AMD Radeon Pro 5300M vs AMD Radeon RX 550X Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 550X and the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M are two end-of-life mobile graphics processors from the same manufacturer, but they represent fundamentally different eras of GPU design. Benchmark data shows the Pro 5300M delivers dramatically higher performance in compute and graphics workloads, while the RX 550X operates at a lower power envelope. The following analysis compares their architecture, specifications, and benchmark results to determine which GPU suits which use case.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 5300M has an average benchmark score of 10013, while the AMD Radeon RX 550X scores 10481. Despite the RX 550X having a higher average, the Pro 5300M wins both head-to-head benchmark tests by large margins.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in Geekbench OpenCL performance?

A: In Geekbench OpenCL, the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M scores 29252, which is 67% higher than the RX 550X's score of 9662. This represents a massive performance gap in general-purpose compute workloads.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two chips?

A: The RX 550X uses a 14 nm process from GlobalFoundries, while the Pro 5300M uses a 7 nm process from TSMC. The smaller node allows the Pro 5300M to pack 6,400 million transistors into a 158 mm² die, compared to 2,200 million transistors on a 103 mm² die for the RX 550X.

Q: Which GPU has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 5300M has 192.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth, exactly double the 96.00 GB/s of the RX 550X. Both use a 128-bit memory bus, but the Pro 5300M employs faster GDDR6 memory at 12 Gbps effective.

Q: What is the percentile ranking of each GPU?

A: The RX 550X ranks in the 49th percentile of all GPUs, while the Pro 5300M ranks in the 48th percentile. Despite the Pro 5300M's superior raw performance, its percentile is slightly lower.

Q: Which GPU supports newer API versions?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 5300M supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the RX 550X supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs belong to entirely different architecture generations. The RX 550X is built on GCN 4.0 architecture, part of the Polaris family, and uses a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. In contrast, the Pro 5300M uses the newer RDNA 1.0 architecture on a 7 nm process at TSMC. This generational leap is reflected in transistor density: the Pro 5300M achieves 40.5M transistors per mm² versus 21.4M per mm² for the RX 550X.

Shader core counts differ substantially. The RX 550X has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The Pro 5300M more than doubles those numbers with 1280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. This hardware advantage translates directly into higher throughput rates: the Pro 5300M delivers 40.00 GPixel/s pixel fill rate and 100.0 GTexel/s texture rate, versus 18.93 GPixel/s and 37.86 GTexel/s for the RX 550X.

Compute capabilities diverge significantly. The RX 550X offers 1,211.4 GFLOPS of FP32 performance with a 1:1 FP16 ratio. The Pro 5300M delivers 3.200 TFLOPS FP32 and 6.400 TFLOPS FP16 with a 2:1 ratio, indicating superior half-precision throughput. The memory subsystem also differs: both use 128-bit buses with 4 GB capacity, but the Pro 5300M uses GDDR6 at 12 Gbps effective for 192.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the RX 550X uses GDDR5 at 6 Gbps effective for 96.00 GB/s.

The Pro 5300M also features a newer PCIe interface (PCIe 4.0 x8 versus PCIe 3.0 x8), higher boost clock (1250 MHz versus 1183 MHz), and supports DirectX 12 (12_1) compared to the RX 550X's DirectX 12 (12_0). The RX 550X has dedicated display outputs (DVI, HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4a), while the Pro 5300M's outputs are portable device dependent, reflecting its intended mobile integration.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data reveals a decisive performance advantage for the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M. In Geekbench OpenCL, the Pro 5300M scores 29252 against the RX 550X's 9662, a delta of -67% from the Pro 5300M's perspective. This means the RX 550X delivers less than one-third of the compute performance in this workload.

The Geekbench Vulkan test shows a similar pattern. The Pro 5300M achieves 27912, while the RX 550X manages 11299, representing a 59.5% delta. While slightly narrower than the OpenCL gap, the Pro 5300M still outperforms the RX 550X by a factor of roughly 2.5 in Vulkan graphics workloads.

These two benchmarks are the only head-to-head tests available, and the Pro 5300M wins both. The RX 550X records zero wins in the head-to-head comparison. For additional context, the Pro 5300M also has a Geekbench Metal score of 33626, which is its highest single benchmark result, though no comparable Metal score exists for the RX 550X.

