AMD Radeon R5 M430 vs AMD Radeon R6 M255DX Comparison

The AMD Radeon R5 M430 and AMD Radeon R6 M255DX are both end-of-life integrated graphics parts built on the same 28 nm GCN 1.0 architecture, but they are separated by a thin margin in raw compute capability. The R5 M430 holds a slight edge in the available benchmark data, while the R6 M255DX relies on a system-shared memory configuration that makes its performance highly dependent on the host platform. This analysis compares the two based solely on the provided benchmark scores, architectural details, and specification differences.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available between the two GPUs is the Geekbench Vulkan test, and the results are extremely close. The AMD Radeon R5 M430 scores 4884, while the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX scores 4867. This gives the R5 M430 a 0.3% lead over its rival, a margin that is effectively within noise for a single benchmark run. It is a narrow victory, but it does indicate that the R5 M430 has a measurable, if minimal, performance advantage in Vulkan workloads.

Looking at overall average benchmark scores, the R5 M430 again comes out ahead. Its average benchmark score is 5018, which is 151 points higher than the R6 M255DX’s average of 4867. This represents a roughly 3.1% advantage for the R5 M430, a more substantial gap than the single Vulkan test suggests. The R5 M430 also has a higher percentile ranking among all GPUs, sitting at the 30th percentile, whereas the R6 M255DX is at the 28th percentile. This means the R5 M430 outperforms a slightly larger share of the GPU population.

The R5 M430’s closest rival in the data is the AMD FirePro W4170M, which has an average score of 5034. The R5 M430 trails that part by just 0.3%. It also sits 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon R7 Graphics (score 4998) and 0.8% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro 4000 (score 4979). The only rival in its list that it trails by a notable margin is the AMD Radeon R7 M340, which scores 5063 and leads the R5 M430 by 0.9%. These deltas are all small, confirming that the R5 M430 is firmly in the middle of a tightly clustered performance tier.

The R6 M255DX’s nearest rivals tell a similar story. It leads the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M by 0.2% (4855 vs. 4867) and the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX by 0.5% (4844 vs. 4867). It trails the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 by 0.5% (4893 vs. 4867) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB by 0.7% (4901 vs. 4867). Notably, the R6 M255DX is compared against a much more modern GPU, the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB, yet the performance delta is under one percentage point, which highlights how limited the R6 M255DX’s absolute performance is in the grand scheme of modern graphics hardware.

In summary, the head-to-head data is unambiguous: the R5 M430 wins the only direct test, wins the average score comparison, and holds a higher percentile rank. The margins are small, but they are consistent across every metric available.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon R5 M430 has an average benchmark score of 5018, which is higher than the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX’s average of 4867. This gives the R5 M430 a lead of roughly 3.1%.

Q: How do the two compare in the Geekbench Vulkan test?

A: The R5 M430 scores 4884, while the R6 M255DX scores 4867. The R5 M430 wins this test by a 0.3% margin.

Q: Are there any benchmarks where the R6 M255DX wins?

A: No. The data shows that the R6 M255DX has zero wins in head-to-head comparisons, while the R5 M430 has one win in the Geekbench Vulkan test.

Q: What is the performance difference between the R5 M430 and its closest rival, the FirePro W4170M?

A: The R5 M430 trails the AMD FirePro W4170M by just 0.3% in average benchmark score (5018 vs. 5034). This places the two GPUs at essentially the same performance level.

Q: How does the R6 M255DX compare to the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX?

A: The R6 M255DX has an average score of 4867, which is 0.5% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX’s average of 4844. The R6 M255DX therefore holds a slight edge over that mobile NVIDIA part.

Q: What is the percentile ranking of each GPU?

A: The R5 M430 is at the 30th percentile of all GPUs, while the R6 M255DX is at the 28th percentile. This indicates that the R5 M430 outperforms a slightly larger fraction of the overall GPU population.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs are built on the identical underlying architecture. They share the same "Jet" chip, use the GCN 1.0 architecture, and are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. Both have the same transistor count of 690 million and the same die size of 56 mm², yielding an identical transistor density of 12.3M per mm². The core configuration is also the same: 320 shading units, 20 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 8 render output units (ROPs). As a result, the pixel rate (6.840 GPixel/s), texture rate (17.10 GTexel/s), and FP32 floating-point performance (547.2 GFLOPS) are identical between the two.

