AMD Radeon 860M vs AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data contains two direct comparisons between the AMD Radeon 860M and the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT. The results split evenly, with each GPU taking one benchmark win. The Geekbench OpenCL test favors the 860M, which scores 22,759 against the RX 7800 XT's 18,290. That is a 24.4% advantage for the integrated part. The Geekbench Vulkan test flips the result decisively: the RX 7800 XT scores 54,228 versus 30,043 for the 860M, a 44.6% margin in favor of the discrete card.

The OpenCL result is notable because the RX 7800 XT carries far more hardware resources on paper, yet the 860M delivers a higher compute score in this specific workload. The Vulkan result, however, aligns more closely with the raw specifications, as the RX 7800 XT's advantage in shading units, texture units, and memory bandwidth produces a substantial lead. The two benchmarks measure different API paths and workload characteristics, which explains the divergent outcomes.

Looking at the average benchmark scores across all recorded tests for each GPU, the picture becomes more complex. The 860M has an average score of 26,401, while the RX 7800 XT averages 11,627. That difference is driven by the composition of the test suites. The 860M's average is based on two Geekbench results, both of which are strong. The RX 7800 XT's average includes multiple Passmark tests, several of which score low, pulling its mean down despite the high Vulkan score.

The percentile rankings reflect this disparity. The 860M sits at the 72nd percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the RX 7800 XT sits at the 51st percentile. This is a surprising outcome given the architectural gap, but it stems from the benchmark mix. The nearest rivals in the database reinforce the pattern. The 860M's closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce MX550, which averages 26,421, a 0.1% difference. The RX 7800 XT's nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660, averaging 11,680, a 0.5% gap. Both GPUs are tightly clustered with their respective peers, indicating consistent measurement conditions.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different generations of AMD's RDNA architecture. The 860M uses RDNA 3.5 on a 4 nm TSMC process, while the RX 7800 XT uses RDNA 3.0 on a 5 nm TSMC process. The 860M belongs to the Navi III IGP generation, specifically the Strix Point Mobile family, and uses the Krackan Point chip. The RX 7800 XT belongs to the Navi III (RX 7000) generation, uses the Navi 32 chip, and carries the codename Wheat Nas.

The RX 7800 XT has a known transistor count of 28,100 million on a 346 mm² die, with a transistor density of 81.2M per mm². The 860M's transistor count and die size are not recorded in the database. The process node difference, 4 nm versus 5 nm, gives the 860M a density advantage in principle, but the RX 7800 XT's sheer scale dominates.

Compute resources differ sharply. The 860M has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 render output units. The RX 7800 XT has 3,840 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. That is an 8x difference in shading units, a 7.5x difference in TMUs, and a 6x difference in ROPs. Ray tracing cores follow the same pattern: 8 on the 860M versus 60 on the RX 7800 XT. Neither GPU has tensor cores recorded.

Clock speeds tell a different story. The 860M has a base clock of 600 MHz and a boost clock of 3,000 MHz. The RX 7800 XT has a base clock of 1,295 MHz, a boost clock of 2,430 MHz, and a game clock of 2,124 MHz. The 860M's higher boost clock partially compensates for its lower core count, but the math still favors the larger GPU. Pixel rate on the 860M is 48.00 GPixel/s versus 233.3 GPixel/s on the RX 7800 XT. Texture rate is 96.00 GTexel/s versus 583.2 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is 3.072 TFLOPS versus 37.32 TFLOPS, a 12x gap. Both GPUs run FP16 at a 1:1 ratio with FP32.

Memory architecture is fundamentally different. The 860M uses system shared memory, with capacity, type, bus width, and bandwidth all listed as system dependent. The RX 7800 XT has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock on the RX 7800 XT is 2,438 MHz, which translates to 19.5 Gbps effective. The 860M's memory performance cannot be quantified without a specific system configuration, but the shared architecture inherently limits bandwidth compared to dedicated VRAM.

Power and physical characteristics reinforce the gap. The 860M has a TDP of 15 W, no power connectors, and a slot width of IGP. The RX 7800 XT has a TDP of 263 W, requires two 8-pin power connectors, and a suggested PSU of 600 W. It is a dual-slot card measuring 267 mm in length, 111 mm in height, and 50 mm in width. The 860M uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, while the RX 7800 XT uses PCIe 4.0 x16. Display outputs differ as well: the 860M is portable device dependent, while the RX 7800 XT offers 1x HDMI 2.1a and 3x DisplayPort 2.1.

API support is identical. Both GPUs support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The release dates are separated by roughly 18 months: the RX 7800 XT launched on 2023-09-05, and the 860M launched on 2025-02-28. The RX 7800 XT has a recorded launch MSRP of 499 USD. The 860M has no launch MSRP in the database. The RX 7800 XT's predecessor is listed as Navi II, and its successor is Navi IV. The 860M's predecessor is Navi II IGP, with no successor recorded.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a split decision. The 860M wins the Geekbench OpenCL test by 24.4%, while the RX 7800 XT wins the Geekbench Vulkan test by 44.6%. The average benchmark scores favor the 860M, but that is an artifact of the test mix rather than a statement of overall superiority. The RX 7800 XT's Passmark scores are consistently low, including 121 in DirectX 10, 249 in DirectX 11, 93 in DirectX 12, 304 in DirectX 9, 1,177 in G2D, 24,176 in G3D, and 13,473 in GPU compute. These scores drag the average down despite the strong Vulkan result.

