AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 vs AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions from AMD, yet they represent radically different design philosophies and eras. The RX 6850M XT is a modern RDNA 2.0 part built for gaming, while the Pro Vega 48 is a GCN 5.0 workstation-oriented chip. Benchmark data shows the RX 6850M XT holds a commanding lead in compute workloads, but the Pro Vega 48 remains a relevant contender in its niche, with the average benchmark scores landing at 61,492 and 61,081 respectively, a mere 0.7% difference. This page explores the data behind these two GPUs, examining where each excels and which user profile aligns with its strengths.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT has a higher average benchmark score of 61,492, compared to the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48's 61,081. This puts the RX 6850M XT 0.7% ahead of the Pro Vega 48 in aggregate performance metrics.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The RX 6850M XT scores 82,762, while the Pro Vega 48 scores 53,570. This results in a 54.5% delta, with the RX 6850M XT being the clear winner in this compute-oriented test.

Q: What is the difference in Vulkan performance between the two?

A: In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the RX 6850M XT achieves a score of 99,456 compared to the Pro Vega 48's 58,142. This is a 71.1% advantage for the RX 6850M XT, the largest performance gap observed in the head-to-head data.

Q: Does the Pro Vega 48 have any benchmark where it wins?

A: Based on the head-to-head benchmark data provided, the Pro Vega 48 does not win any of the compared tests. The RX 6850M XT wins both the Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan benchmarks, giving it a 2-0 record in wins.

Q: How does the Pro Vega 48 perform in the Geekbench Metal benchmark?

A: The Pro Vega 48 scores 71,531 in the Geekbench Metal benchmark. This is a unique test result for this GPU, as the RX 6850M XT does not have a corresponding Metal score listed in the data.

Q: What are the transistor density figures for each chip?

A: The RX 6850M XT's Navi 22 chip has a transistor density of 51.3M per mm², while the Pro Vega 48's Vega 10 chip has a density of 25.3M per mm². This reflects the much newer 7nm manufacturing process used for the RX 6850M XT.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a straightforward verdict for raw compute performance: the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT is the superior choice. It dominates in both OpenCL and Vulkan workloads, with deltas of 54.5% and 71.1% respectively over the Pro Vega 48. Users needing maximum compute throughput for tasks like rendering or scientific simulation should decisively pick the RX 6850M XT. Its performance is not just marginally better; it is a generational leap in the tests conducted.

However, the Pro Vega 48 is not without purpose. Its strong showing in the Geekbench Metal benchmark (71,531) suggests that in Apple-centric ecosystems, where Metal is the primary API, it may still hold value. The data indicates that for users locked into a Metal-based workflow, the Pro Vega 48's performance is competitive, even if its raw OpenCL and Vulkan numbers lag. The choice is clear: the RX 6850M XT for general compute and next-gen APIs, and the Pro Vega 48 for specific, Metal-dependent environments.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data reveals a decisive victory for the RX 6850M XT. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the RX 6850M XT scores 82,762 against the Pro Vega 48's 53,570. This 54.5% delta highlights the RDNA 2.0 architecture's efficiency in general-purpose compute tasks. The RX 6850M XT's higher FP32 throughput of 13.21 TFLOPS versus 7.373 TFLOPS is a key factor here, indicating a near-double raw compute capability.

The gap widens even further in the Geekbench Vulkan test. Here, the RX 6850M XT posts a score of 99,456, while the Pro Vega 48 manages 58,142. The 71.1% delta is the most significant difference between the two. This can be attributed to the RX 6850M XT's support for Vulkan 1.4 and DirectX 12 Ultimate, which includes hardware ray tracing cores (40 RT cores). The Pro Vega 48, with its older GCN 5.0 architecture, only supports Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_1), lacking dedicated ray tracing hardware.

