AMD Radeon R7 M350 vs Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in overall benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 has an average benchmark score of 7170, while the AMD Radeon R7 M350 scores 6327. This places the Intel part in the 39th percentile of all GPUs, compared to the AMD part's 36th percentile.

Q: Which GPU has the higher OpenCL score, and by how much?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 wins the OpenCL test with a score of 9082 versus 6991 for the AMD Radeon R7 M350, a 29.9% advantage.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon R7 M350 win any benchmark?

A: Yes, the AMD part wins the Vulkan test with a score of 5662 against the Intel's 5258, a 7.1% margin in favor of AMD.

Q: What is the memory configuration of each GPU?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 uses system shared memory with no dedicated VRAM, while the AMD Radeon R7 M350 has 4 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus with 16.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What process nodes are the two chips built on?

A: The Intel chip is built on Intel's 14 nm+ process, while the AMD chip is built on TSMC's 28 nm process. The AMD chip has 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die.

Q: What are the DirectX support levels for each GPU?

A: The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the AMD Radeon R7 M350 supports DirectX 12 (12_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6, but Vulkan support differs: 1.3 for Intel and 1.2.170 for AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 is built on the Skylake GT4e chip with a Generation 9.0 architecture, fabricated on Intel's 14 nm+ process. It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) that relies on system shared memory, meaning its performance is dependent on the host system's memory configuration. The AMD Radeon R7 M350, in contrast, is a discrete mobile GPU based on the Meso chip with GCN 3.0 architecture, built by TSMC on a 28 nm process. It has its own dedicated 4 GB of DDR3 memory.

The compute resources differ substantially. The Intel part fields 576 shading units, 72 texture mapping units, and 9 ROPs. The AMD part has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. This gives Intel a mathematical advantage in raw throughput: 1,152.0 GFLOPS FP32 versus 779.5 GFLOPS for AMD. The texture rate also favors Intel at 72.00 GTexel/s versus 24.36 GTexel/s, while pixel rates are close at 9.000 GPixel/s versus 8.120 GPixel/s.

Clock behavior differs as well. The Intel chip has a base clock of 350 MHz with a boost up to 1000 MHz, a wide dynamic range typical of integrated parts that scale with thermal headroom. The AMD chip runs at a base of 1000 MHz and boosts to 1015 MHz, a much narrower range. The AMD part's memory clock is listed at 1000 MHz with 2 Gbps effective, while Intel's memory clock is simply "System Shared" since it has no independent memory.

The bus interfaces also reflect their different roles. Intel uses a Ring Bus, which ties it directly to the CPU's internal fabric, while AMD uses PCIe 3.0 x8 for external communication. The AMD's predecessor is listed as "Solar System" and its successor as "Polaris Mobile," whereas the Intel part has no listed predecessor or successor. Both are marked end-of-life, with release dates in 2015: Intel on August 31st and AMD on May 4th.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two recorded benchmark tests paint a split picture. In Geekbench OpenCL, the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 scores 9082 against the AMD Radeon R7 M350's 6991, resulting in a 29.9% delta in Intel's favor. This is a substantial margin and aligns with the raw compute differences: Intel has 50% more shading units, triple the TMUs, and roughly 48% higher FP32 throughput. The OpenCL workload appears to favor architectures with higher parallel throughput, and Intel's Generation 9.0 design with its large shader array delivers accordingly.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the tables turn. The AMD Radeon R7 M350 scores 5662 versus Intel's 5258, a 7.1% advantage for AMD. This is notable because AMD's chip has fewer shading units and lower raw FP32, yet it wins in a Vulkan context. The delta is relatively small compared to the OpenCL gap, but it suggests that AMD's GCN 3.0 architecture handles Vulkan's explicit command structure more efficiently, or that the dedicated memory helps with certain workload patterns.

The overall averages reflect these results. Intel's average benchmark score is 7170, which places it in the 39th percentile. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 SE at 7171 (0% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 at 7157 (0.2% delta in Intel's favor), the AMD Radeon Vega 8 Mobile at 7203 (0.5% delta against Intel), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 at 7222 (0.7% delta against Intel). The AMD Radeon R7 M350's average of 6327 places it in the 36th percentile, with nearest rivals including the AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 at 6330 (0% delta), the NVIDIA Quadro K620 at 6282 (0.7% delta in AMD's favor), and two NVIDIA RTX parts at 6270 (0.9% delta in AMD's favor).

