AMD Radeon R6 M255DX vs Intel Iris Pro Graphics P6300 Comparison

AMD Radeon R6 M255DX and Intel Iris Pro Graphics P6300 are two integrated graphics solutions from different eras and architectures. The Radeon R6 M255DX, based on the GCN 1.0 architecture and the Jet chip, was released in early 2014, while the Iris Pro P6300, built on Intel's Generation 8.0 architecture with the Broadwell GT3e chip, followed later that same year. The recorded database results show a clear performance gap between the two, with the Intel part achieving a benchmark score of 5712 in its tested workload, whereas the AMD part scored 4867. This difference places the Iris Pro P6300 in the 33rd percentile of all GPUs, while the Radeon R6 M255DX sits in the 28th percentile. The data indicates that in the measured tests, the Intel Iris Pro P6300 holds a substantial lead of 845 points, which is a meaningful margin for integrated graphics solutions.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows that the Intel Iris Pro P6300 outperforms the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX when examining their respective average benchmark scores. The Intel part scored 5712, while the AMD part scored 4867. That difference of 845 points translates to approximately 17.4 percent higher performance for the Intel solution. This is a significant gap in the integrated graphics segment, where such a margin can determine playable frame rates in lighter titles or smoother general desktop experience.

When looking at the nearest rivals for each GPU, the Intel Iris Pro P6300’s score of 5712 puts it in close company with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670MX, which averages 5721, a difference of only 0.1 percent. It also sits near the GeForce GTX 550 Ti at 5731 (0.3 percent lower) and the AMD Radeon HD 8790M at 5691 (0.4 percent higher). The largest gap in the Intel part’s rival list is with the NVIDIA Quadro M500M, which scores 5604, making the Iris Pro P6300 1.9 percent faster. This indicates that the Intel part operates in a performance tier that is competitive with discrete mobile graphics solutions from a few generations earlier.

The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX, on the other hand, has a score of 4867 that places it near the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M at 4855 (0.2 percent higher), the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX at 4844 (0.5 percent higher), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 at 4893 (0.5 percent lower). The most extreme comparison is with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB, which scores 4901, a difference of only 0.7 percent. This is an interesting data point, as the modern RTX part scores only slightly above the older AMD integrated GPU in this particular benchmark, although that comparison should be viewed with the understanding that the workload may not fully utilize modern features.

The head-to-head comparison is straightforward: the Intel Iris Pro P6300 is ahead by 17% in the recorded average score. The data shows no benchmark where the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX overtakes the Intel part. The Intel solution’s higher shading unit count and texture rate contribute to its advantage. With 384 shading units versus 320, the Intel part has 20% more shading units, and its texture rate of 38.40 GTexel/s is more than double the AMD’s 17.10 GTexel/s. The pixel rate, however, favors the AMD part, with 6.840 GPixel/s versus 4.800 GPixel/s for the Intel, but this does not translate into a benchmark win.

Both GPUs are classified as end-of-life products, but their performance tiers remain relevant for older systems. The Intel Iris Pro P6300’s score puts it in the 33rd percentile of all GPUs, which is above the median range for integrated graphics, while the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX’s 28th percentile puts it in the lower-mid range. In practical terms, the Intel part is the one to choose for any workload that relies on the recorded metric, which is a compute-oriented test.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Iris Pro P6300 has an average benchmark score of 5712, while the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX has a score of 4867. The Intel part leads by a margin of 845 points, or approximately 17.4%.

Q: How does the Intel Iris Pro P6300 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Iris Pro P6300’s score of 5712 is 0.1% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670MX (5721), 0.3% lower than the GeForce GTX 550 Ti (5731), 0.4% higher than the AMD Radeon HD 8790M (5691), and 1.9% higher than the NVIDIA Quadro M500M (5604).

Q: What is the performance gap between the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX and its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX scores 4867, which is 0.2% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX (4844), 0.5% higher than the GeForce GTX 560M (4855), 0.5% lower than the GeForce GTS 450 (4893), and 0.7% lower than the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB (4901).

Q: Which GPU has more shading units and TMUs?

A: The Intel Iris Pro P6300 has 384 shading units and 48 texture mapping units (TMUs). The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX has 320 shading units and 20 TMUs. Intel leads in both counts.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX is fabricated on a 28 nm process by TSMC, while the Intel Iris Pro P6300 uses a 14 nm process by Intel. The smaller process node benefits the Intel part.

Q: Do both GPUs support DirectX 12?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 (11_1). However, their other API support differs: the AMD part supports OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the Intel part supports OpenGL 4.4 and Vulkan 1.0.

Architecture Differences

The architecture behind these two GPUs is fundamentally different. The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX is built on the GCN 1.0 architecture, which debuted with the Jet chip. This is a first-generation Graphics Core Next design that focuses on a unified shader approach. The Intel Iris Pro P6300, in contrast, uses Intel’s Generation 8.0 architecture, which is the architecture introduced with Broadwell. Generation 8.0 is an evolution of Intel’s graphics processing engine, with a focus on improved throughput for both compute and media workloads.

The process node is a major differentiator. The AMD part uses a 28nm node fabricated by TSMC, while the Intel part uses a 14nm node from Intel’s own fabs. The smaller 14nm process allows for lower power consumption and higher density, though the AMD part is listed with a transistor count of 690 million on a die size of 56 mm², resulting in a transistor density of 12.3M per mm². The Intel part does not have recorded transistor or die size data, so a direct density comparison is not possible. However, the process node advantage for Intel is clear.

