AMD Radeon R9 M295X vs Intel Arc A350M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows two direct benchmark comparisons between the AMD Radeon R9 M295X and the Intel Arc A350M. Each GPU wins one test, making the head-to-head split exactly even at one win apiece.

In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the Intel Arc A350M posts a score of 24546, while the AMD Radeon R9 M295X records 22858. This gives Intel a 6.9% advantage in that workload. The margin is meaningful but not overwhelming. The Arc A350M's OpenCL result is close to its average benchmark score of 24647, indicating that this test is representative of its overall standing. The R9 M295X, by contrast, scores notably below its own average of 28580 in this test, suggesting that OpenCL is not a strong workload for the older AMD part.

The Geekbench Vulkan test flips the result decisively. The AMD Radeon R9 M295X scores 29091, against 24747 for the Intel Arc A350M. That is a 17.6% lead for AMD. This is a substantial gap, and it aligns with the R9 M295X's overall benchmark profile. Its Vulkan result is actually slightly above its average score of 28580, while the Arc A350M's Vulkan score is nearly identical to its OpenCL result and its average. The data suggests that the R9 M295X has a particular strength in Vulkan-based workloads that the Arc A350M does not match.

Looking at the broader benchmark context, the R9 M295X has an average benchmark score of 28580 across three recorded tests (Geekbench Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan). The Arc A350M has an average of 24647 across two tests (OpenCL and Vulkan). This puts the AMD part roughly 16% higher on average, though the head-to-head comparison is complicated by the fact that the R9 M295X also has a Geekbench Metal score of 33790, which is its strongest result. The Arc A350M has no recorded Metal score, so that test cannot be compared directly.

The percentile rankings reflect the overall averages. The R9 M295X sits at the 74th percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the Arc A350M sits at the 70th percentile. This four-point gap in percentile ranking is consistent with the R9 M295X's higher average score, but the close head-to-head split shows that the two parts are competitive in different ways depending on the API.

The Verdict

The benchmark data supports a clear but nuanced conclusion. For users prioritizing Vulkan performance, the AMD Radeon R9 M295X is the stronger choice. Its 17.6% lead in the Geekbench Vulkan test is the largest single margin recorded in this comparison, and its Vulkan score of 29091 is its second-best result across all three benchmarks. The R9 M295X also has the higher overall average score (28580 vs. 24647) and the higher percentile ranking (74th vs. 70th).

For users prioritizing OpenCL performance, the Intel Arc A350M is the better option. It leads by 6.9% in that test, and its OpenCL score of 24546 is essentially at its average level, suggesting consistent performance across the two tests it has recorded. The Arc A350M also brings a much more modern feature set, which matters for applications that can use newer APIs and hardware capabilities.

The data does not favor one GPU universally. The R9 M295X wins on raw average performance and Vulkan specifically, but the Arc A350M wins on OpenCL and offers architecture advantages that the older AMD part cannot match. Users should choose based on the specific workloads they intend to run. If Vulkan is the primary API, the R9 M295X is the clear pick from these numbers. If OpenCL is more important, the Arc A350M is the safer bet. For mixed workloads, the R9 M295X's higher average score gives it a slight edge overall, but the margin is not large enough to ignore the Arc A350M's strengths.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M295X has an average benchmark score of 28580, compared to 24647 for the Intel Arc A350M. This is a difference of roughly 16% in favor of AMD.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in the Geekbench Vulkan test?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M295X scores 29091 in Geekbench Vulkan, while the Intel Arc A350M scores 24747. The AMD part leads by 17.6% in this test.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The Intel Arc A350M scores 24546 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the AMD Radeon R9 M295X scores 22858. The Intel part leads by 6.9% in this test.

Q: What percentile ranking does each GPU hold in the database?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M295X is at the 74th percentile among all GPUs, while the Intel Arc A350M is at the 70th percentile.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon R9 M295X have any benchmark results that the Intel Arc A350M does not?

A: Yes, the R9 M295X has a Geekbench Metal score of 33790. The Arc A350M has no recorded Metal score in the database.

Q: Which GPU wins more head-to-head benchmark comparisons?

A: The head-to-head record is tied at one win each. The Intel Arc A350M wins the OpenCL test, and the AMD Radeon R9 M295X wins the Vulkan test.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every major specification category. The AMD Radeon R9 M295X uses a 28 nm process node, while the Intel Arc A350M uses a 6 nm node. Both are fabricated by TSMC, but the transistor counts differ significantly: the R9 M295X has 5,000 million transistors on a 366 mm² die, while the Arc A350M has 7,200 million transistors on a 157 mm² die. This results in a transistor density of 13.7M per mm² for AMD and 45.9M per mm² for Intel.