For applications that rely on OpenCL compute, the 860M is the better choice based on the recorded data. It delivers a 24.4% higher score than the RX 7800 XT in that specific test. For Vulkan-based workloads, the RX 7800 XT is clearly superior, with a 44.6% margin. The 860M's Vulkan score of 30,043 is respectable, but it falls far short of the RX 7800 XT's 54,228.

The architecture data explains why. The RX 7800 XT has 8x the shading units, 7.5x the TMUs, and 6x the ROPs. It has 60 ray tracing cores versus 8. It has 16 GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory with 624.1 GB/s bandwidth, versus system shared memory with system dependent bandwidth. Its FP32 compute is 37.32 TFLOPS versus 3.072 TFLOPS. These are massive advantages that should translate to higher performance in most graphics workloads.

The 860M counters with a higher boost clock, 3,000 MHz versus 2,430 MHz, and a smaller process node, 4 nm versus 5 nm. It also consumes 15 W versus 263 W, making it suitable for portable devices with no external power connectors. The RX 7800 XT requires two 8-pin connectors and a 600 W PSU, which limits its deployment to desktop systems.

The percentile data suggests that the 860M ranks higher in the database, at the 72nd percentile versus the 51st percentile for the RX 7800 XT. However, this ranking is based on the average benchmark score, which includes the RX 7800 XT's weak Passmark results. The Passmark scores for the RX 7800 XT are anomalously low compared to its Geekbench Vulkan score, which may indicate driver or workload-specific issues rather than intrinsic hardware limitations.

Users who prioritize Vulkan gaming or graphics workloads should select the RX 7800 XT based on the 44.6% lead in that benchmark. Users who prioritize OpenCL compute should select the 860M based on its 24.4% lead. The 860M also offers the practical advantages of lower power consumption, no power connectors, and an IGP form factor, which the data supports through the 15 W TDP versus 263 W TDP.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M wins with a score of 22,759 against the RX 7800 XT's 18,290, a 24.4% advantage.

Q: Which GPU wins the Geekbench Vulkan benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT wins with a score of 54,228 against the 860M's 30,043, a 44.6% advantage.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each GPU?

A: The 860M has an average score of 26,401, while the RX 7800 XT has an average score of 11,627.

Q: How do the shading unit counts compare?

A: The RX 7800 XT has 3,840 shading units, while the 860M has 512, an 8x difference.

Q: What memory configuration does each GPU use?

A: The 860M uses system shared memory with system dependent bandwidth. The RX 7800 XT uses 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus with 624.1 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two GPUs?

A: The 860M has a TDP of 15 W, while the RX 7800 XT has a TDP of 263 W, a difference of 248 W.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon 860M wins in the Geekbench OpenCL workload, scoring 24.4% higher than the RX 7800 XT. This result is notable given the massive difference in raw compute resources. The 860M achieves this with 512 shading units, a 3,000 MHz boost clock, and 3.072 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The data indicates that OpenCL compute workloads on this integrated GPU can outperform the discrete card, likely due to driver optimization or workload characteristics that favor the newer RDNA 3.5 architecture and the 4 nm process node.

The 860M also wins on power efficiency metrics. Its 15 W TDP versus 263 W for the RX 7800 XT means it can operate in portable devices without power connectors. The IGP slot width and portable device dependent display outputs make it suitable for mobile systems. The PCIe 4.0 x8 interface is sufficient for its bandwidth needs, which are system dependent.

The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT wins decisively in the Geekbench Vulkan benchmark, scoring 44.6% higher than the 860M. This aligns with its 8x shading unit advantage, 7.5x TMU advantage, and 6x ROP advantage. The 60 ray tracing cores versus 8 provide far greater ray tracing capability. The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory with 624.1 GB/s bandwidth eliminates any memory bottleneck, whereas the 860M relies on system shared memory.

The RX 7800 XT also wins in raw throughput metrics. Its pixel rate of 233.3 GPixel/s is nearly 5x the 860M's 48.00 GPixel/s. Its texture rate of 583.2 GTexel/s is over 6x the 860M's 96.00 GTexel/s. FP32 compute of 37.32 TFLOPS is over 12x the 860M's 3.072 TFLOPS. These figures indicate that any workload that scales with these resources will favor the RX 7800 XT.

The RX 7800 XT's PCIe 4.0 x16 interface provides double the bus bandwidth of the 860M's PCIe 4.0 x8. Its display outputs, 1x HDMI 2.1a and 3x DisplayPort 2.1, support multi-monitor desktop configurations, while the 860M is limited to portable device dependent outputs.

For users with specific workloads, the choice is clear. OpenCL compute tasks, particularly those that benefit from the 860M's higher boost clock and newer architecture, should use the integrated GPU. Vulkan graphics workloads, especially gaming or rendering tasks that leverage the RX 7800 XT's massive compute resources and dedicated memory, should use the discrete card. The 44.6% Vulkan margin is the largest recorded difference between the two GPUs and represents the most decisive win in the head-to-head data.