AMD Radeon Pro 570X vs AMD Radeon R9 M295X Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear picture: the AMD Radeon Pro 570X wins two of the three recorded tests, while the AMD Radeon R9 M295X takes a narrow victory in the third. The largest gap appears in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the Pro 570X scores 27,604 against the R9 M295X's 22,858, a decisive 20.8% advantage. This is the kind of margin that translates into visibly faster compute workloads, particularly those that leverage the GPU's raw arithmetic throughput.

In the Geekbench Metal test, the Pro 570X again leads, posting 40,066 points versus 33,790 for the R9 M295X. That is an 18.6% difference, reinforcing the notion that the newer architecture holds a substantial edge in Apple's graphics API. For context, the Pro 570X's average benchmark score of 32,176 places it in the 76th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the R9 M295X's average of 28,580 lands in the 74th percentile. The percentile gap is smaller than the head-to-head deltas suggest, because the averages include a broader set of workloads where the older card holds up better.

The single reversal comes in Geekbench Vulkan, where the R9 M295X scores 29,091 against the Pro 570X's 28,859. The delta is a slim 0.8%, well within run-to-run variance, but it does indicate that the older card's Vulkan driver path remains competitive. Notably, the R9 M295X's Vulkan support is listed as version 1.2.170, while the Pro 570X supports Vulkan 1.3, so the newer API version does not automatically guarantee a win in every test.

Looking at the nearest rivals in the database, the Pro 570X sits within a tight cluster. It trails the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 by 1.1% and the AMD FirePro S10000 by 0.7%, while leading the Intel Arc Pro A30M by 0.9%. The R9 M295X, meanwhile, is bracketed by the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 8000, which it leads by 0.6%, and the AMD Radeon RX 570, which leads it by 0.6%. These are all close calls, suggesting that both cards occupy a similar performance tier in aggregate, even if their individual test results diverge sharply.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different generations of AMD's Graphics Core Next design. The Radeon Pro 570X uses the Ellesmere chip built on GCN 4.0 architecture, fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The Radeon R9 M295X uses the Amethyst chip on GCN 3.0 architecture, produced on a 28 nm process at TSMC. That process shrink is significant: the Pro 570X packs 5,700 million transistors into a 232 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 24.6 million per square millimeter. The R9 M295X, with 5,000 million transistors spread across a much larger 366 mm² die, achieves only 13.7 million per square millimeter. The newer node allows the Pro 570X to do more with less silicon area, which helps explain its efficiency advantages.

The shading resources tell a nuanced story. The R9 M295X actually has more shading units (2,048 versus 1,792) and more texture mapping units (128 versus 112), yet it delivers lower throughput. The Pro 570X achieves a texture rate of 123.8 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 35.36 GPixel/s, while the R9 M295X manages only 92.54 GTexel/s and 23.14 GPixel/s. Both cards have 32 ROPs, but the Pro 570X's higher clock speeds drive its fill rate advantage. The Pro 570X runs at a base clock of 1000 MHz with a boost of 1105 MHz; the R9 M295X has no base or boost clocks listed in the database, though its memory runs at 1250 MHz with 5 Gbps effective speed.

Memory bandwidth is another clear differentiator. The Pro 570X's GDDR5 memory operates at 1695 MHz with 6.8 Gbps effective speed, delivering 217.0 GB/s across a 256-bit bus. The R9 M295X also uses 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, but at 1250 MHz with 5 Gbps effective, bandwidth drops to 160.0 GB/s. That is a 35.6% shortfall, which matters in bandwidth-sensitive workloads like high-resolution texture streaming and compute kernels that move large data blocks.

