AMD Radeon R9 M275X vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data contains a single directly comparable benchmark between these two mobile graphics processors, and the result is decisive. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile scores 52,998 points, while the AMD Radeon R9 M275X scores 11,200 points. This represents a delta of -78.9% from the perspective of the AMD part, meaning the NVIDIA GPU outperforms it by roughly 3.7 times in this compute-oriented workload. The gap is so wide that it does not merely suggest a generational advantage; it indicates a completely different performance class.

Looking at the broader database context, the RTX 3050 A Mobile's average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 8,746, which places it in the 44th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 v2 with an average score of 8,743 (a 0% delta), the AMD Radeon R9 M265X at 8,851 (-1.2%), and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 at 8,863 (-1.3%). These figures show that the RTX 3050 A Mobile sits in a tightly contested mid-range cluster, where a few points separate competitors.

By contrast, the AMD Radeon R9 M275X achieves an average benchmark score of 10,582, which places it in the 49th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 6600S at 10,629 (-0.4%), the AMD Radeon RX 550X at 10,481 (+1%), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti at 10,690 (-1%), and the NVIDIA Quadro K2200 at 10,761 (-1.7%). Interestingly, the R9 M275X's average score is actually higher than the RTX 3050 A Mobile's average score, despite losing the single head-to-head OpenCL test so dramatically. This apparent contradiction stems from the fact that the RTX 3050 A Mobile has multiple recorded PassMark tests with low scores (for example, 61 in DirectX 10, 94 in DirectX 11, and 55 in DirectX 12), which drag down its average.

The data reveals a nuanced picture: the RTX 3050 A Mobile excels in the one compute-heavy OpenCL benchmark where it was directly measured against the R9 M275X, but its overall average is depressed by weak legacy DirectX results. The R9 M275X, having only two recorded benchmarks (both Geekbench tests), presents a cleaner average that reflects its compute capabilities rather than mixed API performance.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different eras and design philosophies. The AMD Radeon R9 M275X is built on the GCN 1.0 architecture using the Venus chip, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It integrates 1,500 million transistors on a die size of 123 mm², resulting in a transistor density of 12.2 million per square millimeter. This is a modest design by modern standards, reflecting its 2014 origins.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile, in contrast, uses the Ampere architecture with the GA106 chip, manufactured on an 8 nm process at Samsung. It packs 12,000 million transistors into a die size of 276 mm², achieving a transistor density of 43.5 million per square millimeter. This represents a dramatic scaling in both raw transistor count (8 times more) and density (3.5 times higher), which underpins its superior compute throughput.

Memory configurations also differ substantially. The R9 M275X ships with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, running at an effective 4.5 Gbps, yielding a bandwidth of 72.00 GB/s. The RTX 3050 A Mobile doubles the capacity to 4 GB of GDDR6 memory, also on a 128-bit bus, but at 12 Gbps effective, delivering 192.0 GB/s of bandwidth. This is a 2.67 times increase in memory throughput, which is critical for modern textures and compute workloads.

The compute unit counts reflect the architectural leap. The R9 M275X has 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output units. The RTX 3050 A Mobile fields 1,792 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Additionally, the Ampere part includes 14 ray tracing cores and 56 tensor cores, features entirely absent from the older GCN 1.0 design. These specialized units enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI-based workloads, which the R9 M275X cannot perform.

Clock speeds and resulting throughput metrics further separate the pair. The R9 M275X runs at a base clock of 900 MHz with a boost of 925 MHz, producing a pixel rate of 14.80 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 37.00 GTexel/s. Its FP32 compute is rated at 1,184.0 GFLOPS. The RTX 3050 A Mobile operates at a base of 1065 MHz and a boost of 1343 MHz, achieving 42.98 GPixel/s and 75.21 GTexel/s, with FP32 compute of 4.813 TFLOPS. The NVIDIA part also supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio (4.813 TFLOPS), a capability the AMD chip does not list.

The API support tells the story of two generations. The R9 M275X supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The RTX 3050 A Mobile supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. This means the NVIDIA card is ready for feature-level 12_2 requirements, including mesh shaders and variable rate shading, while the AMD part is limited to the older 11_1 feature set. The bus interface also differs: the R9 M275X uses PCIe 3.0 x16, while the RTX 3050 A Mobile uses PCIe 4.0 x8, which offers higher bandwidth per lane.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M275X has an average benchmark score of 10,582, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile has an average of 8,746. The AMD part sits in the 49th percentile of all GPUs, compared to the NVIDIA part's 44th percentile.

Q: How does the Geekbench OpenCL performance compare?

A: The RTX 3050 A Mobile scores 52,998 in Geekbench OpenCL, versus 11,200 for the R9 M275X. This is a delta of -78.9% from the AMD perspective, meaning the NVIDIA GPU is approximately 3.7 times faster in this test.

Q: What memory configurations do these GPUs have?

A: The R9 M275X has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 72.00 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 3050 A Mobile has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus with 192.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Does the RTX 3050 A Mobile support ray tracing?

A: Yes, it includes 14 ray tracing cores and 56 tensor cores. The R9 M275X has no such dedicated hardware, as its GCN 1.0 architecture predates these features.

Q: What is the transistor count difference?