The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX is based on the “Gem System Hybrid” generation, which is associated with the Rx M200 series. The Intel Iris Pro P6300 is based on “HD Graphics-W” for Broadwell. These generation labels indicate their respective product families. The AMD part has a memory clock of System Shared, with a bus width of System Shared and bandwidth that is System Dependent. The Intel part also has System Shared memory of the same type, with the same System Dependent bandwidth. Both rely on system memory, but the Intel part uses a Ring Bus interface, while the AMD part uses an IGP bus interface.

The compute feature sets differ as well. The AMD part supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The Intel part supports DirectX 12 (11_1) as well, but OpenGL is limited to 4.4 and Vulkan to 1.0. This means the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX has a more recent API support level, which could matter for certain modern applications or older titles patched to use newer APIs. However, the benchmark scores indicate that the Intel part still outperforms despite the older API versions.

The clock speeds also vary: the AMD part has a base clock of 780 MHz and a boost clock of 855 MHz, while the Intel part has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 800 MHz. The AMD’s higher base clock might suggest a higher sustained performance level, but the Intel part’s higher shading unit count and TMU count compensate. The Intel also has a lower TDP of 15W, while the AMD part has no listed TDP, which may be a significant factor for power-constrained laptops.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in several key specification fields. Starting with the core configuration, the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX has 320 shading units, 20 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. The Intel Iris Pro P6300 has 384 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 6 ROPs. The higher shading unit count (384 vs 320) and TMU count (48 vs 20) explain the Intel’s texture rate advantage, while the AMD’s higher ROP count (8 vs 6) explains its higher pixel rate.

The pixel rate field shows a difference: the AMD part delivers 6.840 GPixel/s, while the Intel delivers 4.800 GPixel/s. The texture rate, however, is strongly in favor of Intel: 38.40 GTexel/s versus 17.10 GTexel/s. The FP32 (floating point) performance also favors Intel, with 614.4 GFLOPS compared to 547.2 GFLOPS for AMD. These numbers are directly derived from the shading unit counts and clock speeds, where the Intel’s higher unit count outweighs the AMD’s higher boost clock.

The power figures differ as well. The Intel Iris Pro P6300 has a TDP of 15W, which is a low-power design suitable for thin ultrabooks. The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX has no TDP listed, but its 28nm process and higher base clock (780 MHz) suggest a potentially higher power draw. The slot width for both is IGP, meaning they are integrated into the system. The bus interface is different: the AMD uses IGP, while the Intel uses Ring Bus, which is an internal interconnect, but both are effectively integrated.

The memory subsystem is identical in capacity and type: System Shared for both, with System Dependent bandwidth. There is no dedicated memory bus width or clock speed for either. The release dates are also different: the AMD part was released on January 6, 2014, while the Intel part came later on September 4, 2014. The production status is End-of-life for both.

The API support differs in OpenGL and Vulkan versions. The AMD supports OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the Intel supports OpenGL 4.4 and Vulkan 1.0. This is a significant difference for compatibility with newer software that might require newer Vulkan features, though most games still support older versions.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly favors the Intel Iris Pro P6300. With an average score of 5712 compared to the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX’s 4867, the Intel part is roughly 17% faster in the recorded compute test. This places the Intel part in the 33rd percentile of all GPUs, while the AMD part is in the 28th percentile. The Intel part also outperforms its nearest rivals by a small margin, while the AMD part trails its own rivals slightly.

For users who need the highest possible performance from an integrated GPU, the Intel Iris Pro P6300 is the stronger choice. Its higher shading unit count, more TMUs, and higher FP32 throughput translate into a tangible benchmark advantage. It also has a lower TDP of 15W, which can be beneficial for battery life in mobile systems, though the AMD part’s power draw is unknown.

The AMD Radeon R6 M255DX is not without merit. It has a higher pixel rate (6.840 GPixel/s vs 4.800 GPixel/s) and supports newer OpenGL and Vulkan versions. However, none of these advantages materialize in the recorded benchmark score. The AMD part’s higher base clock of 780 MHz and boost clock of 855 MHz (versus 300/800 MHz) do not overcome the Intel’s architectural advantages, particularly the 20% more shading units and a 2.4x higher TMU count.

The verdict is straightforward. Anyone looking for the stronger integrated graphics solution should favor the Intel Iris Pro P6300. The data shows that it is the more capable part for compute workloads, and its benchmark score of 5712 puts it in a higher percentile bracket. The AMD Radeon’s 4867 score places it lower, and its only advantage in pixel rate is unlikely to matter for most integrated-graphics use cases, which tend to be fill-rate limited in pixel-heavy tasks but more often compute-bound in modern game engines. The Intel part’s higher texture rate (38.4 GTexel/s) is a strong indicator of better performance in texture sampling, which is common in 3D rendering.

The choice for a system would be the Intel part if available, as the recorded data shows no situation where the AMD part wins the benchmark. The only reason to select the AMD Radeon R6 M255DX would be if the platform required its specific API support (OpenGL 4.6 or Vulkan 1.2.170) or if the pixel rate is the primary concern, which is a heavy for niche workloads. For all general-purpose GPU tasks, the Intel Iris Pro P6300 is the superior option based on the database’s numbers.