AMD Radeon 740M vs AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT and the AMD Radeon 740M occupy different ends of the graphics spectrum, yet the recorded data shows they are closer in overall standing than their architectures suggest. The RX 5500 XT, a discrete desktop part from the Radeon RX 5000 series, holds an average benchmark score of 14692 and sits in the 57th percentile among all GPUs. The Radeon 740M, an integrated graphics processor from the Phoenix2 chip, averages 12870 and lands in the 53rd percentile. The delta between them is meaningful, but the 740M’s position relative to its nearest rivals indicates it is not a trivial performer. The head-to-head results are one-sided, with the RX 5500 XT winning both recorded tests, but the nature of those wins and the underlying specifications tell a more nuanced story about where each part belongs.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains two direct comparisons between these GPUs, and the RX 5500 XT dominates both. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RX 5500 XT scores 46965 against the 740M’s 10172. That is a delta of 361.7%, meaning the discrete card delivers more than four and a half times the compute performance in this workload. This is not a marginal gap; it reflects a fundamental difference in raw throughput. The RX 5500 XT’s FP32 output is 5.196 TFLOPS, while the 740M manages 2.867 TFLOPS. The OpenCL benchmark appears to stress this peak compute capability, and the RX 5500 XT’s lead is overwhelming.

The second test, Geekbench Vulkan, shows a smaller but still decisive margin. The RX 5500 XT scores 44191, while the 740M scores 15568. The delta here is 183.9%. Vulkan is a lower-level API that can expose efficiency differences, and the RX 5500 XT still nearly triples the 740M’s result. This suggests the discrete card’s advantages extend beyond raw shader count into memory bandwidth and caching. The RX 5500 XT has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The 740M relies on system shared memory, with bandwidth listed as system dependent. In Vulkan workloads, which often emphasize memory access patterns, the discrete card’s dedicated memory subsystem is a clear asset.

Looking at the RX 5500 XT’s broader benchmark profile, its scores range from a low of 40 in Passmark DirectX 12 to a high of 54842 in Geekbench Metal. The 740M has only two recorded benchmarks, both of which are the Geekbench tests listed above. The absence of Passmark or 3DMark data for the 740M limits direct comparison, but the available numbers are consistent: the RX 5500 XT is ahead by a wide margin in compute-oriented tests. The RX 5500 XT also appears in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 with a score of 1032, a test the 740M has no recorded result for. That omission is notable, as it suggests the integrated part may not be positioned for high-end DX12 gaming workloads.

The nearest rivals for each GPU provide context for their respective performance tiers. The RX 5500 XT’s closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770, with an average score of 14747 and a delta of -0.4%. That is effectively a tie. The RX 5500 XT is also 1.1% ahead of the Quadro M2000, 2% ahead of the GTX 965M, and 2.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11. These are all within a few percentage points, indicating the RX 5500 XT sits in a tightly packed performance band. The 740M’s nearest rivals are similarly close: it is 0.2% ahead of the AMD FirePro W5100, 0.3% ahead of the Radeon Pro 455, 0.3% ahead of the GTX 590, and 0.4% behind the RX 580. The 740M, despite being an integrated part, lands in the same general performance neighborhood as several older discrete GPUs.

The Verdict

The data makes the choice straightforward for users who need maximum compute performance. The RX 5500 XT wins both head-to-head benchmarks decisively, with a 361.7% lead in OpenCL and an 183.9% lead in Vulkan. Its average benchmark score of 14692 is 14.2% higher than the 740M’s 12870. The RX 5500 XT also holds a higher percentile ranking at 57 versus 53. For any workload that relies on raw shader throughput, memory bandwidth, or dedicated VRAM, the RX 5500 XT is the clear pick.

However, the 740M is not without merit. Its 53rd percentile ranking shows it outperforms a significant portion of the GPU database, including several discrete cards from previous generations. Its nearest rivals include the RX 580, which it trails by only 0.4%, and the GTX 590, which it matches. For an integrated processor, this is a strong showing. The 740M’s 4 nm process node and RDNA 3.0 architecture provide modern features that the RX 5500 XT lacks, such as 4 ray tracing cores and DirectX 12 Ultimate support. The RX 5500 XT offers DirectX 12 (12_1) and no ray tracing hardware.

The choice depends on the use case. Users with a dedicated PCIe slot and a power supply can install the RX 5500 XT, which requires a 300 W suggested PSU and a single 8-pin connector. The 740M is an IGP with no power connectors and a 45 W TDP, making it suitable for compact or low-power systems where a discrete card is not an option. The RX 5500 XT has a 130 W TDP and is dual-slot, while the 740M is listed simply as IGP. For gaming and compute, the RX 5500 XT is the superior part. For integrated efficiency and modern API support, the 740M has a place.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different generations of RDNA architecture. The RX 5500 XT is built on RDNA 1.0 and uses the Navi 14 chip, manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. The 740M is built on RDNA 3.0 and uses the Phoenix2 chip, manufactured on a 4 nm process at the same foundry. The process node difference is significant: 7 nm versus 4 nm, with the newer node enabling a much higher transistor density. The 740M’s die is 137 mm² and contains 20,900 million transistors, yielding a density of 152.6M per mm². The RX 5500 XT’s die is 158 mm² with 6,400 million transistors, a density of 40.5M per mm². The 740M packs more than three times the transistors into a smaller area.

