AMD Radeon 740M vs AMD Radeon Pro 555X Comparison

The AMD Radeon Pro 555X and AMD Radeon 740M are two very different integrated-class graphics solutions, separated by nearly six years of architectural evolution. The data shows a clear split: the older Pro 555X, built on GCN 4.0, dominates in OpenCL compute workloads, while the newer Radeon 740M, using RDNA 3.0, takes a decisive lead in Vulkan performance. The average benchmark scores are close—13,321 for the Pro 555X versus 12,870 for the 740M—but the character of that performance is entirely different, making the choice heavily dependent on the software you plan to run.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the AMD Radeon Pro 555X scores 12,628 against the 740M’s 10,172. That is a 24.1% advantage for the older card, a substantial margin that reflects the Pro 555X’s dedicated GDDR5 memory and its larger shading unit count. In this legacy compute API, the Pro 555X’s 768 shading units and 48 texture mapping units simply outmuscle the 740M’s 256 shading units and 16 TMUs. The Pro 555X wins this round by a wide margin, and this result aligns with its overall position in the database, where it sits at the 54th percentile of all GPUs.

However, the Vulkan results flip the script entirely. Here, the AMD Radeon 740M scores 15,568, a commanding 17.4% lead over the Pro 555X’s 12,855. This is not a marginal victory; it is a generational leap in efficiency and modern API utilization. The 740M’s RDNA 3.0 architecture, with its 4 dedicated ray tracing cores and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, allows it to far outperform the older GCN chip in this specific test. The 740M’s average benchmark score of 12,870 places it at the 53rd percentile, nearly matching the Pro 555X despite its much lower raw compute specifications.

The head-to-head record is exactly one win apiece, but the nature of those wins is telling. The Pro 555X’s OpenCL victory is a brute-force result from a larger chip with more dedicated resources, whereas the 740M’s Vulkan win demonstrates superior architectural efficiency. When comparing to their respective nearest rivals, the Pro 555X sits just 0.2% above the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480, while the 740M is a mere 0.2% ahead of the AMD FirePro W5100. These are tight clusters, but the 740M’s Vulkan score of 15,568 is the single highest individual benchmark result between the two cards, indicating that modern workloads favor it significantly.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 555X has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 13,321 compared to the Radeon 740M’s 12,870. This is a difference of roughly 3.5%, but it masks the fact that the 740M wins the Vulkan test by 17.4%.

Q: How do the two cards compare in terms of memory bandwidth?

A: The Pro 555X uses 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 94.08 GB/s of bandwidth. The 740M uses system shared memory, with bandwidth listed as "System Dependent," meaning its performance is tied to the host system’s RAM configuration.

Q: Is the Radeon 740M a better choice for modern games?

A: The benchmark data strongly suggests yes. The 740M’s Vulkan score of 15,568 is 17.4% higher than the Pro 555X’s 12,855. Additionally, the 740M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and has 4 ray tracing cores, while the Pro 555X only supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and has no ray tracing hardware.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The Radeon Pro 555X has a TDP of 75 W, while the Radeon 740M has a TDP of 45 W. This makes the 740M the more power-efficient option, which is significant for laptops and compact systems.

Q: Which card has better raw compute performance in FP32?

A: The Radeon 740M has a higher FP32 rating of 2.867 TFLOPS, compared to the Pro 555X’s 1,393.2 GFLOPS. The 740M has over twice the raw floating-point throughput, despite having fewer shading units.

Q: Are these cards from the same architectural generation?

A: No. The Pro 555X is based on GCN 4.0, released in 2018, while the 740M uses RDNA 3.0, released in 2024. They are separated by two major architecture generations, which explains their divergent performance profiles.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is vast. The AMD Radeon Pro 555X is built on the GCN 4.0 architecture, using a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 3,000 million transistors into a 123 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 24.4 million per square millimeter. This is a design from 2018, originally intended for professional Mac applications, and its architecture reflects that era’s priorities: many small cores working in parallel.

In contrast, the AMD Radeon 740M is a modern RDNA 3.0 part fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC. It contains 20,900 million transistors in a 137 mm² die, achieving a staggering 152.6 million transistors per square millimeter. This is over six times the density of the older chip, allowing for vastly more complex logic and specialized hardware in a similar physical footprint. The 740M’s architecture includes 4 dedicated ray tracing cores, a feature entirely absent from the Pro 555X.

