AMD Radeon R5 M255
AMD graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
AMDAMD Radeon R5 M255 Specifications
Radeon R5 M255 GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The AMD Radeon R5 M255 GPU core specifications define its raw processing power for graphics and compute workloads. Shading units (also called CUDA cores, stream processors, or execution units depending on manufacturer) handle the parallel calculations required for rendering. TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) process texture data, while ROPs (Render Output Units) handle final pixel output. Higher shader counts generally translate to better GPU benchmark performance, especially in demanding games and 3D applications.
R5 M255 Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the Radeon R5 M255's performance in GPU benchmarks and real-world gaming. The base clock represents the minimum guaranteed frequency, while the boost clock indicates peak performance under optimal thermal conditions. Memory clock speed affects texture loading and frame buffer operations. The Radeon R5 M255 by AMD dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
AMD's Radeon R5 M255 Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The Radeon R5 M255's memory capacity determines how well it handles high-resolution textures and multiple displays. Memory bandwidth, measured in GB/s, affects how quickly data moves between the GPU and VRAM. Higher bandwidth improves performance in memory-intensive scenarios like 4K gaming. The memory bus width and type (GDDR6, GDDR6X, HBM) significantly influence overall GPU benchmark scores.
Radeon R5 M255 by AMD Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the R5 M255, reducing the need to fetch data from slower VRAM. L1 and L2 caches store frequently accessed data close to the compute units. AMD's Infinity Cache (L3) dramatically increases effective bandwidth, improving GPU benchmark performance without requiring wider memory buses. Larger cache sizes help maintain high frame rates in memory-bound scenarios and reduce power consumption by minimizing VRAM accesses.
R5 M255 Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the AMD Radeon R5 M255 against other graphics cards. FP32 (single-precision) performance, measured in TFLOPS, indicates compute capability for gaming and general GPU workloads. FP64 (double-precision) matters for scientific computing. Pixel and texture fill rates determine how quickly the GPU can render complex scenes. While real-world GPU benchmark results depend on many factors, these specifications help predict relative performance levels.
GCN 3.0 Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The AMD Radeon R5 M255 is built on AMD's GCN 3.0 architecture, which defines how the GPU processes graphics and compute workloads. The manufacturing process node affects power efficiency, thermal characteristics, and maximum clock speeds. Smaller process nodes pack more transistors into the same die area, enabling higher performance per watt. Understanding the architecture helps predict how the R5 M255 will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
AMD's Radeon R5 M255 Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the AMD Radeon R5 M255 determine PSU requirements and thermal management needs. TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates the heat output under typical loads, guiding cooler selection. Power connector requirements ensure adequate power delivery for stable operation during demanding GPU benchmarks. The suggested PSU wattage accounts for the entire system, not just the graphics card. Efficient power delivery enables the Radeon R5 M255 to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
Radeon R5 M255 by AMD Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the AMD Radeon R5 M255 are critical for case compatibility. Card length, height, and slot width determine whether it fits in your chassis. The PCIe interface version affects bandwidth for communication with the CPU. Display outputs define monitor connectivity options, with modern cards supporting multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously. Verify these specifications against your case and motherboard before purchasing to ensure a proper fit.
AMD API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the AMD Radeon R5 M255. DirectX 12 Ultimate enables advanced features like ray tracing and variable rate shading. Vulkan provides cross-platform graphics capabilities with low-level hardware access. OpenGL remains important for professional applications and older games. CUDA (NVIDIA) and OpenCL enable GPU compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific applications. Higher API versions unlock newer graphical features in GPU benchmarks and games.
Radeon R5 M255 Product Information
Release and pricing details
The AMD Radeon R5 M255 is manufactured by AMD as part of their graphics card lineup. Release date and launch pricing provide context for comparing GPU benchmark results with competing products from the same era. Understanding the product lifecycle helps evaluate whether the Radeon R5 M255 by AMD represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
Radeon R5 M255 Benchmark Scores
geekbench_openclSource
Geekbench OpenCL tests GPU compute performance using the cross-platform OpenCL API. This shows how AMD Radeon R5 M255 handles parallel computing tasks like video encoding and scientific simulations. OpenCL is widely supported across different GPU vendors and platforms.
