AMD Radeon Pro 555X vs AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 Comparison

# AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 vs AMD Radeon Pro 555X

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and AMD Radeon Pro 555X represent two distinct approaches to mobile graphics: one is an integrated part of a Picasso APU, while the other is a dedicated discrete GPU from the Polaris family. Benchmark data shows the RX Vega 11 edges ahead in overall average score (14,385 vs 13,321, a 7.4% gap), but the Pro 555X counters with a dedicated 4 GB GDDR5 frame buffer and higher raw pixel throughput. The two GPUs occupy adjacent percentile ranks (56th vs 54th), meaning real-world differences depend heavily on workload and system configuration.

Where Each One Wins

The RX Vega 11 claims victory in two of three head-to-head benchmarks, making it the stronger choice for graphics API workloads. Its most decisive win comes in Geekbench Metal, where it scores 17,086 against the Pro 555X's 14,479—an 18% advantage. This is the largest delta between the two in any test, suggesting the Vega 11's GCN 5.0 architecture handles Metal compute tasks more efficiently despite its integrated design. The Vega 11 also wins in Vulkan, scoring 13,543 versus 12,855, a 5.4% margin that reinforces its API-level superiority.

The Pro 555X takes only one benchmark, but it does so in the most compute-heavy test: Geekbench OpenCL, where it scores 12,628 against the Vega 11's 12,525. The margin is narrow at 0.8%, but it demonstrates that the Pro 555X's dedicated memory subsystem and higher shader count (768 vs 704) provide a tangible advantage in raw compute workloads that scale with parallelism. For users running OpenCL-based applications, the Pro 555X offers a slight but measurable edge.

Looking at broader positioning, the Vega 11 sits just above the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN in average score (0.1% ahead) and slightly below the GeForce GTX 965M (0.1% behind). The Pro 555X, meanwhile, trails the AMD Radeon RX 5500M by 0.3% and the AMD FirePro M6100 by 0.2%. These proximity scores place both GPUs in similar performance strata, but the Vega 11's higher percentile (56 vs 54) reflects its stronger aggregate showing across the three benchmark types.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different GCN generations, which explains their divergent behavior. The RX Vega 11 uses GCN 5.0 on a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries, with the Picasso chip containing 4,940 million transistors across a 210 mm² die. The Pro 555X employs GCN 4.0 on a 14 nm process, with the Polaris 21 chip packing 3,000 million transistors into a smaller 123 mm² die. Interestingly, the older process node gives the Pro 555X a slightly higher transistor density (24.4M / mm² vs 23.5M / mm²), but the Vega 11's larger die and newer architecture yield superior overall performance.

Computing resources differ meaningfully. The Vega 11 fields 704 shading units, 44 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs, while the Pro 555X counters with 768 shaders, 48 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The Pro 555X's higher ROP count translates to a 29.5% advantage in pixel rate (14.51 GPixel/s vs 11.20 GPixel/s), making it better suited for fill-rate-bound scenarios. However, the Vega 11 achieves a 41.5% higher texture rate (61.60 GTexel/s vs 43.54 GTexel/s), which benefits texturing-heavy workloads. In raw FP32 throughput, the Vega 11 delivers 1.971 TFLOPS versus the Pro 555X's 1,393.2 GFLOPS—a 41.5% lead—and it also offers FP16 performance of 3.942 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), whereas the Pro 555X is capped at 1:1 FP16 (1,393.2 GFLOPS).

Memory architecture is the most fundamental differentiator. The Vega 11 relies on system-shared memory with no dedicated VRAM, making its bandwidth "System Dependent." The Pro 555X features 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 94.08 GB/s of dedicated bandwidth. Clock behavior also diverges: the Vega 11 has defined base (300 MHz) and boost (1,400 MHz) clocks, while the Pro 555X lists no base or boost figures but specifies its memory at 1,470 MHz (5.9 Gbps effective).

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has better overall benchmark scores?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 leads with an average benchmark score of 14,385 across Geekbench Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan tests, compared to the Pro 555X's 13,321. This represents a 7.4% advantage for the Vega 11.

