AMD Radeon Pro Vega II vs AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X wins both recorded head-to-head tests decisively. In Geekbench Metal, the W6800X scores 196,844 against 130,183 for the Radeon Pro Vega II, a 51.2% advantage. That is not a marginal gap; it is a generational leap in graphics compute performance as measured by Apple's Metal API, which is the primary interface for macOS professional applications. The OpenCL result tells a similar story, with the W6800X posting 124,498 versus 99,048, a 25.7% lead. While not as lopsided as the Metal result, the OpenCL delta still places the W6800X clearly ahead in compute-heavy workloads.

Looking at the aggregate average benchmark scores, the W6800X records 160,671, which places it in the 97th percentile of all GPUs in the database. The Vega II, by contrast, averages 109,617, sitting in the 94th percentile. The difference in percentile ranking is notable, but the raw score gap of roughly 51,000 points is the more striking figure. The W6800X's nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA A100 PCIe 40 GB (162,504, delta of -1.1%), the AMD Radeon PRO W7800 (164,894, delta of -2.6%), and the NVIDIA RTX A5500 (165,217, delta of -2.8%). The W6800X is within 3.4% of these cards, indicating it competes at the very top tier of workstation accelerators. The Vega II's nearest rivals tell a different story: the AMD Radeon PRO W7900 (110,725, delta of -1%) and the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile (113,944, delta of -3.8%). The Vega II is clearly in a lower performance bracket, trading blows with mobile-class hardware rather than flagship desktop parts.

When examining the individual benchmark deltas, the Metal test is where the W6800X runs away with the lead. The 51.2% delta is substantial enough to suggest that any Metal-based rendering, composition, or machine learning task will see dramatic improvements on the newer card. The OpenCL delta of 25.7% is smaller but still represents a significant uplift. In every recorded test, the W6800X is the winner, and the Vega II has zero wins in the head-to-head data.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X wins every scenario measured in the database. There are no benchmark categories where the Vega II comes out ahead. This is a clear-cut case. For users running Metal-accelerated workflows, the W6800X delivers a 51.2% improvement in raw score. For OpenCL-based compute tasks, the lead narrows but remains decisive at 25.7%. The W6800X is the obvious choice for any workload that leverages these APIs, which includes most professional 3D rendering, video editing, and GPU compute on macOS.

Where the Vega II still holds relevance is in its sheer memory bandwidth and capacity. It features 32 GB of HBM2 memory with a 4096-bit bus width, delivering 825.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The W6800X also has 32 GB of memory, but it is GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, yielding 512.0 GB/s. This means the Vega II has a 61.2% higher memory bandwidth. In memory-bandwidth-bound scenarios, such as certain large dataset manipulations or full-frame buffer operations, the Vega II could theoretically hold its own. However, the benchmark scores suggest that the W6800X's architecture more than compensates for the lower bandwidth, at least in the tested workloads. The Vulkan result is only recorded for the Vega II (99,621), with no direct comparison available for that API. This missing data point means the database cannot confirm whether the W6800X would maintain its lead in Vulkan-specific applications.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent fundamentally different architectural families from AMD. The W6800X is built on RDNA 2.0, a gaming-first architecture that has been adapted for professional use. The Vega II uses GCN 5.1, an older compute-oriented design. This distinction is visible in nearly every aspect of their design. The W6800X's chip is Navi 21, fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC. The Vega II's chip is Vega 20, also on a 7 nm process from TSMC. Both use the same node, but the transistor counts diverge sharply. The W6800X packs 26,800 million transistors on a 520 mm² die, giving a density of 51.5 million transistors per square millimeter. The Vega II has 13,230 million transistors on a 331 mm² die, with a density of 40.0 million per square millimeter. The W6800X is a larger, denser chip, which explains its higher compute throughput.

The core configurations reflect the architectural split. The W6800X has 3,840 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. It also features 60 RT cores, dedicated hardware for ray tracing. The Vega II has 4,096 shading units, 256 TMUs, but only 64 ROPs. It has no RT cores at all. The Vega II's higher shading unit count is not an advantage in practice, as the W6800X achieves higher clock speeds (boost clock of 2,087 MHz versus 1,720 MHz) and a more efficient architecture. The absence of RT cores on the Vega II is a significant handicap for any ray-traced rendering task. The W6800X supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the Vega II only reaches DirectX 12 (12_1). The Vulkan API support also differs: the W6800X supports Vulkan 1.4, while the Vega II supports Vulkan 1.3.

