AMD Radeon R5 M435 vs AMD Radeon R7 M365X Comparison

The AMD Radeon R7 M365X and AMD Radeon R5 M435 are two end-of-life mobile graphics solutions from the Gem System generation, both built on the same 28 nm GCN 1.0 architecture. The data shows a very close contest, with the R7 M365X holding a narrow edge in the only shared benchmark, while the R5 M435 counters with a higher average score and a better percentile ranking. This pairing is a study in how different hardware configurations—fewer cores versus more memory—can produce nearly identical real-world results.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the AMD Radeon R7 M365X scores 5939 against the AMD Radeon R5 M435's 5859. That is a deltaPct of 1.4% in favor of the R7 M365X. While this is a win, it is a marginal one; a 1.4% difference is within the noise range of most benchmark runs and suggests the two GPUs are functionally equivalent for compute workloads. The R7 M365X's advantage here likely stems from its wider 128-bit memory bus, which provides significantly more bandwidth for data-heavy OpenCL tasks.

However, the average benchmark score tells a slightly different story. The R5 M435 averages 5859 across its benchmark suite, while the R7 M365X averages 5416. This is a notable 8.2% gap in the R5 M435's favor. The discrepancy arises because the R7 M365X's average is pulled down by its Geekbench Vulkan score of 4893, a test the R5 M435 did not run. If we isolate the OpenCL results, the R7 M365X is ahead, but the R5 M435's overall consistency gives it a higher standing.

The percentile rankings reinforce this split. The R5 M435 sits at the 33rd percentile of all GPUs, while the R7 M365X is at the 32nd. A single percentile point is negligible, but it does indicate that the R5 M435 is marginally better positioned against the broader GPU landscape. In terms of nearest rivals, the R7 M365X trades blows with the AMD Radeon 610M (-0.5%), Intel UHD Graphics P630 (0.9%), NVIDIA Quadro M4000 (-0.9%), and AMD Radeon R7 M445 (1.1%). The R5 M435, meanwhile, sits within 1.6% of the AMD Radeon R7 M465, Intel UHD Graphics 730, AMD Radeon HD 8730M, and NVIDIA Quadro K620M. Both GPUs are clearly entrenched in the same performance tier, with no decisive victory in either direction.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs are built on the same GCN 1.0 architecture and use a 28 nm process at TSMC, but their underlying chips diverge significantly. The R7 M365X uses the "Litho" chip, which packs 950 million transistors onto a 77 mm² die. The R5 M435 uses the smaller "Jet" chip, with 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die. Both have a transistor density of 12.3M / mm², which is expected given the identical process node. The larger Litho die gives the R7 M365X more raw hardware: 384 shading units, 24 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. The R5 M435 scales down to 320 shading units, 20 TMUs, but keeps the same 8 ROPs.

Clock speeds are where the R5 M435 fights back. The R7 M365X has no listed base or boost clock, but its memory runs at 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective). The R5 M435 has a base clock of 780 MHz and a boost clock of 1030 MHz, with memory at 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective). The R5 M435's higher boost clock partially compensates for its fewer cores. This is reflected in the pixel and texture rates: the R5 M435 achieves 8.240 GPixel/s and 20.60 GTexel/s, while the R7 M365X manages 6.600 GPixel/s and 19.80 GTexel/s. The R5 M435 is faster in these rasterization metrics despite having 64 fewer shading units.

Compute throughput, measured in FP32, is nearly identical. The R5 M435 delivers 659.2 GFLOPS, while the R7 M365X delivers 633.6 GFLOPS. That is a 4.0% advantage for the R5 M435, again driven by its higher clocks. Memory is the most striking difference: the R7 M365X has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The R5 M435 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 64-bit bus, yielding only 36.00 GB/s. The R7 M365X has 77.8% more bandwidth, which is why it wins the OpenCL test. The R5 M435 counters with double the memory capacity, which is more useful for texture-heavy workloads or larger framebuffers.

The Verdict

The data points to a near-tie, with the choice depending on workload priority. The AMD Radeon R7 M365X is the pick for compute-bound tasks that benefit from memory bandwidth. Its 64.00 GB/s bandwidth is a decisive advantage over the R5 M435's 36.00 GB/s, and it wins the only direct benchmark. The R5 M435, however, has a higher average score (5859 vs 5416) and a slightly better percentile rank (33rd vs 32nd), driven by its superior clocks and higher FP32 throughput. For general-purpose use, the R5 M435 appears more consistent.

