AMD Radeon Pro 555

The AMD Radeon Pro 555 is a mobile workstation GPU built on the GCN 4.0 architecture using the Polaris 21 chip, fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. Its average benchmark score of 13395 places it at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, indicating a mid-pack performer that trades blows with several older desktop cards. The data reveals a part designed for professional laptops, with its performance profile best suited for 1080p workloads rather than high-refresh or high-resolution gaming.

Memory Subsystem

The Radeon Pro 555 is equipped with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a memory bandwidth of 81.60 GB/s. This configuration is modest by modern standards and directly limits performance at high resolutions. The effective memory speed of 5.1 Gbps, while typical for the 2017-era design, means that texture-heavy workloads at 1440p or 4K will likely encounter bandwidth bottlenecks. At 1080p, the 2 GB capacity is sufficient for many titles, but the 81.60 GB/s transfer rate can become a constraint in scenes with high-resolution textures or heavy anti-aliasing. The pixel rate of 13.60 GPixel/s and texture rate of 40.80 GTexel/s further reinforce that this GPU is tuned for balanced 1080p output rather than pushing large frame buffers. For professional applications, the 2 GB VRAM is adequate for moderate projects, but the limited bandwidth relative to contemporary parts means that 4K video editing or complex 3D scenes will show reduced responsiveness. The memory subsystem is the clearest indicator that this is an entry-level pro mobile chip, not a high-end rendering solution.

How It Compares

AMD Radeon Pro 455: The Radeon Pro 555 is effectively a statistical tie with its direct predecessor, scoring 0.2% lower in average benchmark performance (13395 vs 13416). This negligible delta means users upgrading from the 455 should expect no measurable performance gain in real-world tasks. The data suggests the 555 is a rebranded or minimally refreshed version of the 455 rather than a true generational leap.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480: The 555 holds a 0.7% advantage over the GTX 480, a desktop card from 2010. This is a notable result for a low-power mobile chip, showing that process node and architecture efficiency have allowed the 555 to match a much larger, power-hungry desktop part from a previous era. The delta is within margin of error, but the comparison highlights how far mobile GPUs have come.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660: The GTX 1660 leads the 555 by 1% in average score (13265 vs 13395). This is a remarkably close call, given that the GTX 1660 is a dedicated desktop gaming card from 2019 with significantly more VRAM. The 555 manages to hold its own in raw compute benchmarks, though the 2 GB VRAM and lower memory bandwidth will cause it to fall behind in actual gaming scenarios at higher settings.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950: The GTX 950 outperforms the 555 by 1.1% (13549 vs 13395). Like the GTX 480 comparison, this shows the 555 competing with desktop parts from its era, but the GTX 950's advantage, while small, is consistent across the benchmark aggregate. The 555 is not faster than a mid-range desktop GPU from 2015, which contextualizes its position as a workstation-focused mobile chip rather than a gaming powerhouse.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Radeon Pro 555 does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as these are absent from the FACT PACK data. Its architecture is GCN 4.0, which relies on traditional shader-based rendering for all effects. The API support includes DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, meaning the GPU is compatible with modern graphics APIs but lacks hardware-accelerated ray tracing features found in later NVIDIA or AMD architectures. The shading units number 768, with 48 texture mapping units and 16 render output units, providing a compute throughput of 1,305.6 GFLOPS in both FP32 and FP16 (1:1). This symmetric FP16 support is unusual for the era and can accelerate certain compute workloads in professional applications that leverage half-precision math. However, without RT cores, any ray-traced effects in supported APIs will run on the shader units, yielding poor performance. The feature set is firmly rooted in the pre-ray-tracing era, making it suitable for DirectX 12_0 titles but not for games or applications that require hardware RT support.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the Radeon Pro 555?

A: The GPU has a memory bandwidth of 81.60 GB/s, derived from 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with an effective speed of 5.1 Gbps.

Q: Does the Radeon Pro 555 support hardware ray tracing?

A: No. The FACT PACK lists no ray tracing cores or tensor cores; the GPU relies on GCN 4.0 shader units for all rendering, including any ray-traced effects.

