AMD Radeon 630 Mobile

AMD Radeon 630 Mobile: Review and Analysis for Users in 2025
April 2025
Introduction
In the world of mobile GPUs, the AMD Radeon 630 Mobile remains a popular choice for budget laptops. Despite the release of newer models, this graphics card continues to be relevant due to its balance of price and basic performance. Let’s explore who this solution is suitable for and what tasks it can handle.
1. Architecture and Key Features
Architecture: The Radeon 630 Mobile is built on the GCN 4.0 (Graphics Core Next), which debuted back in 2016. While it is not the most modern platform, driver optimizations maintain its relevance.
Process Technology: 14nm FinFET from GlobalFoundries — offers better energy efficiency than 28nm counterparts but is less efficient than the latest 6nm chips.
Unique Features:
- AMD FidelityFX — a set of tools for enhancing graphics (for example, contrast sharpening).
- FreeSync — eliminates screen tearing on compatible monitors.
- No hardware Ray Tracing or equivalents of DLSS — ray tracing and neural network technologies are not supported.
2. Memory
- Type: GDDR5 — an outdated standard, but sufficient for basic tasks.
- Capacity: 2GB or 4GB (depends on laptop configuration).
- Bus Width: 64-bit — bandwidth of up to 48 GB/s (for the 4GB version).
- Impact on Gaming: Limited memory capacity makes the card unsuitable for high-resolution textures. For example, in Cyberpunk 2077 (Low, 1080p), FPS will drop below 20 due to VRAM shortage.
3. Gaming Performance
The Radeon 630 Mobile is a solution for light projects and older games:
- CS:GO (1080p, Medium): 60-70 FPS.
- Fortnite (1080p, Low): 35-45 FPS.
- The Witcher 3 (720p, Low): 25-30 FPS.
- Valorant (1080p, High): 50-60 FPS.
Higher resolutions than 1080p are not recommended — at 1440p, performance decreases by 40-50%.
Ray Tracing: Not available even through software emulations due to low computational power.
4. Professional Tasks
- Video Editing: Editing videos in DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro is only possible at resolutions up to 1080p and with proxy files. Rendering will take 2-3 times longer than on the NVIDIA RTX 3050.
- 3D Modeling: Blender and AutoCAD work in basic modes, but complex scenes cause lags.
- Scientific Calculations: Support for OpenCL allows using the GPU for simple tasks, but the lack of CUDA makes it less viable than NVIDIA solutions.
5. Power Consumption and Heat Dissipation
- TDP: 25W — this card is suitable for ultrabooks with passive cooling.
- Temperatures: Up to 75°C under load, but throttling is rare due to low heat generation.
- Recommendations: Laptops with a metal chassis and at least one fan (for example, Acer Swift 3 or Lenovo IdeaPad 5).
6. Comparison with Competitors
- NVIDIA MX550: 15-20% faster in gaming, supports DLSS, but is more expensive ($600-$800 compared to $400-$600 for laptops with Radeon 630).
- Intel Arc A350M: Handles modern APIs (DirectX 12 Ultimate) better, but has less stable drivers.
- AMD Radeon 660M (integrated): Comparable in performance, but consumes less power — a choice in favor of Ryzen 5 6600U processors.
7. Practical Tips
- Power Supply: A standard 65W adapter — no extra overhead is required.
- Compatibility: The card works with AMD Ryzen 3/5 processors and Intel Core i3/i5 11th generation and newer.
- Drivers: Regular updates from AMD improve stability, but do not add features like Ray Tracing.
8. Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Low laptop prices ($400-$600).
- Support for FreeSync and FidelityFX.
- Quiet operation even under load.
Cons:
- Poor performance in modern games.
- Only 2-4 GB of outdated GDDR5.
- No support for ray tracing.
9. Conclusion: Who is the Radeon 630 Mobile For?
This graphics card is a choice for those who:
- Don’t play the latest games: Suitable for indie games, browser projects, and older hits.
- Work with office applications: Microsoft Office, browsers, Zoom.
- Seek an affordable laptop: For studying, traveling, or working in cafes.
If you plan to run Starfield or edit 4K video — consider solutions with RDNA 3 or RTX 4050. However, for its price, the Radeon 630 Mobile remains a worthy option for basic tasks.
Conclusion
In 2025, the AMD Radeon 630 Mobile is a "workhorse" for undemanding users. It may not impress with its performance but will offer reliability and budget savings.