AMD Radeon R6 M255DX vs Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records a single direct benchmark comparison between these two integrated graphics parts, and it is a decisive one. In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX scores 4867, while the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 scores 3677. That is a 32.4% advantage for the AMD part, a substantial margin in a synthetic graphics workload. The delta is large enough that it is unlikely to be noise; the AMD solution is simply faster in this API.

Context from the nearest rivals helps frame these numbers. The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX sits at the 28th percentile of all GPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 4867, which places it within 0.2% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M (4855) and 0.5% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX (4844). It also edges out the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 (4893) by 0.5% in the other direction, meaning the AMD part trades blows with a cluster of older discrete mobile and desktop GPUs. The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200, by contrast, sits at the 26th percentile with an average benchmark score of 4360. That is notably lower than the AMD part's average, and the Intel GPU's own nearest rivals tell a similar story: it is 0.6% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 (4335), 0.6% behind the NVIDIA GeForce 930M (4388), 1.2% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GT 645M (4411), and 1.5% ahead of the AMD FirePro W2100 (4295). The Intel part is competitive with low-end discrete GPUs, but it is not in the same tier as the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX.

The Vulkan result is the only head-to-head data point, but it is a meaningful one. Vulkan is a low-overhead API that often exposes raw shader throughput and driver efficiency, and the AMD part's 32.4% lead suggests a clear performance hierarchy. There is no competing benchmark in the database where Intel wins, so the recorded data shows AMD ahead across the board in direct comparison.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded data, the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX wins the only direct comparison available. The Geekbench Vulkan score of 4867 versus 3677 is a clean victory. The AMD part also has a higher average benchmark score, 4867 versus 4360, which reinforces its position as the faster GPU overall. For users who prioritize Vulkan-based workloads, whether that means modern games or compute tasks using that API, the AMD solution is the stronger choice.

The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 does not win any direct comparison in the database, but it is not without merit. Its OpenCL score of 5042, recorded separately in the database, is actually higher than the AMD part's Vulkan score of 4867. That is not a head-to-head comparison, since the tests differ, but it does indicate that the Intel GPU can post competitive numbers in OpenCL workloads. The Intel part's texture rate is also much higher, 46.00 GTexel/s versus 17.10 GTexel/s for AMD, which suggests it has an advantage in fill-rate-bound tasks if drivers and APIs align. However, the AMD part has a higher pixel rate, 6.840 GPixel/s versus 4.600 GPixel/s, so rasterization-heavy work may favor AMD.

In practical terms, AMD wins the benchmark that matters most in this comparison, but Intel has strengths in specific areas. Users who rely on OpenCL compute might find the Intel part acceptable, and its higher texture rate could help in certain texture-heavy workloads. The data does not support a general Intel victory, though. The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX is the faster part in the only apples-to-apples test recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in Vulkan benchmarks?

A: The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX scores 4867 in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 32.4% higher than the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200's score of 3677.

Q: How do these GPUs compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The AMD part is 0.2% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M and 0.5% ahead of the GeForce 940MX, while sitting 0.5% behind the GeForce GTS 450 and 0.7% behind the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB. The Intel part is 0.6% ahead of the GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6, 0.6% behind the GeForce 930M, 1.2% behind the GeForce GT 645M, and 1.5% ahead of the AMD FirePro W2100.

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX has an average benchmark score of 4867, while the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 averages 4360.

Q: Does the Intel GPU have any benchmark where it scores higher than the AMD GPU?

A: The Intel part records an OpenCL score of 5042, which is higher than the AMD part's Vulkan score of 4867, but these are different tests and not a direct head-to-head comparison. In the only shared test, Vulkan, AMD wins.

Q: What are the percentile rankings for these GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX sits at the 28th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 sits at the 26th percentile.

Q: Which GPU has higher texture and pixel rates?

A: The Intel part has a texture rate of 46.00 GTexel/s versus 17.10 GTexel/s for AMD, but the AMD part has a pixel rate of 6.840 GPixel/s versus 4.600 GPixel/s for Intel.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in several key specifications. The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX uses a 28 nm process node from TSMC, while the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 uses a 22 nm node from Intel. The AMD chip, codenamed Jet, packs 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.3M per mm². Intel does not list transistor count, die size, or density in the database.

Clock speeds differ significantly. The AMD part has a base clock of 780 MHz and a boost clock of 855 MHz. The Intel part has a base clock of 200 MHz and a much higher boost clock of 1150 MHz. That is a 950 MHz gap in boost clocks, but the AMD part's higher base clock keeps it competitive in sustained workloads.

