AMD Radeon R5 M420 vs Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 Comparison

The data presents a clear comparison between two end-of-life mobile graphics solutions: the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 and the AMD Radeon R5 M420. The benchmark results show a decisive performance gap, with the Intel part taking the only head-to-head test, but the underlying specifications reveal distinct design philosophies that matter for different use cases.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single available benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, establishes the performance hierarchy. Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 scores 5042 points, while the AMD Radeon R5 M420 scores 3956 points. This yields a delta of 27.5% in favor of the Intel solution, a substantial margin that places the two parts in different performance tiers. In percentile rankings against all GPUs, the Intel chip sits at the 26th percentile, while the AMD chip sits at the 23rd percentile, reinforcing the consistent though modest gap.

Contextualizing these scores against their nearest rivals clarifies the competitive landscape. The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200's average benchmark score is 4360, placing it within 0.6% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 (4335) and within 0.6% of the NVIDIA GeForce 930M (4388). It trails the NVIDIA GeForce GT 645M (4411) by 1.2% and leads the AMD FirePro W2100 (4295) by 1.5%. This clustering indicates that the Iris Pro's performance is competitive with entry-level discrete GPUs from its era. For the AMD Radeon R5 M420, the average score of 3956 puts it nearly exactly even with the NVIDIA GeForce 830M (3957, 0% delta) and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 745M (3953, 0.1% delta). It lags the NVIDIA Quadro K2000 (3964) by 0.2% and the AMD Radeon HD 6850 X2 (3977) by 0.5%. The AMD part sits at the bottom of its immediate competitive group, while the Intel part sits near the top of its group.

The Geekbench OpenCL test measures general compute performance, and the 27.5% delta is significant. The Intel part's advantage is not marginal; it represents a full tier of performance separation. The data shows the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 delivers a 1086-point raw score advantage over the AMD Radeon R5 M420 in this workload, a difference that would translate to faster execution of OpenCL-accelerated tasks.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 wins the only direct benchmark comparison, taking the Geekbench OpenCL test with a 27.5% advantage. This gives it a clean sweep in the recorded head-to-head results, with winsA equal to 1 and winsB equal to 0. In compute-oriented tasks that rely on OpenCL acceleration, the Intel part is the clear choice based on the measured data.

The AMD Radeon R5 M420 does not win any recorded benchmark comparisons. However, examining the specification differences reveals areas where it may hold qualitative advantages that are not captured in the compute benchmark. The AMD part features double the ROPs (8 versus 4), which historically improves fill-rate-bound scenarios such as high-resolution rendering with heavy pixel shading. Its pixel rate of 6.800 GPixel/s exceeds the Intel's 4.600 GPixel/s, indicating faster raw pixel throughput. The AMD part also has a dedicated 4 GB DDR3 memory configuration with a 64-bit bus and 16.00 GB/s bandwidth, whereas the Intel part relies on system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth. For workloads that are sensitive to memory latency and dedicated bandwidth, the AMD architecture may provide more consistent performance.

The AMD Radeon R5 M420 also supports newer API versions, including OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170, compared to the Intel's OpenGL 4.3 and Vulkan 1.0. Applications that leverage these newer graphics APIs may run more efficiently on the AMD part, even if raw compute throughput is lower. The AMD chip is built on GCN 1.0 architecture with 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die, whereas the Intel uses Haswell GT3e with generation 7.5 architecture on a 22 nm process. These architectural differences suggest the AMD part may handle certain modern rendering paths better.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 is the superior performer. It wins the only head-to-head test by 27.5% and holds a higher average benchmark score of 4360 versus 3956. Its percentile ranking of 26 versus 23 further confirms its relative strength. Users whose primary concern is compute performance, particularly in OpenCL-accelerated applications, should choose the Intel part without hesitation.

The AMD Radeon R5 M420, while losing the compute benchmark, offers advantages in specific hardware features. Its doubled ROP count and higher pixel rate indicate stronger raw pixel throughput, which could benefit certain rendering tasks. The dedicated 4 GB VRAM with fixed bandwidth provides predictable memory performance that does not depend on system configuration, unlike the Intel's system-shared memory. Users running applications that are fill-rate limited or that require consistent memory bandwidth may find the AMD part more suitable, despite its lower compute scores.

