AMD Radeon Pro 455

The AMD Radeon Pro 455 is a mobile workstation graphics solution built on the GCN 4.0 architecture, utilizing the Baffin chip manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. This end-of-life product, released in late 2016, targets professional notebooks with a 35 W TDP and an MXM module form factor. The data reveals a GPU positioned at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13,416 across its tested workloads.

Memory Subsystem

The Radeon Pro 455 ships with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory connected via a 128-bit bus. The memory operates at an effective speed of 5.1 Gbps, yielding a total bandwidth of 81.28 GB/s. This configuration is modest by modern standards, and the data suggests it will constrain performance in high-resolution scenarios. For context, the pixel rate is 13.68 GPixel/s, and the texture rate is 41.04 GTexel/s, which are figures that align with a GPU designed for 1080p-class workloads rather than 4K rendering. The memory clock is listed at 1270 MHz, translating to that 5.1 Gbps effective rate. The 128-bit bus width, combined with the 2 GB capacity, means that texture-heavy scenes or large framebuffers at 1440p or above will likely exceed the available memory and bandwidth. This is a fundamental limitation: while the compute performance is respectable for its class, the memory subsystem caps the practical resolution ceiling. Benchmark results indicate that for 1080p gaming or professional applications with moderate asset sizes, the 81.28 GB/s bandwidth is adequate, but users targeting higher resolutions should expect significant performance degradation due to memory pressure rather than raw compute limits.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Radeon Pro 455 does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as those features were not part of the GCN 4.0 architecture. The GPU does support DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, providing a solid foundation for modern API-based workloads. The absence of hardware-accelerated ray tracing means that any ray-traced effects will rely on compute shaders, which will incur a substantial performance penalty compared to dedicated hardware. The FP32 performance is rated at 1,313.3 GFLOPS, while FP16 performance is identical at 1,313.3 GFLOPS, indicating a 1:1 ratio rather than the 2:1 advantage seen in newer architectures. This suggests that the GPU is not optimized for machine learning or half-precision compute tasks, which are common in AI-assisted rendering or denoising. The feature set is thus best described as conventional for its era: strong on rasterization and API compatibility but lacking the specialized hardware found in contemporary designs. The shading units number 768, with 48 texture mapping units and 16 ROPs, which collectively define the GPU's throughput in traditional rendering pipelines.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark data shows a Geekbench Metal score of 15,829 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 11,003, resulting in an average score of 13,416. This places the Radeon Pro 455 directly in the middle of a tight competitive cluster. Against the AMD Radeon Pro 555, the 455 is a mere 0.2% faster (13,416 vs. 13,395), a difference that is statistically negligible and falls within run-to-run variance. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 scores 13,300, which is 0.9% slower than the 455, indicating that the Radeon Pro 455 edges out this older desktop flagship by a hair. Conversely, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 posts a score of 13,549, which is 1% higher than the 455, meaning the 455 trails this rival by a single percentage point. The AMD Radeon RX 580 achieves 13,559, a 1.1% advantage over the 455, showing that the 455 is essentially performance-equivalent to a much larger desktop card. The deltas are remarkably small — all four rivals fall within a 2% band of the 455. This suggests that the Radeon Pro 455's performance is not defined by its absolute compute power but by its efficiency and form factor. The FP32 throughput of 1,313.3 GFLOPS is the raw compute figure, but the benchmark scores indicate real-world performance that is competitive with much higher-TDP parts, which reflects the efficiency of the 14 nm process.

