texture and pixel rates also make it the stronger candidate for tasks that rely on those fixed-function units. The Radeon’s average score of 7673 is also higher, and it sits at a slightly better 41st percentile versus the Intel’s 40th.

However, the Intel UHD Graphics 750 wins the OpenCL benchmark by 8.3%, and its FP16 performance is nearly double that of the Radeon (1,331.2 GFLOPS vs. 908.5 GFLOPS). For workloads that leverage OpenCL or half-precision math, the Intel part is the better choice. Its 15 W TDP is also a fraction of the Radeon’s 50 W, making it far more power-efficient and suitable for systems without a discrete GPU slot. The Intel part also supports a newer DirectX feature level (12_1 vs. 12_0) and a newer Vulkan version (1.4 vs. 1.3).

Strictly from the data, the Radeon 540 is the better overall performer in raw average score and Vulkan, while the UHD 750 is the better choice for OpenCL workloads, FP16 compute, and power-constrained builds. Neither GPU is a gaming powerhouse, as both sit below the 50th percentile of all GPUs. The decision ultimately hinges on which API and workload profile matters more to the user.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon 540 has a higher average benchmark score of 7673, compared to the Intel UHD Graphics 750’s 7441, a difference of about 3.1%.

Q: What is the performance difference in Geekbench Vulkan?

A: The AMD Radeon 540 scores 9162 in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 12.6% higher than the Intel UHD Graphics 750’s score of 8138.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 750 wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 6743, outperforming the AMD Radeon 540’s 6184 by 8.3%.

Q: What are the memory specifications for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon 540 has 1024 MB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 32-bit bus with 24.00 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel UHD Graphics 750 uses System Shared memory with System Dependent bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The AMD Radeon 540 has higher FP32 performance at 908.5 GFLOPS, while the Intel UHD Graphics 750 delivers 665.6 GFLOPS.

Q: What is the TDP of each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon 540 has a TDP of 50 W, while the Intel UHD Graphics 750 has a much lower TDP of 15 W.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon 540 wins in scenarios that demand raw rasterization throughput and dedicated memory bandwidth. Its 12.6% Vulkan lead, higher pixel rate (18.93 GPixel/s vs. 10.40 GPixel/s), and higher texture rate (28.39 GTexel/s vs. 20.80 GTexel/s) make it the better choice for games or applications that use Vulkan and benefit from those fixed-function units. The dedicated GDDR5 memory also avoids the performance variability of shared system memory. Its higher average score (7673 vs. 7441) and better percentile ranking (41st vs. 40th) reinforce its position as the stronger overall compute device.

The Intel UHD Graphics 750 wins in OpenCL-based workloads and power-sensitive environments. Its 8.3% OpenCL advantage and FP16 throughput of 1,331.2 GFLOPS (versus the Radeon’s 908.5) make it suitable for compute tasks that leverage half-precision or OpenCL optimizations. The 15 W TDP is a massive advantage for laptops or low-power desktops, eliminating the need for a discrete card and its associated 250 W suggested PSU. It also supports Vulkan 1.4 and DirectX 12 (12_1), offering newer API feature levels than the Radeon’s Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_0). For users with existing Rocket Lake systems, the IGP is a zero-cost option that requires no additional hardware.