The choice ultimately depends on workload. For general-purpose compute, OpenCL acceleration, and tasks that leverage the Intel's higher shading unit count and texture rate, the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 is the data-backed winner. For pixel-heavy rendering or applications that benefit from dedicated VRAM and newer API support, the AMD Radeon R5 M420 presents a compelling alternative despite its benchmark deficit.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 scores 5042, while the AMD Radeon R5 M420 scores 3956, giving Intel a 27.5% advantage.

Q: How does the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: Its average score of 4360 is within 0.6% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 (4335) and NVIDIA GeForce 930M (4388), trails the NVIDIA GeForce GT 645M (4411) by 1.2%, and leads the AMD FirePro W2100 (4295) by 1.5%.

Q: What memory configuration does the AMD Radeon R5 M420 use?

A: It uses 4 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus with 16.00 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel part uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has more ROPs and higher pixel rate?

A: The AMD Radeon R5 M420 has 8 ROPs and a pixel rate of 6.800 GPixel/s, compared to the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200's 4 ROPs and 4.600 GPixel/s.

Q: What are the API differences between the two?

A: The Intel supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.3, and Vulkan 1.0, while the AMD supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Q: What is the process node for each chip?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 is built on a 22 nm process by Intel, while the AMD Radeon R5 M420 is built on a 28 nm process by TSMC.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different architectural lineages. The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 is based on the Haswell GT3e chip, using Intel's Generation 7.5 architecture, which is part of the HD Graphics (Haswell) family. It is manufactured on a 22 nm process at Intel's foundry. The AMD Radeon R5 M420 uses the Jet chip with GCN 1.0 architecture, belonging to the Gem System (R5 M400) generation, and is fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process. The AMD chip contains 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die, with a transistor density of 12.3M per mm².

The compute resources differ significantly in their distribution. Both parts feature 320 shading units, but the Intel part has 40 texture mapping units (TMUs) versus the AMD's 20, giving Intel a 2:1 advantage in texture processing. Conversely, the AMD part has 8 ROPs versus the Intel's 4, a 2:1 advantage in pixel output. These ratios explain the benchmark results: Intel's higher texture rate of 46.00 GTexel/s versus AMD's 17.00 GTexel/s drives its compute advantage, while AMD's higher pixel rate of 6.800 GPixel/s versus Intel's 4.600 GPixel/s suggests fill-rate strength.

Clock speeds also differ substantially. The Intel chip runs at a base clock of 200 MHz with a boost up to 1150 MHz, while the AMD chip runs at a base of 780 MHz with a boost of 850 MHz. Despite the Intel's much lower base clock, its high boost clock and superior TMU count enable higher peak performance. The AMD's memory runs at 1000 MHz with 2 Gbps effective speed, providing dedicated bandwidth that the Intel's system-shared memory cannot guarantee. The Intel uses a Ring Bus interface, while the AMD uses PCIe 3.0 x8.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 | AMD Radeon R5 M420 |

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

| Chip | Haswell GT3e | Jet |

| Architecture | Generation 7.5 | GCN 1.0 |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 28 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not specified | 690 million |

| Die Size | Not specified | 56 mm² |

| Base Clock | 200 MHz | 780 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1150 MHz | 850 MHz |

| Memory Size | System Shared | 4 GB |

| Memory Type | System Shared | DDR3 |

| Memory Bus Width | System Shared | 64 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | System Dependent | 16.00 GB/s |

| TMUs | 40 | 20 |

| ROPs | 4 | 8 |

| Pixel Rate | 4.600 GPixel/s | 6.800 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 46.00 GTexel/s | 17.00 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 736.0 GFLOPS | 544.0 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 45 W | Not specified |

| Bus Interface | Ring Bus | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| OpenGL | 4.3 | 4.6 |

| Vulkan | 1.0 | 1.2.170 |

| Release Date | 2013-06-02 | 2016-05-14 |

| Predecessor | Not specified | Solar System |

| Successor | Not specified | Polaris Mobile |

The specification table highlights the generational gap between the two parts. The Intel chip is from 2013, while the AMD chip is from 2016. The AMD part benefits from newer API support and a dedicated memory interface, but the Intel part wins decisively on texture rate, FP32 compute, and the only benchmark test. The 45 W TDP for Intel versus no specified TDP for AMD also indicates different power envelopes, though thermal characteristics are not directly benchmarked here.