Power and Cooling

The Radeon Pro 455 has a TDP of 35 W, which is exceptionally low for the performance it delivers. This power envelope is a direct result of the 14 nm fabrication process and the Baffin chip's modest 3,000 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 24.4M per mm². The GPU requires no external power connectors, drawing all its power from the MXM slot interface. This makes it a highly attractive option for thin-and-light professional laptops where thermal and power budgets are tight. The PCIe 3.0 x8 bus interface is sufficient for the GPU's bandwidth needs, as the 81.28 GB/s memory bandwidth is not constrained by the host link. The lack of a suggested PSU recommendation in the data is consistent with its mobile nature — it is not a desktop component that requires a separate power supply. For cooling, the MXM module design means that thermal solutions are vendor-specific, but the 35 W TDP is low enough that a capable air cooler should suffice. The slot width is listed as MXM Module, which confirms it is not a standard desktop expansion card. The power connector requirement is none, which simplifies system integration and reduces the overall power draw of the host system.

How It Compares

AMD Radeon Pro 555: This rival is nearly identical in performance, with the 455 holding a 0.2% advantage in average benchmark scores (13,416 vs. 13,395). The two cards are effectively interchangeable in real-world tasks, and the choice between them would likely come down to availability or driver support rather than performance. The data shows no meaningful gap, making the 455 a slightly better performer on paper.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480: The 455 is 0.9% faster than this older desktop GPU (13,416 vs. 13,300). This is a remarkable result, as the GTX 480 is a larger, higher-power card from a previous generation. The 455 achieves this with a fraction of the power draw, demonstrating the efficiency gains of the GCN 4.0 architecture and the 14 nm process.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950: The GTX 950 leads by 1% (13,549 vs. 13,416), placing the 455 slightly behind this desktop rival. The delta is minor, and the 455's advantage in power efficiency and mobile form factor may offset the small performance deficit for laptop users. The scores are close enough that driver optimizations could flip the result in specific applications.

AMD Radeon RX 580: The RX 580 is 1.1% faster than the 455 (13,559 vs. 13,416), the largest gap among the four rivals. Still, a 1.1% difference is within noise, meaning the 455 delivers desktop-class performance in a 35 W mobile package. This comparison highlights that the 455 is not a weak performer but rather a highly efficient one that trades a negligible amount of speed for a massive reduction in power consumption.

FAQ

Q: What is the average benchmark score for the AMD Radeon Pro 455?

A: The average benchmark score is 13,416, derived from a Geekbench Metal score of 15,829 and a Geekbench OpenCL score of 11,003.

Q: How does the Radeon Pro 455 compare to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950?

A: The GTX 950 is 1% faster, scoring 13,549 versus the 455's 13,416, a difference that is minor in practical terms.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the Radeon Pro 455?

A: The memory bandwidth is 81.28 GB/s, achieved with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus running at 5.1 Gbps effective.

Q: Does the Radeon Pro 455 support hardware ray tracing?

A: No, the GPU does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, relying instead on compute shaders for any ray-traced effects.

Q: What power connector does the Radeon Pro 455 require?

A: The GPU requires no external power connectors, as it draws all power from the MXM module slot within its 35 W TDP.

Q: What is the performance percentile of the Radeon Pro 455 relative to all GPUs?

A: The Radeon Pro 455 sits at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, placing it slightly above the median performer in the database.

Who Should Consider It

The Radeon Pro 455 is best suited for users who require a balanced mobile workstation GPU for 1080p workloads. The benchmark data shows it performing within 1.1% of the AMD Radeon RX 580 and 1% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950, both of which are capable desktop cards. This means the 455 can handle 1080p gaming at medium-to-high settings and professional applications like CAD or video editing with moderate workloads. The 2 GB VRAM and 81.28 GB/s bandwidth are the limiting factors, so users should avoid expecting smooth 1440p or 4K performance. The 35 W TDP makes it ideal for thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermal management are priorities. For those who value efficiency over raw speed, the 455 offers near-parity with larger desktop cards while consuming a fraction of the power. Users coming from older integrated graphics will see a substantial improvement, but those who need higher resolutions or ray tracing should look at newer hardware. The 53rd percentile ranking confirms that this is a mid-pack performer, suitable for mainstream tasks rather than enthusiast-grade workloads. Given its end-of-life status, it is a viable option for budget-conscious professionals seeking a proven, low-power solution in a portable chassis.