AMD Radeon R5 M330 vs AMD Radeon RX 560 Comparison

The benchmark data places the AMD Radeon RX 560 and the AMD Radeon R5 M330 in entirely different performance tiers, despite their shared manufacturer and similar naming conventions. The RX 560 is a dedicated desktop graphics card from the Polaris generation, while the R5 M330 is a low-power mobile IGP solution from the older GCN 1.0 architecture. In the only directly comparable compute benchmark, the RX 560 delivers a decisive victory, establishing a clear hierarchy that the rest of the data supports.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant comparison between these two GPUs comes from the Geekbench OpenCL test, which measures general-purpose compute performance. The AMD Radeon RX 560 scores 16,472 points, while the AMD Radeon R5 M330 scores 4,302 points. This represents a 282.9% advantage for the RX 560, meaning it delivers nearly four times the compute throughput of the R5 M330. This is not a marginal difference; it is a generational and architectural gap that fundamentally separates the two products.

The RX 560’s victory in OpenCL is expected given its hardware specifications, but the magnitude of the win is the key takeaway. The R5 M330 is not merely slower; it is in a different performance class altogether. When contextualized against their respective peer groups, the RX 560 sits at the 26th percentile of all GPUs, while the R5 M330 sits at the 25th percentile. While these percentile rankings appear similar, they mask the fact that the RX 560’s average benchmark score of 4,569 is higher than the R5 M330’s average of 4,170. The R5 M330’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (0.4% ahead), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (0.5% behind), and the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB (1.9% behind). In contrast, the RX 560’s nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon R5 M230 (0.2% behind) and the Intel HD Graphics P530 (0.2% ahead), placing it in a much more competitive and capable performance bracket.

The data shows only one head-to-head benchmark, but the RX 560 also has a broader benchmark portfolio that reinforces its dominance. The RX 560 has been tested in Geekbench Metal (18,941), Passmark DirectX 10 (16), DirectX 11 (25), DirectX 12 (21), DirectX 9 (57), G2D (485), G3D (3,671), and GPU Compute (1,437). The R5 M330, by contrast, has only two recorded benchmarks: Geekbench OpenCL (4,302) and Geekbench Vulkan (4,037). This lack of additional test data for the R5 M330 suggests it is not typically subjected to demanding gaming or professional workloads, which is consistent with its IGP classification and low-power design.

The Verdict

The verdict is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon RX 560 is the superior product in every measurable way. The 282.9% lead in OpenCL compute is the defining statistic, and it is supported by the RX 560’s higher average benchmark score (4,569 vs. 4,170) and its broader suite of test results across multiple APIs. The RX 560 is a dedicated, dual-slot expansion card with a 75 W TDP, while the R5 M330 is an integrated graphics processor with an 18 W TDP. The performance gap is not merely a matter of clock speed or memory bandwidth; it is a reflection of fundamentally different design goals.

Users who need a GPU for gaming, content creation, or any compute-intensive task should choose the RX 560 without hesitation. Its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory and 112.0 GB/s bandwidth provide a solid foundation for modern workloads, and its support for DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3 ensures broad software compatibility. The R5 M330, on the other hand, is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170, and its 2 GB of DDR3 memory with a 64-bit bus delivers only 14.40 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a product designed for basic display output and light acceleration, not for serious graphical work.

For system builders or laptop buyers, the choice is equally clear. The RX 560, with a launch MSRP of 99 USD, represents a baseline for entry-level desktop gaming. The R5 M330, with no recorded launch MSRP, is best understood as a convenience feature for portable devices rather than a performance component. The data does not support any scenario where the R5 M330 would be the preferred choice for performance-sensitive applications.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the AMD Radeon RX 560 than the AMD Radeon R5 M330 in OpenCL?

A: The RX 560 scores 16,472 points in Geekbench OpenCL, while the R5 M330 scores 4,302 points. This gives the RX 560 a 282.9% performance advantage in that specific compute benchmark.

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The RX 560 has an average benchmark score of 4,569, which is higher than the R5 M330’s average of 4,170. The RX 560 also has a higher percentile ranking at 26th versus 25th for the R5 M330.

Q: What is the architectural generation of each GPU?

A: The RX 560 uses GCN 4.0 architecture on a 14 nm process node, while the R5 M330 uses the older GCN 1.0 architecture on a 28 nm process node.

Q: Which GPU supports Vulkan 1.3?

