AMD Radeon RX 480 vs NVIDIA T600 Mobile Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 480 and NVIDIA T600 Mobile are both end-of-life graphics solutions, but they target completely different segments of the market. The RX 480 is a dual-slot, desktop-oriented card from 2016 with a 150 W power draw, while the T600 Mobile is a 40 W IGP-class chip designed for portable workstations from 2021. The benchmark data shows a clear performance hierarchy, but the T600 Mobile’s efficiency and feature set make it competitive in specific scenarios. This analysis relies strictly on the provided benchmark results and specification differences.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head comparison includes only two shared benchmark tests: Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan. In both, the AMD Radeon RX 480 wins decisively. The most significant margin is in the Vulkan test, where the RX 480 scores 45,968 against the T600 Mobile’s 30,211. That is a 52.2% delta in favor of AMD, a massive gap that indicates the RX 480 is far better suited for modern graphics APIs and compute workloads that leverage Vulkan. The RX 480’s advantage here is not marginal; it is a dominant performance lead that would translate to substantially higher frame rates or faster compute times in Vulkan-based applications.

In OpenCL, the gap narrows considerably. The RX 480 scores 37,998, while the T600 Mobile scores 35,486, giving AMD a 7.1% lead. While still a win for the RX 480, this smaller delta suggests that the T600 Mobile’s Turing architecture is more competitive in OpenCL workloads than in Vulkan. This is likely due to the T600 Mobile’s higher boost clock relative to its base clock, though the raw specs paint a different story. The RX 480 has 2,304 shading units versus the T600 Mobile’s 896, and the RX 480’s FP32 throughput is 5.834 TFLOPS compared to the T600 Mobile’s 2.527 TFLOPS. The data shows that in raw compute, the RX 480 is over twice as fast, but the OpenCL benchmark only reflects a 7.1% difference, which is surprising given the hardware disparity.

Looking at the aggregate scores, the RX 480 has an average benchmark score of 33,997, placing it in the 78th percentile of all GPUs. The T600 Mobile averages 32,849, which is in the 77th percentile. The difference in average score is just 1,148 points, or roughly 3.5%. The RX 480’s nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7950 (average 33,951, +0.1% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 560 XT (average 34,133, -0.4% delta). The T600 Mobile’s closest competitor is the NVIDIA P104-100 (average 32,982, -0.4% delta) and the NVIDIA T550 Mobile (average 33,161, -0.9% delta). These figures show that while the RX 480 is faster, the T600 Mobile is not far behind in overall aggregate performance, and both cards sit in a similar performance tier relative to all other GPUs.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is stark. The AMD Radeon RX 480 uses the Ellesmere chip built on GCN 4.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 24.6M per mm². The NVIDIA T600 Mobile uses the TU117 chip based on Turing architecture, built on a 12 nm process at TSMC. It contains 4,700 million transistors on a 200 mm² die, giving a density of 23.5M per mm². While the T600 Mobile is smaller in both die size and transistor count, it uses a slightly more advanced process node, which helps explain its dramatically lower power consumption.

The memory subsystems are fundamentally different. The RX 480 features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The T600 Mobile has 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing 192.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Although the T600 Mobile uses faster GDDR6 memory with a 12 Gbps effective rate versus the RX 480’s 8 Gbps, the narrower bus limits its total bandwidth. The RX 480’s memory clock is 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective), while the T600 Mobile’s is 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective). The RX 480’s larger memory pool and wider bus make it better suited for high-resolution textures and large datasets.

The GPU core configurations diverge widely. The RX 480 has 2,304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The T600 Mobile has 896 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. This means the RX 480 has more than double the shader count and nearly triple the texture units. Consequently, the RX 480 achieves a texture rate of 182.3 GTexel/s versus the T600 Mobile’s 78.96 GTexel/s. However, the pixel rates are close: the RX 480 hits 40.51 GPixel/s, while the T600 Mobile reaches 45.12 GPixel/s, a slight win for NVIDIA. The T600 Mobile’s boost clock of 1410 MHz is higher than the RX 480’s 1266 MHz boost, which helps it in pixel throughput despite fewer ROPs.

Power characteristics are a major differentiator. The RX 480 has a TDP of 150 W and requires a single 6-pin power connector, with a suggested PSU of 450 W. The T600 Mobile has a TDP of just 40 W, requires no external power connectors, and has no suggested PSU. This makes the T600 Mobile an IGP (integrated graphics processor) class chip that can be powered entirely by the motherboard slot. The RX 480 is a dual-slot card measuring 240 mm in length, 95 mm in height, and 35 mm in width. The T600 Mobile has no listed dimensions, as it is designed for portable devices.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 480 wins clearly in raw compute and memory capacity. Its 8 GB VRAM versus 4 GB on the T600 Mobile gives it a significant advantage in workloads that require large framebuffers or big datasets. The RX 480’s Vulkan score is 52.2% higher than the T600 Mobile’s, which means it is the better choice for Vulkan-based games and compute applications. The OpenCL lead of 7.1% is smaller, but it is still a win. The RX 480’s higher FP32 throughput (5.834 TFLOPS vs 2.527 TFLOPS) and higher texture rate (182.3 GTexel/s vs 78.96 GTexel/s) make it the superior choice for general-purpose GPU compute, especially tasks that are not memory-bandwidth limited.

