AMD Radeon RX 480 vs AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE is decisively faster than the RX 480 in every benchmark category recorded, with the data showing margins ranging from roughly 2.2x to nearly 5x depending on the workload. The RX 480, an end-of-life product from the GCN 4.0 era, cannot compete with the modern RDNA 3.0 architecture, and the benchmark results confirm a generational leap rather than a close contest. The oldest card in this comparison retains a niche for legacy software, but the 7900 GRE dominates all measured performance metrics.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result appears in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, where the RX 7900 GRE scores 4,814 points against the RX 480’s 966 points. This represents a delta of -79.9% from the perspective of the older card, meaning the 7900 GRE is approximately 5x faster in this modern DirectX 12 workload. The margin here is so large that it reflects not just raw compute differences but also architectural efficiency in handling contemporary rendering pipelines.

In the Geekbench OpenCL compute test, the 7900 GRE posts a score of 175,758 versus 37,998 for the RX 480, a delta of -78.4%. This 4.6x advantage highlights the massive throughput gap between the two GPUs’ shading units and memory subsystems. The 7900 GRE’s FP32 throughput of 45.98 TFLOPS compared to the RX 480’s 5.834 TFLOPS translates directly into this kind of compute-heavy benchmark dominance, though the benchmark score also benefits from the newer card’s higher memory bandwidth.

The Vulkan result is comparatively closer but still one-sided. The 7900 GRE scores 99,850 in Geekbench Vulkan, while the RX 480 manages 45,968, a delta of -54%. This 2.2x advantage shows that while the older GCN architecture can still execute Vulkan workloads, it does so with far less efficiency per clock. The 7900 GRE’s boost clock of 2245 MHz versus the RX 480’s 1266 MHz helps explain why the newer card wins even when the workload is less bandwidth-bound.

Across all three head-to-head tests, the RX 7900 GRE wins 3 out of 3. The RX 480 wins zero. The average benchmark scores reinforce this hierarchy: the RX 480 averages 33,997 points across its suite, while the 7900 GRE averages 32,456 despite including heavier tests like PassMark G3D (27,089) and GPU Compute (15,016). The percentile rankings place both cards similarly—RX 480 at 78th percentile, RX 7900 GRE at 77th—but this is a function of the broader GPU market, not their relative performance to each other.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs spans multiple generations. The RX 480 uses the Ellesmere chip built on GCN 4.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process by GlobalFoundries. The RX 7900 GRE uses the Navi 31 chip on RDNA 3.0 architecture, built on a 5 nm process by TSMC. This process shrink allows the 7900 GRE to pack 57,700 million transistors into a 529 mm² die, versus 5,700 million transistors in a 232 mm² die for the RX 480. Transistor density jumps from 24.6M per mm² to 109.1M per mm², a 4.4x improvement in packing efficiency.

The compute resources differ dramatically. The RX 480 has 2,304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The RX 7900 GRE more than doubles those counts: 5,120 shading units, 320 TMUs, and 160 ROPs. The newer card also features 80 ray tracing cores, a capability entirely absent from the RX 480. Pixel rate scales from 40.51 GPixel/s to 359.2 GPixel/s, while texture rate rises from 182.3 GTexel/s to 718.4 GTexel/s.

Memory architecture shows a similar evolution. Both GPUs use a 256-bit memory bus, but the RX 480 pairs it with 8 GB of GDDR5 at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective), yielding 256.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 7900 GRE uses 16 GB of GDDR6 at 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective), achieving 576.0 GB/s—2.25x the bandwidth. FP32 compute scales from 5.834 TFLOPS to 45.98 TFLOPS, and FP16 throughput jumps from 5.834 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio) to 91.96 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio).

Feature support differences are notable. The RX 480 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the 7900 GRE supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2). Vulkan support advances from 1.3 to 1.4. Display outputs evolve from 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a to 1x HDMI 2.1a, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, and 1x USB Type-C. The PCIe interface moves from 3.0 x16 to 4.0 x16. Power delivery changes from a single 6-pin connector to dual 8-pin connectors, with TDP rising from 150 W to 260 W.

FAQ

Q: Which card has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The RX 7900 GRE has 576.0 GB/s bandwidth from its 16 GB GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, versus 256.0 GB/s from the RX 480’s 8 GB GDDR5 on the same bus width.

Q: Is the RX 480 still competitive in any modern benchmark?

A: No. The RX 480 loses all three head-to-head tests against the 7900 GRE, with its best relative showing being a 54% deficit in Geekbench Vulkan. Its average benchmark score of 33,997 is actually higher than the 7900 GRE’s 32,456 average, but this is due to the different test suites each card was measured with, not real-world parity.

