AMD Radeon 860M vs NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU Comparison

FAQ

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the AMD Radeon 860M and the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M has a recorded average benchmark score of 26,401 points, while the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU has no recorded benchmark scores in the database, resulting in an average score of 0. This means the Radeon 860M is the only one of the two with measured performance data.

Q: How do the shading unit counts compare between these two GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M contains 512 shading units, while the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU contains 1,536 shading units. The Switch 2 GPU has triple the shading unit count, which indicates a larger shader array for parallel computation.

Q: What are the FP32 floating-point performance figures for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M delivers 3.072 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, whereas the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU delivers 4.301 TFLOPS. The NVIDIA part is approximately 40% higher in raw FP32 throughput based on these recorded figures.

Q: What is the thermal design power (TDP) for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M has a TDP of 15 W, while the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU has a TDP of 40 W. The Switch 2 GPU consumes more than double the power envelope of the Radeon 860M.

Q: Which GPU uses a more advanced manufacturing process?

A: The AMD Radeon 860M is fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC, while the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU uses an 8 nm process at Samsung. The Radeon 860M uses a smaller process node, which typically allows for higher transistor density per area.

Q: What is the memory configuration of the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU?

A: The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU has 12 GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 102.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD Radeon 860M uses system-shared memory with bandwidth that is system-dependent.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon 860M is built on the RDNA 3.5 architecture, part of the Krackan Point chip, and belongs to the Navi III IGP generation for Strix Point Mobile. The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU uses the Ampere architecture with the GA10B chip, classified as a Console GPU for Nintendo. These are fundamentally different design philosophies: the Radeon 860M is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) that shares system memory, while the Switch 2 GPU is a discrete-style console GPU with its own dedicated memory pool.

Manufacturing processes differ significantly. The Radeon 860M is produced on a 4 nm process at TSMC, whereas the Switch 2 GPU is produced on an 8 nm process at Samsung. The smaller process node for the AMD part likely contributes to its lower power envelope of 15 W, compared to the Switch 2 GPU's 40 W TDP.

Core configurations show notable divergence. The Radeon 860M has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output units. The Switch 2 GPU has 1,536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The Switch 2 GPU also includes 12 ray tracing cores and 48 tensor cores, while the Radeon 860M has 8 ray tracing cores and no tensor cores listed.

Memory architecture is a key differentiator. The Radeon 860M uses system-shared memory with a system-dependent bus width and bandwidth, meaning its performance scales with the host system's RAM configuration. The Switch 2 GPU has a fixed 12 GB LPDDR5X memory pool on a 128-bit bus with a fixed 102.4 GB/s bandwidth. This gives the Switch 2 GPU predictable memory performance, while the Radeon 860M's memory performance varies by platform.

Both GPUs support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so API feature levels are matched. The Radeon 860M connects via PCIe 4.0 x8 and has no power connectors, consistent with its IGP status. The Switch 2 GPU has no external display outputs and is designed to drive an integrated console display.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database currently contains no direct head-to-head benchmark entries between the AMD Radeon 860M and the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU. However, the Radeon 860M has recorded scores in two specific tests: Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan.

In Geekbench OpenCL, the Radeon 860M scores 22,759 points. In Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 30,043 points. These results place the Radeon 860M at the 72nd percentile among all GPUs in the database. The Switch 2 GPU has no benchmark entries and sits at the 50th percentile by default, with an average score of 0.

The Radeon 860M's average benchmark score of 26,401 places it in close competition with several discrete GPUs. It is 0.1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 (average score 26,421), 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (average score 26,331), 0.6% behind the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary (average score 26,553), and 1.1% behind the NVIDIA RTX A4000 (average score 26,683). This indicates the Radeon 860M performs in the range of established discrete graphics cards despite being an integrated solution.

The Switch 2 GPU's FP32 throughput of 4.301 TFLOPS is higher than the Radeon 860M's 3.072 TFLOPS, suggesting the NVIDIA part has greater raw compute capability. Additionally, the Switch 2 GPU's FP16 performance of 8.602 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio) substantially exceeds the Radeon 860M's FP16 performance of 3.072 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio). This gives the Switch 2 GPU a clear advantage in workloads that can utilize half-precision arithmetic.

