AMD Radeon 660M vs AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 Comparison

AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and AMD Radeon 660M are both integrated graphics processors, but they represent two very different generations of AMD's IGP design. The RX Vega 11, built on the older GCN 5.0 architecture and a 12 nm process, faces off against the Radeon 660M, which uses the modern RDNA 2.0 architecture on a 6 nm node. Benchmark data from Geekbench shows a clear, though not overwhelming, advantage for the newer Radeon 660M in the two shared tests, with the gap widening in Vulkan workloads. The data also reveals a nuanced story about architectural efficiency, as the 660M achieves its wins with significantly fewer shading units and lower overall transistor counts dedicated to the GPU portion of the die.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head comparison between the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and the AMD Radeon 660M is based on two synthetic Geekbench tests: OpenCL and Vulkan. In both instances, the Radeon 660M emerges as the winner, but the margin of victory is not uniform. The most significant difference appears in the Vulkan test, where the Radeon 660M scores 14748 against the RX Vega 11's 13543. This represents an 8.2% advantage for the newer part, a substantial lead that suggests the RDNA 2.0 architecture has a distinct efficiency edge in this modern graphics API.

The OpenCL result is much closer. Here, the Radeon 660M scores 12876, while the RX Vega 11 trails slightly with 12525. The delta is a narrow 2.7% in favor of the 660M. This closer margin indicates that in compute-oriented workloads, the older GCN architecture can still hold its own, though it cannot match the newer part's overall performance. The data shows that the Radeon 660M wins both head-to-head matchups, with a total of 2 wins and 0 for the RX Vega 11.

Looking at the broader average benchmark scores, the RX Vega 11 actually posts a higher aggregate number. Its average benchmark score is 14385, while the Radeon 660M sits at 13812. This discrepancy is explained by the fact that the RX Vega 11 has a Geekbench Metal score of 17086, a test that the 660M did not undergo. When comparing the shared tests, the 660M is clearly ahead, but the average score is skewed by this additional data point. The RX Vega 11's percentile ranking is 56, slightly above the 660M's 55, which reflects its higher average score from the extra Metal benchmark.

The nearest rival data provides additional context for each GPU's standing. The RX Vega 11's average score of 14385 places it in close competition with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN, which scores 14373 (a 0.1% delta), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M at 14404 (a -0.1% delta). It also sits just ahead of the AMD Radeon Vega 11 with a 0.2% delta and the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics with a 0.5% delta. The Radeon 660M, with its average of 13812, is nearly tied with the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile, which scores 13821 (a -0.1% delta), and is slightly behind the AMD Radeon RX 570X at 13871 (a -0.4% delta). It also edges out the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT by 0.5% and trails the NVIDIA Tesla K10 by 1.5%.

The Verdict

From a strictly performance standpoint, the benchmark data indicates that the AMD Radeon 660M is the superior choice. It wins both head-to-head comparisons, with a particularly strong showing in Vulkan where it is 8.2% ahead of the RX Vega 11. Users who prioritize modern graphics API performance, which is increasingly relevant for gaming and GPU-accelerated applications, should favor the Radeon 660M. The data shows that despite having fewer shading units (384 vs 704), the 660M's architectural efficiency delivers better results in the tests conducted.

However, the RX Vega 11 is not without its merits. The data shows it has a higher average benchmark score of 14385, driven by its strong Geekbench Metal result of 17086. For users working in environments that heavily utilize Apple's Metal API, the RX Vega 11 holds a distinct advantage, as this is a test the Radeon 660M simply does not have a score for. The RX Vega 11 also demonstrates a higher percentile ranking at 56, compared to the 660M's 55, although this is a marginal difference.

The choice between these two GPUs should be guided by the specific workload. If the user's applications rely on Vulkan or OpenCL, the Radeon 660M is the clear winner based on the head-to-head data. If the user's software stack is built around Metal, the RX Vega 11's benchmark score indicates it is the more capable part. The Radeon 660M is also a more modern part, released later and built on a smaller process node, which suggests better long-term driver support and feature compatibility, particularly with its support for DirectX 12 Ultimate. In summary, the Radeon 660M is the better overall performer in shared tests, but the RX Vega 11 has a specific strength in Metal that cannot be ignored.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two IGPs is substantial, representing a generational leap in design philosophy. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 is built on the GCN 5.0 architecture, a mature design that AMD used across several product generations. In contrast, the AMD Radeon 660M utilizes the RDNA 2.0 architecture, which is a ground-up redesign focused on improved performance-per-watt and efficiency. This fundamental difference is reflected in the process node, with the RX Vega 11 using a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries, while the 660M is manufactured on a more advanced 6 nm node from TSMC.

