AMD Radeon 680M vs AMD Radeon RX 9060 Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is decisively faster than the AMD Radeon 680M across every shared benchmark, with the data showing a commanding lead in raw compute and modern graphics workloads. In the three head-to-head tests, the RX 9060 wins all three, with the largest margin being an 778.8% advantage in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test (3322 vs 378). The 680M, an integrated graphics processor, is not in the same performance class, though its average benchmark score of 15270 places it far closer to the RX 9060’s 16014 average than the head-to-head deltas suggest, indicating the 680M’s strength lies in its efficiency and integration rather than peak performance.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The RX 9060 dominates the 680M in every measurable comparison, but the magnitude of the victory varies significantly by workload. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, which stresses modern DirectX 12 rendering, the RX 9060 scores 3322 against the 680M’s 378, a delta of 778.8%. This is the single largest gap between the two, highlighting how the RX 9060’s dedicated hardware handles contemporary graphics APIs with far greater throughput than the 680M’s integrated solution.

In compute-oriented tests, the RX 9060 also wins decisively but with a smaller relative margin. The Geekbench OpenCL score shows the RX 9060 at 88183 versus 23468 for the 680M, a 275.8% advantage. This indicates that while the 680M can perform general-purpose compute tasks, its 3.379 TFLOPS FP32 throughput is dwarfed by the RX 9060’s 21.43 TFLOPS. The Vulkan test narrows the gap further: the RX 9060 scores 39476, and the 680M scores 21965, a 79.7% lead for the RX 9060. Vulkan’s lower overhead helps the 680M close some distance, but the RX 9060 still holds a substantial edge.

The 680M’s average benchmark score of 15270 is surprisingly close to the RX 9060’s 16014, but this is misleading. The 680M’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (avg score 15290, delta -0.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (avg score 15199, delta 0.5%), showing it competes with older discrete GPUs in aggregate scoring. However, the head-to-head tests reveal the 680M’s weakness in sustained, modern workloads, where the RX 9060’s dedicated memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s and 8 GB GDDR6 provide a critical advantage over the 680M’s system-shared memory.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 9060 wins every benchmark category present in the data, making it the clear choice for any scenario requiring maximum graphics performance. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3322 positions it as a dedicated gaming and rendering card, while its PassMark G3D score of 17631 and PassMark GPU Compute score of 9919 further cement its place as a high-throughput device. The RX 9060’s percentile of 59 among all GPUs, combined with an average score of 16014, puts it in the upper-midrange of discrete graphics, trading blows with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (avg score 16129, delta -0.7%) and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (avg score 15852, delta 1%).

The 680M wins in the context of its design goals, though not in raw performance. As an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a 50 W TDP, it offers a low-power solution for portable devices, which the RX 9060’s 132 W TDP and dual-slot design cannot match. The 680M’s 57th percentile ranking and average score of 15270 indicate that, despite being integrated, it performs admirably in aggregate benchmarks, with nearest rivals including the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (avg score 15283, delta -0.1%) and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 (avg score 15171, delta 0.7%). For users constrained by power and space, the 680M’s 50 W TDP and IGP form factor are its primary victories, but for anyone seeking frame rates or compute throughput, the RX 9060 is the only option.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent different generations of AMD’s RDNA architecture, with the RX 9060 using the newer RDNA 4.0 and the 680M using RDNA 2.0. The RX 9060 is built on TSMC’s 4 nm process node, while the 680M uses a 6 nm node, giving the RX 9060 a significant transistor density advantage: 149.2M / mm² versus 63.0M / mm². The RX 9060’s die size is 199 mm² with 29,700 million transistors, whereas the 680M’s die is slightly larger at 208 mm² but houses only 13,100 million transistors. This architectural gap explains the RX 9060’s superior performance per clock and overall throughput.

The RX 9060 features 1792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, compared to the 680M’s 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Ray tracing hardware also differs: the RX 9060 has 28 RT cores, while the 680M has 12. The RX 9060’s pixel rate of 191.4 GPixel/s and texture rate of 334.9 GTexel/s dwarf the 680M’s 70.40 GPixel/s and 105.6 GTexel/s, respectively. FP16 performance is also asymmetric: the RX 9060 delivers 21.43 TFLOPS at a 1:1 ratio, while the 680M offers 6.758 TFLOPS at a 2:1 ratio, indicating the RX 9060 can handle FP16 workloads at full speed whereas the 680M halves its throughput.

