AMD Radeon 780M vs AMD Radeon RX 9060 Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9060 scores 3322, while the AMD Radeon 780M scores 480. The RX 9060 wins with a delta of -85.6%, meaning it is roughly 6.9 times faster in this specific test.

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score across the database?

A: The AMD Radeon 780M has an average benchmark score of 17588, which is higher than the AMD Radeon RX 9060's average of 16014. This is notable because the RX 9060 wins all three head-to-head tests, but the 780M's average is boosted by its Geekbench Vulkan result.

Q: What is the percentile ranking for each GPU among all GPUs in the database?

A: The AMD Radeon 780M sits at the 61st percentile, while the AMD Radeon RX 9060 sits at the 59th percentile. Despite being a dedicated card, the RX 9060's percentile is slightly lower due to its average score being dragged down by several low Passmark results.

Q: What are the closest rivals to each GPU based on average score?

A: For the AMD Radeon 780M, the closest rival is the AMD Radeon Pro 560 with an average score of 17551 and a delta of 0.2%. For the AMD Radeon RX 9060, the closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti with an average score of 16129 and a delta of -0.7%.

Q: How do the Geekbench Vulkan results compare between the two?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 9060 scores 39476, and the AMD Radeon 780M scores 33683. The RX 9060 wins by a margin of -14.7%, which is the smallest delta between the two GPUs across all shared tests.

Q: What is the architectural generation difference between the two GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon 780M uses RDNA 3.0 architecture and belongs to the Navi III IGP (Phoenix) generation. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 uses RDNA 4.0 architecture and belongs to the Navi IV (RX 9000) generation.

The Verdict

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the clear performance winner across every head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it delivers 3322 points versus the 780M's 480 points, a massive separation. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 88183 versus 18602, and in Geekbench Vulkan it leads with 39476 versus 33683. Any user prioritizing raw graphics throughput should choose the RX 9060.

However, the AMD Radeon 780M is not without its own statistical claim. Its average benchmark score of 17588 exceeds the RX 9060's 16014, and its percentile of 61 beats the RX 9060's 59. This is primarily due to the RX 9060's unusually low Passmark scores, which include a DirectX 12 result of 44, a DirectX 10 result of 104, and a DirectX 11 result of 182. These low scores weigh down the RX 9060's average, while the 780M has no Passmark entries and relies on three consistent results.

Who should pick which? Users looking at the three shared tests, specifically 3DMark Steel Nomad, Geekbench OpenCL, and Geekbench Vulkan, should pick the RX 9060 without hesitation. Users who place weight on the overall database average and percentile ranking, or who need an integrated GPU with no separate power connector and a 15 W TDP, should consider the 780M. The data does not support the 780M as a faster GPU, but it does support it as a more consistent scorer across its recorded tests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data contains three tests, and the AMD Radeon RX 9060 wins all three.

In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the RX 9060 scores 3322 against the 780M's 480. The delta is -85.6%, which means the RX 9060 outperforms the 780M by a factor of nearly seven. This is the largest gap in the dataset and reflects the RX 9060's dedicated graphics positioning against an integrated part.

In Geekbench OpenCL, the RX 9060 scores 88183, while the 780M scores 18602. The delta is -78.9%. This result is consistent with the 3DMark outcome, showing the RX 9060's compute advantage is substantial under OpenCL workloads.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the gap narrows considerably. The RX 9060 scores 39476, and the 780M scores 33683. The delta is only -14.7%, indicating that the 780M is comparatively much stronger in Vulkan than in OpenCL or DX12. This is the RX 9060's smallest win and suggests the 780M's RDNA 3.0 architecture handles Vulkan workloads relatively well, even against a larger dedicated GPU.

The AMD Radeon 780M records zero wins across the three head-to-head tests, while the RX 9060 records three wins. The pattern is clear: in directly comparable workloads, the RX 9060 leads. The only nuance is the magnitude of the lead, which varies from roughly 15% in Vulkan to over 85% in 3DMark Steel Nomad.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every recorded specification.