The performance gap is consistent with the architectural differences. The Pro 5300M's 2.5x more shading units, 4x more texture units, and 2x more ROPs provide the raw compute resources needed for these substantial score differences. The doubled memory bandwidth also removes a potential bottleneck in memory-intensive workloads.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 550X | AMD Radeon Pro 5300M |

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

| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | RDNA 1.0 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 2,200 million | 6,400 million |

| Die Size | 103 mm² | 158 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 21.4M / mm² | 40.5M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1100 MHz | 1000 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1183 MHz | 1250 MHz |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |

| Memory Speed | 6 Gbps effective | 12 Gbps effective |

| Bandwidth | 96.00 GB/s | 192.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 512 | 1280 |

| TMUs | 32 | 80 |

| ROPs | 16 | 32 |

| Pixel Rate | 18.93 GPixel/s | 40.00 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 37.86 GTexel/s | 100.0 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 1,211.4 GFLOPS | 3.200 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 1,211.4 GFLOPS (1:1) | 6.400 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 50 W | 85 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x8 | PCIe 4.0 x8 |

| DirectX | 12 (12_0) | 12 (12_1) |

| Vulkan | 1.3 | 1.4 |

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro 5300M wins decisively in all measurable benchmark categories. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 29252 is roughly three times that of the RX 550X, and its Vulkan score of 27912 is nearly 2.5 times higher. The Pro 5300M also offers superior memory bandwidth (192.0 GB/s versus 96.00 GB/s), double the ROPs, and more than double the shading units, making it the clear choice for demanding graphics and compute applications.

The RX 550X, however, has advantages in specific areas. Its lower TDP of 50 W versus 85 W makes it more suitable for power-constrained mobile designs. The RX 550X also has a higher base clock (1100 MHz versus 1000 MHz), which can help in lightly threaded workloads that favor sustained base frequencies. Additionally, the RX 550X provides dedicated display outputs, whereas the Pro 5300M relies on portable device dependent outputs, making the RX 550X more flexible for direct display connections.

The RX 550X's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla C2075 (0.8% delta), AMD Radeon R9 M275X (-1% delta), and AMD Radeon RX 6500M (1.2% delta), placing it in a performance tier similar to older or lower-end discrete GPUs. The Pro 5300M's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro K5100M (-0.3% delta), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 870M (0.5% delta), and AMD Radeon R9 M375 (-0.6% delta), indicating it competes with mid-range mobile GPUs from its era.

The Verdict

The AMD Radeon Pro 5300M is the overwhelmingly superior GPU in terms of raw performance. Benchmark results show it leads by 67% in OpenCL and 59.5% in Vulkan, with architectural advantages in every critical metric: more shading units, more TMUs, more ROPs, higher memory bandwidth, and newer architecture. Users requiring maximum compute throughput or graphics performance should choose the Pro 5300M without hesitation.

The AMD Radeon RX 550X, despite its lower performance, retains relevance for specific scenarios. Its 50 W TDP makes it an option for systems with strict power budgets, and its dedicated display outputs offer plug-and-play connectivity. The RX 550X also has a higher base clock, which may provide better performance in workloads that do not benefit from boost clocks.

However, the data clearly favors the Pro 5300M for any performance-sensitive application. Its 3.200 TFLOPS FP32 compute power and 6.400 TFLOPS FP16 capability position it far ahead of the RX 550X's 1,211.4 GFLOPS in both precision formats. The Pro 5300M's 192.0 GB/s memory bandwidth also ensures that memory-intensive workloads will not be as severely bottlenecked as they would be on the RX 550X's 96.00 GB/s connection.

Given that both GPUs are end-of-life products, the choice ultimately depends on the specific requirements of the target system. For gaming, rendering, or compute tasks where performance matters most, the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M is the only rational choice. For ultra-low-power embedded systems or applications that require direct display outputs, the AMD Radeon RX 550X remains a functional, if dated, option. The benchmark data provides no scenario where the RX 550X outperforms the Pro 5300M in actual workload execution.