The die sizes are remarkably similar, with the RX Vega 11 measuring 210 mm² and the 660M at 208 mm². However, the transistor counts tell a different story. The 660M's chip, codenamed Rembrandt, contains 13,100 million transistors, while the RX Vega 11's Picasso chip has only 4,940 million. This results in a significantly higher transistor density for the 660M, at 63.0M per mm² compared to the RX Vega 11's 23.5M per mm². This density is a direct result of the smaller process node and allows for more complex logic within the same physical space.

The compute unit configuration differs markedly. The RX Vega 11 features 704 shading units, 44 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 8 render output units (ROPs). The Radeon 660M, despite having fewer shading units (384) and TMUs (24), doubles the ROP count to 16. This suggests a different balance of processing power, with the 660M prioritizing pixel fill rate over raw shader throughput. The pixel rate for the 660M is 30.40 GPixel/s, more than double the RX Vega 11's 11.20 GPixel/s. The texture rate, however, favors the RX Vega 11, which posts 61.60 GTexel/s compared to the 660M's 45.60 GTexel/s.

Another key architectural difference is the inclusion of ray tracing cores. The Radeon 660M has 6 dedicated RT cores, a feature entirely absent from the RX Vega 11. This enables hardware-accelerated ray tracing on the 660M, a capability that is becoming increasingly standard in modern games. The floating-point performance also reflects the architectural shift: the RX Vega 11 delivers 1.971 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the 660M offers 1,459.2 GFLOPS. In FP16, the RX Vega 11's 3.942 TFLOPS (2:1) slightly edges out the 660M's 2.918 TFLOPS (2:1). The API support also differs, with the 660M supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the RX Vega 11 is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3.

Specification Differences

The specification differences between the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and the AMD Radeon 660M are numerous and highlight the generational gap. The most obvious difference is the process node, with the RX Vega 11 on a 12 nm process and the 660M on a 6 nm process. This is accompanied by a change in foundry, from GlobalFoundries for the older chip to TSMC for the newer one. The thermal design power (TDP) also differs significantly, with the RX Vega 11 rated at 15 W and the 660M at a higher 40 W.

Clock speeds have seen a substantial increase. The RX Vega 11 has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 1400 MHz. The Radeon 660M, in contrast, starts at a much higher base clock of 1500 MHz and boosts up to 1900 MHz. This is a direct benefit of the more efficient 6 nm process. The bus interface is also different: the RX Vega 11 uses a standard IGP connection, while the 660M utilizes a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, which allows for faster data transfer between the GPU and the system.

The memory configuration for both is listed as "System Shared," meaning they rely on the system's main memory rather than dedicated VRAM. The bus width and bandwidth are similarly listed as "System Shared" and "System Dependent," respectively, indicating that performance is tied to the host system's memory capabilities. The display outputs are also dependent on the host device, with the RX Vega 11's outputs being "Motherboard Dependent" and the 660M's being "Portable Device Dependent," reflecting their intended use cases in desktops and laptops, respectively.

Other key differences include the shading unit count, with the RX Vega 11 having 704 and the 660M having 384, and the ROP count, which is 8 for the RX Vega 11 and 16 for the 660M. The release dates are also far apart, with the RX Vega 11 launching on 2019-07-06 and the 660M on 2022-01-03. The production status for both is listed as "End-of-life." The generation names also differ, with the RX Vega 11 being part of the "Vega IGP (Picasso)" generation and the 660M part of the "Navi II IGP (Rembrandt Mobile)" generation.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU performs better in the Vulkan benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon 660M performs better in the Geekbench Vulkan test, scoring 14748 compared to the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11's 13543. This represents an 8.2% advantage for the 660M.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 have a higher average benchmark score than the AMD Radeon 660M?

A: Yes, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 has an average benchmark score of 14385, while the AMD Radeon 660M has an average score of 13812. This is partly due to the RX Vega 11's additional Geekbench Metal score of 17086, which the 660M lacks.

Q: What is the difference in the number of shading units between the two GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 has 704 shading units, while the AMD Radeon 660M has 384 shading units. Despite having fewer shading units, the 660M wins the head-to-head OpenCL and Vulkan benchmark tests.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon 660M support hardware ray tracing?

A: Yes, the AMD Radeon 660M has 6 ray tracing cores. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 does not have any ray tracing cores.

Q: How do the process nodes of the two GPUs compare?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 is manufactured on a 12 nm process by GlobalFoundries, while the AMD Radeon 660M uses a 6 nm process from TSMC. The 660M's chip also has a much higher transistor density of 63.0M per mm², compared to 23.5M per mm² for the RX Vega 11.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel rate?

A: The AMD Radeon 660M has a significantly higher pixel rate of 30.40 GPixel/s, compared to the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11's 11.20 GPixel/s. This is due to the 660M's higher ROP count of 16, versus 8 on the RX Vega 11.