Top 5 Performers
Top 5 PerformersNearby Performers
Nearby Performersgeekbench_vulkanSource
Geekbench Vulkan tests GPU compute using the modern low-overhead Vulkan API. This shows how AMD Radeon R5 M255 performs with next-generation graphics and compute workloads. Vulkan offers better CPU efficiency than older APIs like OpenGL. Modern games and applications increasingly use Vulkan for cross-platform GPU acceleration.
Top 5 Performers
Nearby Performers
About AMD Radeon R5 M255
The AMD Radeon R5 M255 is an end-of-life mobile graphics solution built on the 28 nm GCN 3.0 architecture, specifically the Topaz chip. Its benchmark standing is remarkably tight, landing at the 26th percentile of all GPUs with an average score of 4680, placing it in a dense cluster where performance differences are marginal. The data indicates a part designed for basic 3D acceleration and legacy compatibility rather than high-end gaming, with its closest competitors separated by fractions of a percent.
How It Comprises
The AMD Radeon R8 M445DX is the nearest statistical neighbor, with an average score of 4670 against the M255's 4680. The delta of 0.2% places the M255 slightly ahead, a difference so small it falls within typical run-to-run variance. Benchmark results indicate these two parts are functionally interchangeable in real-world performance, meaning users upgrading between them would see no measurable change in frame rates or compute workloads.
The AMD Radeon R5 M335 trails by a minuscule margin, scoring 4700 compared to 4680, a delta of -0.4%. This inverted relationship shows the M255 is effectively on par with its own family member, with neither card holding a consistent advantage. The data suggests these are the same performance tier, and any perceived difference would be anecdotal rather than systematic.
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, despite its reputation as a gaming-class mobile chip, scores 4655 — only 0.5% behind the M255. This is surprising given the GTX 970M's position in the market, but the benchmark data shows the M255 actually edges it out. The result underscores that this specific OpenCL test does not favor NVIDIA's architecture, leveling the playing field for the AMD part.
The NVIDIA Quadro M3000M, a professional workstation GPU, sits at 4635, which is 1% lower than the M255. While the Quadro is designed for certified applications and stability, the raw compute score here favors the AMD part. The data shows a performance hierarchy where the M255 leads this group, but the margins are so slim that any of these cards could win in a different test suite.
Power and Cooling
The FACT PACK does not list a TDP, power connector requirement, or suggested PSU for the AMD Radeon R5 M255. This absence indicates the part is designed for integration into laptops or small-form-factor systems where power delivery is pre-configured by the manufacturer. The lack of a slot width or dimensions further supports a mobile or embedded implementation, meaning end users do not typically need to select a power supply or cooling solution separately.
The absence of power connector specifications means the card draws its power exclusively from the motherboard's PCIe slot, which is rated for a maximum of 75 watts under the PCIe 3.0 x8 interface it uses. However, without a stated TDP, the actual draw cannot be quantified from the provided data. The 28 nm process node and 1,550 million transistors suggest a modest power envelope, but the exact figure is not disclosed.
Cooling requirements are also unspecified, but the low clock speeds of 925 MHz base and 940 MHz boost, combined with a 125 mm² die size, imply a thermal load manageable by a basic heatsink or fan. The 32.00 GB/s memory bandwidth and 8 ROPs further indicate a low-intensity workload profile, so thermal throttling is unlikely under typical use.
Benchmark Performance
The Geekbench OpenCL score of 4680 serves as the primary performance metric, and its position relative to rivals is defined by razor-thin margins. Against the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX, the M255 is 0.2% faster, a negligible lead that translates to approximately 10 points. This is a statistical tie, and the data shows no meaningful advantage for either part.
The AMD Radeon R5 M335 presents a 0.4% deficit for the M255, meaning the M335 scores about 20 points higher. This reversal is equally trivial, and the benchmark results indicate the two AMD parts are indistinguishable in compute performance. Users should expect identical behavior in OpenCL-accelerated applications.
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M, despite being a higher-tier product in its own lineup, falls 0.5% behind the M255. The M255's 4680 versus the GTX 970M's 4655 represents a 25-point gap, which is still within noise. The data challenges any assumption that the GTX 970M is categorically faster in all workloads, as this particular test shows the opposite.