Core configurations differ sharply. The RX 5500 XT has 1408 shading units, 88 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units. The 740M has 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. The RX 5500 XT’s higher counts directly explain its benchmark dominance. Its texture rate is 162.4 GTexel/s versus the 740M’s 44.80 GTexel/s, and its pixel rate is 59.04 GPixel/s versus 22.40 GPixel/s. The RX 5500 XT also has a higher FP32 throughput at 5.196 TFLOPS compared to 2.867 TFLOPS. Notably, the RX 5500 XT’s FP16 output is 10.39 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, while the 740M’s FP16 is 2.867 TFLOPS at a 1:1 ratio. This means the RX 5500 XT offers accelerated FP16 compute, while the 740M does not.

Memory architecture is another major divider. The RX 5500 XT uses 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, producing 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The 740M uses system shared memory, with the bus width and bandwidth both listed as system dependent. This makes the 740M’s memory performance heavily reliant on the host system’s RAM and configuration, an inherent disadvantage for memory-intensive workloads. Clock speeds also differ: the RX 5500 XT has a base of 1607 MHz and a boost of 1845 MHz, while the 740M has a base of 800 MHz and a boost of 2800 MHz. The 740M’s higher boost clock partially compensates for its smaller core, but not enough to close the gap.

Feature sets reflect their respective generations. The 740M includes 4 ray tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the RX 5500 XT has no RT cores and supports DirectX 12 (12_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4. The 740M’s display outputs are motherboard dependent, while the RX 5500 XT offers 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. Both use a PCIe 4.0 x8 bus interface. The RX 5500 XT is end-of-life, released in December 2019 with a launch MSRP of 169 USD. The 740M is active, released in January 2024. The RX 5500 XT’s predecessor is Vega and its successor is Navi II, while the 740M’s predecessor is Navi II IGP and its successor is Navi III IGP.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT has an average benchmark score of 14692, which is 14.2% higher than the AMD Radeon 740M’s 12870.

Q: How large is the RX 5500 XT’s lead in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The RX 5500 XT scores 46965 in Geekbench OpenCL, compared to the 740M’s 10172, a delta of 361.7% in favor of the discrete card.

Q: Does the Radeon 740M support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the Radeon 740M includes 4 ray tracing cores, while the RX 5500 XT has no ray tracing cores listed.

Q: What are the process nodes for each GPU?

A: The RX 5500 XT is built on a 7 nm process, while the Radeon 740M uses a 4 nm process, both from TSMC.

Q: Which GPU has dedicated memory?

A: The RX 5500 XT has 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth. The 740M uses system shared memory with bandwidth that is system dependent.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The RX 5500 XT has a TDP of 130 W and requires a 300 W suggested PSU, while the 740M has a TDP of 45 W and no power connectors.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 5500 XT wins in every recorded benchmark and in all scenarios that demand raw compute throughput. Its FP32 output of 5.196 TFLOPS and texture rate of 162.4 GTexel/s give it a decisive edge in GPU compute workloads such as OpenCL and Vulkan. The 361.7% lead in OpenCL and 183.9% lead in Vulkan make it the clear choice for users running compute-heavy applications. Its dedicated 4 GB GDDR6 memory with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth also favors gaming and workloads that repeatedly access large data sets. The RX 5500 XT’s higher pixel rate of 59.04 GPixel/s and ROP count of 32 support higher-resolution rendering. For users with a PCIe slot and a power supply that can handle a 300 W suggested PSU, the RX 5500 XT is the stronger performer in every measurable way.

The 740M wins in scenarios where its integrated nature is an asset. It has a 45 W TDP, no power connectors, and no slot width requirement, making it suitable for thin-and-light laptops or compact desktops where a discrete card cannot fit. Its 4 nm process and 152.6M transistor density per mm² reflect a modern design that is more power-efficient per transistor. The 740M also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and includes 4 ray tracing cores, features that the older RX 5500 XT lacks. For users who prioritize modern API support and integrated simplicity over peak performance, the 740M offers a functional experience. Its 53rd percentile ranking shows it can handle many tasks, and its proximity to the RX 580 (0.4% behind) indicates it is not a weak performer.

The RX 5500 XT wins on absolute performance, benchmark scores, and memory bandwidth. The 740M wins on efficiency, portability, and feature modernity. The data does not support the 740M as a replacement for the RX 5500 XT in any performance-sensitive role, but it does validate the integrated part as a capable option for systems that cannot accommodate a discrete GPU.