AMD Radeon RX 560 XT vs AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 Comparison

AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 and AMD Radeon RX 560 XT are both end-of-life graphics cards from AMD, but they occupy entirely different performance tiers. The data shows a decisive overall victory for the Vega 56, which posts an average benchmark score of 37,507 compared to the RX 560 XT’s 34,133, a gap of roughly 9.9%. However, the RX 560 XT is not without merit, particularly in specific API workloads where it demonstrates unexpected competitiveness. This analysis breaks down the head-to-head results, architectural differences, and use-case scenarios strictly from the provided benchmark and specification data.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking contrast in the benchmark data is the difference in raw compute performance. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 delivers 10.54 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, which is 2.4 times the 4.394 TFLOPS offered by the RX 560 XT. This massive compute advantage translates directly into a higher average benchmark score: the Vega 56 scores 37,507, while the RX 560 XT scores 34,133. In percentage terms, the Vega 56 is roughly 9.9% faster on average. This is a substantial lead, though not as large as the compute figures alone might suggest, indicating that the RX 560 XT’s architecture is efficient in certain workloads.

Looking at specific benchmark tests, the data reveals a surprising split. The Vega 56 has results in 3DMark Steel Nomad (DX12) with a score of 1,501 and Geekbench Metal with a score of 73,512. The RX 560 XT does not have results for these same tests, but has its own unique entries: Geekbench OpenCL with a score of 31,387 and Geekbench Vulkan with a score of 36,879. While direct comparisons on identical tests are impossible from the provided data, the RX 560 XT’s Vulkan score of 36,879 is notably close to its OpenCL score of 31,387, suggesting strong API efficiency. In contrast, the Vega 56’s Geekbench Metal score of 73,512 is its highest single-test result, indicating excellent performance in Apple’s Metal API.

The nearest rival data provides additional context for each card’s standing. The Vega 56’s average score of 37,507 places it 0.3% behind the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (37,628) and 0.4% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 (37,648). It is 0.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 (37,157) and 1.6% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (38,135). The RX 560 XT’s average score of 34,133 places it 0.1% behind the NVIDIA RTX A2000 12 GB (34,154) and 0.2% behind the NVIDIA RTX A1000 (34,207). It is 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 480 (33,997) and 0.5% ahead of the AMD Radeon HD 7950 (33,951). This shows that the Vega 56 competes with much higher-tier modern GPUs, while the RX 560 XT sits in a more modest bracket.

In terms of percentile ranking, the Vega 56 ranks in the 81st percentile of all GPUs, while the RX 560 XT ranks in the 79th percentile. This 2-percentile gap is smaller than the average score gap, suggesting that while the Vega 56 is faster, both cards are positioned relatively close in the overall performance distribution. The data indicates that the Vega 56’s wins are primarily in compute-heavy and high-bandwidth scenarios, while the RX 560 XT’s wins, if any, would be in power efficiency and specific API optimizations.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two cards is fundamental. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is built on the GCN 5.0 architecture with the Vega 10 chip, while the AMD Radeon RX 560 XT uses the older GCN 4.0 architecture with the Ellesmere chip. Both are manufactured on the same 14 nm process node at GlobalFoundries, but the Vega 10 chip is substantially larger and more complex. The Vega 10 has 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 25.3 million per mm². The Ellesmere chip has 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die, with a density of 24.6 million per mm². This means the Vega 10 packs over twice the transistors into a die that is more than twice the size.

Memory architecture is another major differentiator. The Vega 56 uses 8 GB of HBM2 memory with a 2048-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 409.6 GB/s. The RX 560 XT uses 4 GB of GDDR5 memory with a 256-bit bus, providing 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Vega 56’s memory bandwidth is 1.83 times higher, which is critical for high-resolution textures and compute workloads. The memory clock also differs: the Vega 56 runs at 800 MHz (1600 Mbps effective), while the RX 560 XT runs at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective). Despite the lower clock speed, the Vega 56’s wider bus gives it the bandwidth advantage.

The compute units scale accordingly. The Vega 56 has 3,584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 64 ROPs. The RX 560 XT has exactly half of each: 1,792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. This 2:1 ratio is consistent across the board. The pixel rate for the Vega 56 is 94.14 GPixel/s, while the RX 560 XT achieves 39.23 GPixel/s. The texture rate is 329.5 GTexel/s for the Vega 56 and 137.3 GTexel/s for the RX 560 XT. Both cards support DirectX 12, but the Vega 56 supports version 12_1 while the RX 560 XT only supports 12_0. Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.3.

Power consumption and cooling requirements differ significantly. The Vega 56 has a TDP of 210 W and requires two 8-pin power connectors, with a suggested PSU of 550 W. The RX 560 XT has a TDP of 150 W and requires a single 6-pin connector, with a suggested PSU of 450 W. The Vega 56 is also physically larger at 280 mm in length, 111 mm in height, and 40 mm in width, while the RX 560 XT is 241 mm in length with no specified height or width. Both are dual-slot cards.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 has a significantly higher average benchmark score of 37,507, compared to the AMD Radeon RX 560 XT’s 34,133.

Q: How do the two cards compare in memory bandwidth?

A: The Vega 56 offers 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth via 8 GB of HBM2 memory on a 2048-bit bus, while the RX 560 XT provides 224.0 GB/s via 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus. The Vega 56’s bandwidth is 1.83 times higher.

