AMD Radeon Pro 555 vs AMD Radeon Vega 11 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 11 leads with an average benchmark score of 14,352, compared to the AMD Radeon Pro 555's 13,407. This places the Vega 11 in the 56th percentile of all GPUs, while the Pro 555 sits in the 54th percentile.

Q: How do the two compare in the Geekbench Metal test?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 11 wins the Metal test decisively, scoring 17,392 against the Pro 555's 16,236. That is a 7.1% advantage for the Vega 11.

Q: Which GPU performs better in OpenCL workloads?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 11 again takes the win in the OpenCL test, posting 13,392 versus the Pro 555's 11,682. This is the largest margin between the two, at 14.6%.

Q: Is there any test where the Radeon Pro 555 comes out ahead?

A: Yes, in the Geekbench Vulkan test, the Radeon Pro 555 edges out the Vega 11 by a razor-thin 0.2%, scoring 12,303 against 12,273. This is the sole benchmark win for the Pro 555.

Q: What are the key memory specifications for each card?

A: The Radeon Pro 555 has 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 81.60 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon Vega 11 uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, meaning its memory performance relies entirely on the host system.

Q: How does the transistor count and die size differ between the two?

A: The Radeon Vega 11 packs 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die using a 12 nm process. The Radeon Pro 555 has 3,000 million transistors on a smaller 123 mm² die, built on a 14 nm process. Despite the larger die, the Vega 11's transistor density is 23.5M / mm², slightly lower than the Pro 555's 24.4M / mm².

The Verdict

The data points to a clear overall winner: the AMD Radeon Vega 11. It wins two of the three head-to-head benchmarks, including a substantial 14.6% lead in OpenCL and a 7.1% lead in Metal. Its average benchmark score of 14,352 is 7.1% higher than the Pro 555's 13,407, and it ranks two percentile points higher among all GPUs.

The Radeon Pro 555 is not without merit, however. Its Vulkan score of 12,303 edges out the Vega 11, and it offers dedicated GDDR5 memory with a fixed 81.60 GB/s bandwidth, which is a structural advantage for consistent memory performance. But in raw compute terms, the Vega 11's higher FP32 throughput (1.971 TFLOPS versus 1,305.6 GFLOPS) and superior pixel rate (11.20 GPixel/s versus 13.60 GPixel/s, though the Pro 555 wins here) tell a mixed story that the benchmarks ultimately resolve in the Vega 11's favor.

For users prioritizing general compute and Metal-based workflows, the Vega 11 is the stronger pick. For those specifically targeting Vulkan workloads or needing dedicated memory, the Pro 555 holds a narrow but real edge. Given the overall benchmark results, the Vega 11 is the safer recommendation for most scenarios.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest performance gap between these two GPUs appears in the Geekbench OpenCL test. The Radeon Vega 11 scores 13,392, while the Radeon Pro 555 manages only 11,682. That is a 14.6% delta, making this the most decisive win for either card. This suggests the Vega 11 has a meaningful advantage in general-purpose compute tasks that leverage OpenCL.

In the Geekbench Metal test, the Vega 11 wins again, but by a smaller margin. Its 17,392 score beats the Pro 555's 16,236 by 7.1%. This is notable because Metal is the primary graphics API on Apple platforms, where the Pro 555 is typically deployed. The Vega 11's stronger showing here indicates it can hold its own in macOS-oriented workloads despite being an integrated part.

The closest contest is in Geekbench Vulkan, where the Radeon Pro 555 scores 12,303 against the Vega 11's 12,273. The delta is just -0.2% in favor of the Pro 555, which is effectively a statistical tie. This near-parity shows that in Vulkan-specific applications, the two GPUs are interchangeable in performance terms, with neither holding any practical advantage.

Looking at the rival landscape, the Vega 11 sits within a tight cluster: its average score of 14,352 is only -0.1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (14,373) and -0.2% behind the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (14,385). It edges out the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics (14,315) by 0.3%. The Pro 555, meanwhile, trails the NVIDIA P106-090 (13,470) by -0.5% but leads the AMD Radeon HD 8950M (13,376) by 0.2% and the AMD FirePro M6100 (13,354) by 0.4%. Both GPUs are competitive within their respective tiers, but the Vega 11's overall position is slightly higher.

