AMD Radeon 860M vs AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 Comparison

AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 and AMD Radeon 860M are closely matched in overall benchmark averages, separated by just 5.4% in favor of the older Vega 20 (27839 vs 26401). However, the data reveals a clear split: the Radeon Pro Vega 20 dominates in OpenCL compute workloads, while the Radeon 860M takes a decisive lead in Vulkan performance. This is not a simple generational upgrade; it is a trade-off between raw compute throughput and modern API efficiency.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results show a 17.2% victory for the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 in the Geekbench OpenCL test. The Vega 20 scores 26679 against the Radeon 860M's 22759. This is a substantial margin, indicating that the Vega 20's architecture is significantly better optimized for general-purpose GPU compute tasks that rely on OpenCL. In contrast, the Radeon 860M wins the Geekbench Vulkan test by 12.1%, scoring 30043 versus the Vega 20's 26410. This reversal is stark; the newer RDNA 3.5 architecture clearly excels in the Vulkan API, which is increasingly important for modern gaming and graphics workloads.

Looking at the broader benchmark context, the Radeon Pro Vega 20's average score of 27839 places it at the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, while the Radeon 860M's average of 26401 sits at the 72nd percentile. These nearly identical percentile rankings underscore how close the overall performance is, despite the divergent API-specific results. The Vega 20's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 7800M, scores 27883, which is only 0.2% higher, while the Radeon 860M is within 0.1% of the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 (26421). The benchmark data shows that each GPU is essentially trading blows with different competitors in different APIs.

The Vulkan delta of 12.1% is particularly noteworthy because it is larger than the OpenCL delta of 17.2% in the opposite direction. This means the Radeon 860M's Vulkan advantage is not merely a marginal edge; it represents a fundamental architectural strength that the older Vega 20 cannot match. Conversely, the Vega 20's OpenCL lead is even more pronounced, suggesting that for compute-heavy applications that have not migrated to Vulkan, the older card remains the stronger choice. The data does not show a single dominant GPU; instead, it shows two products with complementary strengths.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 is the clear winner in OpenCL compute workloads. Its 17.2% lead in Geekbench OpenCL makes it the preferred choice for applications that leverage this API for tasks like scientific simulation, rendering, or data processing. The Vega 20's higher FP32 throughput of 3.284 TFLOPS versus the Radeon 860M's 3.072 TFLOPS supports this result, indicating a raw compute advantage that translates directly into OpenCL performance. This GPU also has a texture rate of 102.6 GTexel/s, which is 6.9% higher than the Radeon 860M's 96.00 GTexel/s, further reinforcing its edge in compute-heavy tasks.

The AMD Radeon 860M wins in Vulkan scenarios, where it scores 12.1% higher than the Vega 20. This makes it the better option for modern gaming, especially titles that use Vulkan as their rendering API. The 860M also has a higher pixel rate of 48.00 GPixel/s compared to the Vega 20's 41.06 GPixel/s, which is a 16.9% advantage in fill-rate-bound workloads. For users prioritizing newer graphics features and API support, the Radeon 860M is the stronger choice. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the Vega 20 is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3.

The Radeon 860M's advantage in Vulkan is further highlighted by its 8 dedicated ray tracing cores, a feature the Vega 20 lacks entirely. This makes the 860M the only option of the two for hardware-accelerated ray tracing. In terms of power efficiency, the Radeon 860M's 15 W TDP is drastically lower than the Vega 20's 100 W, making it the superior choice for portable or power-constrained devices. The data does not show a single winner across all use cases; the choice depends entirely on whether OpenCL compute or Vulkan graphics is the priority.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is substantial. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 uses the Vega 12 chip built on the GCN 5.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. In contrast, the AMD Radeon 860M uses the Krackan Point chip with the RDNA 3.5 architecture, built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. This process node difference is significant: the 4 nm node allows for much higher transistor density and efficiency, which explains the 860M's lower power draw despite higher clock speeds.

The Vega 20 has 1280 shading units, 80 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 render output units (ROPs). The Radeon 860M has only 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. Despite having fewer than half the shading units, the Radeon 860M achieves comparable FP32 performance (3.072 TFLOPS vs 3.284 TFLOPS) thanks to its much higher boost clock of 3000 MHz versus the Vega 20's 1283 MHz. The Vega 20's FP16 performance of 6.569 TFLOPS is achieved at a 2:1 ratio, while the Radeon 860M's FP16 is 3.072 TFLOPS at a 1:1 ratio, meaning the Vega 20 has a clear advantage in half-precision compute.