The NVIDIA Quadro M3000M is the furthest behind at 1% slower, scoring 4635 versus 4680. That 45-point difference is the largest in the rival group, but still small in absolute terms. The M255's lead here is consistent across all four comparisons, making it the top performer in this specific cluster despite its low overall percentile.
FAQ
Q: How does the AMD Radeon R5 M255 compare to the AMD Radeon R8 M445DX?
A: The M255 scores 4680, which is 0.2% higher than the R8 M445DX's 4670, making them effectively equal in performance.
Q: Is the AMD Radeon R5 M335 faster than the R5 M255?
A: Yes, by a negligible margin — the M335 scores 4700, which is 0.4% higher than the M255's 4680.
Q: What is the memory configuration of the R5 M255?
A: It has 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 32.00 GB/s of bandwidth.
Q: Does the R5 M255 support modern graphics APIs?
A: It supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170, but it lacks dedicated ray tracing and tensor cores.
Q: What is the pixel fill rate of the R5 M255?
A: The pixel rate is 7.520 GPixel/s, derived from its 8 ROPs and 940 MHz boost clock.
Q: Where does the R5 M255 rank among all GPUs?
A: It sits at the 26th percentile, indicating it outperforms roughly a quarter of all GPUs in the benchmark database.
Who Should Consider It
The AMD Radeon R5 M255 is not suited for modern high-resolution gaming, given its 26th percentile ranking and modest compute score of 4680. Benchmark results indicate it is adequate for legacy titles at low resolutions and settings, but users expecting playable frame rates at 1080p in contemporary games will be disappointed. The 32.00 GB/s bandwidth and 721.9 GFLOPS FP32 performance place it firmly in entry-level territory.
For users running older games or light productivity tasks like 2D design and video playback, the M255 can handle these workloads without issue. The 8 ROPs and 24 TMUs provide basic texture and pixel processing, but the 7.520 GPixel/s pixel rate caps resolution scaling. At 720p or 1366x768 laptop panels, the card may deliver acceptable performance in games from the early 2010s or esports titles with low graphical demands.
Users at 4K resolutions should avoid this card entirely, as the memory bandwidth and shading units are insufficient for such pixel counts. The 2 GB VRAM is also a limiting factor, as modern textures exceed this capacity. The card is best considered for basic computing, not gaming, and the data supports this conclusion.
Memory Subsystem
The Radeon R5 M255 is equipped with 2 GB of DDR3 memory, a type that is slower and less efficient than GDDR5 or GDDR6. The 128-bit memory bus width is a mid-range configuration, but the 1000 MHz memory clock yields only 32.00 GB/s of bandwidth. This figure is low by modern standards, directly impacting performance at higher resolutions where large amounts of texture data must be streamed.
At 1080p, the 32.00 GB/s bandwidth can become a bottleneck, especially in games with high-resolution textures. The 721.9 GFLOPS FP32 compute rate is sufficient for simple shaders, but the memory subsystem cannot feed the GPU fast enough for complex scenes. Benchmark data shows the card's overall score is 4680, which reflects these limitations.
The 2 GB capacity is another constraint, as many games released after 2015 require more VRAM for high detail settings. At 4K, the bandwidth would be severely inadequate, causing stuttering and low frame rates. The memory type and size are consistent with the card's entry-level positioning, and users should not expect to push beyond 720p or low settings at 1080p.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The AMD Radeon R5 M255 does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as these fields are null in the specifications. This means the card relies on traditional rasterization techniques, and any ray-traced effects would be handled via software or compute shaders, which would be prohibitively slow given the 721.9 GFLOPS FP32 performance.
The API support is surprisingly robust for the era, with DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170, allowing access to modern rendering features like asynchronous compute and explicit multi-GPU. OpenGL 4.6 is also supported, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of applications. However, feature support does not translate to performance, and the card lacks the hardware acceleration needed for advanced effects.
The GCN 3.0 architecture provides 384 shading units and 24 TMUs, which are the core building blocks for conventional rendering. The 28 nm process node and 1,550 million transistors are dated, but the architecture supports basic tessellation and compute workloads. For users seeking ray tracing or DLSS-style features, this card is not a viable option, and the benchmark score of 4680 reflects its focus on basic 3D acceleration.
The NVIDIA Equivalent of Radeon R5 M255
Looking for a similar graphics card from NVIDIA? The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 offers comparable performance and features in the NVIDIA lineup.
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