The shading unit counts reflect this philosophical shift. The Pro 555X has 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, while the 740M has only 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. Despite having one-third the shading units, the 740M achieves higher FP32 throughput (2.867 TFLOPS vs 1,393.2 GFLOPS) and a higher pixel rate (22.40 GPixel/s vs 14.51 GPixel/s). This is the hallmark of RDNA’s wider, more efficient execution units. The 740M also supports newer API features, including DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, whereas the Pro 555X is limited to DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3.

Specification Differences

The two cards diverge on nearly every measurable specification. The process node is a major difference: 14 nm for the Pro 555X versus 4 nm for the 740M. Transistor count jumps from 3,000 million to 20,900 million, and transistor density from 24.4M/mm² to 152.6M/mm². The Pro 555X is built by GlobalFoundries, while the 740M uses TSMC.

Memory configurations are completely different. The Pro 555X has 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory with a 128-bit bus and 94.08 GB/s bandwidth. The 740M uses system shared memory with no fixed size, bus width, or bandwidth—all are listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent." Clock speeds also differ: the Pro 555X lists only memory clock at 1470 MHz (5.9 Gbps effective) with no base or boost figures, while the 740M has a base clock of 800 MHz and a boost clock of 2800 MHz.

Compute resources show the 740M’s efficiency advantage. The Pro 555X has 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, while the 740M has 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. The 740M adds 4 RT cores, which the Pro 555X lacks. Pixel rate is 14.51 GPixel/s for the Pro 555X versus 22.40 GPixel/s for the 740M. Texture rates are close (43.54 GTexel/s vs 44.80 GTexel/s), but FP32 output favors the 740M at 2.867 TFLOPS versus 1,393.2 GFLOPS. Power draw is another clear split: 75 W for the Pro 555X versus 45 W for the 740M. The Pro 555X uses PCIe 3.0 x8, while the 740M uses PCIe 4.0 x8. Display outputs are "Portable Device Dependent" for the Pro 555X and "Motherboard Dependent" for the 740M. The Pro 555X is end-of-life, released in 2018, while the 740M is active, released in 2024.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro 555X wins in OpenCL compute workloads. Its 24.1% lead in Geekbench OpenCL is its primary strength, and this is likely attributable to its dedicated 4 GB GDDR5 frame buffer and higher memory bandwidth. For users running legacy OpenCL applications, video encoding tasks, or professional compute tools that rely on this API, the Pro 555X is the better performer. It also holds a slight edge in overall average benchmark score (13,321 vs 12,870), which suggests it remains competitive in mixed workloads.

The AMD Radeon 740M wins decisively in Vulkan, with a 17.4% higher score. This is the more future-proof choice for gaming and modern graphics applications that leverage Vulkan’s low overhead. The 740M’s support for DirectX 12 Ultimate and its 4 ray tracing cores make it capable of handling newer rendering techniques that the Pro 555X cannot. Additionally, the 740M’s lower 45 W TDP makes it a better fit for thin-and-light laptops where power efficiency is paramount. Its higher FP32 throughput (2.867 TFLOPS) and pixel rate (22.40 GPixel/s) also indicate better raw performance in modern shader-heavy workloads.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear generational choice. The AMD Radeon Pro 555X is the pick for users heavily invested in OpenCL-based software, where its 24.1% performance advantage is decisive. It also has the benefit of dedicated memory, which can be an advantage in certain professional applications. However, its end-of-life status and older GCN architecture limit its appeal for anything modern.

The AMD Radeon 740M is the better choice for most users today. Its Vulkan performance is dramatically better, and its support for DirectX 12 Ultimate and ray tracing makes it far more capable for current and upcoming games. The 45 W TDP is a significant advantage for portable devices, and the higher transistor density and FP32 throughput indicate a more efficient, modern design. While its average benchmark score is slightly lower, the 17.4% Vulkan lead is more relevant for contemporary software. If you are building a new system or buying a new laptop, the 740M is the sensible choice. If you are stuck with the Pro 555X in an older Mac, it remains serviceable for OpenCL tasks but will struggle in modern Vulkan-based titles.