Memory architecture differs completely. The Vega 20 uses 4 GB of HBM2 with a 1024-bit bus, providing 189.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon 860M uses System Shared memory, meaning its bandwidth is System Dependent and its bus width is effectively unlimited but shared with the CPU. This gives the Vega 20 a fixed, dedicated memory bandwidth advantage, while the Radeon 860M's performance is contingent on system memory speed. The Vega 20 also uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, while the Radeon 860M uses PCIe 4.0 x8, which offers higher per-lane bandwidth but fewer lanes.

The Radeon 860M includes 8 ray tracing cores, a feature absent on the Vega 20, and supports a newer feature set including DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4. The Vega 20's production status is End-of-life, released in November 2018, while the Radeon 860M is Active, released in February 2025. The 860M's predecessor is listed as Navi II IGP, while the Vega 20 has no predecessor listed. These differences in architecture, process node, and feature support explain the divergent benchmark results.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 has a higher average benchmark score of 27839 compared to the AMD Radeon 860M's 26401, a difference of 5.4%.

Q: How much faster is the Radeon Pro Vega 20 in OpenCL?

A: The Vega 20 scores 26679 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 17.2% higher than the Radeon 860M's 22759.

Q: What is the Radeon 860M's advantage in Vulkan?

A: The Radeon 860M scores 30043 in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 12.1% higher than the Vega 20's 26410.

Q: Do both GPUs support ray tracing?

A: No, only the AMD Radeon 860M has 8 ray tracing cores. The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 has no ray tracing cores.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 has a TDP of 100 W, while the AMD Radeon 860M has a TDP of 15 W.

Q: Which GPU has dedicated video memory?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 has 4 GB of HBM2 memory with a 1024-bit bus, while the AMD Radeon 860M uses System Shared memory.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 | AMD Radeon 860M |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | GCN 5.0 | RDNA 3.5 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 4 nm |

| Base Clock | 815 MHz | 600 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1283 MHz | 3000 MHz |

| Memory Size | 4 GB | System Shared |

| Memory Type | HBM2 | System Shared |

| Memory Bus Width | 1024 bit | System Shared |

| Memory Bandwidth | 189.4 GB/s | System Dependent |

| Shading Units | 1280 | 512 |

| TMUs | 80 | 32 |

| ROPs | 32 | 16 |

| Ray Tracing Cores | None | 8 |

| FP32 Performance | 3.284 TFLOPS | 3.072 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 6.569 TFLOPS (2:1) | 3.072 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 100 W | 15 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x8 |

| DirectX Support | 12 (12_1) | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.3 | 1.4 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2018-11-13 | 2025-02-28 |

The Verdict

Choose the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 if your workload is dominated by OpenCL compute. The data shows a 17.2% performance advantage in this API, backed by higher FP32 and FP16 throughput (3.284 TFLOPS and 6.569 TFLOPS respectively). Its dedicated 4 GB HBM2 memory with 189.4 GB/s bandwidth provides consistent, predictable performance that does not depend on system RAM. This GPU is also the better choice for half-precision compute tasks, where its 2:1 FP16 ratio gives it a 2.1x advantage over the Radeon 860M's 1:1 ratio.

Choose the AMD Radeon 860M if Vulkan performance or power efficiency is your priority. It leads by 12.1% in Geekbench Vulkan, making it the superior option for modern gaming and graphics workloads. Its 15 W TDP is a fraction of the Vega 20's 100 W, making it far better suited for thin-and-light laptops or fanless designs. The inclusion of 8 ray tracing cores and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4 future-proofs it for upcoming titles. The 860M's system-shared memory is a limitation, but its higher pixel rate (48.00 GPixel/s vs 41.06 GPixel/s) and newer architecture compensate in graphics-heavy scenarios.

For users who need a balanced GPU, the decision is more complex. The Vega 20's overall average score is 5.4% higher, but this is almost entirely due to its OpenCL dominance. In Vulkan, the 860M is the clear winner. The data does not support a universal recommendation; it supports a workload-specific one. If you live in OpenCL, the Vega 20 is the answer. If you live in Vulkan, the 860M is the answer. The 860M's active production status and newer process node suggest it is the more future-ready product, but the Vega 20's raw compute power remains relevant for specific tasks.