AMD Radeon Instinct MI25 vs AMD Radeon RX 5600M Comparison

AMD Radeon Instinct MI25 and AMD Radeon RX 5600M occupy opposite ends of the GPU spectrum, yet both are end-of-life products that still show up in the used and clearance markets. The MI25 is a datacenter-oriented accelerator built on the older Vega architecture, while the RX 5600M is a mobile graphics part designed for gaming laptops. The benchmark data shows a clear divide: the MI25 dominates in raw compute throughput, but the RX 5600M brings newer architectural features and a much more practical physical footprint. Understanding where each wins is essential for anyone deciding between them.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Instinct MI25 is the compute-oriented winner. Its sole recorded benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, shows a score of 68562, which places it in the 90th percentile of all GPUs in the database. That is a strong result for a card that launched in 2017. The MI25’s nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Arc A770 at 68809 (only 0.4% ahead) and the NVIDIA CMP 90HX at 69000 (0.6% ahead). The MI25 also edges past the AMD Radeon Pro WX 8200 (69870, 1.9% behind) and the NVIDIA Quadro P6000 (69986, 2% behind). In direct head-to-head testing against the RX 5600M, the MI25 scores 68562 versus 59589, a 15.1% advantage. This is the only shared benchmark between the two, and the MI25 wins it outright. If your workload is OpenCL compute, the MI25 is the clear choice.

The AMD Radeon RX 5600M wins in every other practical category. Its average benchmark score is 46601, which places it in the 85th percentile of all GPUs. While that is lower than the MI25’s 90th percentile, the RX 5600M has a broader benchmark portfolio: it records scores in Geekbench Metal (76653), Geekbench OpenCL (59589), Geekbench Vulkan (48843), and 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 (1320). The Metal score of 76653 is the highest absolute number recorded for either card, though it only applies to Apple’s Metal API. The RX 5600M’s nearest rivals in the database are the Intel Arc A530M (46614, 0% delta), the AMD Radeon RX 6550M (46702, 0.2% behind), the NVIDIA RTX A2000 (46043, 1.2% ahead), and the NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation (45972, 1.4% ahead). This clustering shows the RX 5600M sits in a competitive mobile-class segment. The RX 5600M also wins on physical integration: it is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with no power connectors, whereas the MI25 is a dual-slot card requiring 2x 8-pin connectors and a 700 W suggested PSU.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from entirely different architectural generations. The MI25 uses the Vega 10 chip built on GCN 5.0 architecture, fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The RX 5600M uses the Navi 10 chip built on RDNA 1.0 architecture, fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC. This node shrink is significant: the RX 5600M packs 10,300 million transistors into a 251 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 41.0M per mm². The MI25 has 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die, with a density of 25.3M per mm². The newer 7 nm process gives the RX 5600M a 62% higher transistor density despite having fewer total transistors.

The MI25 counterbalances this with sheer scale. It has 4096 shading units, 256 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. The RX 5600M has 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The MI25’s shading unit count is nearly double that of the RX 5600M. However, the RX 5600M’s RDNA architecture is more efficient per clock. The MI25’s peak FP32 throughput is 12.29 TFLOPS, while the RX 5600M manages 5.829 TFLOPS. In FP16, the MI25 reaches 24.58 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio) versus the RX 5600M’s 11.66 TFLOPS (2:1). Neither card has dedicated ray tracing or tensor cores, so they rely on brute compute.

Memory configurations differ completely. The MI25 has 16 GB of HBM2 memory on a 2048-bit bus, delivering 436.2 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 5600M has 6 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s. The MI25’s memory bandwidth is 51% higher than the RX 5600M’s, and its capacity is nearly three times larger. The MI25’s memory clock is 852 MHz (1704 Mbps effective), while the RX 5600M runs at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective). The RX 5600M’s faster clock speed does not compensate for the narrower bus width.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison in the database is Geekbench OpenCL. The MI25 scores 68562, and the RX 5600M scores 59589. The MI25 wins with a delta of 15.1%. This is a meaningful gap in OpenCL compute performance, reflecting the MI25’s larger GPU core count and higher memory bandwidth. In absolute terms, the MI25’s score is 8973 points higher. This single benchmark defines the compute relationship between the two cards.

