AMD Radeon Pro 580X vs AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is the clear performance winner in the available head-to-head data, decisively outperforming the AMD Radeon Pro 580X in the only shared benchmark. However, the Pro 580X holds its own in the broader benchmark database, achieving a higher average score and a slightly better percentile ranking, indicating a more consistent overall performance profile across different workloads. The choice between these two hinges on whether you prioritize raw peak compute throughput (Vega 56) or a more balanced, albeit lower-peak, result set (Pro 580X).

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 wins the only direct comparison available, taking the Geekbench Metal test with a score of 73512 against the Pro 580X's 39577. This represents a massive 46.2% lead for the Vega 56, making it the unequivocal choice for applications that leverage Apple's Metal API. This single data point shows a stark performance gap, suggesting the Vega 56 is in a different performance class for this specific workload.

The AMD Radeon Pro 580X, while losing the head-to-head, wins on aggregate benchmark performance. Its average benchmark score is 38706, which is 3.2% higher than the Vega 56's 37507. Furthermore, the Pro 580X sits at the 82nd percentile of all GPUs, while the Vega 56 sits at the 81st. This indicates that the Pro 580X delivers a more consistently strong showing across the suite of benchmarks used to calculate the average, even if its peak in a single test is lower. It wins the "consistency" battle, while the Vega 56 wins the "peak performance" battle.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide is significant, with the Pro 580X built on GCN 4.0 and the Vega 56 on the newer GCN 5.0. This generational leap is reflected in the chip design: the Pro 580X uses the Ellesmere chip, while the Vega 56 uses the much larger Vega 10. The Vega 10 chip contains 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die, compared to the Ellesmere's 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die. This more than doubling of transistor count and die size is the foundation for the Vega 56's performance advantage.

The memory subsystems are completely different. The Pro 580X uses 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 218.9 GB/s of bandwidth. The Vega 56 uses 8 GB of HBM2 on a massive 2048-bit bus, resulting in a much higher 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth. This near-doubling of memory bandwidth is a key architectural advantage for the Vega 56, particularly in bandwidth-sensitive tasks. The Vega 56 also has a higher transistor density at 25.3M / mm² versus 24.6M / mm² for the Pro 580X.

Compute resources are also heavily skewed toward the Vega 56. It features 3584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 64 ROPs. The Pro 580X, in contrast, has 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. This 55% advantage in shading units and a 100% advantage in ROPs gives the Vega 56 a substantial theoretical throughput advantage. The FP32 compute rating is 10.54 TFLOPS for the Vega 56 versus 5.530 TFLOPS for the Pro 580X. The FP16 capabilities also differ, with the Vega 56 offering 21.09 TFLOPS at a 2:1 ratio versus the Pro 580X's 1:1 ratio of 5.530 TFLOPS.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single head-to-head benchmark tells a clear story. In the Geekbench Metal test, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 scores 73512, which is 46.2% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro 580X's score of 39577. This is a dominant victory for the Vega 56, showcasing the raw power of its larger GPU and faster memory. The delta is so large that it suggests the Pro 580X is not competitive in this specific API.

Examining the broader benchmark context, the Pro 580X's individual scores are 39577 in Geekbench Metal, 36426 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 40115 in Geekbench Vulkan. These scores are relatively close to each other, indicating balanced performance across different compute APIs. The Vega 56's only other listed benchmark is a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1501, which cannot be directly compared to the Pro 580X's scores. However, the Vega 56's average score of 37507 is pulled down by this single DX12 result, while the Pro 580X's average of 38706 benefits from having three relatively high scores.

The deltaPct values in the nearestRivals data further contextualize each card's standing. The Pro 580X is effectively tied with the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A (0% delta) and is 0.9% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile. Its nearest rival within AMD is the Pro 575X, which it beats by 1%. The Vega 56 is 0.3% behind the NVIDIA Tesla P4 and 0.4% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070. It is also 0.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 and 1.6% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile. This shows both cards are positioned in a competitive mid-range tier, but the Vega 56's peak performance is notably higher.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the Geekbench Metal benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is significantly faster, scoring 73512 compared to the AMD Radeon Pro 580X's 39577, a 46.2% difference.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon Pro 580X have a higher average benchmark score than the Vega 56?

A: Yes. The Pro 580X has an average benchmark score of 38706, while the Vega 56 has an average of 37507.

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

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 580X has a memory bandwidth of 218.9 GB/s, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 has a much higher bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in terms of FP32 floating-point performance?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 delivers 10.54 TFLOPS, which is nearly double the 5.530 TFLOPS of the AMD Radeon Pro 580X.

Q: Which GPU has a higher percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 580X is ranked at the 82nd percentile, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is ranked at the 81st percentile.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two cards?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 has a higher TDP of 210 W, compared to the 185 W TDP of the AMD Radeon Pro 580X.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every core specification, reflecting their different design goals and generations.

• Chip: Ellesmere (Pro 580X) vs. Vega 10 (Vega 56)
• Architecture: GCN 4.0 vs. GCN 5.0
• Transistors: 5,700 million vs. 12,500 million
• Die Size: 232 mm² vs. 495 mm²
• Base Clock: 1100 MHz vs. 1156 MHz
• Boost Clock: 1200 MHz vs. 1471 MHz
• Memory Clock: 1710 MHz (6.8 Gbps effective) vs. 800 MHz (1600 Mbps effective)
• Memory Type: GDDR5 vs. HBM2
• Memory Bus Width: 256 bit vs. 2048 bit
• Memory Bandwidth: 218.9 GB/s vs. 409.6 GB/s
• Shading Units: 2304 vs. 3584
• TMUs: 144 vs. 224
• ROPs: 32 vs. 64
• Pixel Rate: 38.40 GPixel/s vs. 94.14 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: 172.8 GTexel/s vs. 329.5 GTexel/s
• FP32 Performance: 5.530 TFLOPS vs. 10.54 TFLOPS
• FP16 Performance: 5.530 TFLOPS (1:1) vs. 21.09 TFLOPS (2:1)
• TDP: 185 W vs. 210 W
• Slot Width: IGP vs. Dual-slot
• Power Connectors: None listed vs. 2x 8-pin
• Suggested PSU: None listed vs. 550 W
• Bus Interface: Apple MPX vs. PCIe 3.0 x16
• Display Outputs: 2x HDMI 2.0b vs. 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
• DirectX Support: 12 (12_0) vs. 12 (12_1)

The Verdict

The data clearly indicates that the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is the superior choice for raw performance, particularly in Metal-based workloads. Its 46.2% lead in the Geekbench Metal test is a decisive metric. The Vega 56's architectural advantages—a larger chip, more shading units, double the ROPs, and nearly double the memory bandwidth—translate directly into higher compute throughput, as evidenced by its 10.54 TFLOPS FP32 rating versus the Pro 580X's 5.530 TFLOPS. For users whose primary concern is maximum frame rates or compute performance in applications that can utilize its resources, the Vega 56 is the clear winner.

The AMD Radeon Pro 580X, however, should not be dismissed. Its higher average benchmark score (38706 vs. 37507) and superior percentile ranking (82nd vs. 81st) suggest that it delivers more consistent performance across a wider variety of tests. Its lower TDP of 185 W and IGP slot width also point to a more power-efficient and integration-friendly design, likely suited for specific workstation environments like Apple's Mac Pro. If the workload is diverse and does not heavily rely on the specific strengths of the Vega 56, the Pro 580X offers a more balanced and stable performance profile. Ultimately, the choice is between the Vega 56's dominant peak performance and the Pro 580X's superior aggregate consistency.