AMD Radeon 860M vs AMD Radeon RX 590 Comparison

The Verdict

The data presents a fascinating generational clash. The AMD Radeon 860M, a modern integrated processor, posts an average benchmark score of 26,401, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs. The AMD Radeon RX 590, a dedicated discrete card from a previous era, achieves an average score of 24,744, landing in the 70th percentile. The delta between them is roughly 6.7% in favor of the 860M.

This means the integrated solution is, on average, the faster part. For a user building a new, power-efficient system, the 860M is the clear choice based purely on performance data. It offers superior compute results without requiring a separate graphics card. However, the RX 590 still holds relevance for users with an existing desktop platform that has a PCIe 3.0 x16 slot and a 450 W power supply. It is an end-of-life product, but its dedicated 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256-bit bus provide a different set of capabilities that the 860M cannot match, particularly in memory-intensive scenarios.

The verdict is not a simple "one is better." The 860M is the better processor in raw compute benchmarks. The RX 590 is the better platform for those who need a dedicated, self-contained graphics solution with its own memory pool. The data suggests that if you are starting fresh, the 860M's integrated performance is remarkable and likely sufficient. If you are upgrading an older system, the RX 590 remains a viable, if power-hungry, option that still outperforms many integrated graphics but not this specific one.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two AMD parts is vast. The 860M is built on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC, and is part of the Navi III IGP generation, specifically for Strix Point Mobile. It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) on the Krackan Point chip. In contrast, the RX 590 uses the older GCN 4.0 architecture, built on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries, and belongs to the Polaris (RX 500) generation.

The 860M is a modern part with 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 16 raster operation pipelines (ROPs). It also features 8 dedicated ray tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4. Its memory is "System Shared," meaning it uses the host system's RAM, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." The 860M has no dedicated memory bus width.

The RX 590 is a monolithic, discrete GPU. It uses the Polaris 30 chip, which contains 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die, giving it a transistor density of 24.6 million per square millimeter. It has a massive 2,304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. It does not have ray tracing cores. Its memory subsystem is entirely different: it has 8 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. It supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3.

The process node difference is stark: 4 nm versus 12 nm. This explains the massive disparity in power consumption. The 860M is rated for a 15 W TDP, while the RX 590 is rated for 175 W. The 860M is an IGP with no power connectors and a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface. The RX 590 is a dual-slot card requiring a 1x 8-pin power connector and uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface. The 860M has a boost clock of 3000 MHz, while the RX 590 has a much lower boost clock of 1545 MHz, but the sheer number of compute units in the Polaris chip gives it a higher theoretical pixel rate of 49.44 GPixel/s versus the 860M's 48.00 GPixel/s.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M has a higher average benchmark score of 26,401, compared to the AMD Radeon RX 590's score of 24,744.

Q: What is the performance difference between the two in terms of nearest rivals?

A: The 860M's average score is nearly identical to that of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, which scores 26,331 and is 0.3% slower. The RX 590's score is similar to the Intel Arc A350M, which scores 24,647 and is 0.4% slower than the 590.

Q: Do both GPUs support ray tracing?

A: No. The AMD Radeon 860M has 8 dedicated ray tracing cores, while the AMD Radeon RX 590 has no ray tracing cores listed in its specifications.

Q: How do their memory systems differ?

A: The 860M uses "System Shared" memory, meaning it relies on the host system's RAM, with bandwidth listed as "System Dependent." The RX 590 has 8 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The 860M is rated for a 15 W TDP, whereas the RX 590 has a significantly higher TDP of 175 W and requires a 450 W suggested power supply.

Q: Which GPU has a higher percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The 860M is in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs, while the RX 590 is in the 70th percentile.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every measurable specification. The 860M is a 4 nm part, while the RX 590 is 12 nm. The 860M has a base clock of 600 MHz and a boost clock of 3000 MHz. The RX 590 has a base clock of 1469 MHz and a boost clock of 1545 MHz.

The compute configuration is drastically different. The 860M has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The RX 590 has 2,304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The 860M has 8 ray tracing cores; the RX 590 has none.

Memory is a key differentiator. The 860M uses system-shared memory with no dedicated size, type, or bus width. The RX 590 has 8 GB of GDDR5 with a 256-bit bus and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Performance metrics reflect the architectural differences. The 860M has a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s. The RX 590 has a texture rate of 222.5 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 49.44 GPixel/s. The 860M's FP32 performance is 3.072 TFLOPS, while the RX 590's is 7.119 TFLOPS.

Power and physical characteristics differ significantly. The 860M is a 15 W IGP with no power connectors and a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface. The RX 590 is a 175 W dual-slot card with a 1x 8-pin power connector, a 450 W suggested PSU, and a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface. The RX 590 is 241 mm long (9.5 inches), while the 860M has no listed dimensions. The 860M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the RX 590 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3. The RX 590 has a launch MSRP of 279 USD.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

There are no direct head-to-head benchmark results shared between these two products. However, we can compare their individual benchmark scores to understand their strengths. The 860M has a Geekbench OpenCL score of 22,759 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 30,043. The RX 590 has a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,081 and a Geekbench Metal score of 48,407.

The data shows a clear split. In OpenCL and Vulkan, the 860M is competitive. Its Vulkan score of 30,043 is particularly strong, indicating good performance in modern APIs. The RX 590's Geekbench Metal score of 48,407 is exceptionally high, suggesting that in Apple's Metal API, the older card is extremely potent. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,081 for the RX 590 is a modern DirectX 12 test, and while it scores, the 860M's support for DirectX 12 Ultimate suggests it would handle newer workloads better.

The 860M's average score of 26,401 is 6.7% higher than the RX 590's 24,744. This average is computed from the two scores listed for the 860M (22,759 and 30,043) and the two for the RX 590 (1,081 and 48,407). The RX 590's average is dragged down by its very low 3DMark score, while its Metal score is a massive outlier in its favor.

Where Each One Wins

Based strictly on the numbers, the 860M wins in overall average performance and in modern API benchmarks. Its Vulkan score of 30,043 is a strong indicator of gaming performance in Vulkan-based titles. Its 72nd percentile ranking and higher average score make it the superior compute part. It also wins on efficiency, with a 15 W TDP versus the 175 W TDP of the RX 590, making it the clear choice for mobile or low-power desktop builds.

The RX 590 wins in specific, legacy scenarios. Its Geekbench Metal score of 48,407 is a dominant victory, suggesting it is the better choice for applications that rely heavily on Apple's Metal API. Its dedicated 8 GB of GDDR5 memory with 256.0 GB/s bandwidth is a significant advantage for workloads that require large, fast memory pools, such as high-resolution texture loading or certain compute tasks, which the 860M cannot match due to its system-dependent memory. The RX 590 also has a higher FP32 compute rating of 7.119 TFLOPS and a higher texture rate of 222.5 GTexel/s, indicating it can handle raw throughput tasks better than the 860M.

In summary, the 860M is the winner for modern gaming and general compute in a power-constrained environment. The RX 590 is the winner for users who need a dedicated card with its own fast memory and who are working in ecosystems like Metal, where its performance is exceptional. The RX 590's 3DMark score of 1,081 is a concern for modern DirectX 12 gaming, but its Metal performance shows it is not obsolete, just specialized.