Beyond that, the RX 5600M has no direct head-to-head defeats. It wins on API coverage: it supports Vulkan 1.4, while the MI25 supports Vulkan 1.3. Both support DirectX 12 (12_1) and OpenGL 4.6. The RX 5600M’s Geekbench Metal score of 76653 suggests strong performance in Metal-based applications, which likely exceeds what the MI25 could achieve (the MI25 has no Metal benchmark recorded). The RX 5600M’s Vulkan score is 48843, and its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 1320. These results indicate the RX 5600M is a capable gaming and general-purpose GPU, while the MI25 is a compute-only accelerator with no display outputs.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher OpenCL performance?

A: The AMD Radeon Instinct MI25 scores 68562 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 15.1% higher than the RX 5600M’s 59589.

Q: Can the MI25 be used in a standard desktop PC?

A: The MI25 is a dual-slot card that requires 2x 8-pin power connectors and a 700 W suggested PSU. It has no display outputs, so it cannot drive a monitor directly.

Q: Does the RX 5600M support newer APIs?

A: Yes, the RX 5600M supports Vulkan 1.4, while the MI25 supports Vulkan 1.3. Both support DirectX 12 (12_1) and OpenGL 4.6.

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The MI25 has 436.2 GB/s bandwidth from its 2048-bit HBM2 interface. The RX 5600M has 288.0 GB/s from its 192-bit GDDR6 interface.

Q: How does the RX 5600M compare to its closest rivals?

A: The RX 5600M’s average score of 46601 is essentially tied with the Intel Arc A530M (46614, 0% delta) and 0.2% behind the AMD Radeon RX 6550M (46702). It is 1.2% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A2000 (46043) and 1.4% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation (45972).

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The RX 5600M has 41.0M transistors per mm² on its 7 nm process, versus the MI25’s 25.3M per mm² on a 14 nm process.

The Verdict

Pick the AMD Radeon Instinct MI25 if you need maximum compute throughput for OpenCL workloads. Its 15.1% lead over the RX 5600M in the shared benchmark is substantial, and its 90th percentile standing among all GPUs confirms its compute strength. The 16 GB of HBM2 memory and 436.2 GB/s bandwidth make it suitable for large datasets. However, the MI25 demands a dual-slot chassis, 2x 8-pin connectors, and a 700 W PSU. It also has no display outputs, so it is strictly an accelerator.

Pick the AMD Radeon RX 5600M if you need a more flexible, modern GPU. It is an IGP with no power connectors, making it far easier to integrate into a laptop or compact system. Its 7 nm RDNA architecture is more efficient, with 41.0M transistors per mm² versus the MI25’s 25.3M per mm². The RX 5600M supports Vulkan 1.4 and has a strong Metal score of 76653, which the MI25 cannot match (no Metal benchmark recorded). Its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory is smaller but sufficient for mobile gaming and general tasks. The RX 5600M’s 85th percentile ranking is only 5 points lower than the MI25’s, but its practical usability is far higher.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon Instinct MI25 | AMD Radeon RX 5600M |

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

| Architecture | GCN 5.0 | RDNA 1.0 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 12,500 million | 10,300 million |

| Die Size | 495 mm² | 251 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 25.3M / mm² | 41.0M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1400 MHz | 1035 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1500 MHz | 1265 MHz |

| Game Clock | Not specified | 1190 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 852 MHz (1704 Mbps effective) | 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 16 GB | 6 GB |

| Memory Type | HBM2 | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus | 2048 bit | 192 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 436.2 GB/s | 288.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 4096 | 2304 |

| TMUs | 256 | 144 |

| ROPs | 64 | 64 |

| FP32 Performance | 12.29 TFLOPS | 5.829 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 24.58 TFLOPS (2:1) | 11.66 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| Pixel Rate | 96.00 GPixel/s | 80.96 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 384.0 GTexel/s | 182.2 GTexel/s |

| TDP | 300 W | 150 W |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | IGP |

| Power Connectors | 2x 8-pin | None |

| Suggested PSU | 700 W | Not specified |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | No outputs | Portable Device Dependent |

| Vulkan Version | 1.3 | 1.4 |

| Release Date | 2017-06-26 | 2020-07-06 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | End-of-life |