AMD Radeon R9 M375X vs AMD Radeon Vega 8 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 records an average benchmark score of 9221, which is 10.8% higher than the AMD Radeon R9 M375X's average of 8325.

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

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 8822 versus 8273 for the R9 M375X, a margin of 6.6%.

Q: Which GPU wins the Vulkan benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M375X takes the Geekbench Vulkan test with a score of 8377, while the Vega 8 scores 8134, a difference of 2.9% in favor of the R9 M375X.

Q: What are the architecture generations of these two GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 uses GCN 5.0 architecture on a 14 nm process, while the AMD Radeon R9 M375X uses older GCN 1.0 architecture on a 28 nm process.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M375X has 640 shading units, compared to 512 on the AMD Radeon Vega 8.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The R9 M375X has 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 72.00 GB/s bandwidth, while the Vega 8 uses system-shared memory with bandwidth dependent on the host system.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon Vega 8 is built on the Raven chip using GCN 5.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The die contains 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² chip, yielding a transistor density of 23.5 million per square millimeter. It belongs to the Vega IGP generation (Raven Ridge) and is an integrated graphics processor. Its base clock runs at 300 MHz with a boost clock of 1100 MHz. The Vega 8 packs 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The chip was released in February 2018 and is now end-of-life, with its predecessor being GCN 3.0 IGP and successor Vega II IGP.

The AMD Radeon R9 M375X uses the Tropo chip with GCN 1.0 architecture, built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The die contains 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² chip, giving a density of 12.2 million per square millimeter. It belongs to the Gem System generation (R9 M300) and is a discrete mobile GPU. Its base clock is 925 MHz with a boost of 1015 MHz, and its memory runs at 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective). The R9 M375X has 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. It supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The GPU was released in May 2015, is end-of-life, with Solar System as its predecessor and Polaris Mobile as its successor.

The fundamental architectural gap is significant: the Vega 8 is three generations newer in GCN terms, uses a much smaller process node, and integrates the GPU onto the CPU die with system-shared memory. The R9 M375X is older, uses a larger process, and relies on dedicated GDDR5 memory. The Vega 8's newer architecture supports a higher DirectX feature level (12_1 versus 11_1) and a newer Vulkan version (1.3 versus 1.2.170). The R9 M375X compensates with more shading units, TMUs, ROPs, and much higher base and boost clocks.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records two head-to-head comparisons between these GPUs. In Geekbench OpenCL, the AMD Radeon Vega 8 scores 8822 against 8273 for the R9 M375X, giving the Vega 8 a 6.6% victory. This is the larger margin in either test. The Vega 8's advantage in OpenCL likely stems from its newer GCN 5.0 architecture and higher transistor count, even though it operates at significantly lower clock speeds. The 512 shading units on the Vega 8 produce 1,126.4 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the R9 M375X's 640 shading units deliver 1,299.2 GFLOPS. Despite having 15.3% less raw FP32 throughput, the Vega 8 still wins the OpenCL test, indicating architectural efficiency gains from the newer design.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the AMD Radeon R9 M375X scores 8377 versus 8134 for the Vega 8, a 2.9% margin in favor of the discrete GPU. This is the single test where the older architecture wins. The R9 M375X's higher pixel rate (16.24 GPixel/s versus 8.800 GPixel/s) and texture rate (40.60 GTexel/s versus 35.20 GTexel/s) likely contribute to its Vulkan performance. The R9 M375X also has twice the ROP count (16 versus 8) and a wider memory bus (128-bit dedicated GDDR5 versus system-shared). The Vulkan result shows that raw throughput and memory bandwidth still matter even against a newer architecture.

The overall head-to-head record is tied at one win each. The average benchmark scores, however, favor the Vega 8: 9221 versus 8325, a difference of 10.8%. The Vega 8 also places at the 45th percentile among all GPUs, while the R9 M375X sits at the 43rd percentile. The Vega 8's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 890M (0.1% ahead), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (0.6% ahead), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 (0.8% ahead), and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M (0.9% ahead). The R9 M375X's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro K1200 (0.7% ahead), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX (1.2% ahead), AMD Radeon 880M (1.3% ahead), and NVIDIA GeForce MX330 (1.6% ahead).

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification category. The process node differs: 14 nm for the Vega 8 versus 28 nm for the R9 M375X. Foundry differs: GlobalFoundries versus TSMC. Transistor count differs dramatically: 4,940 million versus 1,500 million. Die size differs: 210 mm² versus 123 mm². Transistor density differs: 23.5M per mm² versus 12.2M per mm².