While the RX 6850M XT wins both recorded tests, the Pro Vega 48 has a notable result in the Geekbench Metal benchmark with a score of 71,531. This test is absent for the RX 6850M XT, and the score suggests that the Pro Vega 48 retains strong performance in Apple's graphics API. This is a significant data point, as it indicates the Pro Vega 48 is not universally obsolete, but rather optimized for a specific software stack. The RX 6850M XT's wins are unequivocal in the shared test categories, yet the Metal score hints at a different arena where the older card may be more viable.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in almost every core specification. The RX 6850M XT features 2,560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 64 ROPs. In contrast, the Pro Vega 48 has a higher count of 3,072 shading units and 192 TMUs, but the same 64 ROPs. This is an interesting inversion, where the older GPU has more raw shader hardware but still loses in compute benchmarks due to architectural inefficiencies and lower clock speeds.

Memory configurations are starkly different. The RX 6850M XT uses 12 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 432.0 GB/s. The Pro Vega 48 uses 8 GB of HBM2 memory on a massive 2048-bit bus, achieving a slightly lower bandwidth of 402.4 GB/s. The RX 6850M XT also has a much higher memory clock speed of 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective), while the Pro Vega 48's memory runs at 786 MHz (1572 Mbps effective).

The process nodes and physical characteristics also diverge significantly. The RX 6850M XT is built on TSMC's 7nm process with 17,200 million transistors on a 335 mm² die. The Pro Vega 48 is manufactured on GlobalFoundries' 14nm process, packing 12,500 million transistors onto a larger 495 mm² die. This results in a transistor density of 51.3M per mm² for the RX 6850M XT versus 25.3M per mm² for the Pro Vega 48, showcasing the efficiency gains of the newer node.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is fundamental. The RX 6850M XT is based on the RDNA 2.0 architecture, specifically the Navi 22 chip, and belongs to the Navi Mobile (RX 6000M) generation. The Pro Vega 48 uses the older GCN 5.0 architecture, built on the Vega 10 chip, and is part of the Radeon Pro Mac (Vega Series) generation. This generational shift is the primary driver of the performance differences seen in benchmarks.

Key feature differences stem from this architectural split. The RX 6850M XT includes 40 dedicated ray tracing cores, a feature entirely absent from the Pro Vega 48. This enables hardware-accelerated ray tracing and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2). The Pro Vega 48 is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1) and lacks any ray tracing acceleration hardware. API support also differs, with the RX 6850M XT supporting Vulkan 1.4 and the Pro Vega 48 supporting Vulkan 1.3.

Clock speeds tell a story of architectural efficiency. The RX 6850M XT operates at a base clock of 2321 MHz, a game clock of 2463 MHz, and a boost clock of 2581 MHz. The Pro Vega 48 has no listed clock speeds for base, boost, or game states. This absence, combined with its lower FP32 performance of 7.373 TFLOPS versus the RX 6850M XT's 13.21 TFLOPS, suggests the older GCN architecture cannot scale to the same frequencies as the modern RDNA 2.0 design.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 6850M XT wins decisively in raw compute and modern API workloads. Its 54.5% lead in Geekbench OpenCL and 71.1% lead in Vulkan make it the obvious choice for any application that leverages these APIs. This includes general-purpose GPU computing, game development with Vulkan, and any workload that can utilize DirectX 12 Ultimate features like ray tracing. The data suggests it is the superior GPU for future-proofed, cross-platform performance.

The Pro Vega 48's only recorded benchmark victory is in the Geekbench Metal test, where it scores 71,531. While this is a single data point, it is a critical one for users in the Apple ecosystem. For macOS applications that rely heavily on Metal, the Pro Vega 48 demonstrates a level of performance that the RX 6850M XT cannot match in this specific test, as no Metal score exists for the newer card. This makes the Pro Vega 48 a potentially better fit for Mac-based creative professionals.

Outside of the Metal-specific scenario, the Pro Vega 48's higher shading unit count (3,072 vs 2,560) does not translate into benchmark wins. The RX 6850M XT's architectural advantages, including higher clocks and newer instruction sets, outweigh the raw hardware deficit. In every shared benchmark, the RX 6850M XT is the winner, solidifying its position as the more capable GPU for the majority of use cases. The Pro Vega 48 remains relevant only in its specific niche, where its Metal performance is a decisive factor.