Q: Does the Pro 555X have any advantage in compute workloads?

A: Yes. In Geekbench OpenCL, the Pro 555X scores 12,628 versus the Vega 11's 12,525, a 0.8% win. This is the only head-to-head test the Pro 555X wins, likely due to its higher shader count (768 vs 704) and dedicated GDDR5 memory.

Q: Which GPU offers better memory bandwidth?

A: The Pro 555X has a clear advantage with 94.08 GB/s of dedicated GDDR5 bandwidth on a 128-bit bus. The Vega 11 uses system-shared memory with bandwidth described as "System Dependent," meaning it varies with the host system's memory configuration.

Q: How do the two compare in terms of API support?

A: Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.3, but they differ in DirectX support. The Vega 11 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the Pro 555X is limited to DirectX 12 (12_0). This means the Vega 11 supports the higher feature level.

Q: What are the TDP implications for each GPU?

A: The Vega 11 has a TDP of 15 W as an integrated graphics processor, while the Pro 555X consumes 75 W as a discrete mobile GPU. This 60 W difference reflects the Pro 555X's dedicated memory and higher ROP count, but also means higher power draw.

Q: Which GPU is positioned higher in overall GPU rankings?

A: The Vega 11 sits at the 56th percentile of all GPUs, while the Pro 555X ranks at the 54th percentile. This places the Vega 11 slightly higher in the overall performance distribution.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every major specification category. The Vega 11 uses a 12 nm process with 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while the Pro 555X uses a 14 nm process with 3,000 million transistors on a 123 mm² die. The Vega 11 has defined base and boost clocks (300 MHz / 1,400 MHz), whereas the Pro 555X lists no base or boost clocks but specifies memory at 1,470 MHz. Memory configuration is starkly different: the Vega 11 uses system-shared memory with no dedicated size, type, or bus width, while the Pro 555X has 4 GB GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 94.08 GB/s bandwidth.

Compute resources show the Vega 11 leading in texture rate (61.60 GTexel/s vs 43.54 GTexel/s) and FP32 throughput (1.971 TFLOPS vs 1,393.2 GFLOPS), but the Pro 555X leads in pixel rate (14.51 GPixel/s vs 11.20 GPixel/s) and ROP count (16 vs 8). The Vega 11 has 704 shading units and 44 TMUs, while the Pro 555X has 768 shaders and 48 TMUs. Power consumption diverges sharply at 15 W for the Vega 11 versus 75 W for the Pro 555X. The Vega 11 is an IGP with no power connectors, while the Pro 555X also has no power connectors but uses a PCIe 3.0 x8 bus interface. The Vega 11 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the Pro 555X supports DirectX 12 (12_0).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Geekbench Metal test delivers the largest performance gap between these two GPUs. The Vega 11 scores 17,086 against the Pro 555X's 14,479, an 18% advantage that stands as the clearest single-workload victory. This result aligns with the Vega 11's newer GCN 5.0 architecture and suggests that Metal-based applications—common in macOS environments—will run noticeably faster on the integrated Vega 11 than on the discrete Pro 555X.

Geekbench Vulkan shows a narrower but still decisive win for the Vega 11, which scores 13,543 versus 12,855 for the Pro 555X, a 5.4% margin. This test reinforces the pattern that the Vega 11's architecture handles modern graphics APIs more efficiently, even without dedicated VRAM. The Pro 555X's 16 ROPs and higher pixel rate do not translate into a Vulkan advantage, indicating that API-level overhead and shader efficiency matter more than raw fill-rate capacity in these workloads.

The Pro 555X's only victory comes in Geekbench OpenCL, where it scores 12,628 against 12,525 for the Vega 11. The 0.8% delta is the smallest of any head-to-head comparison, making this a statistically close result. Still, it demonstrates that the Pro 555X's 768 shaders and dedicated 4 GB GDDR5 frame buffer provide a measurable edge in compute-heavy OpenCL tasks. Given that the Vega 11 wins two of three tests and by a larger aggregate margin (18% + 5.4% vs 0.8%), the overall performance picture favors the integrated Vega 11, despite the Pro 555X's dedicated memory and higher ROP count.