Q: What is the average benchmark score of the Radeon Pro 555?

A: The average benchmark score is 13395, based on Geekbench scores of 16307 (Metal), 11575 (OpenCL), and 12303 (Vulkan).

Q: How does the Radeon Pro 555 compare to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660?

A: The GTX 1660 is 1% faster in average benchmark score (13265 vs 13395), making the two effectively equivalent in raw compute, though the GTX 1660 has more VRAM.

Q: What is the process node and chip size of the Radeon Pro 555?

A: The chip is Polaris 21, built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with a die size of 123 mm² and 3,000 million transistors.

Q: What is the power consumption of this GPU?

A: The TDP is 75 W, and it uses no power connectors, drawing all power from the motherboard via its PCIe 3.0 x8 interface.

Benchmark Performance

The Radeon Pro 555 posts an average benchmark score of 13395, placing it at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. This is a mid-tier result, confirmed by its narrow margins against its nearest rivals. The Geekbench Metal score of 16307 is the strongest of the three API tests, indicating good performance under Apple's Metal framework, which is relevant for macOS-based professional work. The Vulkan score of 12303 and OpenCL score of 11575 are lower, suggesting that cross-platform compute performance is less optimized. Compared to the AMD Radeon Pro 455, the 555 is 0.2% slower in average score (13416 vs 13395), which is effectively a dead heat. Against the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480, the 555 is 0.7% faster, a marginal win that underscores how far mobile efficiency has come. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 leads by 1% (13265 vs 13395), while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 leads by 1.1% (13549 vs 13395). These deltas are all within a 2% band, meaning the 555 performs at the same level as a mix of older desktop cards and a newer budget desktop card. The data shows no scenario where the 555 has a decisive victory or defeat; it is a consistently average performer. The FP32 throughput of 1,305.6 GFLOPS aligns with this positioning, offering compute power that is competitive for 1080p workloads but insufficient for high-end tasks.

Who Should Consider It

The benchmark data positions the Radeon Pro 555 as a GPU for users who need reliable 1080p performance in professional applications and light gaming. With a 53rd percentile rank and scores within 1.1% of several desktop rivals, it is suitable for 1080p gaming at medium to high settings in titles that are not VRAM-hungry. The 2 GB frame buffer will be a limiting factor at 1440p or with high-resolution texture packs, so users should plan to stay at 1080p. For content creators, the OpenCL score of 11575 and Metal score of 16307 suggest good acceleration in macOS-based editing suites, but the 81.60 GB/s bandwidth will slow down large project files. The lack of RT cores makes it a poor choice for any workflow or game that requires hardware ray tracing. It is not recommended for 4K gaming, as the memory bandwidth and capacity are insufficient. The performance parity with the GTX 950 and GTX 480 means it can handle esports titles and older AAA games well, but modern AAA releases at high settings will strain the 2 GB VRAM. The integrated form factor (IGP) implies it is soldered to a laptop motherboard, so there is no upgrade path; buyers should be confident that 1080p performance meets their needs long-term.

Power and Cooling

The Radeon Pro 555 has a TDP of 75 W, which is modest for a GPU with this level of compute performance. It requires no power connectors, drawing all power from the motherboard through its PCIe 3.0 x8 interface. This makes it suitable for thin-and-light laptops where discrete power delivery is not available. The slot width is listed as IGP, confirming that the GPU is integrated into the laptop's mainboard rather than being a removable module. With no suggested PSU listed in the FACT PACK, the power delivery is entirely dependent on the host system's design, but the 75 W TDP is low enough for most mobile platforms. Cooling requirements are minimal given the power draw, though sustained compute loads at 1,305.6 GFLOPS will generate heat that requires an adequate thermal solution. The production status is end-of-life, meaning it is no longer manufactured, so users will only find it in refurbished or older laptops. The absence of power connectors and the 14 nm process node contribute to an efficient design, but the 75 W TDP still places it above the most power-sipping integrated solutions. For users considering a laptop with this GPU, the thermal and power characteristics are well-balanced for its performance class, with no special power supply considerations beyond what the laptop already provides.