AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64 occupy very different corners of the GPU market, separated by nearly five years of architecture evolution. The database shows a clear performance gulf between them, but the story is more nuanced than raw speed alone. The RTX 3090 Ti sits in the 95th percentile of all GPUs, while the Pro Vega 64 still manages a respectable 91st percentile, suggesting that the older card remains competitive in specific workloads even as it loses decisively in raw compute. The recorded data reveals a pattern of generational progress, with the newer Ampere design delivering over double the average benchmark score of the older GCN 5.0 part. This analysis examines the head-to-head results, architectural divergence, and practical implications for different use cases.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The direct comparison between the two cards in shared tests is lopsided. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 3090 Ti scores 174,441 against the Pro Vega 64's 71,094, a margin of 145.4%. That is not a small gap; it means the NVIDIA card processes more than two and a half times the data in the same time window. The Vulkan results are even more stark. The RTX 3090 Ti reaches 215,633, while the Pro Vega 64 manages 74,174, a 190.7% advantage. In Vulkan, the newer card nearly triples the older one's output.

These numbers reflect more than just clock speed differences. The RTX 3090 Ti's average benchmark score of 131,938 places it among the top 5% of all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA L4, which trails by just 0.7%, and the RTX 4000 Ada Generation, which leads by 2.4%. The Pro Vega 64, by contrast, averages 72,379, with rivals like the NVIDIA TITAN X Pascal (0.4% behind) and the AMD Radeon RX 6650M (0.9% behind) clustered closely around it. The 190.7% Vulkan gap between the two cards is far larger than the 95.5% gap in their average scores, indicating that the NVIDIA card scales exceptionally well in modern graphics APIs.

The wins column shows 2 for the RTX 3090 Ti and 0 for the Pro Vega 64, but the database also records a Metal benchmark for the AMD card that has no NVIDIA equivalent. The Pro Vega 64 scores 71,868 in Geekbench Metal, a test that reflects its intended macOS environment. This is an important caveat: the head-to-head data covers only OpenCL and Vulkan, where the NVIDIA card's newer architecture and higher transistor count dominate. The absence of a DirectX 12 benchmark in the shared tests is notable, though the RTX 3090 Ti's support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) versus the Pro Vega 64's DirectX 12 (12_1) suggests the newer card would hold an advantage there as well.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the RTX 3090 Ti in OpenCL?

A: The RTX 3090 Ti scores 174,441 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 145.4% higher than the Pro Vega 64's 71,094. This means the NVIDIA card completes the workload in less than half the time.

Q: Does the Pro Vega 64 win any benchmark?

A: In the shared tests recorded in the database, the Pro Vega 64 does not win. The RTX 3090 Ti wins both Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan. However, the Pro Vega 64 does have a Geekbench Metal score of 71,868, a test that was not run on the NVIDIA card.

Q: How do their average scores compare to their closest rivals?

A: The RTX 3090 Ti's average of 131,938 is nearly tied with the NVIDIA L4 (131,072, a 0.7% difference) and slightly behind the RTX 4000 Ada Generation (135,218, a 2.4% gap). The Pro Vega 64's average of 72,379 is close to the TITAN X Pascal (72,098, a 0.4% gap) and the RX 6650M (71,768, a 0.9% gap).

Q: Which card has better Vulkan performance?

A: The RTX 3090 Ti, with a score of 215,633 versus 74,174 for the Pro Vega 64. The 190.7% difference is the largest margin in any shared test.

Q: What percentile do these cards fall into?

A: The RTX 3090 Ti is in the 95th percentile of all GPUs, while the Pro Vega 64 is in the 91st percentile. Despite the large performance gap, both cards are in the top 10% of the database.

Q: Is the Pro Vega 64 more power-efficient?

A: The data shows the Pro Vega 64 has a 250 W TDP versus 450 W for the RTX 3090 Ti, but the RTX 3090 Ti delivers 145.4% higher OpenCL performance. The efficiency comparison depends on workload, but the recorded power figures alone do not settle it.

Architecture Differences

The RTX 3090 Ti uses the GA102 chip built on Samsung's 8 nm process, while the Pro Vega 64 uses the Vega 10 chip on GlobalFoundries' 14 nm node. The transistor counts tell a story of scale: the GA102 packs 28,300 million transistors into a 628 mm² die, giving a density of 45.1 million transistors per square millimeter. The Vega 10 contains 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die, a density of 25.3 million per square millimeter. The newer process node allows the NVIDIA chip to nearly double the transistor density while adding only 133 mm² of die area.

The compute configurations diverge sharply. The RTX 3090 Ti has 10,752 shading units, 336 texture mapping units, and 112 raster output units. It also includes 84 ray tracing cores and 336 tensor cores, features that simply do not exist on the Pro Vega 64. The AMD card has 4,096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. This is a 2.6x difference in shading units and a 1.75x difference in ROPs, which explains why the RTX 3090 Ti achieves a pixel rate of 208.3 GPixel/s versus 86.40 GPixel/s for the Pro Vega 64.