The floating-point figures reflect the architectural gap. The Pro 570X delivers 3.960 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16, while the R9 M295X delivers 2.961 TFLOPS in both. The newer card is roughly one-third faster in raw compute throughput. API support also differs: the Pro 570X supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, while the R9 M295X matches the DirectX and OpenGL versions but tops out at Vulkan 1.2.170. Power consumption tells a dramatic story: the Pro 570X is rated at 150 W TDP, while the R9 M295X draws 250 W. The Pro 570X is an integrated GPU (IGP) with no power connectors, whereas the R9 M295X is an MXM module with a MXM-B (3.0) bus interface.

Where Each One Wins

The Radeon Pro 570X is the clear winner for compute-heavy tasks. Its 20.8% lead in OpenCL and 18.6% lead in Metal make it the stronger choice for GPU-accelerated rendering, machine learning inference, and any workload that exercises FP32 arithmetic. The higher memory bandwidth (217.0 GB/s versus 160.0 GB/s) also gives it an edge in data-intensive operations. The lower TDP of 150 W versus 250 W means it can sustain performance in thermally constrained chassis, particularly in portable systems where the IGP form factor is designed to fit. The 14 nm process also suggests better thermal headroom per watt, though the database does not record sustained thermal behavior.

The Radeon R9 M295X's only benchmark win is in Vulkan, where it edges ahead by 0.8%. That is a narrow margin, but it may matter for specific Vulkan-based games or applications that favor its driver stack. The older card also has more shading units and TMUs, which can help in workloads that are not purely clock-bound. However, its 250 W TDP and MXM module format make it less practical for thin-and-light designs. The R9 M295X's predecessor is listed as "Solar System" and its successor as "Polaris Mobile," indicating it was a transitional part in AMD's mobile lineup. The Pro 570X belongs to the Radeon Pro Mac (500X Series) generation, which is aimed at professional workflows in Apple systems.

For users prioritizing raw compute in Metal or OpenCL environments, the Pro 570X is the obvious pick. For those locked into Vulkan pipelines, the R9 M295X holds its own, though the margin is thin enough that it could flip with driver updates. The Pro 570X's higher percentile ranking (76th versus 74th) reinforces its overall superiority in the database's aggregated metrics.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 570X has an average benchmark score of 32,176, compared to 28,580 for the AMD Radeon R9 M295X.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two cards?

A: The largest gap is in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the Pro 570X leads by 20.8% with a score of 27,604 versus 22,858.

Q: Does the R9 M295X win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins the Geekbench Vulkan test with a score of 29,091, edging out the Pro 570X's 28,859 by 0.8%.

Q: How do the memory bandwidth figures compare?

A: The Pro 570X delivers 217.0 GB/s, while the R9 M295X delivers 160.0 GB/s, a difference of roughly 35.6%.

Q: What are the process nodes for each GPU?

A: The Pro 570X is built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, while the R9 M295X uses a 28 nm process at TSMC.

Q: Which card has a lower TDP?

A: The Pro 570X is rated at 150 W, while the R9 M295X is rated at 250 W.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon Pro 570X | AMD Radeon R9 M295X |

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

| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | GCN 3.0 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 28 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 5,700 million | 5,000 million |

| Die Size | 232 mm² | 366 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 24.6M / mm² | 13.7M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1000 MHz | Not listed |

| Boost Clock | 1105 MHz | Not listed |

| Memory Clock | 1695 MHz (6.8 Gbps effective) | 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 217.0 GB/s | 160.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1792 | 2048 |

| TMUs | 112 | 128 |

| Pixel Rate | 35.36 GPixel/s | 23.14 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 123.8 GTexel/s | 92.54 GTexel/s |

| FP32 / FP16 | 3.960 TFLOPS | 2.961 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 150 W | 250 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | MXM Module |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | MXM-B (3.0) |

| Vulkan Version | 1.3 | 1.2.170 |

| Release Date | 2019-03-17 | 2014-11-22 |

| Generation | Radeon Pro Mac (500X Series) | Gem System (R9 M200) |

| Predecessor | Not listed | Solar System |

| Successor | Not listed | Polaris Mobile |