The NVIDIA T600 Mobile wins on efficiency and portability. Its 40 W TDP is less than a third of the RX 480’s 150 W, which means it can be deployed in thin-and-light laptops without dedicated cooling. The T600 Mobile’s higher boost clock (1410 MHz vs 1266 MHz) and higher pixel rate (45.12 GPixel/s vs 40.51 GPixel/s) give it an edge in pixel-bound tasks despite its lower overall compute. The T600 Mobile also supports DirectX 12_1 and Vulkan 1.4, while the RX 480 supports DirectX 12_0 and Vulkan 1.3. For users who need a GPU that fits in a portable device and sips power, the T600 Mobile is the only option here. The RX 480’s dual-slot design and power connector make it unsuitable for such form factors.

In terms of aggregate performance, the RX 480’s average score of 33,997 is slightly higher than the T600 Mobile’s 32,849, but both cards sit within 1.5% of each other in their respective rival clusters. The RX 480 is closer to the AMD Radeon RX 560 XT (34,133, -0.4% delta) and the NVIDIA RTX A2000 12 GB (34,154, -0.5% delta). The T600 Mobile is near the NVIDIA P104-100 (32,982, -0.4% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 590 GME (32,601, +0.8% delta). This indicates that the RX 480 competes with mid-range desktop GPUs, while the T600 Mobile competes with older high-end cards and other mobile solutions.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 480 has an average benchmark score of 33,997, which is higher than the NVIDIA T600 Mobile’s 32,849. The RX 480 also holds a higher percentile ranking at 78th versus the T600 Mobile’s 77th percentile.

Q: How big is the performance gap in Vulkan?

A: The RX 480 scores 45,968 in Geekbench Vulkan, while the T600 Mobile scores 30,211. This gives the RX 480 a 52.2% lead, making it the clear winner for Vulkan-based workloads.

Q: Does the T600 Mobile win any benchmark?

A: No. In the two head-to-head tests conducted (Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan), the T600 Mobile loses both. The RX 480 wins OpenCL by 7.1% and Vulkan by 52.2%.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The RX 480 offers 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth over a 256-bit bus, while the T600 Mobile provides 192.0 GB/s over a 128-bit bus. The RX 480 also has 8 GB of memory versus 4 GB on the T600 Mobile.

Q: Which GPU is more power-efficient?

A: The NVIDIA T600 Mobile has a TDP of 40 W and requires no external power connectors, making it far more efficient than the RX 480’s 150 W TDP and 1x 6-pin connector requirement.

Q: What are the closest rivals for each GPU?

A: The RX 480’s nearest rival is the AMD Radeon HD 7950 with an average score of 33,951 (0.1% delta). The T600 Mobile’s nearest rival is the NVIDIA P104-100 with an average score of 32,982 (-0.4% delta).

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon RX 480 is the faster GPU in every shared benchmark. It wins OpenCL by 7.1% and Vulkan by 52.2%. Its average score is 3.5% higher, and it offers double the VRAM (8 GB vs 4 GB) and significantly higher compute throughput. For anyone building a desktop system where space and power are not constraints, the RX 480 is the straightforward choice. It is particularly strong for Vulkan-based games and compute tasks that can leverage its 5.834 TFLOPS FP32 performance.

The NVIDIA T600 Mobile is not a performance competitor, but it is a different product category. Its 40 W TDP and lack of power connectors mean it can operate in environments where the RX 480 physically cannot fit. The T600 Mobile’s higher pixel rate (45.12 GPixel/s vs 40.51 GPixel/s) and higher boost clock (1410 MHz vs 1266 MHz) show that it is optimized for efficiency and pixel throughput rather than raw compute. It also supports newer API versions, including DirectX 12_1 and Vulkan 1.4, compared to the RX 480’s DirectX 12_0 and Vulkan 1.3. The T600 Mobile is the correct pick for a portable workstation or a system with strict power limits, provided the user accepts the 4 GB memory ceiling and the 52.2% Vulkan deficit. The RX 480 is the pick for desktop builders prioritizing performance, while the T600 Mobile is the pick for mobile users prioritizing efficiency and portability.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 480 | NVIDIA T600 Mobile |

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

| Chip | Ellesmere | TU117 |

| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | Turing |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 12 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 5,700 million | 4,700 million |

| Die Size | 232 mm² | 200 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 24.6M / mm² | 23.5M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1120 MHz | 780 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1266 MHz | 1410 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective) | 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 4 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus | 256 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 256.0 GB/s | 192.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2304 | 896 |

| TMUs | 144 | 56 |

| ROPs | 32 | 32 |

| Pixel Rate | 40.51 GPixel/s | 45.12 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 182.3 GTexel/s | 78.96 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 5.834 TFLOPS | 2.527 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 5.834 TFLOPS (1:1) | 5.053 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 150 W | 40 W |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | IGP |

| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | None |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | None |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | Portable Device Dependent |

| DirectX | 12 (12_0) | 12 (12_1) |

| Vulkan | 1.3 | 1.4 |

| Dimensions | 240 mm x 95 mm x 35 mm | Not listed |

| Release Date | 2016-06-28 | 2021-04-11 |

| Launch MSRP | 229 USD | Not listed |