AMD Radeon Pro 5500M vs AMD Radeon RX 580 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data shows a decisive overall advantage for the AMD Radeon RX 580, which wins all 10 shared tests. The RX 580 leads in every single category, but the size of that lead varies considerably depending on the workload. The Radeon Pro 5500M does not record a single win in any head-to-head comparison.

The largest gaps appear in DirectX 12 and DirectX 11 workloads. In the PassMark DirectX 12 test, the RX 580 scores 48.3% higher than the Pro 5500M, and in DirectX 11 it leads by 42.9%. These are substantial margins that point to a clear advantage in modern gaming API performance. The DirectX 10 result shows a 27.8% lead, while DirectX 9 shows a 29.2% lead. The pattern is consistent: the RX 580 outperforms the Pro 5500M across all legacy DirectX tests as well as modern ones.

The RX 580 also wins decisively in the Geekbench suite. Metal performance shows an 18.3% advantage, OpenCL shows a 20.5% advantage, and Vulkan shows a 28.6% advantage. These wins span multiple compute and graphics APIs, indicating that the RX 580's superiority is not limited to any one test methodology.

For users focused on overall 2D desktop work, the PassMark G2D result has the RX 580 18.7% ahead. In pure 3D performance, the PassMark G3D score shows a 30.9% lead. The smallest margin in the entire comparison is in GPU compute, where the RX 580 leads by a modest 7.7% in PassMark GPU Compute.

The average benchmark score reinforces the same verdict: the RX 580 averages 12,928 points, while the Pro 5500M averages 11,528 points. The RX 580's nearest rival in the database is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER, which sits 0.4% higher in average score. The Pro 5500M sits 0.8% below the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT in its own nearest rivals list. In percentile terms, the RX 580 lands in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, while the Pro 5500M ranks in the 51st percentile.

The RX 580 places 0.1% below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile in the database average score comparison. The Pro 5500M sits 0.5% above the NVIDIA Tesla K20c in its nearest rivals list. These comparisons show that the RX 580 is positioned among mid-range desktop parts from NVIDIA's previous generations, while the Pro 5500M sits near workstation-oriented parts.

The RX 580 wins 10 tests and the Pro 5500M wins none. There is no workload category where the data suggests picking the Pro 5500M for better performance.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from entirely different architectural eras of AMD's product stack. The RX 580 uses the Polaris 20 chip built on GCN 4.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The Pro 5500M uses Navi 14 built on RDNA 1.0 architecture, manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. This makes the Pro 5500M the newer design, using a smaller process node with higher transistor density.

The Pro 580 packs 6,400 million transistors on a 158 mm² die, giving it a density of 40.5M per mm². The RX 580 uses 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die, with a density of 24.6M per mm².

The RX 580 has more compute resources across the board. It uses 2,304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units. The Pro 5500M uses fewer: 1,536 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units.

Memory configurations are similar in capacity but different in technology. Both have 8 GB of memory. The RX 580 uses GDDR5 with a 256 bit memory bus, while the Pro 5500M uses GDDR6 with a 128 bit bus. The RX 580 delivers 256.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth, whereas the Pro 5500M provides 192.0 GB/s. The RX 580 runs memory at 2000 MHz with 8 Gbps effective speed; the Pro 5500M runs memory at 1500 MHz with 12 Gbps effective speed.

Clocks differ meaningfully. The RX 580 has a base clock of 1257 MHz and a boost clock of 1340 MHz. The Pro 5500M has a base clock of 1000 MHz and a boost clock of 1450 MHz. The Pro 5500M boosts higher, but the RX 580 maintains a higher base clock.

The process node and memory technology differ: 14 nm versus 7 nm, GDDR5 versus GDDR6. The RX 580 uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, while the Pro 5500M uses PCIe 4.0 x8. The RX 580 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) while the Pro 5500M supports DirectX 12 (12_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6, but the RX 580 supports Vulkan 1.3 while the Pro 5500M supports Vulkan 1.4.

The RX 580 is a desktop card with dual-slot width, a 1x 8-pin power connector, and a suggested 450 W power supply. The Pro 5500M is a mobile part with no power connectors listed and a lower thermal profile. The RX 580 has a length of 241 mm or 9.5 inches; the Pro 5500M has no listed dimensions. Display outputs differ as well: the RX 580 has 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the Pro 5500M's outputs are listed as portable device dependent.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are all in favor of the RX 580. In Geekbench Metal, the RX 580 scores 45,235 against 38,235, an 18.3% advantage. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RX 580 scores 37,453 against 31,088, a 20.5% advantage. In Geekbench Vulkan, the RX 580 scores 45,173 against 35,134, a 28.6% advantage.

PassMark results follow the same direction. In DirectX 10, the RX 580 scores 46 versus 36, a 27.8% lead. DirectX 11 shows 60 versus 42, a 42.9% lead. DirectX 12 shows 43 versus 29, a 48.3% lead. DirectX 9 shows 124 versus 96, a 29.2% lead.