Shading unit counts are identical at 320, but the texture mapping units and ROPs differ. AMD has 20 TMUs and 8 ROPs, while Intel has 40 TMUs and 4 ROPs. This explains the divergent pixel and texture rates: AMD's 8 ROPs produce 6.840 GPixel/s, while Intel's 4 ROPs produce 4.600 GPixel/s. Intel's 40 TMUs produce 46.00 GTexel/s, more than double AMD's 17.10 GTexel/s.

Floating-point performance also favors Intel. The Intel part delivers 736.0 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, while AMD delivers 547.2 GFLOPS. That is a 188.8 GFLOPS gap in raw compute throughput, yet the Vulkan benchmark still favors AMD, which suggests driver efficiency and API implementation play a large role.

The TDP figures differ: Intel lists 45 W, while AMD lists no TDP value. Both are IGP-class parts, but the Intel part's power envelope is documented. The bus interface also differs, with AMD using IGP and Intel using Ring Bus. Display outputs are portable device dependent for AMD and motherboard dependent for Intel.

API support shows some differences. Both support DirectX 12 (11_1) and OpenGL 4.6 is supported by AMD while Intel supports OpenGL 4.3. Vulkan support is notably different: AMD supports version 1.2.170, while Intel only supports version 1.0. This likely contributes to the large Vulkan performance gap.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX is built on GCN 1.0 architecture, part of the Gem System Hybrid generation under the Rx M200 family. The chip is codenamed Jet. This is a 28 nm design from TSMC. GCN 1.0 was AMD's first Graphics Core Next iteration, and it emphasized compute throughput and a unified shader design.

The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 is built on Generation 7.5 architecture, part of the HD Graphics family under Haswell. The chip is codenamed Haswell GT3e. This is a 22 nm design from Intel. Intel's Generation 7.5 was an evolution of the company's previous graphics architectures, with a focus on improving integrated graphics performance enough to handle casual gaming and media tasks.

The architectural differences are substantial. AMD's GCN 1.0 uses a scalar-vector design that was designed with compute in mind, while Intel's Generation 7.5 is a more traditional fixed-function-ish design with a strong emphasis on texture throughput. That is evident in the specification differences: Intel has double the TMUs (40 versus 20) and more than double the texture rate (46.00 GTexel/s versus 17.10 GTexel/s), but AMD has double the ROPs (8 versus 4) and a higher pixel rate (6.840 GPixel/s versus 4.600 GPixel/s).

Transistor density is a point of differentiation. AMD packs 690 million transistors into 56 mm², which works out to 12.3M per mm². Intel does not disclose its transistor count or die size in the database, so a direct density comparison is impossible. The 22 nm node from Intel is smaller than AMD's 28 nm node, which would normally imply higher density, but without Intel's figures, the data cannot confirm that.

The memory architecture is identical on paper: both use system shared memory with a system dependent bus width and bandwidth. Neither part has dedicated VRAM, so both rely on the host system's RAM. This makes the GPUs sensitive to system memory speed and configuration, though the database does not record how specific memory setups affect performance.

The API support differences reflect the architectural priorities. AMD supports Vulkan 1.2.170 and OpenGL 4.6, while Intel supports Vulkan 1.0 and OpenGL 4.3. Both support DirectX 12 (11_1). The Vulkan version gap is significant, as Vulkan 1.2 includes features like timeline semaphores and better memory model support that older versions lack. This may explain why AMD's Vulkan score is so much higher despite Intel's raw FP32 advantage.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner for most use cases. The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX wins the only direct head-to-head benchmark, posting a 32.4% higher Vulkan score than the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200. Its average benchmark score of 4867 is also higher than Intel's 4360, and it occupies a higher percentile ranking at 28th versus 26th. For anyone running Vulkan-based games or applications, AMD is the obvious pick.

The Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 is not without strengths. Its FP32 compute of 736.0 GFLOPS exceeds AMD's 547.2 GFLOPS, and its texture rate of 46.00 GTexel/s is more than double AMD's 17.10 GTexel/s. Its OpenCL score of 5042 is also higher than AMD's Vulkan score, though that is not a direct comparison. Users who prioritize OpenCL compute or texture-heavy workloads might find the Intel part serviceable, but the lack of a head-to-head win in the database makes it hard to recommend over AMD.

Choose the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX if you care about Vulkan performance, modern API support, or overall benchmark scores. It offers a 32.4% lead in the shared test, supports Vulkan 1.2.170, and has a higher average score. Choose the Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 if you need higher raw FP32 throughput or texture fill rate, or if your workload is specifically OpenCL-based. The data shows AMD as the faster GPU in direct comparison, but Intel's specialized strengths could matter in niche scenarios. For a general-purpose integrated GPU, the AMD part is the stronger choice based on recorded benchmarks.