AMD Radeon R9 M470X vs Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580

AMD Radeon R9 M470X

The AMD Radeon R9 M470X is an upper mainstream mobile graphics card based on the familiar Bonaire chip. This 28 nm GPU uses all 896 shaders (14 Compute Units CU) and is based on the second generation of the GCN architecture (Graphics Core Next). The maximum memory size is 4 GB (GDDR5, 6000 MHz effective) and it is attached via 128-bit interface. Compared to the technologically identical predecessor card Radeon R9 M385X (1100 MHz), the R9 M470X could have a slightly higher clock.

Contrary to the R9 M300 series, the number of products within the R9 M400 series is currently limited to three (M485X, M470X and M470), but this will probably change with the launch of the new Polaris architecture in Q2 2016.

Sources: AMD (specs), AnandTech (Bonaire chip)

Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580

The Intel Iris Pro Graphics P580 (GT4e) is an integrated professional graphics unit of the Skylake generation (top version). As successors of the Iris Graphics 6200 (Broadwell), the Iris P580 can be found in some high-end Xeon quad core CPUs and offers 128 MB of dedicated eDRAM memory. Furthermore, the so-called GT4e-version features 72 Execution Units (EUs). Besides the eDRAM cache, the Iris 580 is able to access the main memory (2x 64bit DDR3L-1600 / DDR4-2133).

Compared to the consumer Iris Pro Graphics 580, the P580 is only included in the Xeon processors and intended for professional applications (certified drivers?) similar to the Quadro and Fire Pro lines. 

Compared to the Iris Graphics 550 (28 W GT3e), the Iris Pro Graphics P580 offers more EUs (72 vs. 48) and a larger eDRAM Cache (128 vs. 64 MB).

Performance

The exact performance of the Iris Graphics P580 depends on memory configuration and CPU model (different clock speeds). However, it should be clearly faster than the old Broadwell Iris Pro 6200 and may compete with a dedicated GeForce 945M. Modern games of 2015/2016 should be playable in medium settings.

Features

The revised video engine now decodes H.265/HEVC completely in hardware and thereby much more efficiently than before. Displays can be connected via DP 1.2 / eDP 1.3 (max. 3840 x 2160 @ 60 Hz), whereas HDMI is limited to the older version 1.4 (max. 3840 x 2160 @ 30 Hz). However, HDMI 2.0 can be added using a DisplayPort converter. Up to three displays can be controlled simultaneously.

Power Consumption

The Iris Graphics P580 can be found in some mobile high-end quad core processors (45 W). Therefore, they are most likely not used in thin and light laptops.