A: The RTX 3050 A Mobile contains 12,000 million transistors on a 276 mm² die, while the R9 M275X contains 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die. The NVIDIA chip is built on an 8 nm process, compared to 28 nm for AMD.

Q: Which GPU has better API support?

A: The RTX 3050 A Mobile supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the R9 M275X supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion for compute-heavy workloads: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile dominates the AMD Radeon R9 M275X in the single directly comparable benchmark. The 78.9% delta in Geekbench OpenCL is not a marginal edge; it is a generational chasm. The RTX 3050 A Mobile's 4.813 TFLOPS of FP32 compute versus the R9 M275X's 1,184.0 GFLOPS (roughly a 4:1 ratio) confirms this gap. Its 192.0 GB/s memory bandwidth versus 72.00 GB/s further cements its advantage in data-intensive tasks.

However, the average benchmark score tells a more complicated story. The R9 M275X's average of 10,582 exceeds the RTX 3050 A Mobile's 8,746, largely because the NVIDIA part's PassMark DirectX 9, 10, 11, and 12 scores are notably low (152, 61, 94, and 55 respectively). This suggests that the RTX 3050 A Mobile may underperform in legacy DirectX workloads, while excelling in modern compute APIs. The R9 M275X, with only Geekbench tests recorded, avoids this penalty.

For a buyer or system integrator choosing between these two, the decision hinges on workload. For modern gaming, content creation, or any task leveraging DirectX 12 Ultimate, ray tracing, or tensor cores, the RTX 3050 A Mobile is the only viable option. Its 4 GB GDDR6 memory and 14 ray tracing cores provide capabilities the R9 M275X cannot offer. For pure compute throughput as measured by Geekbench OpenCL, the NVIDIA part is superior by a wide margin.

Yet the R9 M275X is not without merit in the database. Its higher percentile ranking (49th vs 44th) and better average score suggest that in certain legacy scenarios, it may hold its own. The R9 M275X's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6600S, is only 0.4% behind it, while the RTX 3050 A Mobile's closest competitor, the GTX 460 v2, matches it exactly. The AMD part's position in a faster cluster of rivals (all within 1.7%) indicates that its performance profile is well understood and consistently benchmarked.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon R9 M275X | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Ampere |

| Chip | Venus | GA106 |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 8 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Samsung |

| Transistors | 1,500 million | 12,000 million |

| Die Size | 123 mm² | 276 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.2M / mm² | 43.5M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 900 MHz | 1065 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 925 MHz | 1343 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1125 MHz, 4.5 Gbps effective | 1500 MHz, 12 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 4 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 72.00 GB/s | 192.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 640 | 1792 |

| TMUs | 40 | 56 |

| ROPs | 16 | 32 |

| RT Cores | None | 14 |

| Tensor Cores | None | 56 |

| Pixel Rate | 14.80 GPixel/s | 42.98 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 37.00 GTexel/s | 75.21 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Compute | 1,184.0 GFLOPS | 4.813 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Compute | Not listed | 4.813 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | Not listed | 45 W |

| Slot Width | Not listed | IGP |

| Power Connectors | Not listed | None |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x8 |

| DirectX Support | 12 (11_1) | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.2.170 | 1.4 |

| Release Date | 2014-01-27 | 2023-12-31 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | End-of-life |

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile wins in every scenario that demands modern GPU features. Its 14 ray tracing cores enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a capability completely absent from the R9 M275X. The 56 tensor cores provide AI acceleration for tasks like DLSS and other neural network workloads. The DirectX 12 Ultimate support (12_2) ensures compatibility with the latest game features, while the R9 M275X is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1). The 4 GB GDDR6 memory at 192.0 GB/s bandwidth is essential for high-resolution textures and complex compute shaders. The FP32 compute of 4.813 TFLOPS, roughly 4 times the R9 M275X's 1,184.0 GFLOPS, makes it the clear choice for scientific computing, rendering, and any parallel workload.

The AMD Radeon R9 M275X, despite its age, holds an edge in the average benchmark score category. Its 10,582 average versus 8,746 for the NVIDIA part suggests that in legacy DirectX 9, 10, 11, and 12 workloads, the R9 M275X may perform more consistently. The RTX 3050 A Mobile's PassMark scores in these tests are notably low (152 for DirectX 9, 61 for DirectX 10, 94 for DirectX 11, and 55 for DirectX 12), indicating poor performance in older APIs. The R9 M275X also has a higher percentile ranking (49th vs 44th), meaning it outperforms a larger fraction of the GPU population in the database.

For users running older software that relies on DirectX 11 or earlier, or for those who prioritize the higher average score and percentile, the R9 M275X could be the safer choice. Its 28 nm process and GCN 1.0 architecture, while dated, appear to handle legacy workloads without the steep performance drop that the RTX 3050 A Mobile exhibits in PassMark tests. The R9 M275X's nearest rivals, including the RX 6600S and GTX 560 Ti, all cluster within 1.7% of its score, indicating a stable and predictable performance profile.

In summary, the RTX 3050 A Mobile is the winner for any modern, feature-rich workload, especially those utilizing DirectX 12 Ultimate, ray tracing, or tensor cores. The R9 M275X may retain relevance for legacy applications where its average score and percentile ranking give it an unexpected advantage. The data does not support a single universal recommendation; it depends entirely on the software environment and performance priorities.