Q: What is the transistor density difference between these GPUs?

A: The RX 7900 GRE has a transistor density of 109.1M per mm² on its 5 nm TSMC process, compared to 24.6M per mm² for the RX 480 on 14 nm GlobalFoundries. The 7900 GRE packs 57,700 million transistors total versus 5,700 million for the RX 480.

Q: Does the RX 7900 GRE support ray tracing?

A: Yes, it has 80 ray tracing cores. The RX 480 has no ray tracing cores at all, as this feature was not part of the GCN 4.0 architecture.

Q: What are the power connector requirements?

A: The RX 7900 GRE requires two 8-pin power connectors and a 600 W suggested PSU. The RX 480 uses a single 6-pin connector with a 450 W suggested PSU.

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock?

A: The RX 7900 GRE boosts to 2245 MHz, while the RX 480 boosts to 1266 MHz. The 7900 GRE also has a higher base clock of 1287 MHz versus 1120 MHz for the older card.

Specification Differences

| Specification | RX 480 | RX 7900 GRE |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | RDNA 3.0 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 5 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 5,700 million | 57,700 million |

| Die Size | 232 mm² | 529 mm² |

| Base Clock | 1120 MHz | 1287 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1266 MHz | 2245 MHz |

| Game Clock | None | 1880 MHz |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 16 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |

| Memory Clock | 2000 MHz | 2250 MHz |

| Memory Bandwidth | 256.0 GB/s | 576.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2304 | 5120 |

| TMUs | 144 | 320 |

| ROPs | 32 | 160 |

| RT Cores | None | 80 |

| Pixel Rate | 40.51 GPixel/s | 359.2 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 182.3 GTexel/s | 718.4 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 5.834 TFLOPS | 45.98 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 5.834 TFLOPS (1:1) | 91.96 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 150 W | 260 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | 2x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 600 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DP 1.4a | 1x HDMI 2.1a, 2x DP 2.1, 1x USB-C |

| DirectX | 12 (12_0) | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |

| Vulkan | 1.3 | 1.4 |

| Release Date | 2016-06-28 | 2023-07-26 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

The Verdict

The data dictates a clear choice: the RX 7900 GRE is the superior GPU by every measurable performance metric. It wins 3-0 in head-to-head tests, offers 2x or more memory bandwidth, 8x the FP32 throughput, and the only ray tracing capability. The RX 480’s only advantages are its lower TDP of 150 W versus 260 W, its smaller physical footprint (240 mm versus 276 mm length), and its lower power connector requirement. For any modern workload measured here—DirectX 12, OpenCL, or Vulkan—the 7900 GRE is the only rational selection.

The RX 480’s higher average benchmark score of 33,997 versus 32,456 for the 7900 GRE is a statistical artifact of test composition, not a sign of competitiveness. The 7900 GRE’s nearest rivals in its own data set include the AMD FirePro S10000 and S9300 X2, with deltas under 1%, placing it in a performance class that the RX 480 cannot approach. The RX 480’s nearest rivals—HD 7950, RX 560 XT, RX 7700S—are all similarly distant from the 7900 GRE’s actual performance envelope. Users still on the RX 480 should consider the upgrade mandatory for any modern gaming or compute task.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE wins: Every head-to-head benchmark. DirectX 12 (3DMark Steel Nomad: 4,814 vs 966). OpenCL compute (175,758 vs 37,998). Vulkan (99,850 vs 45,968). All ray tracing workloads, since it is the only card with RT cores. Any task requiring more than 8 GB of VRAM, as it offers 16 GB versus 8 GB. High-resolution or high-texture gaming benefiting from 576.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 256.0 GB/s. The 7900 GRE also wins on connectivity with DisplayPort 2.1 and USB-C outputs.

AMD Radeon RX 480 wins: Power efficiency per watt—the data shows 150 W TDP versus 260 W, making it the lower-draw option for systems with modest PSUs (450 W suggested versus 600 W). Physical size—at 240 mm length, 95 mm height, and 35 mm width, it is more compact than the 7900 GRE’s 276 mm length, 110 mm height, and 51 mm width. Single 6-pin power compatibility versus dual 8-pin. Legacy software compatibility with older DirectX 12_0 feature levels, though this is not tested in the benchmark data. The RX 480’s higher percentile ranking (78th vs 77th) is the only numeric metric where it leads, but this reflects its position among all GPUs, not its standing against the 7900 GRE.