GPU Comparison

Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics and AMD Radeon RX 5500M represent two fundamentally different approaches to mobile graphics, with the data showing a decisive performance gap between them. The Intel DG1 chip, built on Intel's Generation 12.1 architecture, is an integrated-class part with a 25 W power envelope, while the AMD Navi 14 mobile GPU, based on RDNA 1.0, is a full discrete solution rated at 85 W. Across the single shared benchmark in the data, the AMD part dominates, but the Intel GPU's positioning within the broader GPU landscape tells a more nuanced story about its niche.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the results are lopsided. The AMD Radeon RX 5500M scores 38,725, while the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics scores 14,315. That represents a delta of -63% for Intel, meaning the AMD part is roughly 2.7 times faster in this compute workload. This is not a marginal difference; it is a categorical gap that places the two products in entirely different performance tiers.

The deltaPct figure of -63% is particularly telling when contextualized against the nearest rivals for each card. The Intel Iris Xe MAX's closest competitors include the AMD Radeon Vega 11 (avg score 14,352, delta -0.3%), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti (14,277, delta +0.3%), and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (14,385, delta -0.5%). In other words, Intel's GPU sits within 0.5% of a desktop GTX 1070 Ti in this particular OpenCL test, which is remarkable for a 25 W integrated part. However, that same score is only 37% of what the RX 5500M achieves.

The AMD Radeon RX 5500M's nearest rivals tell a different story. Its average benchmark score of 13,356 places it near the AMD FirePro M6100 (13,354, delta 0%) and the AMD Radeon HD 8950M (13,376, delta -0.1%). Interestingly, the RX 5500M's OpenCL score of 38,725 is far above its own average benchmark score, which is dragged down by other tests like Passmark DirectX 9 (score 100) and Passmark DirectX 10 (score 39). This suggests the card is highly compute-capable in OpenCL but shows inconsistent performance across different API benchmarks.

Where Each One Wins

Looking strictly at the wins count, the AMD Radeon RX 5500M secures the only head-to-head victory with 1 win versus 0 for Intel. The OpenCL result is the clearest indicator: AMD wins decisively in raw compute throughput. The RX 5500M's additional benchmark suite shows strengths in legacy DirectX performance, with a Passmark DirectX 9 score of 100 and a Passmark G3D score of 5,848, indicating solid rasterization capability across multiple API generations.

The Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics, despite losing the head-to-head, demonstrates competitive positioning in its own weight class. Its 14,315 OpenCL score places it within 0.4% of the AMD Radeon TITAN (14,373) and within 0.5% of the Radeon RX Vega 11 (14,385). For a GPU with only 768 shading units and a 25 W TDP, matching the compute output of much larger discrete parts suggests the architecture is highly efficient per watt. The Intel part also shows no Passmark scores in the data, meaning its strengths are concentrated in OpenCL compute rather than legacy DirectX workloads.

The AMD card wins on memory bandwidth decisively, with 224.0 GB/s versus 68.26 GB/s for Intel, a factor of 3.3. This bandwidth advantage likely explains the OpenCL gap, as compute workloads are often memory-bound. The Intel card's LPDDR4X memory at 4.3 Gbps effective speed simply cannot feed the processor as fast as the RX 5500M's GDDR6 at 14 Gbps effective.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural lineages. Intel's DG1 chip uses Generation 12.1 architecture, marketed under the Xe Graphics generation, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process. The die size is 95 mm², and it packs 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 24 raster operation units. The AMD Radeon RX 5500M uses the Navi 14 chip, built on RDNA 1.0, manufactured by TSMC on a 7 nm process. The die is significantly larger at 158 mm² and contains 6,400 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 40.5 million per mm².

The compute resource disparity is stark. AMD fields 1,408 shading units, 88 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, compared to Intel's 768 shaders, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. This 1.83x advantage in shader count translates directly to the FP32 throughput: AMD achieves 4.632 TFLOPS versus Intel's 2.534 TFLOPS. The texture fill rate shows an even larger gap, with AMD at 144.8 GTexel/s against Intel's 79.20 GTexel/s. Pixel rate favors AMD as well, at 52.64 GPixel/s versus 39.60 GPixel/s.