The data shows that Intel's wins are decisive while AMD's is narrow. The OpenCL victory is nearly 30%, while the Vulkan victory is just over 7%. This suggests that the Intel part has a clear advantage in compute-heavy tasks, while the AMD part has a more modest edge in specific API-optimized scenarios.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every hardware specification. The process node favors Intel at 14 nm+ versus AMD's 28 nm, and the transistor counts reflect this: AMD lists 1,550 million transistors on a 125 mm² die, while Intel lists no transistor count or die size. The shading units differ at 576 versus 384, TMUs at 72 versus 24, and ROPs at 9 versus 8. Pixel rates are nearly identical at 9.000 GPixel/s versus 8.120 GPixel/s, but texture rates diverge sharply at 72.00 GTexel/s versus 24.36 GTexel/s. FP32 throughput is 1,152.0 GFLOPS versus 779.5 GFLOPS, and FP16 rates differ even more dramatically: Intel offers 2.304 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, while AMD offers 779.5 GFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio.

Memory is a major differentiator. Intel uses system shared memory with no dedicated size, type, bus width, or bandwidth listed; the bandwidth is noted as "System Dependent." AMD has 4 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus with 16.00 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel part has a TDP of 15 W and a slot width of IGP, while AMD lists no TDP and no slot width. The bus interface is Ring Bus for Intel versus PCIe 3.0 x8 for AMD. Display outputs are motherboard dependent for Intel and not listed for AMD. Power connectors and suggested PSU are absent for both.

The API support shows subtle differences. DirectX is 12 (12_1) for Intel and 12 (12_0) for AMD. OpenGL is 4.6 for both. Vulkan is 1.3 for Intel and 1.2.170 for AMD. Both are end-of-life, with Intel releasing later (August 2015) than AMD (May 2015). AMD has a listed predecessor and successor, while Intel does not.

The Verdict

The data does not declare a single overall winner: each GPU takes one benchmark, and the win counts are tied at 1-1. However, the magnitude of the wins matters. Intel's OpenCL victory at 29.9% is far larger than AMD's Vulkan victory at 7.1%. This means that in workloads that resemble OpenCL, the Intel part is decisively ahead, while in Vulkan-specific workloads, the AMD part holds a modest but real edge.

The average benchmark scores reinforce Intel's overall position: 7170 versus 6327, a difference of 843 points. The percentile ranks also favor Intel at 39 versus 36. The nearest rival comparisons show Intel's average sits right at the level of the GTX 560 SE (0% delta) and slightly above the GTX 970 (0.2% delta), while AMD's average is at the level of the Radeon Pro WX 4100 (0% delta) and above the Quadro K620 (0.7% delta). This suggests that Intel's overall compute capability is roughly one tier higher in the database's scoring.

For a user prioritizing compute performance in OpenCL-adjacent applications, the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 is the clear choice based on the 29.9% benchmark delta. For a user who needs Vulkan performance and values the dedicated 4 GB memory pool, the AMD Radeon R7 M350 offers a 7.1% improvement in that specific test. The Intel part's 15 W TDP also indicates it is designed for power-constrained integrated use, while the AMD part's power draw is unlisted.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 wins in:

• OpenCL compute workloads, with a 29.9% score advantage (9082 versus 6991)
• Raw throughput metrics: 576 shading units versus 384, 72 TMUs versus 24, 1,152.0 GFLOPS versus 779.5 GFLOPS
• Texture processing at 72.00 GTexel/s versus 24.36 GTexel/s
• FP16 compute at 2.304 TFLOPS versus 779.5 GFLOPS, giving it a 2:1 ratio advantage
• Overall average benchmark score at 7170 versus 6327
• API version support: DirectX 12_1 versus 12_0, and Vulkan 1.3 versus 1.2.170
• Power efficiency context: a 15 W TDP for an integrated part versus an unlisted TDP for a discrete part

AMD Radeon R7 M350 wins in:

• Vulkan performance, with a 7.1% score advantage (5662 versus 5258)
• Dedicated memory: 4 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus with 16.00 GB/s bandwidth, versus system shared memory
• A more consistent clock profile: 1000 MHz base and 1015 MHz boost, versus Intel's 350 MHz base with a 1000 MHz boost
• Discrete packaging with PCIe 3.0 x8 connectivity, versus Intel's Ring Bus integration

The split is clean. Intel dominates the compute-heavy, throughput-oriented side of the ledger, while AMD wins the API-specific Vulkan test and brings the benefit of dedicated VRAM. The choice depends entirely on whether the workload leans more toward OpenCL-style compute or Vulkan rendering. The Intel part also appears better suited for power-limited integrated scenarios given its 15 W TDP, while the AMD part is a discrete solution with its own memory pool.