AMD Integrated Radeon 780M 25% Faster Than RDNA 2 Predecessor

What might be the first benchmark results for the RDNA 3 graphics architecture AMD Radeon 780M have surfaced on a Chinese tech forum. Bilibili user Golden Pig Upgrade Pack (GPUP) asserts that he has tested an AMD APU packing the Radeon 780M iGPU in 3DMark Time Spy.

Interestingly, the PC tech enthusiast ran at least two separate tests, on two systems, checking how different memory configurations impacted the graphics performance. At its best, the new 780M is over 25% faster than its predecessor (the RDNA 2 graphics architecture 680M), and is within touching distance of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2050 Laptop GPU.

Whether the above performance test results are genuine or not, it is almost certain that the upcoming Radeon 780M is going to be the fastest iGPU available from any vendor, and it will be the first RDNA 3 iGPU for PC system buyers and DIYers.

The Radeon 780M and 760M were announced by AMD during CES 2023 last month, as major attractions of the latest Ryzen 7040 series Phoenix family APUs for “ultimate ultra-thin” performance. AMD’s new iGPU flagship, the all-new RDNA 3-based Radeon 780M, has 12 CUs (768 SPs) and a max 3,000MHz clock speed. Meanwhile, the 760M will offer 8CUs (512 SPs) and up to 2,800MHz clocks.

So, how did GPUP’s Radeon 780M samples perform? We have tabulated both results, included a handful of rivals, and a well known desktop stalwart, to provide a clear comparison, below.

Integrated graphics naturally benefit from improved system memory speeds, so it isn’t surprising to see the Radeon 780M move forward with the LPDDR5X-7500 memory. Both systems enjoy a worthwhile performance edge over the previous generation. Lastly, it is encouraging to see an iGPU push into RTX 2050 territory, but looking at the wider picture these low-power integrated graphics chips are still being easily beat by mid-range desktop cards from 2016.

We'd also be remiss if we didn't raise a warning flag. Those scores of ~3,000 and ~2,750 are suspiciously round numbers and could simply be guesses as opposed to actual benchmark runs. Maybe they're valid and simply rounded off to obfuscate things slightly, but they do stand out as anomalies in the grand scheme of things.

And of course, it almost goes without saying that 3DMark Time Spy scores are not necessarily representative of real-world gaming performance. That Arc A380 score for example is relatively higher than what we normally measure in our GPU benchmarks, where it trails the GTX 1060 6GB. Sprinkle liberally with skepticism until the hardware becomes publicly available, in other words.

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The first laptops featuring AMD Ryzen 7040 Phoenix processors with RDNA 3 iGPUs are officially slated to start shipping to consumers in March, but Bilibili’s GPUP seems to have acquired some early samples. With the drivers likely still undergoing tuning, there's hope for further optimizations for these new APUs. The rest of the laptop platform will also play a role, so these new chips could be even more impressive when they're publicly launched.