AMD Radeon Pro 580 vs AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 Comparison

The AMD Radeon Pro 580 and AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 are both end-of-life AMD graphics cards from 2017, but they target fundamentally different use cases. The Pro 580 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) designed for Apple Mac systems, while the RX Vega 56 is a dual-slot, add-in board aimed at desktop enthusiasts. Benchmark data shows a stark performance gulf: the Vega 56 dominates in the only shared test, delivering a Geekbench Metal score of 73,512 versus the Pro 580’s 39,213, a 46.7% deficit for the latter. However, the Pro 580 holds its own in the broader database, ranking at the 82nd percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 40,318, compared to the Vega 56’s 81st percentile and 37,507 average.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is the clear performance winner in this head-to-head, securing the sole benchmark victory across the shared test suite. In Geekbench Metal, the Vega 56 scores 73,512, which is nearly double the Pro 580’s 39,213. This suggests the Vega 56 is the superior choice for any task that leverages Apple’s Metal API, such as high-end creative workloads or demanding compute applications. The Vega 56’s advantage is rooted in its raw specifications, including 3,584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation pipelines, all of which dwarf the Pro 580’s 2,304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 32 ROPs.

The AMD Radeon Pro 580, despite losing the direct comparison, wins in the context of its intended platform. As an IGP with no power connectors and portable-device-dependent display outputs, it is built for integration into all-in-one systems. Its average benchmark score of 40,318 actually exceeds the Vega 56’s 37,507, even though the Vega 56 wins the individual Metal test. This discrepancy is explained by the different benchmark suites: the Pro 580 has scores across Geekbench Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan (39,213, 38,457, and 43,285 respectively), while the Vega 56 only has two recorded benchmarks. The Pro 580’s Vulkan score of 43,285 is particularly strong, indicating that in Vulkan-based workloads, it may outperform its Metal results suggest.

For users constrained to a Mac form factor, the Pro 580 is the only option, but it is not a slouch. Its 82nd percentile ranking puts it in the top fifth of all GPUs, and it sits within 1.9% of the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile’s average score. The Vega 56, at the 81st percentile, is nearly identical in overall standing, but its single dominant Metal result shows it is a more specialized, high-performance part. In summary, the Vega 56 wins on peak performance, while the Pro 580 wins on versatility across multiple API benchmarks within its integrated design.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent successive generations of AMD’s Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture. The Radeon Pro 580 uses the Ellesmere chip built on GCN 4.0, while the Radeon RX Vega 56 uses the Vega 10 chip on GCN 5.0. Both are manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, but the similarities end there. The Vega 10 die is massive: 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die, compared to Ellesmere’s 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die. This translates to a transistor density of 25.3M per mm² for Vega versus 24.6M per mm² for Ellesmere, indicating Vega packs more logic into a slightly denser layout.

Memory architecture is the most significant divergence. The Pro 580 uses 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 217.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Vega 56, by contrast, uses 8 GB of HBM2 on a massive 2048-bit bus, achieving 409.6 GB/s — nearly double the bandwidth. This HBM2 implementation also affects clock speeds: the Pro 580’s memory runs at 1695 MHz (6.8 Gbps effective), while the Vega 56’s memory runs at a lower 800 MHz (1600 Mbps effective) but compensates with the wider bus. The Vega 56’s compute capabilities are also enhanced by its fp16 throughput: it delivers 21.09 TFLOPS at a 2:1 ratio versus fp32, while the Pro 580 manages only 5.530 TFLOPS at a 1:1 ratio.

Architectural features also differ in API support. The Pro 580 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the Vega 56 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), indicating the latter has additional feature levels. Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.3. Power delivery is another differentiator: the Pro 580 is an IGP with a 185 W TDP and no power connectors, while the Vega 56 is a dual-slot card with a 210 W TDP and requires 2x 8-pin power connectors plus a 550 W suggested PSU. The Vega 56 also has dedicated display outputs (1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a), whereas the Pro 580’s outputs are portable-device dependent.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only shared benchmark between the two cards is Geekbench Metal, and the result is decisive. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 73,512, while the AMD Radeon Pro 580 scores 39,213. This yields a deltaPct of -46.7% for the Pro 580, meaning the Vega 56 outperforms it by nearly half. In practical terms, the Vega 56’s score is 87.4% higher than the Pro 580’s, a massive gap that reflects the underlying hardware disparity. The Vega 56’s 3,584 shading units and 409.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth provide a clear advantage in Metal compute tasks, while the Pro 580’s 2,304 shading units and 217.0 GB/s bandwidth limit its throughput.

