AMD Radeon R9 M380 vs AMD Radeon RX 7600S Comparison

AMD Radeon RX 7600S and AMD Radeon R9 M380 represent two distinct eras of mobile graphics, separated by nearly a decade of architectural evolution. The RX 7600S, built on the modern RDNA 3.0 architecture, delivers dramatically higher performance, while the R9 M380, based on the older GCN 2.0 design, is a legacy part now marked as end-of-life. The benchmark data shows a decisive victory for the newer card, but the comparison reveals more than just raw speed—it highlights fundamental shifts in GPU design philosophy, memory technology, and feature support that matter for specific use cases.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the RX 7600S than the R9 M380 in OpenCL performance?

A: The RX 7600S scores 68,012 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the R9 M380 scores 12,565. This represents a 441.3% advantage for the RX 7600S—the only identical benchmark both cards share.

Q: Which card has better API support for modern games?

A: The RX 7600S supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, whereas the R9 M380 is limited to DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170. The newer card also includes 28 ray tracing cores, which the R9 M380 lacks entirely.

Q: What is the memory capacity and type difference?

A: The RX 7600S comes with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 256.0 GB/s bandwidth. The R9 M380 has 4 GB of GDDR5 on the same 128-bit bus, but only achieves 96.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Are these cards comparable in terms of production status?

A: No. The RX 7600S is listed as "Active" production, released in January 2023, while the R9 M380 is "End-of-life" with a May 2015 release date. The R9 M380's successor is listed as "Polaris Mobile," which itself is the predecessor to the RX 7600S's series.

Q: How do their transistor counts and process nodes differ?

A: The RX 7600S uses a 6 nm TSMC process with 13,300 million transistors on a 204 mm² die. The R9 M380 uses a 28 nm TSMC process with 2,080 million transistors on a 160 mm² die. This results in a transistor density of 65.2M/mm² for the newer card versus 13.0M/mm² for the older one.

Q: What is the pixel fill rate difference?

A: The RX 7600S achieves a pixel rate of 140.8 GPixel/s, compared to only 16.00 GPixel/s for the R9 M380. The texture rate is similarly lopsided: 246.4 GTexel/s versus 48.00 GTexel/s.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is substantial. The RX 7600S uses the Navi 33 chip based on RDNA 3.0, codenamed "Hotpink Bonefish," built on a 6 nm TSMC process. The R9 M380 uses the Strato chip based on GCN 2.0, built on a 28 nm TSMC process. This process shrink allows the RX 7600S to pack 13,300 million transistors into a 204 mm² die, yielding a density of 65.2M/mm². In contrast, the R9 M380's 2,080 million transistors occupy a 160 mm² die with a density of just 13.0M/mm².

Core configuration differs dramatically. The RX 7600S features 1,792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operations pipelines. It also includes 28 dedicated ray tracing cores—a feature completely absent from the R9 M380, which has only 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The newer architecture supports FP16 computation at 31.54 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio to FP32, while the R9 M380 has no FP16 data listed.

Memory architecture also reflects the generational leap. The RX 7600S uses 8 GB of GDDR6 at 2,000 MHz (16 Gbps effective), providing 256.0 GB/s bandwidth. The R9 M380 uses 4 GB of GDDR5 at 1,500 MHz (6 Gbps effective), providing only 96.00 GB/s. Both use a 128-bit memory bus, but the newer memory technology more than doubles bandwidth.

Clock speeds tell a similar story. The RX 7600S runs at a 1,500 MHz base and 2,200 MHz boost, with a 1,865 MHz game clock. The R9 M380 is significantly slower at 900 MHz base and 1,000 MHz boost. API support also diverges: the RX 7600S supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the R9 M380 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only directly comparable benchmark in the data is Geekbench OpenCL, and the results are not close. The RX 7600S scores 68,012, while the R9 M380 scores 12,565, giving the newer card a 441.3% victory. This is the sole head-to-head test, so it carries significant weight in determining overall performance.