The 2D test shows the RX 580 at 769 versus 648, an 18.7% lead in PassMark G2D. The 3D test shows 8,813 versus 6,732, a 30.9% lead in PassMark G3D. GPU compute shows 3,488 versus 3,240, a 7.7% lead in PassMark GPU Compute.

The biggest single win for the RX 580 comes in PassMark DirectX 12, where it leads by 48.3%. The biggest win in an absolute point delta comes in Geekbench Vulkan, where the RX 580 leads by 10,039 points. The smallest margin is PassMark GPU Compute at 7.7%, which is the only test where the Pro 5500M comes close to matching the RX 580.

The Pro 5500M's higher boost clock of 1450 MHz does not translate into wins in any recorded test. The RX 580's higher base clock of 1257 MHz and wider memory bus appear to contribute to its consistent advantage.

The Verdict

The data points to a single clear conclusion: the AMD Radeon RX 580 outperforms the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M in every tested workload. The RX 580 wins all 10 head-to-head benchmarks with margins ranging from 7.7% to 48.3%. No recorded test favors the Pro 5500M.

Users who prioritize raw graphics performance in DX9, DX10, DX11, DX12, Metal, OpenCL, or Vulkan should pick the RX 580. The RX 580 has a higher average benchmark score of 12,928 versus 11,528 for the Pro 5500M, and it sits in the 53rd percentile versus the 51st percentile for the Pro 5500M.

The Pro 5500M does offer a smaller footprint and lower power draw. It is a mobile part with no power connectors, while the RX 580 requires a 1x 8-pin power connector and a 450 W power supply. The Pro 5500M also brings a newer architecture, RDNA 1.0, a 7 nm process, and GDDR6 memory. It supports DirectX 12_1 and Vulkan 1.4, while the RX 580 supports DirectX 12_0 and Vulkan 1.3.

But the benchmark data does not show any performance advantage for the Pro 5500M. Its higher boost clock and newer memory type do not overcome the RX 580's advantages in shading units, memory bus width, and memory bandwidth. The RX 580 leads by 28.6% in Vulkan and 20.5% in OpenCL, which are the API tests most likely to reflect architecture differences.

The RX 580 is the pick for anyone who wants maximum performance in the recorded tests. The Pro 5500M is the pick only for users who require a mobile form factor and lower power draw, accepting a performance deficit in every measured category.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins in DirectX 12 performance?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 wins by 48.3%, scoring 43 in PassMark DirectX 12 versus 29 for the Pro 5500M.

Q: Does the Radeon Pro 5500M win any benchmark?

A: No. The RX 580 wins all 10 head-to-head benchmarks. The Pro 5500M has zero wins.

Q: What is the smallest performance gap between the two?

A: The smallest gap is in PassMark GPU Compute, where the RX 580 leads by 7.7% with a score of 3,488 versus 3,240.

Q: How do the memory configurations compare?

A: Both have 8 GB of memory. The RX 580 uses GDDR5 with a 256 bit bus and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Pro 5500M uses GDDR6 with a 128 bit bus and 192.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The RX 580 has an average benchmark score of 12,928, while the Pro 5500M has 11,528. The RX 580 also ranks in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs versus the 51st percentile for the Pro 5500M.

Q: What are the architecture differences?

A: The RX 580 uses GCN 4.0 on a 14 nm process with 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die. The Pro 5500M uses RDNA 1.0 on a 7 nm process with 6,400 million transistors on a 158 mm² die.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 580 | AMD Radeon Pro 5500M |

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

| Chip | Polaris 20 | Navi 14 |

| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | RDNA 1.0 |

| Process node | 14 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 5,700 million | 6,400 million |

| Die size | 232 mm² | 158 mm² |

| Transistor density | 24.6M / mm² | 40.5M / mm² |

| Base clock | 1257 MHz | 1000 MHz |

| Boost clock | 1340 MHz | 1450 MHz |

| Memory clock | 2000 MHz, 8 Gbps effective | 1500 MHz, 12 Gbps effective |

| Memory type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |

| Memory bus width | 256 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory bandwidth | 256.0 GB/s | 192.0 GB/s |

| Shading units | 2304 | 1536 |

| Texture mapping units | 144 | 96 |

| Render output units | 32 | 32 |

| Pixel rate | 42.88 GPixel/s | 46.40 GPixel/s |

| Texture rate | 193.0 GTexel/s | 139.2 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 6.175 TFLOPS | 4.454 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 6.175 TFLOPS (1:1) | 8.909 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 185 W | 85 W |

| Slot width | Dual-slot | None listed |

| Power connectors | 1x 8-pin | None |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | None listed |

| Bus interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x8 |

| Display outputs | 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Portable device dependent |

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

| Vulkan support | 1.3 | 1.4 |

| Release date | 2017-04-17 | 2019-11-12 |

| Launch MSRP | 229 USD | None listed |