Specification Differences

The Radeon Vega 11 and Radeon Pro 555 differ across nearly every core specification. The Vega 11 has 704 shading units, 44 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. The Pro 555 counters with 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. This gives the Pro 555 more raw geometry and pixel-processing hardware, which explains its higher pixel rate of 13.60 GPixel/s versus the Vega 11's 11.20 GPixel/s.

However, the Vega 11 wins in texture rate, posting 61.60 GTexel/s against the Pro 555's 40.80 GTexel/s. This is a counterintuitive result given the Pro 555 has more TMUs, but it reflects the Vega 11's higher boost clock of 1,400 MHz (the Pro 555 has no listed base or boost clocks in the data). The FP32 compute figures follow a similar pattern: the Vega 11 delivers 1.971 TFLOPS, while the Pro 555 delivers 1,305.6 GFLOPS. The Vega 11 also supports FP16 at 3.942 TFLOPS (2:1 rate), whereas the Pro 555's FP16 is locked at 1,305.6 GFLOPS (1:1 rate).

Memory is a major differentiator. The Pro 555 uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 81.60 GB/s bandwidth. The Vega 11 uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth. The Pro 555's memory clock is listed at 1,275 MHz (5.1 Gbps effective), while the Vega 11's memory clock is simply "System Shared." In terms of power, the Vega 11 has a 15 W TDP, while the Pro 555 draws 75 W — a fivefold difference. Both use IGP slot widths and have no power connectors.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on different generations of AMD's Graphics Core Next architecture. The Radeon Vega 11 uses GCN 5.0 on a 12 nm process, while the Radeon Pro 555 uses GCN 4.0 on a 14 nm process. Both are fabricated by GlobalFoundries, but the node shrink gives the Vega 11 a manufacturing advantage in density per watt.

The chip designs diverge significantly. The Vega 11 uses the Picasso chip, which is a 210 mm² die with 4,940 million transistors. The Pro 555 uses the Polaris 21 chip, a 123 mm² die with 3,000 million transistors. Despite the Pro 555's smaller die, it achieves a higher transistor density at 24.4M / mm² versus the Vega 11's 23.5M / mm². The Vega 11's larger die and transistor count suggest a more complex compute architecture, which aligns with its higher FP32 and FP16 throughput.

The Vega 11 is part of the "Vega IGP (Picasso)" generation and its predecessor is GCN 3.0 IGP, with a successor in Vega II IGP. The Pro 555 belongs to the "Radeon Pro Mac (500 Series)" generation and has no listed predecessor or successor. The Vega 11 also has a 2019 release date, while the Pro 555 was released in 2017. Both support DirectX 12 (12_1 for Vega 11, 12_0 for Pro 555), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, making them API-compatible for modern titles and applications.

Where Each One Wins

The Radeon Vega 11 is the clear winner in OpenCL and Metal workloads. Its 14.6% OpenCL advantage suggests it is better suited for compute-intensive tasks like rendering, physics simulation, and data processing that rely on OpenCL. The 7.1% Metal lead means it also performs better in macOS graphics and Metal-based games, despite being an integrated GPU. The Vega 11's higher FP32 and FP16 throughput further support its use case in general-purpose compute and machine learning inference.

The Radeon Pro 555 takes the Vulkan crown, albeit by a negligible 0.2%. For users running Vulkan-based games or applications, the Pro 555 offers parity with the Vega 11, and its dedicated 2 GB GDDR5 memory provides predictable memory bandwidth that the Vega 11's system-shared setup cannot guarantee. The Pro 555's higher pixel rate (13.60 GPixel/s) and more ROPs (16 versus 8) also make it better suited for traditional rasterization at higher resolutions, where pixel fill rate matters.

The power envelope is another deciding factor. The Vega 11's 15 W TDP makes it ideal for low-power systems, thin-and-light laptops, or any environment where thermal and power constraints are tight. The Pro 555's 75 W TDP indicates it is meant for larger chassis with more cooling headroom, such as professional laptops or mobile workstations. If battery life and thermals are priorities, the Vega 11 is the obvious pick. If you need a discrete GPU with dedicated memory and are willing to accept higher power draw, the Pro 555's Vulkan performance and pixel throughput make it a viable alternative.