Memory configurations also diverge. The R9 M295X has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Arc A350M has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, delivering 112.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD part has a wider memory bus and higher bandwidth, while the Intel part uses a faster memory type.

The compute units show a large disparity in raw counts. The R9 M295X has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The Arc A350M has 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. However, the Intel part has 6 ray tracing cores, which the AMD part lacks entirely.

Clock speeds are only fully specified for the Arc A350M, with a base clock of 1150 MHz and a boost clock of 2200 MHz. The R9 M295X has no base or boost clock listed, only a memory clock of 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective). The Arc A350M's memory clock is 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective).

Performance rates differ despite the AMD part's higher shader count. The R9 M295X has a pixel rate of 23.14 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 92.54 GTexel/s. The Arc A350M has a pixel rate of 52.80 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 105.6 GTexel/s. In FP32 compute, the R9 M295X delivers 2.961 TFLOPS, while the Arc A350M delivers 3.379 TFLOPS. In FP16, the R9 M295X delivers 2.961 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), while the Arc A350M delivers 6.758 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio).

Power and form factor differ substantially. The R9 M295X has a TDP of 250 W and uses an MXM Module slot width with no power connectors. The Arc A350M has a TDP of 25 W and is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with no listed power connectors. The bus interface also differs: the R9 M295X uses MXM-B (3.0), while the Arc A350M uses PCIe 4.0 x8.

API support shows a generational gap. The R9 M295X supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The Arc A350M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Both have portable device dependent display outputs.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is substantial, reflecting a gap of roughly seven years in design philosophy. The AMD Radeon R9 M295X is built on GCN 3.0 architecture with the Amethyst chip, part of the Gem System (R9 M200) generation. The Intel Arc A350M uses Xe-HPG architecture with the DG2-128 chip, part of the Alchemist (Arc 3 Mobile) generation.

The process technology difference is stark. The R9 M295X uses a 28 nm node, while the Arc A350M uses a 6 nm node. This allows Intel to pack 7,200 million transistors into a 157 mm² die, compared to AMD's 5,000 million transistors on a 366 mm² die. The transistor density difference is more than threefold: 45.9M per mm² for Intel vs. 13.7M per mm² for AMD.

The R9 M295X relies on a massive shading unit count of 2048 to achieve its performance, with 128 TMUs and 32 ROPs. The Arc A350M uses far fewer units (768 shading units, 48 TMUs, 24 ROPs) but compensates with higher clock speeds and architectural efficiency. The R9 M295X has no listed base or boost clock, while the Arc A350M boosts to 2200 MHz.

Ray tracing is a key differentiator. The Arc A350M includes 6 dedicated ray tracing cores, a feature entirely absent from the R9 M295X. This gives Intel a hardware advantage in ray-traced workloads, though the database does not include ray tracing-specific benchmark scores for either GPU.

The memory architecture also reflects different design priorities. The R9 M295X uses a 256-bit GDDR5 interface to achieve 160.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Arc A350M uses a 64-bit GDDR6 interface for 112.0 GB/s. The AMD part prioritizes bandwidth, while the Intel part prioritizes memory efficiency and lower power consumption.

FP16 compute reveals a major architectural difference. The R9 M295X delivers FP16 at a 1:1 ratio with FP32 (2.961 TFLOPS for both). The Arc A350M delivers FP16 at a 2:1 ratio, achieving 6.758 TFLOPS, exactly double its FP32 figure of 3.379 TFLOPS. This indicates that the Intel architecture has dedicated or enhanced FP16 execution paths, which can benefit AI and machine learning workloads.

The power envelope is perhaps the most telling architectural difference. The R9 M295X has a TDP of 250 W, while the Arc A350M has a TDP of just 25 W, a tenfold reduction. This reflects the efficiency gains from the newer process node and architecture design. The R9 M295X is an MXM module requiring a dedicated slot, while the Arc A350M is an integrated GPU (IGP) that can be embedded into a processor package.

The release dates confirm the generational gap. The R9 M295X launched on November 22, 2014, while the Arc A350M launched on March 29, 2022. Both are now listed as end-of-life products in the database. The R9 M295X has a predecessor (Solar System) and a successor (Polaris Mobile), while the Arc A350M has neither listed.