Memory architecture marks another major divergence. The RTX 3090 Ti uses 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, delivering 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. The Pro Vega 64 uses 16 GB of HBM2 on a 2048-bit bus, but its memory clock of 786 MHz (1572 Mbps effective) caps bandwidth at 402.4 GB/s. The NVIDIA card has 2.5x the bandwidth despite a much narrower bus, thanks to the higher data rate of GDDR6X. The Pro Vega 64's HBM2 implementation, while advanced for 2017, cannot match the sheer throughput of the newer memory technology.

The API feature sets reflect the generational gap. The RTX 3090 Ti supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Pro Vega 64 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The difference in DirectX feature level means the NVIDIA card can handle mesh shaders, variable rate shading, and other modern rendering techniques that the AMD card cannot. The Vulkan version difference is smaller but still present.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every measurable specification. The RTX 3090 Ti has a base clock of 1560 MHz and a boost clock of 1860 MHz, while the Pro Vega 64 runs at 1250 MHz base and 1350 MHz boost. The NVIDIA card's memory operates at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) versus 786 MHz (1572 Mbps effective) for the AMD card. The 24 GB memory capacity of the RTX 3090 Ti exceeds the 16 GB of the Pro Vega 64, and the bus width differs massively: 384-bit versus 2048-bit.

Compute throughput numbers highlight the performance gap. The RTX 3090 Ti delivers 40.00 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 40.00 TFLOPS of FP16 (1:1 ratio). The Pro Vega 64 delivers 11.06 TFLOPS FP32 and 22.12 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1 ratio). In FP32, the NVIDIA card is 3.6x faster. In FP16, it is 1.8x faster, though the AMD card's 2:1 ratio means it loses less ground in half-precision workloads.

Power and physical specifications differ as well. The RTX 3090 Ti has a 450 W TDP, requires a 16-pin power connector, and suggests an 850 W power supply. It is a triple-slot card measuring 336 mm in length, 140 mm in height, and 61 mm in width. The Pro Vega 64 has a 250 W TDP, no power connectors listed, and is classified as an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with dimensions dependent on the portable device it ships in. The bus interface also differs: PCIe 4.0 x16 for the NVIDIA card versus PCIe 3.0 x16 for the AMD card.

The display outputs reflect their intended markets. The RTX 3090 Ti offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The Pro Vega 64 lists "Portable Device Dependent" outputs, confirming its role in Apple Mac systems rather than standalone PC builds. The production status for both is end-of-life, but the release dates tell the story: the Pro Vega 64 launched in June 2017, while the RTX 3090 Ti arrived in January 2022.

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward conclusion: the RTX 3090 Ti is the superior performer in every shared benchmark, with a 145.4% lead in OpenCL and a 190.7% lead in Vulkan. Its average benchmark score of 131,938 places it in the 95th percentile, while the Pro Vega 64's 72,379 sits in the 91st percentile. For anyone needing maximum compute throughput, the RTX 3090 Ti is the clear choice.

However, the Pro Vega 64 is not without merit. Its 250 W TDP is 200 W lower than the RTX 3090 Ti, and its IGP form factor means it can be integrated into portable devices where a triple-slot, 336 mm card would never fit. The Metal benchmark score of 71,868 indicates it holds its own in Apple's ecosystem, and its DirectX 12 (12_1) support covers most modern games, even if it lacks the Ultimate features of the newer card.

The launch MSRP of 1,999 USD for the RTX 3090 Ti reflects its flagship status, while the Pro Vega 64 had no recorded launch price, suggesting it was sold as part of complete systems rather than as a standalone product. The choice between them depends entirely on the use case: raw performance and modern features point to the RTX 3090 Ti, while power efficiency and portability favor the Pro Vega 64.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3090 Ti wins in raw compute, memory bandwidth, and modern API support. Its 40.00 TFLOPS FP32 performance, 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, and ray tracing cores make it suitable for demanding 3D rendering, machine learning inference, and high-end gaming. The 84 ray tracing cores and 336 tensor cores are features the Pro Vega 64 lacks entirely, giving the NVIDIA card a decisive edge in ray-traced workloads and AI-accelerated tasks. The Vulkan score of 215,633 suggests it excels in applications that leverage modern graphics APIs for compute and rendering.

The Pro Vega 64 wins in power efficiency and integration. Its 250 W TDP is nearly half the RTX 3090 Ti's 450 W, and its IGP form factor allows it to be embedded in laptops and all-in-one systems. The Metal score of 71,868, while lower than the NVIDIA card's OpenCL and Vulkan results, indicates it has a role in macOS environments where Metal is the primary API. Its 2048-bit HBM2 memory bus, while slower in absolute bandwidth, is a unique design that may benefit specific HBM-optimized workloads.

For users building a desktop workstation or gaming PC, the RTX 3090 Ti is the rational choice based on the recorded data. For users seeking a low-power integrated solution for a portable device, the Pro Vega 64 remains a viable option. The 91st percentile ranking shows it is still ahead of most GPUs in the database, even if it cannot match the 95th percentile performance of its much younger competitor.