The R5 M435 also offers 2 GB of memory versus the R7 M365X's 1 GB. In modern applications, 2 GB is the more comfortable baseline, especially for texture-heavy games or multi-tasking. The R7 M365X's 1 GB could be a bottleneck even if its bandwidth is higher. The R5 M435's higher boost clock (1030 MHz) also gives it an edge in latency-sensitive tasks. Ultimately, the R7 M365X wins on raw bandwidth and the specific OpenCL benchmark, but the R5 M435 wins on aggregate performance, memory capacity, and clock speed. Neither is a clear winner; the R7 M365X is for bandwidth-hungry compute, the R5 M435 for broader everyday use.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two GPUs:

• Chip: R7 M365X uses "Litho"; R5 M435 uses "Jet".
• Transistors: R7 M365X has 950 million; R5 M435 has 690 million.
• Die Size: R7 M365X is 77 mm²; R5 M435 is 56 mm².
• Base Clock: R7 M365X has none listed; R5 M435 has 780 MHz.
• Boost Clock: R7 M365X has none listed; R5 M435 has 1030 MHz.
• Memory Clock: R7 M365X is 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective); R5 M435 is 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective).
• Memory Size: R7 M365X has 1024 MB; R5 M435 has 2 GB.
• Memory Bus Width: R7 M365X is 128 bit; R5 M435 is 64 bit.
• Memory Bandwidth: R7 M365X is 64.00 GB/s; R5 M435 is 36.00 GB/s.
• Shading Units: R7 M365X has 384; R5 M435 has 320.
• TMUs: R7 M365X has 24; R5 M435 has 20.
• Pixel Rate: R7 M365X is 6.600 GPixel/s; R5 M435 is 8.240 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: R7 M365X is 19.80 GTexel/s; R5 M435 is 20.60 GTexel/s.
• FP32: R7 M365X is 633.6 GFLOPS; R5 M435 is 659.2 GFLOPS.
• Slot Width: R7 M365X has none listed; R5 M435 is "IGP".
• Display Outputs: R7 M365X has none listed; R5 M435 is "Portable Device Dependent".
• Release Date: R7 M365X is 2015-05-04; R5 M435 is 2016-05-14.
• Geekbench OpenCL: R7 M365X scores 5939; R5 M435 scores 5859.
• Geekbench Vulkan: R7 M365X scores 4893; R5 M435 has no score.
• Average Benchmark Score: R7 M365X is 5416; R5 M435 is 5859.
• Percentile: R7 M365X is 32nd; R5 M435 is 33rd.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 M365X, with 64.00 GB/s over a 128-bit bus, compared to the R5 M435's 36.00 GB/s over a 64-bit bus.

Q: Does the R5 M435 have more memory?

A: Yes, the R5 M435 has 2 GB of GDDR5, while the R7 M365X has 1024 MB.

Q: Which GPU wins the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The R7 M365X wins with a score of 5939, a 1.4% deltaPct over the R5 M435's 5859.

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The R5 M435, with an average score of 5859, compared to the R7 M365X's 5416.

Q: Are both GPUs based on the same architecture?

A: Yes, both use GCN 1.0 and are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The R7 M365X has 384 shading units, while the R5 M435 has 320.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R7 M365X wins in scenarios where memory bandwidth is the limiting factor. Its 64.00 GB/s bandwidth is nearly double the R5 M435's 36.00 GB/s, making it better suited for OpenCL compute workloads that stream large datasets. The 1.4% victory in the Geekbench OpenCL test is direct evidence of this. It also has more shading units (384 vs 320) and TMUs (24 vs 20), which could help in shader-heavy tasks, though the R5 M435's higher clocks mitigate this. The R7 M365X is the choice for developers or users running compute applications that saturate memory.

The AMD Radeon R5 M435 wins on aggregate performance and capacity. Its average benchmark score of 5859 is 8.2% higher than the R7 M365X's 5416, and it holds the 33rd percentile versus the R7's 32nd. Its higher boost clock (1030 MHz vs none listed) and FP32 throughput (659.2 GFLOPS vs 633.6 GFLOPS) make it faster for pure arithmetic. The 2 GB memory capacity is a clear advantage for modern games and applications that require larger framebuffers. The R5 M435 also has better pixel rate (8.240 GPixel/s vs 6.600 GPixel/s) and texture rate (20.60 GTexel/s vs 19.80 GTexel/s). For a general-purpose mobile GPU, the R5 M435 is the more balanced option.