AMD Radeon 680M vs AMD Radeon RX 570X Comparison

# AMD Radeon 680M vs AMD Radeon RX 570X

The AMD Radeon 680M is an integrated graphics processor built on TSMC's 6 nm process, while the AMD Radeon RX 570X is a dedicated dual-slot card from 2018 using GlobalFoundries' 14 nm node. The data shows a single head-to-head benchmark, with the RX 570X winning decisively in OpenCL compute, yet the 680M holds a higher average benchmark score overall. This creates an interesting split: the older discrete card wins raw compute throughput, but the modern IGP posts a better aggregate score across all tested workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 570X wins the only direct head-to-head comparison available: Geekbench OpenCL. Its score of 38939 beats the 680M's 23468 by 39.7%. That is a substantial margin in compute-heavy workloads. The RX 570X also brings dedicated GDDR5 memory with 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which matters for texture streaming and large datasets.

The 680M, despite losing the OpenCL test, has the higher average benchmark score across all tests: 15270 versus 13871 for the RX 570X, a difference of roughly 10%. The 680M also sits at the 57th percentile among all GPUs, while the RX 570X sits at the 55th. This suggests the 680M performs better in a broader range of applications, even if it lags in pure compute.

The 680M's wins come from its modern feature set. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the RX 570X only supports DirectX 12 (12_0). It also supports Vulkan 1.4 versus 1.3. The 680M has hardware ray tracing cores (12 of them), which the RX 570X lacks entirely. For gaming workloads that leverage these features, the 680M has a clear advantage that raw compute numbers do not capture.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is generational. The 680M uses RDNA 2.0 architecture on a 6 nm process, while the RX 570X uses GCN 4.0 on 14 nm. The transistor counts reflect this: the 680M packs 13,100 million transistors into a 208 mm² die, giving a density of 63.0M transistors per mm². The RX 570X has 5,700 million transistors on a larger 232 mm² die, yielding only 24.6M per mm². The 680M achieves more than double the transistor density on a smaller die.

Clock speeds tell a similar story. The 680M runs at a 2000 MHz base and 2200 MHz boost. The RX 570X runs at 1168 MHz base and 1244 MHz boost. The 680M's clocks are nearly double the RX 570X's, which explains how a chip with 768 shading units can compete in aggregate scoring against one with 2048 shading units.

The memory subsystems are fundamentally different. The 680M uses system-shared memory, so its bandwidth is "System Dependent" and its bus width is shared. The RX 570X has 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 224.0 GB/s dedicated bandwidth. This gives the RX 570X a massive advantage in memory-bound scenarios.

Power consumption reflects the form factor difference. The 680M is an IGP with a 50 W TDP and no power connectors. The RX 570X is a dual-slot card with a 150 W TDP, one 6-pin connector, and a suggested 450 W power supply. The 680M delivers competitive performance at one-third the power draw.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon 680M leads with an average benchmark score of 15270, compared to 13871 for the AMD Radeon RX 570X. The 680M also holds a higher percentile ranking at 57 versus 55.

Q: How much faster is the RX 570X in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The RX 570X scores 38939 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the 680M scores 23468. This gives the RX 570X a 39.7% advantage in that specific benchmark.

Q: Does the 680M support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the 680M includes 12 ray tracing cores as part of its RDNA 2.0 architecture. The RX 570X has no ray tracing cores at all.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The 680M is an integrated processor with a 50 W TDP and no power connectors. The RX 570X is a dual-slot card with a 150 W TDP, requiring one 6-pin power connector and a suggested 450 W power supply.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The RX 570X has 2048 shading units, while the 680M has 768. Despite having fewer shading units, the 680M achieves a higher average benchmark score due to its much higher clock speeds.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The RX 570X has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth. The 680M uses system-shared memory, so its capacity, bus width, and bandwidth are all dependent on the host system.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear use-case split. For raw compute throughput, the RX 570X is the winner. Its OpenCL score is nearly 40% higher, and its dedicated memory subsystem provides consistent bandwidth that an IGP cannot match. Users running compute workloads that rely on OpenCL will see a significant performance advantage with the RX 570X.

For modern gaming and feature-rich applications, the 680M is the better choice. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4, includes ray tracing hardware, and achieves a higher average benchmark score across all tested workloads. Its 50 W TDP also makes it far more power-efficient than the 150 W RX 570X.

The RX 570X is end-of-life, while the 680M is active production. The 680M also has a newer generation classification (Navi II IGP versus Polaris) and a successor already designated. For anyone building a new system, the 680M's modern feature set and higher aggregate performance make it the more future-proof option. The RX 570X remains relevant only for specific compute tasks where its OpenCL throughput is the priority.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon 680M | AMD Radeon RX 570X |

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

| Architecture | RDNA 2.0 | GCN 4.0 |

| Process Node | 6 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | GlobalFoundries |

| Transistors | 13,100 million | 5,700 million |

| Die Size | 208 mm² | 232 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 63.0M / mm² | 24.6M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 2000 MHz | 1168 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2200 MHz | 1244 MHz |

| Memory Size | System Shared | 8 GB |

| Memory Type | System Shared | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus | System Shared | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | System Dependent | 224.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 768 | 2048 |

| TMUs | 48 | 128 |

| ROPs | 32 | 32 |

| Ray Tracing Cores | 12 | None |

| Pixel Rate | 70.40 GPixel/s | 39.81 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 105.6 GTexel/s | 159.2 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 3.379 TFLOPS | 5.095 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 6.758 TFLOPS (2:1) | 5.095 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 50 W | 150 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | None | 450 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x8 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| DirectX Support | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (12_0) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.3 |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2023-01-02 | 2018-04-10 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and it is a decisive win for the RX 570X. The RX 570X scores 38939, while the 680M scores 23468. That is a 39.7% delta in favor of the RX 570X, a massive margin that reflects the fundamental differences in memory architecture and shading unit count.

The RX 570X's 2048 shading units and 224.0 GB/s dedicated bandwidth give it a structural advantage in compute tasks. Its 5.095 TFLOPS FP32 performance is 50% higher than the 680M's 3.379 TFLOPS. The texture rate also favors the RX 570X: 159.2 GTexel/s versus 105.6 GTexel/s.

However, the 680M wins in pixel rate, posting 70.40 GPixel/s versus 39.81 GPixel/s for the RX 570X. This is despite having the same 32 ROPs, meaning the 680M's much higher clock speeds are doing the heavy lifting. The 680M also doubles the FP16 performance at 6.758 TFLOPS, while the RX 570X offers only 5.095 TFLOPS in both FP16 and FP32.

The average benchmark scores tell a different story than the single OpenCL test. The 680M's 15270 average beats the RX 570X's 13871 by about 10%. The 680M's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (delta of -0.1%) and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 (delta of 0.7%), placing it in surprisingly fast company for an integrated GPU. The RX 570X's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 660M (delta of 0.4%) and the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile (delta of 0.4%), showing it trades blows with mobile-class hardware.

The data suggests that the RX 570X is a compute specialist, while the 680M is a generalist that excels in modern, feature-rich workloads. The OpenCL loss for the 680M is significant, but it is offset by wins in pixel processing, FP16 throughput, and overall benchmark consistency. For users who need OpenCL compute, the RX 570X is the clear pick. For everyone else, the 680M's higher average score and modern feature set make it the more versatile choice.