Clock speeds differ substantially: the Vega 8 runs at 300 MHz base and 1100 MHz boost, while the R9 M375X runs at 925 MHz base and 1015 MHz boost. Memory differs completely: the Vega 8 uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, while the R9 M375X has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 72.00 GB/s bandwidth. Shading units differ: 512 versus 640. TMUs differ: 32 versus 40. ROPs differ: 8 versus 16.

Pixel rate differs: 8.800 GPixel/s for the Vega 8 versus 16.24 GPixel/s for the R9 M375X. Texture rate differs: 35.20 GTexel/s versus 40.60 GTexel/s. FP32 compute differs: 1,126.4 GFLOPS versus 1,299.2 GFLOPS. The Vega 8 lists FP16 at 2.253 TFLOPS (2:1) while the R9 M375X has no FP16 figure recorded. TDP differs: 25 W for the Vega 8, no value recorded for the R9 M375X. Slot width differs: IGP versus no value recorded. Power connectors differ: None versus no value recorded. Bus interface differs: IGP versus PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs differ: motherboard dependent versus no value recorded. DirectX support differs: 12 (12_1) versus 12 (11_1). Vulkan support differs: 1.3 versus 1.2.170. Release dates differ: February 2018 versus May 2015. Predecessors differ: GCN 3.0 IGP versus Solar System. Successors differ: Vega II IGP versus Polaris Mobile.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Vega 8 wins in OpenCL compute workloads. Its 6.6% advantage in Geekbench OpenCL, combined with its higher average benchmark score (9221 versus 8325) and better percentile ranking (45th versus 43rd), makes it the stronger choice for general compute tasks. The Vega 8 also benefits from having a benchmark record in Geekbench Metal (score 10706), which the R9 M375X lacks entirely. This means the Vega 8 has been validated across three different benchmark APIs, while the R9 M375X only has OpenCL and Vulkan results.

The AMD Radeon R9 M375X wins in Vulkan graphics workloads. Its 2.9% advantage in Geekbench Vulkan demonstrates that its higher pixel rate, texture rate, and dedicated memory bandwidth provide tangible benefits in graphics API workloads. The R9 M375X also has more shading units, TMUs, and ROPs, which contribute to its graphics throughput. For applications that rely heavily on Vulkan rendering, the R9 M375X's dedicated GDDR5 memory and higher fill rates give it a measurable edge.

Beyond the benchmark tests, the form factor dictates use cases. The Vega 8 is an integrated GPU with a 25 W TDP, no power connectors, and system-shared memory. It is suitable for compact, power-efficient systems where discrete graphics are not an option. The R9 M375X is a discrete mobile GPU with PCIe 3.0 x16 connectivity and dedicated 2 GB GDDR5 memory. It fits into laptops or small form-factor systems that can accommodate a discrete GPU.

The Verdict

The data points to a split decision. For compute-heavy workloads using OpenCL, the AMD Radeon Vega 8 is the better performer, delivering 6.6% higher scores and a 10.8% higher average benchmark across all recorded tests. Its newer GCN 5.0 architecture, higher transistor count, and support for DirectX 12_1 and Vulkan 1.3 make it the more future-proof option. The Vega 8 also has a Metal benchmark result, expanding its compatibility profile.

For Vulkan-specific gaming or graphics workloads, the AMD Radeon R9 M375X takes the edge with a 2.9% higher score. Its superior pixel rate (16.24 GPixel/s versus 8.800 GPixel/s), texture rate (40.60 GTexel/s versus 35.20 GTexel/s), and dedicated 72.00 GB/s memory bandwidth give it tangible advantages in memory-intensive rendering scenarios.

The choice ultimately depends on the system context. If the requirement is an integrated solution with low power draw (25 W TDP), no additional power connectors, and motherboard-dependent display outputs, the Vega 8 is the only option that fits. If the system can accommodate a discrete mobile GPU with PCIe 3.0 x16 and dedicated GDDR5, the R9 M375X offers better Vulkan performance. The average benchmark scores, however, clearly favor the Vega 8 at 9221 versus 8325, and its percentile rank (45th versus 43rd) confirms its overall superiority in the database's measurements. Users prioritizing compute performance and modern API support should choose the Vega 8, while those focused specifically on Vulkan rendering with dedicated memory should consider the R9 M375X.