Looking at the broader benchmark landscape, the Pro 580 shows strengths that the head-to-head does not capture. Its Geekbench Vulkan score of 43,285 is its highest, exceeding its Metal score by 10.4%. Its OpenCL score of 38,457 is slightly lower than Metal, indicating API-specific optimizations. The Vega 56, with only two recorded benchmarks, lacks comparable Vulkan or OpenCL data, so its full API spread is unknown. However, its Metal score alone is sufficient to establish superiority in that domain.

In terms of nearest rivals, the Pro 580’s average score of 40,318 places it in a tight pack. It trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 (40,377) by just 0.1% and the AMD Radeon Pro 5300 (40,870) by 1.4%, while leading the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 (40,063) by 0.6% and the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile (39,568) by 1.9%. The Vega 56’s average of 37,507 puts it behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (38,135) by 1.6% and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 (37,648) by 0.4%, but ahead of the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (37,628) by 0.3% and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 (37,157) by 0.9%. These deltas are all within 2%, showing both cards compete closely with their immediate peers despite their internal differences.

Specification Differences

The specification sheet reveals a clear generational leap for the Vega 56. Its chip, Vega 10, uses GCN 5.0 architecture, while the Pro 580’s Ellesmere uses GCN 4.0. The Vega 56’s base clock is 1156 MHz with a boost of 1471 MHz, compared to the Pro 580’s 1100 MHz base and 1200 MHz boost. This clock advantage, combined with more execution units, yields a peak fp32 throughput of 10.54 TFLOPS for the Vega 56 versus 5.530 TFLOPS for the Pro 580. The Vega 56’s fp16 performance doubles to 21.09 TFLOPS, while the Pro 580’s remains at 5.530 TFLOPS.

Memory bandwidth is the most impactful difference: 409.6 GB/s for the Vega 56 versus 217.0 GB/s for the Pro 580. This stems from the HBM2 memory type on a 2048-bit bus versus GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus. Pixel and texture rates follow suit: the Vega 56 achieves 94.14 GPixel/s and 329.5 GTexel/s, while the Pro 580 manages 38.40 GPixel/s and 172.8 GTexel/s. These are direct consequences of the ROP and TMU counts (64 and 224 for Vega; 32 and 144 for Pro).

Physical and power specifications differ substantially. The Pro 580 is an IGP with no power connectors and a 185 W TDP, while the Vega 56 is a dual-slot card measuring 280 mm in length, 111 mm in height, and 40 mm in width, requiring 2x 8-pin connectors and a 550 W suggested PSU. The Vega 56’s TDP is 210 W. The Vega 56 has fixed display outputs (1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a), whereas the Pro 580’s outputs are portable-device dependent. Finally, the Vega 56 has a launch MSRP of 399 USD, while the Pro 580 has no listed MSRP, as it is an integrated part.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 has 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth from its HBM2 memory on a 2048-bit bus, while the AMD Radeon Pro 580 has 217.0 GB/s from GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus.

Q: What is the performance gap in Geekbench Metal?

A: The Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 73,512, which is 46.7% higher than the Radeon Pro 580’s 39,213, making the Vega 56 the clear winner in that test.

Q: Do both cards support the same DirectX version?

A: No. The Radeon Pro 580 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the Radeon RX Vega 56 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), which includes additional feature levels.

Q: How do their overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Radeon Pro 580 has a higher average benchmark score of 40,318, compared to the Radeon RX Vega 56’s 37,507, despite the Vega 56 winning the individual Metal test.

Q: What are the memory sizes and types?

A: Both cards have 8 GB of memory, but the Radeon Pro 580 uses GDDR5, while the Radeon RX Vega 56 uses HBM2.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor count?

A: The Radeon RX Vega 56 has 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die, while the Radeon Pro 580 has 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die.