A: Only the AMD Radeon RX 560 supports Vulkan 1.3. The AMD Radeon R5 M330 supports Vulkan 1.2.170.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The RX 560 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 112.0 GB/s bandwidth. The R5 M330 has 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus with 14.40 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The RX 560 has 1,024 shading units, compared to 320 for the R5 M330. The RX 560 also has 64 texture mapping units and 16 raster operation pipelines, versus 20 and 8 respectively for the R5 M330.

Specification Differences

The specification sheet reveals a chasm between the two products. The RX 560 is built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with 3,000 million transistors on a 123 mm² die. The R5 M330 is fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, with 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die. This directly translates to the RX 560’s transistor density of 24.4M / mm², versus 12.3M / mm² for the R5 M330.

Clock speeds differ significantly. The RX 560 runs at a base clock of 1175 MHz and a boost clock of 1275 MHz, while the R5 M330 operates at 955 MHz base and 1030 MHz boost. Memory clocks are even more disparate: the RX 560’s memory runs at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective), while the R5 M330’s memory runs at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective). The memory bus width is 128-bit for the RX 560 and 64-bit for the R5 M330, resulting in bandwidth of 112.0 GB/s versus 14.40 GB/s.

Compute throughput is where the gap becomes insurmountable. The RX 560 delivers 2.611 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 2.611 TFLOPS of FP16 (1:1), while the R5 M330 delivers only 659.2 GFLOPS of FP32 and has no recorded FP16 performance. Pixel rate is 20.40 GPixel/s for the RX 560 versus 8.240 GPixel/s for the R5 M330. Texture rate is 81.60 GTexel/s versus 20.60 GTexel/s. The RX 560 is a dual-slot card with a 75 W TDP and a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the R5 M330 is an IGP with an 18 W TDP and no suggested PSU. The RX 560 has display outputs including 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the R5 M330’s outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent."

Architecture Differences

The architectural differences are stark and explain the performance disparity. The RX 560 is based on the Polaris 21 chip using GCN 4.0 architecture, which is a mature and optimized design for desktop gaming. The R5 M330 is based on the Exo chip using GCN 1.0 architecture, the original iteration of AMD’s Graphics Core Next design. This generational gap means the RX 560 benefits from years of architectural refinements, including better instruction scheduling, improved power efficiency, and enhanced feature support.

The process node difference is critical: 14 nm for the RX 560 versus 28 nm for the R5 M330. This allows the RX 560 to pack more transistors (3,000 million vs. 690 million) into a larger die (123 mm² vs. 56 mm²) while maintaining a higher clock speed and lower relative power consumption per transistor. The RX 560’s support for DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3 provides access to modern rendering features, while the R5 M330 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170.

The RX 560 also features a 1:1 FP16 to FP32 ratio, which is an advanced capability for its time. The R5 M330 has no FP16 support recorded. The RX 560’s memory subsystem is radically superior, with GDDR5 versus DDR3, a wider bus, and higher effective clock speeds. The R5 M330’s 64-bit bus is a fundamental bottleneck that limits its ability to feed even its modest compute units. In terms of production status, both are end-of-life, but the RX 560 was released on 2017-04-17, while the R5 M330 was released on 2015-05-04.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 560 wins in every category where data exists. It has the only recorded win in the head-to-head benchmark, and it is the only GPU with results in Geekbench Metal, Passmark DirectX 9/10/11/12, Passmark G2D, Passmark G3D, and Passmark GPU Compute. The RX 560 is the clear choice for desktop gaming, particularly at 1080p with medium to high settings, and for any application that leverages OpenCL or DirectX compute. Its 4 GB GDDR5 frame buffer is adequate for modern textures, and its 112.0 GB/s bandwidth supports smooth texture streaming.

The AMD Radeon R5 M330 wins only in the sense of power efficiency and form factor. With an 18 W TDP and IGP classification, it is designed for thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermal constraints are paramount. Its only benchmark wins are the absence of data in most tests, which is not a victory but a limitation. The R5 M330 is suitable for basic desktop productivity, video playback, and light 2D acceleration. It is not a gaming GPU, nor is it intended to be.

For users building a gaming desktop, the RX 560 is the only rational choice, offering a 282.9% compute advantage and a robust feature set. For users who need a GPU solely to output a display on a portable device, the R5 M330 suffices, but it offers no headroom for demanding tasks. The data is conclusive: the RX 560 is a real graphics card, while the R5 M330 is a display adapter with a GPU attached.