The RX 9060 is part of the Navi IV (RX 9000) generation with the Navi 44 chip and Strix Point codename, while the 680M uses the Rembrandt+ chip in the Navi II IGP (Rembrandt Mobile) generation. The 680M’s predecessor is Vega II IGP, and its successor is Navi III IGP, showing a clear lineage of integrated graphics. The RX 9060’s predecessor is Navi III, and it has no successor listed. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, but the RX 9060’s RDNA 4.0 architecture is designed for discrete card performance, while the 680M’s RDNA 2.0 is optimized for power efficiency in mobile contexts.

Specification Differences

The most glaring specification difference is memory. The RX 9060 uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The 680M relies on system-shared memory, with its bandwidth listed as "System Dependent," making it impossible to quantify but clearly inferior for dedicated graphics workloads. The RX 9060’s memory clock is 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective), while the 680M has no dedicated memory clock. Base clocks also differ: the RX 9060 runs at 1700 MHz base and 2990 MHz boost, with a 2400 MHz game clock, while the 680M runs at 2000 MHz base and 2200 MHz boost. Despite the 680M’s higher base clock, the RX 9060’s boost clock is substantially higher, allowing it to reach peak performance when needed.

Power requirements separate the two fundamentally. The RX 9060 has a 132 W TDP, requires a 1x 8-pin power connector, and suggests a 300 W PSU, whereas the 680M has a 50 W TDP, uses no power connectors, and has no suggested PSU. The RX 9060 is a dual-slot card with PCIe 5.0 x16 interface and display outputs of 1x HDMI 2.1b and 2x DisplayPort 2.1a. The 680M is an IGP with PCIe 4.0 x8 interface and display outputs that are "Portable Device Dependent," reflecting its mobile integration. The RX 9060 was released on 2025-08-04, while the 680M was released on 2023-01-02, showing roughly two and a half years of architectural advancement between them.

The RX 9060’s FP32 throughput of 21.43 TFLOPS is over six times the 680M’s 3.379 TFLOPS, and its transistor count of 29,700 million is more than double the 680M’s 13,100 million. The RX 9060’s 59th percentile among all GPUs is only marginally higher than the 680M’s 57th, but this reflects the 680M’s strong showing in aggregate benchmarks relative to its integrated nature, not a close performance parity.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9060 has an average benchmark score of 16014, while the AMD Radeon 680M scores 15270, giving the RX 9060 a 744-point lead on average.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two in a single test?

A: In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the RX 9060 scores 3322 versus the 680M’s 378, a delta of 778.8%, which is the largest margin of any shared benchmark.

Q: How do the two compare in ray tracing hardware?

A: The RX 9060 has 28 RT cores, whereas the 680M has 12 RT cores, indicating the RX 9060 has more than double the ray tracing capability.

Q: What are the power consumption figures for each?

A: The RX 9060 has a TDP of 132 W, while the 680M has a TDP of 50 W, making the 680M significantly more power-efficient.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same DirectX version?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), along with OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: What is the memory configuration of the 680M?

A: The 680M uses system-shared memory with no dedicated VRAM, and its bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent," whereas the RX 9060 has 8 GB of GDDR6 with 288.0 GB/s bandwidth.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the superior performer in every benchmark category, and users seeking dedicated graphics power should choose it without hesitation. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad score of 3322 is 778.8% higher than the 680M’s 378, and its Geekbench OpenCL score of 88183 is 275.8% higher. The RX 9060’s 21.43 TFLOPS FP32 performance, 8 GB GDDR6 memory, and 28 RT cores make it a discrete card capable of competing with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (avg score 16129, delta -0.7%) and AMD Radeon RX 7700 (avg score 15852, delta 1%).

The AMD Radeon 680M, however, is not without its place. As an integrated GPU with a 50 W TDP, it offers a compelling package for portable devices where power consumption and physical space are paramount. Its average benchmark score of 15270 and 57th percentile ranking show it performs competitively against older discrete GPUs like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (avg score 15283, delta -0.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (avg score 15290, delta -0.1%), making it a capable solution for light gaming and everyday compute tasks in a mobile form factor.

The choice between the two ultimately depends on the use case. For desktop users who need maximum performance, the RX 9060 is the only viable option, offering superior compute, graphics, and memory bandwidth. For laptop or compact system builders who prioritize efficiency and integration, the 680M’s 50 W TDP and IGP design are unmatched by the RX 9060’s 132 W TDP and dual-slot footprint. Neither GPU is a substitute for the other; they serve entirely different segments of the market, and the benchmark data confirms the RX 9060 is the clear winner in raw performance, while the 680M wins on power efficiency and portability.