Specification Differences

The two cards diverge across nearly every measurable specification. The W6800X has a base clock of 1,800 MHz and a boost clock of 2,087 MHz. The Vega II has a lower base clock of 1,574 MHz and a boost of 1,720 MHz. The memory type is a major difference: the W6800X uses GDDR6 at 2,000 MHz (16 Gbps effective), while the Vega II uses HBM2 at 806 MHz (1,612 Mbps effective). The memory bus width is 256 bits on the W6800X and 4,096 bits on the Vega II. This results in bandwidth figures of 512.0 GB/s for the W6800X and 825.3 GB/s for the Vega II, as previously noted. The memory capacity is identical at 32 GB.

The compute rates also differ. The W6800X delivers 16.03 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 32.06 TFLOPS of FP16 (2:1) performance. The Vega II posts 14.09 TFLOPS FP32 and 28.18 TFLOPS FP16. In texture rate, the W6800X hits 500.9 GTexel/s, while the Vega II reaches 440.3 GTexel/s. The pixel rate shows a larger gap: 200.4 GPixel/s for the W6800X versus 110.1 GPixel/s for the Vega II. Power consumption is a major contrast. The W6800X has a TDP of 200 W, while the Vega II is rated at 475 W. The suggested power supply unit likewise differs: 550 W for the W6800X and 850 W for the Vega II. The W6800X uses an Apple MPX power connector, while the Vega II's power connector is not listed. Both cards are quad-slot and use the Apple MPX bus interface. Display outputs are nearly identical, with the W6800X offering 1x HDMI 2.1 and 4x Thunderbolt, while the Vega II has 1x HDMI 2.0b and 4x Thunderbolt. The W6800X supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, while the Vega II supports DirectX 12 (12_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6. The release dates show a two-year gap: the W6800X launched on 2021-08-02, while the Vega II launched on 2019-06-02.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in Metal benchmarks?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X scores 196,844 in Geekbench Metal, a 51.2% improvement over the Radeon Pro Vega II's 130,183.

Q: How do the memory bandwidths compare?

A: The Radeon Pro Vega II offers higher memory bandwidth at 825.3 GB/s, thanks to its 4,096-bit HBM2 interface. The W6800X provides 512.0 GB/s over a 256-bit GDDR6 bus.

Q: Does the Radeon Pro Vega II support ray tracing?

A: No. The Vega II has no RT cores. The W6800X includes 60 RT cores for dedicated ray tracing hardware.

Q: What is the power draw difference?

A: The W6800X has a TDP of 200 W, while the Vega II is rated at 475 W. The recommended power supply is 550 W for the W6800X and 850 W for the Vega II.

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The W6800X averages 160,671, placing it in the 97th percentile of all GPUs. The Vega II averages 109,617, placing it in the 94th percentile.

Q: What are the release dates for these cards?

A: The W6800X was released on 2021-08-02. The Vega II was released on 2019-06-02.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X is the superior GPU in every recorded benchmark. It leads in both Metal and OpenCL, with a 51.2% and 25.7% advantage respectively. Its average benchmark score is 46.6% higher than the Vega II's, propelling it into the 97th percentile of all GPUs compared to the Vega II's 94th percentile. For any user running Metal-based professional applications, the W6800X is the clear choice, offering over half again the performance of the Vega II. The older card does have one notable advantage, its memory bandwidth of 825.3 GB/s is significantly higher than the W6800X's 512.0 GB/s. This could matter in specific bandwidth-limited scenarios, but the benchmark data suggests that for most workloads, the W6800X's architectural improvements outweigh this deficit.

The power efficiency also favors the W6800X. It draws 200 W versus 475 W for the Vega II, requiring a smaller power supply (550 W versus 850 W). The W6800X is also the newer card, released in 2021 versus 2019, and it includes modern features like RT cores and DirectX 12 Ultimate. The Vega II's only real argument is its memory bandwidth, but the W6800X's high clock speeds and larger transistor count (26,800 million versus 13,230 million) give it the edge in compute throughput. For users who need the fastest performance in Metal or OpenGL workloads, the W6800X is the only sensible choice. The Vega II's 32 GB of memory and high bandwidth makes it a niche option for memory-intensive tasks, but the benchmark data indicates that the W6800X will win in most scenarios. The verdict is clear: choose the W6800X for its performance, features, and efficiency. The Vega II is a legacy part, and the data shows it is outclassed.