Apple-exclusive AMD Radeon Pro 5600M shows up in performance tests

During Computex 2019, AMD unveiled both the Ryzen 3000 family and the next round on the graphics side, in the form of the graphics architecture Radeon DNA (RDNA) – a hybrid solution between news and aging Graphics Core Next (GCN). The code name for the RDNA family is “Navi” and together with Ryzen, the graphics venture made its debut on July 7, 2019 through the duo Radeon RX 5700 and RX 5700 XT.

A clear difference between AMD’s older performance graphics cards in the Vega family is the memory type, which with Navi has been replaced from HBM to GDDR6. Something that is unchanged between the generations, however, is that the red team does not control Nvidia’s models in the upper performance segment. Further down the performance scale, AMD has since last summer expanded its product range with the Radeon RX 5500 XT and RX 5600 XT, and recently added the Apple-exclusive Radeon Pro 5600M, which is now being tested for performance.

The Radeon Pro 5000M family

Despite the name, the card has a lot in common with the enthusiast model Radeon RX 5700 XT and both graphics circuits are equipped with 2,560 stream processors. The standalone graphics card, on the other hand, has a TBP value of 225 watts while the newcomer stays at 50 watts, which means greatly reduced clock frequencies and heat generation in line with the portable format which is Apple’s Macbook Pro in 16-inch format.

It is the Youtube channel Max Tech that has taken a closer look at the new top configuration for the largest Macbook Pro computer, and which states significantly better graphics performance compared to the graphics card Radeon Pro 5500M. The latter was previously the most powerful graphics circuit in the computer family and comes with 1,536 stream processors and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory.

On the memory front, the Radeon Pro 5600M steps up to significantly faster HBM2 memory, which along with 67 percent more stream processors increases performance by 50.1 percent in the Metal graphics test in Geekbench 5. In Unigine Heaven, the Radeon Pro 5500M delivers 51.1 frames per second ( FPS) and the new circuit steps up to 75.7 FPS, an increase of 48.1 percent. The fact that performance does not increase in parity with the added bandwidth and stream processors is probably due to the 300 MHz lower turbo level and the unchanged ceiling for power consumption.

In the performance tests, the mobile graphics circuit is also compared to Apple desktops: Radeon RX Vega 56 at Imac Pro and RX Vega 48 at Imac with 5K-resolution screen. In the Geekbench 5 test, the Radeon Pro 5600M falls around 31.2 and 12.9 percent, respectively. With the Unigine Heaven test, however, the newcomer shows its front feet and performs 11.3 and 5.1 percent better, which in reality means 7.7 and 3.7 extra frames per second on average.

Max Tech is also testing the capabilities for video editing, where clearly shortened rendering times can be seen in a simpler Final Cut Pro X test. When it comes to rendering a five-minute 4K UHD-resolved clip, however, the percentage difference is negligible compared to the Radeon Pro 5500M, which is explained by the fact that other parts of the system act as bottlenecks. For those who are interested in games in Windows through Bootcamp, the channel promises a follow-up video.

In conclusion, it can be added that the new option on the graphics side entails a substantial additional cost of SEK 8,750 over the basic configuration Radeon Pro 5300M, or SEK 7,500 over the Pro 5500M with 8 GB of memory. With the basic options 16 GB DDR4 memory, 1 TB storage and the simpler eight-core Core i9 processor, the total will be SEK 43,749 in Apple’s online store, for those who want the best graphics performance.

Do you use an Apple-signed computer and if so, how much use do you make of the graphics card? Is the upgrade worth more than SEK 8,000? Tell us in the comments thread!