AMD Radeon RX 5700 vs AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 and the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL represent two vastly different approaches to graphics processing, one a high-performance discrete desktop card and the other a mobile integrated solution. Benchmark data shows the RX 5700 dominates the comparison, yet the Vega M GL holds a distinct niche. The RX 5700 achieves an average benchmark score of 22,170, placing it in the 67th percentile of all GPUs, while the Vega M GL scores 21,153, sitting just behind in the 66th percentile. The head-to-head results are starkly one-sided, but the architectural and use-case differences explain why both products exist.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two available head-to-head benchmark comparisons leave no ambiguity about performance hierarchy. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the AMD Radeon RX 5700 scores 69,603, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL manages only 19,549. This represents a delta of 256% in favor of the RX 5700, meaning the discrete card delivers more than three and a half times the compute performance of the mobile part. The RX 5700’s advantage is even more pronounced in raw compute throughput, as its FP32 performance of 7.949 TFLOPS dwarfs the Vega M GL’s 2.588 TFLOPS.

The Geekbench Vulkan test tells a similar story, though with a slightly narrower margin. The RX 5700 posts 64,166 points against the Vega M GL’s 22,757, a delta of 182%. This 41,409-point gap highlights that while both GPUs support modern graphics APIs, the RX 5700’s superior hardware resources translate into massive real-world performance differences in Vulkan-based workloads. The RX 5700 wins both head-to-head matchups, giving it a 2-0 record, while the Vega M GL fails to secure a single victory in these tests.

Looking at the broader benchmark context, the RX 5700’s average score of 22,170 places it within 0.1% of the AMD Radeon RX 6700S (22,154) and 1.4% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB (21,856). Meanwhile, the Vega M GL’s 21,153 average sits 2.1% above the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT (20,713) and just 0.6% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 (21,035). These proximity scores indicate that despite the huge gap between the two compared cards, each one competes effectively within its own performance tier.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental divergence begins with the manufacturing process and chip design. The AMD Radeon RX 5700 utilizes the Navi 10 chip built on TSMC’s 7 nm process, packing 10,300 million transistors into a 251 mm² die. This yields a transistor density of 41.0 million per square millimeter. In contrast, the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL uses the Polaris 22 chip fabricated on GlobalFoundries’ 14 nm node, containing just 5,000 million transistors across a 208 mm² die, for a density of 24.0 million per square millimeter. The RX 5700’s newer process node allows for nearly double the transistor count on a modestly larger die.

Architecturally, the RX 5700 employs RDNA 1.0, while the Vega M GL is based on the older GCN 4.0 architecture. This architectural shift brings significant changes to the compute pipeline. The RX 5700 features 2,304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 64 raster operation units (ROPs). The Vega M GL is far more modest, with 1,280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. These resource differences directly explain the performance gap: the RX 5700 has 80% more shading units and double the ROP count.

Memory subsystems also diverge sharply. The RX 5700 comes with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Vega M GL uses 4 GB of HBM2 memory on a much wider 1024-bit bus, but its lower clock speed (700 MHz, 1400 Mbps effective) yields only 179.2 GB/s. While HBM2 offers efficiency advantages, the RX 5700’s raw bandwidth is 2.5 times higher. Clock speeds further separate the pair: the RX 5700 boosts to 1725 MHz with a 1465 MHz base, while the Vega M GL is limited to a 1011 MHz boost and 931 MHz base.

Power and physical characteristics could not be more different. The RX 5700 carries a 180 W TDP, requires dual-slot cooling, and needs both a 6-pin and 8-pin power connector, plus a 450 W suggested PSU. It measures 268 mm in length. The Vega M GL, by contrast, is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a 65 W TDP, no power connectors, and dimensions dependent on the portable device it inhabits. The RX 5700 also supports newer API features, including DirectX 12 (12_1) versus the Vega M GL’s DirectX 12 (12_0), and Vulkan 1.4 versus 1.3.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 wins decisively in every measurable performance category. