AMD Radeon R9 M295X
AMD graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
AMDAMD Radeon R9 M295X Specifications
Radeon R9 M295X GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The AMD Radeon R9 M295X 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.
R9 M295X Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the Radeon R9 M295X'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 R9 M295X by AMD dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
AMD's Radeon R9 M295X Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The Radeon R9 M295X'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 R9 M295X by AMD Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the R9 M295X, 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.
R9 M295X Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the AMD Radeon R9 M295X 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 R9 M295X 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 R9 M295X will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
AMD's Radeon R9 M295X Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the AMD Radeon R9 M295X 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 R9 M295X to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
Radeon R9 M295X by AMD Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the AMD Radeon R9 M295X 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 R9 M295X. 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 R9 M295X Product Information
Release and pricing details
The AMD Radeon R9 M295X 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 R9 M295X by AMD represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
Radeon R9 M295X Benchmark Scores
geekbench_metalSource
Geekbench Metal tests GPU compute using Apple's Metal API. This shows how AMD Radeon R9 M295X performs in macOS and iOS applications that leverage GPU acceleration. Metal provides low-overhead access to Apple silicon GPUs. Creative applications on Mac heavily utilize Metal for rendering and video processing.
Top 5 Performers
Top 5 PerformersNearby Performers
Nearby Performersgeekbench_openclSource
Geekbench OpenCL tests GPU compute performance using the cross-platform OpenCL API. This shows how AMD Radeon R9 M295X handles parallel computing tasks like video encoding and scientific simulations. OpenCL is widely supported across different GPU vendors and platforms.
Top 5 Performers
Nearby Performers
geekbench_vulkanSource
Geekbench Vulkan tests GPU compute using the modern low-overhead Vulkan API. This shows how AMD Radeon R9 M295X 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 R9 M295X
The AMD Radeon R9 M295X is a mobile GPU from the GCN 3.0 architecture, built on a 28 nm process at TSMC with 5,000 million transistors on a 366 mm² die. Its average benchmark score of 28541 places it in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs, making it a historically significant performer for its form factor. The data shows a chip that, despite its age, holds its own against much newer discrete and mobile parts in synthetic compute workloads, though its performance profile is tightly clustered with its nearest competitors.
How It Compares
The AMD FirePro S7150 is the closest rival, with an average score of 28409. The R9 M295X leads by a marginal 0.5%, a gap that is effectively a statistical tie in real-world terms. Both cards share GCN-derived compute characteristics, and the benchmarks indicate they are interchangeable in raw throughput, though the R9 M295X is positioned as a consumer mobile part while the FirePro targets professional workloads.
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 sits just behind with an average score of 28238. The R9 M295X outperforms it by 1.1%, which is a notable result given the generational and architectural differences. The RTX 3070 is a desktop-class card with ray tracing and tensor cores, yet the older AMD part edges it out in Geekbench compute tests, suggesting that the R9 M295X's 2048 shading units and 2.961 TFLOPS FP32 throughput remain competitive in pure number-crunching tasks.
The AMD Radeon RX 470 is a desktop GPU that scores 28996, meaning the R9 M295X trails it by 1.6%. This is a small deficit, and the benchmark results indicate the mobile chip is nearly on par with a desktop mid-range card from the same era. The RX 470 has a higher average score, but the delta is within the noise of synthetic testing, making the R9 M295X a surprisingly capable performer for a laptop component.
The AMD Radeon RX 6800M, a modern high-end mobile GPU, scores 29011. The R9 M295X lags behind by 1.6%, which is the same margin as the RX 470. This is remarkable: a 2014-era chip is within striking distance of a 2021 flagship mobile part in Geekbench compute. The RX 6800M benefits from newer architecture and higher bandwidth, yet the benchmark gap remains narrow, underscoring the R9 M295X's strong compute density.
Power and Cooling
The R9 M295X has a TDP of 250 W, which is substantial for a mobile GPU. This figure dictates that the cooling solution must be robust; the slot width is listed as "MXM Module," indicating it is designed for upgradeable laptop systems rather than fixed soldered designs. The power connectors are listed as "None," which is typical for MXM modules that draw power through the motherboard connector rather than dedicated PCIe power cables. Consequently, no suggested PSU rating is provided, as the host laptop's power delivery system handles all supply.
The 250 W TDP means thermal management is critical. The data shows a 28 nm process node, which is less efficient than modern nodes, so heat generation is higher per unit of performance. The bus interface is MXM-B (3.0), and the display outputs are "Portable Device Dependent," meaning the laptop manufacturer determines the physical ports. For a system using this GPU, a capable air cooler or vapor chamber solution is necessary; the benchmark results do not specify thermal throttling behavior, but the 250 W envelope demands serious cooling to sustain the 2.961 TFLOPS FP32 output.
The memory runs at 1250 MHz, translating to 5 Gbps effective, across a 256-bit bus for 160.0 GB/s bandwidth. This memory subsystem, while modest by today's standards, is sufficient for the GPU's compute loads. The 4 GB GDDR5 capacity is adequate for the era, and the power draw is exclusively tied to the MXM slot, simplifying installation in compatible laptops. Users should verify their chassis can handle the thermal load; the absence of standard power connectors means no aftermarket PSU upgrades are possible.
Benchmark Performance
The Geekbench Metal score is 33733, the highest of the three tests, indicating strong performance in Apple's Metal API. This suggests the GPU is well-optimized for macOS or Metal-based workloads, with the 2048 shading units providing ample parallel throughput. The OpenCL score drops to 22719, a 32.6% reduction from Metal, which may reflect driver overhead or API-specific inefficiencies. The Vulkan score of 29171 sits between the two, showing a more balanced result for cross-platform compute.
Against the nearest rivals, the average score of 28541 places the R9 M295X in a tight pack. The 0.5% lead over the FirePro S7150 is negligible, but the 1.1% advantage over the RTX 3070 is more meaningful given the latter's newer architecture. The 1.6% deficits to both the RX 470 and RX 6800M are consistent, suggesting the R9 M295X has a performance ceiling that modern cards barely exceed in compute tests. The FP32 rate of 2.961 TFLOPS is identical to the FP16 rate (1:1 ratio), confirming no half-precision acceleration, which limits its appeal for AI workloads that favor FP16.
The pixel rate is 23.14 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 92.54 GTexel/s, derived from 32 ROPs and 128 TMUs respectively. These figures indicate balanced rasterization capabilities for a 2014 GPU, but they are not standout numbers. The average benchmark score of 28541, combined with the 72nd percentile ranking, shows that the GPU outperforms the majority of all GPUs ever tested, which is impressive for a mobile part. The data reveals that in compute-heavy tasks, the R9 M295X rivals desktop cards from its own generation and even some modern parts, but its 250 W power draw and end-of-life status limit its practical appeal.
FAQ
Q: How does the R9 M295X compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 in benchmarks?
A: The R9 M295X has an average score of 28541, which is 1.1% higher than the RTX 3070's 28238. This means the older AMD chip outperforms the newer NVIDIA card in Geekbench compute tests by a slim margin.
Q: What is the memory configuration of the R9 M295X?
A: It features 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, running at 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective), providing 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth.
Q: Does the R9 M295X support modern APIs?
A: Yes, it supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170, making it compatible with contemporary software despite its 2014 release date.
Q: What is the power consumption of this GPU?
A: The TDP is 250 W, and it uses an MXM Module slot width with no dedicated power connectors, drawing power through the motherboard connector.
Q: How does it perform in different compute APIs?
A: The Geekbench Metal score is 33733, the Vulkan score is 29171, and the OpenCL score is 22719. Metal shows the highest performance, while OpenCL is the lowest.
Q: Is the R9 M295X better than the AMD Radeon RX 470?
A: No, the R9 M295X is 1.6% behind the RX 470, which has an average score of 28996. The difference is small, but the RX 470 holds a slight edge.
Who Should Consider It
The R9 M295X is best suited for users running compute-heavy applications at 1080p resolution, where its 2.961 TFLOPS FP32 performance can be fully utilized. Its 72nd percentile ranking and average score of 28541 indicate it handles OpenCL or Vulkan workloads competently, but gamers should note the 4 GB VRAM and 160.0 GB/s bandwidth may limit texture-heavy titles at higher settings. The data shows it is within 1.6% of the RX 6800M and RX 470, so for tasks like video encoding or scientific simulations, the R9 M295X remains viable, though its 250 W TDP makes it unsuitable for thin-and-light laptops.
For users with a compatible MXM-B (3.0) system, this GPU offers a performance tier that rivals desktop cards from its generation. The Metal score of 33733 suggests it is particularly strong in macOS environments, making it a candidate for older Mac Pro or iMac upgrades. However, the end-of-life production status and lack of modern features like FP16 acceleration mean it is not ideal for AI inference or ray-traced gaming. The 1.1% lead over the RTX 3070 is a curiosity, but the RTX 3070 offers superior features like DLSS and ray tracing, which the R9 M295X lacks.
At 1080p with medium settings, the R9 M295X can deliver playable frame rates in most titles from its era, but its 23.14 GPixel/s pixel rate and 92.54 GTexel/s texture rate are modest. The 0.5% gap to the FirePro S7150 suggests it is equally matched for professional compute, but the FirePro may have better driver support for CAD or scientific software. Ultimately, the R9 M295X is for enthusiasts with legacy MXM systems who prioritize raw compute over power efficiency or modern features. Its 250 W TDP and 28 nm process mean it runs hot, but the benchmark data confirms it still punches above its weight class.
The NVIDIA Equivalent of Radeon R9 M295X
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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