However, broader benchmark data reinforces the gap. The RX 7600S has an average benchmark score of 16,696 across all tests, placing it in the 60th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA T400 4 GB (16,792, -0.6% delta), the NVIDIA T400 (16,508, +1.1%), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 (16,504, +1.2%). The R9 M380, by contrast, has an average score of 15,521, placing it in the 58th percentile. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti (15,548, -0.2%), AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15,679, -1%), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (15,290, +1.5%).

The RX 7600S also shows strength in individual benchmarks: 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 scores 1,888, Passmark G3D scores 15,408, Geekbench Vulkan scores 73,868, and Passmark GPU Compute scores 6,520. The R9 M380 only has two listed benchmarks—Geekbench OpenCL (12,565) and Geekbench Metal (18,476)—neither of which the RX 7600S was tested on, making direct comparisons limited.

The Verdict

From the data, the RX 7600S is the clear choice for any modern workload. Its 441.3% OpenCL lead, 8 GB versus 4 GB memory, and support for ray tracing make it categorically superior for gaming and compute tasks. The R9 M380's 58th percentile ranking and end-of-life status indicate it belongs to a different era of mobile graphics.

For gamers and content creators, the RX 7600S's 28 ray tracing cores, 15.77 TFLOPS FP32 performance, and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth provide the foundation for smooth, high-detail gameplay and accelerated rendering. The R9 M380, with its 1.536 TFLOPS and 96.00 GB/s bandwidth, is only suitable for legacy applications or light productivity.

The R9 M380's only potential advantage could be compatibility with older software, given its GCN 2.0 architecture and DirectX 12 (12_0) support. However, the RX 7600S maintains backward compatibility through DirectX 12 Ultimate, which encompasses earlier DX12 features. The production status difference—Active versus End-of-life—also means the RX 7600S is available for new systems, while the R9 M380 is a discontinued part.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every specification field. The RX 7600S uses a 6 nm process, while the R9 M380 uses 28 nm. Transistor count is 13,300 million versus 2,080 million, with die sizes of 204 mm² and 160 mm², respectively. Clock speeds show a 1,500 MHz base and 2,200 MHz boost for the RX 7600S, compared to 900 MHz base and 1,000 MHz boost for the R9 M380.

Memory is another major differentiator: 8 GB GDDR6 at 2,000 MHz versus 4 GB GDDR5 at 1,500 MHz. Bandwidth is 256.0 GB/s versus 96.00 GB/s, despite identical 128-bit bus widths. Shading units number 1,792 versus 768, TMUs are 112 versus 48, and ROPs are 64 versus 16. The RX 7600S adds 28 ray tracing cores, while the R9 M380 has none.

Compute performance is starkly different: FP32 is 15.77 TFLOPS versus 1.536 TFLOPS, and pixel rate is 140.8 GPixel/s versus 16.00 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 246.4 GTexel/s versus 48.00 GTexel/s. The RX 7600S has a 75 W TDP, while the R9 M380 has no TDP data listed. Bus interfaces differ too: PCIe 4.0 x16 versus PCIe 3.0 x16. API support shows DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) versus DirectX 12 (12_0), and Vulkan 1.4 versus 1.2.170.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 7600S wins in every measurable category from the data. It dominates in OpenCL performance with a 441.3% margin, offers double the memory capacity with faster GDDR6, and includes ray tracing hardware that the R9 M380 simply does not have. For modern gaming, rendering, or compute workloads, the RX 7600S is unequivocally the superior choice.

The R9 M380's only listed benchmark win is in Geekbench Metal (18,476), a test that the RX 7600S has no result for. This suggests it might have some relevance in specific Apple ecosystem or Metal-API applications, though this is speculative given the lack of comparative data. Its lower power profile (no TDP listed) and older architecture could theoretically make it suitable for basic tasks like video playback or office work, but the RX 7600S's 75 W TDP and superior efficiency on 6 nm make it the better option even there.

For users with legacy software that requires GCN 2.0-specific behavior, the R9 M380 might be the only option. The RX 7600S's M380's successor, "Polaris Mobile," already replaced this architecture, and the RX 7600S represents the next generation beyond that. In practical terms, the RX 7600S is the card to choose for any new system, while the R9 M380 is best suited for vintage builds or compatibility testing.