AMD Radeon 550X vs Intel UHD Graphics 750 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly separates these two GPUs. The AMD Radeon 550X is the outright performance leader, winning both recorded head-to-head tests. Its average benchmark score of 8918 places it in the 45th percentile of all GPUs, while the Intel UHD Graphics 750 trails with an average of 7441, sitting in the 40th percentile. The verdict is straightforward: if the priority is raw compute performance in the recorded workloads, the Radeon 550X is the clear choice. The Intel UHD Graphics 750, being an integrated processor, is the only option for systems without a discrete graphics card slot, but it sacrifices significant performance. The data suggests the Radeon 550X is for users who need a tangible speed advantage, while the Intel UHD Graphics 750 is for those who require the simplicity of an integrated solution and can accept lower frame rates or compute scores.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from entirely different design philosophies. The AMD Radeon 550X is built on the GCN 4.0 architecture, using the Lexa chip, and is part of the Polaris (RX 500X) generation. It is manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with a die size of 103 mm² and a transistor count of 2,200 million, resulting in a transistor density of 21.4M per mm². In contrast, the Intel UHD Graphics 750 is based on the Generation 12.1 architecture, using the Rocket Lake chip, and belongs to the HD Graphics (Rocket Lake) generation. It is built on Intel's 14 nm+++ process, which is a more refined version of the same node, but its transistor count, die size, and transistor density are not recorded in the database.

The core configurations differ significantly. The Radeon 550X features 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 raster operation units. The Intel UHD Graphics 750 has half the shading units (256), half the TMUs (16), and half the ROPs (8). This structural advantage for the AMD part directly translates into its higher fill rates and compute throughput. The Radeon 550X also has dedicated GDDR5 memory with a 128-bit bus, while the Intel part uses system shared memory, making its bandwidth system dependent. The Radeon 550X supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, while the Intel part supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Intel part has a higher Vulkan API version, but the AMD part counters with a more mature and higher-performing Vulkan implementation in the recorded tests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data shows a decisive win for the AMD Radeon 550X in both tests. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the Radeon 550X scored 8866 compared to the Intel UHD Graphics 750's 6743, a delta of 31.5% in favor of the AMD part. This is a substantial margin, indicating that the Radeon 550X handles OpenCL compute workloads with far greater efficiency. In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the gap narrows but remains clear: the Radeon 550X scored 8970 against the Intel's 8138, a delta of 10.2%. The Intel part's Vulkan score is relatively stronger than its OpenCL score, but it still falls short.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this trend. The Radeon 550X has an average of 8918, while the Intel UHD Graphics 750 averages 7441, a difference of roughly 19.9%. The Radeon 550X also holds a better position relative to its nearest rivals. Its closest competitor, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100, has an average score of 8863, which is only 0.6% behind the 550X. The Radeon 550X is also 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon R9 M265X (8851) but 1.2% and 1.3% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 (9022) and NVIDIA TITAN V CEO Edition (9037), respectively. The Intel UHD Graphics 750's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon HD 8850M, scores 7447, which is 0.1% ahead of the Intel part. It is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon R7 350 (7425) but 0.4% and 1.4% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 (7472) and Intel Arc A310 (7550), respectively. This shows that while both GPUs are in the mid-to-low percentile range, the Radeon 550X is a more competitive performer within its peer group.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every hardware specification. The Radeon 550X is a discrete dual-slot card, measuring 145 mm or 5.7 inches in length, with no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 250 W. The Intel UHD Graphics 750 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP), with no dimensions recorded, no power connectors, and no suggested PSU. The Radeon 550X has a TDP of 50 W, while the Intel part has a TDP of 15 W, reflecting its integrated nature.