Q: What is the DirectX support difference?

A: The Vega 56 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the RX 560 XT supports DirectX 12 (12_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.3.

Q: Which card requires more power?

A: The Vega 56 has a TDP of 210 W and needs two 8-pin power connectors with a 550 W suggested PSU. The RX 560 XT has a TDP of 150 W, one 6-pin connector, and a 450 W suggested PSU.

Q: Are there any benchmark tests where the RX 560 XT shows strength?

A: The RX 560 XT’s Geekbench Vulkan score of 36,879 is higher than its Geekbench OpenCL score of 31,387, suggesting it performs well in Vulkan-based workloads relative to its own OpenCL performance.

Q: What are the transistor counts for each chip?

A: The Vega 10 chip in the Vega 56 has 12,500 million transistors, while the Ellesmere chip in the RX 560 XT has 5,700 million transistors.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is the superior performer. Its average benchmark score of 37,507 is 9.9% higher than the RX 560 XT’s 34,133, and it ranks in the 81st percentile of all GPUs versus the 79th percentile for the RX 560 XT. The Vega 56’s compute capability is more than double that of the RX 560 XT, with 10.54 TFLOPS versus 4.394 TFLOPS, and its memory bandwidth is nearly double at 409.6 GB/s versus 224.0 GB/s. For any workload that leverages raw compute, high-resolution textures, or large memory pools, the Vega 56 is the clear choice.

The RX 560 XT, however, is not a poor card. Its average score of 34,133 places it within striking distance of the Vega 56 in percentile terms, and it is competitive with cards like the NVIDIA RTX A2000 12 GB and the RTX A1000, being only 0.1% and 0.2% behind respectively. Its lower TDP of 150 W and single 6-pin power connector make it a more practical option for systems with modest power supplies. The RX 560 XT also has a smaller physical footprint at 241 mm in length, making it easier to fit in compact cases.

The verdict is straightforward: pick the Vega 56 for maximum performance, especially in compute-intensive tasks and high-bandwidth scenarios. Pick the RX 560 XT if power draw and physical size are the primary constraints, and if the workload is not heavily dependent on FP32 compute or memory bandwidth. The Vega 56’s 8 GB of HBM2 memory is also a significant advantage for modern games and applications that exceed 4 GB of VRAM usage.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two cards, with the Vega 56 listed first:

• Architecture: GCN 5.0 vs GCN 4.0
• Chip: Vega 10 vs Ellesmere
• Transistors: 12,500 million vs 5,700 million
• Die Size: 495 mm² vs 232 mm²
• Transistor Density: 25.3M / mm² vs 24.6M / mm²
• Base Clock: 1156 MHz vs 1074 MHz
• Boost Clock: 1471 MHz vs 1226 MHz
• Memory Clock: 800 MHz (1600 Mbps effective) vs 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective)
• Memory Size: 8 GB vs 4 GB
• Memory Type: HBM2 vs GDDR5
• Memory Bus Width: 2048 bit vs 256 bit
• Memory Bandwidth: 409.6 GB/s vs 224.0 GB/s
• Shading Units: 3584 vs 1792
• TMUs: 224 vs 112
• ROPs: 64 vs 32
• Pixel Rate: 94.14 GPixel/s vs 39.23 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: 329.5 GTexel/s vs 137.3 GTexel/s
• FP32: 10.54 TFLOPS vs 4.394 TFLOPS
• FP16: 21.09 TFLOPS (2:1) vs 4.394 TFLOPS (1:1)
• TDP: 210 W vs 150 W
• Power Connectors: 2x 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin
• Suggested PSU: 550 W vs 450 W
• DirectX: 12 (12_1) vs 12 (12_0)
• Length: 280 mm (11 inches) vs 241 mm (9.5 inches)
• Release Date: 2017-08-13 vs 2019-03-12
• Launch MSRP: 399 USD vs null

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 wins decisively in raw performance metrics. It has 2.4 times the FP32 compute throughput, 1.83 times the memory bandwidth, and double the pixel and texture rates of the RX 560 XT. The Vega 56’s benchmark results show strong performance in Geekbench Metal (73,512) and 3DMark Steel Nomad (1,501). Its higher percentile ranking (81st vs 79th) and higher average score (37,507 vs 34,133) confirm that it wins in virtually all compute-heavy scenarios, including high-resolution gaming, 3D rendering, and professional workloads. The 8 GB of HBM2 memory is also a win for applications that need large frame buffers.

The AMD Radeon RX 560 XT wins in power efficiency and physical footprint. Its TDP of 150 W is 60 W lower than the Vega 56’s 210 W, and it requires only a single 6-pin power connector versus the Vega 56’s two 8-pin connectors. The suggested PSU for the RX 560 XT is 450 W versus 550 W for the Vega 56. Additionally, the RX 560 XT is shorter at 241 mm versus 280 mm for the Vega 56. In terms of specific benchmark performance, the RX 560 XT’s Geekbench Vulkan score of 36,879 is its strongest showing, suggesting it handles Vulkan API workloads efficiently relative to its own OpenCL performance. For users with older or lower-wattage power supplies, or those building in compact cases, the RX 560 XT is the more practical choice.