Clock speeds are one of the most visible differences. The AMD Radeon 780M has a base clock of 800 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 has a base clock of 1700 MHz, a boost clock of 2990 MHz, and a game clock of 2400 MHz. The RX 9060's boost clock is only 90 MHz higher, but its base clock is more than double.

Memory configurations are entirely different. The 780M uses system shared memory with a system-dependent bandwidth. The RX 9060 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, with 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth and a memory clock of 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective).

Compute resources also diverge sharply. The 780M has 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and 12 RT cores. The RX 9060 has 1792 shading units, 112 TMUs, 64 ROPs, and 28 RT cores. The RX 9060 has more than double the shading units and TMUs, and more than double the ROPs and RT cores.

Pixel and texture rates follow the same pattern. The 780M delivers 92.80 GPixel/s and 139.2 GTexel/s. The RX 9060 delivers 191.4 GPixel/s and 334.9 GTexel/s.

FP32 throughput is 8.909 TFLOPS for the 780M and 21.43 TFLOPS for the RX 9060, both with a 1:1 FP16 ratio.

Power characteristics differ substantially. The 780M has a TDP of 15 W, no power connectors, and an IGP slot width. The RX 9060 has a TDP of 132 W, a dual-slot width, one 8-pin power connector, and a suggested PSU of 300 W.

The bus interface also differs. The 780M uses PCIe 4.0 x8, while the RX 9060 uses PCIe 5.0 x16.

Display outputs differ as well. The 780M's outputs are motherboard dependent, while the RX 9060 provides 1x HDMI 2.1b and 2x DisplayPort 2.1a.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon 780M is built on RDNA 3.0 architecture and belongs to the Navi III IGP (Phoenix) generation. Its chip is codenamed Phoenix. The AMD Radeon RX 9060 is built on RDNA 4.0 architecture and belongs to the Navi IV (RX 9000) generation. Its chip is codenamed Navi 44, with a Strix Point codename listed for the series.

Both GPUs are manufactured by TSMC on a 4 nm process node. Despite the same process, the transistor counts differ. The 780M contains 25,390 million transistors on a 178 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 142.6M per mm². The RX 9060 contains 29,700 million transistors on a 199 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 149.2M per mm². The RX 9060 packs more transistors on a larger die and achieves a higher density.

The RT core count changes from 12 in the 780M to 28 in the RX 9060, reflecting the architectural generational shift. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so API coverage is identical.

The 780M's predecessor is listed as Navi II IGP, and its successor is Navi III IGP. The RX 9060's predecessor is Navi III, and it has no successor listed. The release dates differ: the 780M was released on 2024-01-30, and the RX 9060 on 2025-08-04.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 9060 wins in every shared benchmark category, but the size of the win varies by workload.

In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the RX 9060 wins decisively with a score of 3322 versus 480. This indicates a major advantage in modern DX12 graphics workloads. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RX 9060 wins with 88183 versus 18602, showing a strong lead in general-purpose compute. In Geekbench Vulkan, the RX 9060 still wins, but by a much smaller margin: 39476 versus 33683. This makes Vulkan the closest contest between the two.

The AMD Radeon 780M does not win any head-to-head benchmark, but it has strengths that appear outside those direct comparisons. Its average benchmark score of 17588 is higher than the RX 9060's 16014, and its percentile ranking of 61 is higher than the RX 9060's 59. This is driven by the RX 9060's low Passmark scores, including a Passmark G3D score of 17631, a DirectX 11 score of 182, a DirectX 10 score of 104, and a DirectX 12 score of 44. The 780M has no Passmark entries, so its average is not affected by legacy DirectX tests.

In terms of power and integration, the 780M wins clearly. Its 15 W TDP, IGP slot width, and lack of power connectors make it suitable for systems without discrete graphics expansion. The RX 9060 requires a dual-slot form factor, one 8-pin power connector, and a 300 W suggested PSU.

For users focused on raw performance in modern APIs, the RX 9060 is the correct choice. For users comparing overall database averages or needing an integrated solution with minimal power draw, the 780M holds a statistical edge that should not be ignored.