Pixel and texture rates favor the AMD part. The Radeon 860M achieves a pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 96.00 GTexel/s, compared to the Switch 2 GPU's 22.40 GPixel/s and 67.20 GTexel/s, respectively. The Radeon 860M's higher pixel rate is notable given its lower shading unit count, likely due to its higher boost clock of 3000 MHz versus the Switch 2 GPU's 1400 MHz boost clock.

Clock speeds differ substantially. The Radeon 860M has a base clock of 600 MHz and a boost clock of 3000 MHz. The Switch 2 GPU has a base clock of 561 MHz and a boost clock of 1400 MHz. The AMD part's boost clock is more than double that of the NVIDIA part, which helps explain its competitive pixel throughput despite fewer shaders.

The Verdict

The data indicates two different performance profiles. The AMD Radeon 860M is a low-power integrated GPU with verified benchmark scores, placing it at the 72nd percentile among all GPUs. Its average score of 26,401 puts it within 1.1% of the NVIDIA RTX A4000 and within 0.3% of the GeForce RTX 5060, showing it competes with discrete mobile and desktop parts in the database's recorded tests.

The NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU has no recorded benchmark results, so direct performance comparisons cannot be made from the database. Its theoretical compute figures, however, show strengths in specific areas. The FP32 throughput of 4.301 TFLOPS and FP16 throughput of 8.602 TFLOPS are higher than the Radeon 860M's respective figures of 3.072 TFLOPS in both precisions. The Switch 2 GPU also has triple the shading units and 48 tensor cores, which the Radeon 860M lacks entirely.

For rasterization throughput, the Radeon 860M leads with 48.00 GPixel/s versus 22.40 GPixel/s, and 96.00 GTexel/s versus 67.20 GTexel/s. These numbers suggest the AMD part may excel in fill-rate-bound scenarios, while the Switch 2 GPU may have advantages in compute-heavy workloads, particularly those using FP16 or tensor operations.

The Radeon 860M is the only one with empirical benchmark results in the database, making it the verified performer. Its 15 W TDP also makes it suitable for thin-and-light portable devices. The Switch 2 GPU, with its 40 W TDP and dedicated 12 GB memory, is a console-oriented design with fixed memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, which provides predictable performance. Users requiring half-precision compute or tensor acceleration would favor the Switch 2 GPU based on its specifications. Users needing verified performance scores and lower power consumption would select the Radeon 860M.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon 860M | NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU |

|----------------|-----------------|---------------------|

| Chip | Krackan Point | GA10B |

| Architecture | RDNA 3.5 | Ampere |

| Generation | Navi III IGP (Strix Point Mobile) | Console GPU (Nintendo) |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 8 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Samsung |

| Die Size | unknown | 200 mm² |

| Base Clock | 600 MHz | 561 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 3000 MHz | 1400 MHz |

| Memory Size | System Shared | 12 GB |

| Memory Type | System Shared | LPDDR5X |

| Memory Bus Width | System Shared | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | System Dependent | 102.4 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 512 | 1,536 |

| Texture Mapping Units | 32 | 48 |

| Raster Output Units | 16 | 16 |

| Ray Tracing Cores | 8 | 12 |

| Tensor Cores | null | 48 |

| Pixel Rate | 48.00 GPixel/s | 22.40 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 96.00 GTexel/s | 67.20 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 3.072 TFLOPS | 4.301 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 3.072 TFLOPS (1:1) | 8.602 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 15 W | 40 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x8 | null |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | No outputs |

| Dimensions | null | 272 mm x 116 mm x 14 mm |

| Release Date | 2025-02-28 | 2025-06-04 |

| Launch MSRP | null | 449 USD |

| Percentile vs All GPUs | 72 | 50 |

| Average Benchmark Score | 26,401 | 0 |

The two GPUs share identical API support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Both have 16 raster output units and are classified as Active in production status. The Radeon 860M has no power connectors and is an IGP form factor, while the Switch 2 GPU has no listed slot width or power connector details. The Switch 2 GPU includes physical dimensions as a complete console package, whereas the Radeon 860M's dimensions are not applicable to its integrated design.