The primary architectural differentiation lies in the memory subsystem. The R5 M430 comes with dedicated memory: 4 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, providing a fixed bandwidth of 16.00 GB/s and a memory clock of 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective). The R6 M255DX, in contrast, uses system-shared memory. Its memory size, type, and bus width are all labeled "System Shared," and its bandwidth is "System Dependent." This is a fundamental difference: the R5 M430 has guaranteed, dedicated memory bandwidth, while the R6 M255DX’s performance scales with the host system’s memory configuration and speed.

The bus interface also differs. The R5 M430 uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface, while the R6 M255DX is listed as simply "IGP" (integrated graphics processor), indicating it is directly integrated into the system and does not use a discrete PCIe connection. Both are classified as "IGP" in slot width, meaning they are intended for portable devices rather than desktop expansion cards.

The generation and release timing differ as well. The R5 M430 belongs to the "Gem System (R5 M400)" generation, while the R6 M255DX is part of the "Gem System Hybrid (Rx M200)" generation. The R6 M255DX has a release date of January 6, 2014, whereas the R5 M430 has no recorded release date in the provided data. The R5 M430 has a predecessor (Solar System) and a successor (Polaris Mobile), while the R6 M255DX has neither listed.

In terms of software support, both GPUs support the same API levels: DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The display outputs are "Portable Device Dependent" for both, meaning the actual connectivity is determined by the laptop design. Neither GPU has a TDP value, power connector requirement, or suggested PSU listed, and both have no launch MSRP.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the AMD Radeon R5 M430 is the superior performer. It wins the only direct head-to-head benchmark (Geekbench Vulkan) with a 0.3% margin, has a higher average benchmark score (5018 vs. 4867), and sits at a higher percentile rank (30th vs. 28th). For any user prioritizing raw compute performance in Vulkan or general OpenCL workloads, the R5 M430 is the clear choice between these two.

The R6 M255DX is not without its own context, however. Its performance is closely matched to several NVIDIA mobile and desktop parts from its era, including the GeForce GTX 560M and the GeForce 940MX, against which it holds a slim lead. It also trails the modern RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB by only 0.7% in average score, which confirms how clustered the performance of these legacy integrated parts is, rather than any indication of modern competitiveness.

The decision between the two ultimately hinges on the memory architecture. The R5 M430’s dedicated 4 GB DDR3 frame buffer with a fixed 16.00 GB/s bandwidth offers predictable performance, regardless of the host system’s memory configuration. The R6 M255DX’s system-shared memory means its actual performance in any given application is contingent on the system’s RAM speed and capacity, making it a more variable proposition. For a user who needs consistent, reliable performance in a laptop, the R5 M430’s dedicated memory is a distinct advantage.

That said, the performance delta between the two is small enough that neither GPU is a meaningful upgrade over the other in real-world terms. The R5 M430 is the safer, more consistent choice with a slight but measurable performance edge. The R6 M255DX is a viable option only if the host system has a fast, well-configured shared memory setup, but the absence of any benchmark win in the data makes it difficult to recommend over the R5 M430.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the AMD Radeon R5 M430 and the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX:

• Generation: The R5 M430 is from the "Gem System (R5 M400)" generation, while the R6 M255DX is from the "Gem System Hybrid (Rx M200)" generation.
• Release Date: The R6 M255DX has a release date of January 6, 2014. The R5 M430 has no release date listed.
• Memory Size: The R5 M430 has 4 GB of dedicated memory. The R6 M255DX uses "System Shared" memory.
• Memory Type: The R5 M430 uses DDR3. The R6 M255DX uses "System Shared" memory.
• Memory Bus Width: The R5 M430 has a 64-bit bus. The R6 M255DX has a "System Shared" bus.
• Memory Bandwidth: The R5 M430 has a fixed bandwidth of 16.00 GB/s. The R6 M255DX has "System Dependent" bandwidth.
• Memory Clock: The R5 M430 has a memory clock of 1000 MHz (2 Gbps effective). The R6 M255DX has no memory clock listed.
• Bus Interface: The R5 M430 uses PCIe 3.0 x8. The R6 M255DX uses "IGP".
• Predecessor: The R5 M430 has a predecessor listed as "Solar System". The R6 M255DX has none.
• Successor: The R5 M430 has a successor listed as "Polaris Mobile". The R6 M255DX has none.
• Geekbench Vulkan Score: The R5 M430 scores 4884, while the R6 M255DX scores 4867.
• Average Benchmark Score: The R5 M430 averages 5018, while the R6 M255DX averages 4867.
• Percentile vs. All GPUs: The R5 M430 is at the 30th percentile, while the R6 M255DX is at the 28th percentile.