The clock speeds also differ. The Radeon 550X has a base clock of 1082 MHz and a boost clock of 1218 MHz, with memory clocked at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective). The Intel part has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 1300 MHz, with memory being system shared. The Radeon 550X has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory with a 128-bit bus and a bandwidth of 112.0 GB/s. The Intel part has no dedicated memory, using system shared memory with system dependent bandwidth. The Radeon 550X's bus interface is PCIe 3.0 x8, while the Intel part uses a Ring Bus. The display outputs are also different: the Radeon 550X offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the Intel part's outputs are motherboard dependent.

The compute rates are another major differentiator. The Radeon 550X achieves a pixel rate of 19.49 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 38.98 GTexel/s, while the Intel part achieves 10.40 GPixel/s and 20.80 GTexel/s, respectively. The FP32 performance is 1,247.2 GFLOPS for the AMD part, compared to 665.6 GFLOPS for the Intel part. The FP16 performance is interesting: the Radeon 550X delivers 1,247.2 GFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio, while the Intel part delivers 1,331.2 GFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, meaning the Intel part is actually ahead in raw FP16 throughput. The production status for both is end-of-life, with the Radeon 550X released on 2019-03-26 and the Intel part on 2021-03-29.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon 550X has an average benchmark score of 8918, which is significantly higher than the Intel UHD Graphics 750's average of 7441.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two in the head-to-head tests?

A: The largest gap is in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the AMD Radeon 550X scores 8866 against the Intel UHD Graphics 750's 6743, a delta of 31.5% in favor of the AMD part.

Q: Does the Intel UHD Graphics 750 have any advantage in compute throughput?

A: Yes, in FP16 compute, the Intel UHD Graphics 750 delivers 1,331.2 GFLOPS, which is higher than the AMD Radeon 550X's 1,247.2 GFLOPS. This is due to its 2:1 FP16 ratio, while the AMD part operates at a 1:1 ratio.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon 550X compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100?

A: The AMD Radeon 550X has an average score of 8918, which is 0.6% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100's average of 8863.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon 550X has a TDP of 50 W, while the Intel UHD Graphics 750 has a TDP of 15 W.

Q: Which GPU supports a higher Vulkan API version?

A: The Intel UHD Graphics 750 supports Vulkan 1.4, while the AMD Radeon 550X supports Vulkan 1.3.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon 550X is the winner in both recorded benchmark tests, making it the superior choice for compute-heavy workloads. It wins the Geekbench OpenCL test by 31.5%, which suggests a strong advantage in general-purpose GPU computing tasks such as video encoding, physics simulations, or any OpenCL-accelerated application. It also wins the Geekbench Vulkan test by 10.2%, indicating better performance in Vulkan-based games and graphics applications. The Radeon 550X's dedicated 2 GB of GDDR5 memory with 112.0 GB/s of bandwidth is a clear asset, as it does not rely on system memory and therefore avoids the bottleneck of system dependent bandwidth. Its higher pixel rate (19.49 GPixel/s) and texture rate (38.98 GTexel/s) also make it more capable in rasterization-heavy tasks.

The Intel UHD Graphics 750, while losing both head-to-head tests, has specific niches where it can be considered. Its FP16 performance is higher at 1,331.2 GFLOPS compared to the Radeon 550X's 1,247.2 GFLOPS, meaning it might be better suited for workloads that leverage half-precision arithmetic, such as certain machine learning inference tasks or image processing filters. Its lower TDP of 15 W makes it far more power-efficient, which is crucial for laptops or compact desktops where thermal and power limits are strict. Its integration into the CPU means there is no need for a separate card, reducing system complexity and physical space requirements. The Intel part also supports a newer Vulkan version (1.4 vs 1.3), which could offer more features for developers targeting that API, though the recorded performance still lags. For users with systems that lack a PCIe slot or have limited power delivery, the Intel UHD Graphics 750 is the only option, and its performance is acceptable for basic display output and light 2D workloads. The data does not show a scenario where the Intel part wins a benchmark, so the Radeon 550X is the definitive performance pick, while the Intel part is the pragmatic choice for integrated systems.