AMD Radeon 780M: Game Tests and Up to 28% Difference Between Laptops

The Radeon 780M is an integrated RDNA 3 graphics solution with 12 compute units. It can run many games at Full HD, but in demanding titles, it requires lower settings, FSR, or a decrease in resolution. Moreover, the variance between laptops equipped with the same iGPU can reach up to 28%: the results depend on memory, available power, and cooling.

Architecture and Position in AMD's Lineup

The Radeon 780M features 12 RDNA 3 compute units. The default frequency depends on the processor: in the Ryzen 7 7840HS, the graphics operates at a frequency of up to 2.7 GHz, while in the Ryzen 9 7940HS, it can reach up to 2.8 GHz.

The Radeon 780M does not have dedicated video memory, so the bandwidth of DDR5 or LPDDR5X directly limits the speed of the iGPU. Fast dual-channel memory is particularly important for it: the graphics core and CPU cores share a common controller and divide the available bandwidth.

The predecessor, the Radeon 680M, also had 12 compute units but used the RDNA 2 architecture. The transition to RDNA 3 did not yield a significant increase; often, the laptop configuration impacts the results more than simply swapping the Radeon 680M for the 780M.

Radeon 780M in Specific Devices

The results pertain to the laptops as a whole: memory, power settings, and cooling all affect performance.

The Tuxedo Pulse 14 scores 28% higher in Time Spy Graphics than the Acer Swift Edge 16. In the Tuxedo, the long-term APU limit is 45 W, while in the Acer it is about 18 W. With a higher limit, the processor can allocate more power to the integrated graphics and maintain higher frequencies for longer periods.

The difference is also evident between the Schenker XMG Evo 14 and the Ninkear A16 Pro. Both laptops use the Ryzen 7 8845HS with a limit of around 45 W, but the Schenker with DDR5-5600 outperforms the model with DDR5-4800 by about 5% in Time Spy Graphics.

However, this is not a pure memory test: the laptops differ in BIOS settings, cooling, and power distribution. Thus, the entire lead cannot solely be attributed to DDR5-5600, although the higher bandwidth clearly benefits the integrated graphics.

What the Radeon 780M Can Handle in Games

In less demanding games, the Radeon 780M can function at Full HD with medium or high settings. In heavy projects, it often requires switching to low presets, FSR, or resolutions below 1080p.

In laptops with high power limits, results look approximately like this:

• 95 frames per second in Dota 2 at high settings;
• 68 frames per second in GTA V at high preset;
• 41 frames per second in Cyberpunk 2077 at low settings;
• 33 frames per second in Cyberpunk 2077 at medium preset.

On models with a limit of around 15-20 W, the frame rate will be lower. This is particularly noticeable in games that simultaneously stress CPU cores and integrated graphics: both parts of the APU compete for the common power budget.

In new demanding games, lower settings, FSR, and rendering below the native screen resolution are usually necessary. Hardware ray tracing is supported, but the Radeon 780M has little headroom for it.

Comparison with Radeon 880M and 890M

The Radeon 780M does not lead AMD's integrated graphics lineup anymore. The Radeon 880M also has 12 compute units, so switching to it does not yield a significant increase. The Radeon 890M uses 16 compute units and is noticeably faster than the 780M.

Intel Arc with eight Xe cores in the first Core Ultra processors typically competes with the Radeon 780M, but the leader changes from game to game. Therefore, when comparing laptops, it's more important to look at specific tests rather than just the name of the graphics core.

Conclusion

The Radeon 780M handles competitive games, many older AAA titles, and some new games at low settings and FSR. For a laptop without a discrete graphics card, it remains a sufficiently fast option.

However, the name of the iGPU does not guarantee specific speeds. In the tested models, the laptop with a long-term APU limit of 45 W outperformed the variant with an 18 W limit by 28%. Therefore, when choosing a device, it is more important to consider memory, power, and cooling rather than just the integrated graphics model.