Memory architecture differs fundamentally. Intel uses 4 GB of LPDDR4X on a 128-bit bus, while AMD uses 4 GB of GDDR6 also on a 128-bit bus. The memory clock tells the story: Intel runs at 2133 MHz (4.3 Gbps effective), while AMD runs at 1750 MHz but with 14 Gbps effective transfer rate. This yields 68.26 GB/s bandwidth for Intel and 224.0 GB/s for AMD. The clock speeds also differ, with Intel boosting to 1650 MHz from a 300 MHz base, while AMD boosts to 1645 MHz from a 1375 MHz base, plus a 1448 MHz game clock.

Power consumption is a major differentiator. Intel's TDP is 25 W with a suggested PSU of 200 W, while AMD's TDP is 85 W with no suggested PSU listed. The AMD card also has no power connectors specified, while Intel is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with no display outputs. AMD's display outputs are described as "Portable Device Dependent," indicating it is designed for laptops where the panel connection varies by implementation.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute performance in OpenCL?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5500M scores 38,725 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 2.7 times higher than the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics' 14,315, representing a -63% delta for Intel.

Q: How does the Intel Iris Xe MAX compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel GPU's 14,315 OpenCL score is within 0.5% of the AMD Radeon Vega 11 (14,352) and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (14,385), and it slightly edges out the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti (14,277) by 0.3%.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two cards?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5500M has 224.0 GB/s bandwidth using GDDR6 at 14 Gbps effective, while the Intel Iris Xe MAX has 68.26 GB/s using LPDDR4X at 4.3 Gbps effective.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5500M has 1,408 shading units, compared to 768 for the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics, a 1.83x advantage for AMD.

Q: What is the TDP difference, and does it affect performance?

A: The Intel Iris Xe MAX has a 25 W TDP, while the AMD Radeon RX 5500M has an 85 W TDP. The higher power budget likely contributes to AMD's 4.632 TFLOPS FP32 performance versus Intel's 2.534 TFLOPS.

Q: Are there any benchmarks where the Intel GPU performs comparably to the AMD?

A: No, the only shared benchmark is Geekbench OpenCL, where AMD wins decisively. The Intel card does, however, match the performance of much larger discrete GPUs like the GTX 1070 Ti in that single test.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification category. Manufacturing process varies: Intel uses 10 nm, while AMD uses 7 nm from TSMC. Die size differs at 95 mm² for Intel versus 158 mm² for AMD. The Intel chip has no listed transistor count, while AMD has 6,400 million transistors. Clock speeds show Intel at 300 MHz base and 1650 MHz boost, while AMD runs 1375 MHz base, 1448 MHz game, and 1645 MHz boost. Memory type differs (LPDDR4X versus GDDR6), as does memory clock (2133 MHz/4.3 Gbps effective versus 1750 MHz/14 Gbps effective).

Compute units scale differently: Intel has 768 shaders, 48 TMUs, and 24 ROPs; AMD has 1,408 shaders, 88 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Pixel rate is 39.60 GPixel/s for Intel versus 52.64 GPixel/s for AMD. Texture rate is 79.20 GTexel/s versus 144.8 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 2.534 TFLOPS versus 4.632 TFLOPS, and FP16 is 5.069 TFLOPS versus 9.265 TFLOPS (both with 2:1 ratio). TDP is 25 W versus 85 W. The Intel card has no display outputs, while AMD's are portable-device dependent. The bus interface is identical (PCIe 4.0 x8), as are the API support levels (DirectX 12_1, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4). Both cards are end-of-life, with Intel releasing 2020-10-30 and AMD releasing 2019-10-06.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion: the AMD Radeon RX 5500M is the superior performer in every measurable category. Its 38,725 OpenCL score versus 14,315 for Intel is not close, and its 4.632 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, 224.0 GB/s memory bandwidth, and 1,408 shading units all dwarf the Intel part's capabilities. Gamers or professionals needing compute power should choose the RX 5500M without hesitation.

However, the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics occupies a unique niche. Its 25 W TDP and IGP form factor mean it can be integrated into ultra-portable designs where the 85 W RX 5500M would be impractical. The fact that it matches the OpenCL score of a GTX 1070 Ti (14,277) while consuming a fraction of the power suggests Intel achieved remarkable efficiency. Users prioritizing battery life and thin-and-light form factors over raw performance would find the Intel part compelling, especially given its 56th percentile ranking versus the RX 5500M's 54th percentile across all GPUs. The RX 5500M's higher average benchmark score of 13,356 versus 14,315 for Intel is actually lower, but this is skewed by the AMD card's weak Passmark DirectX results. In the final analysis, the RX 5500M wins on absolute performance, while the Iris Xe MAX wins on efficiency and integration potential.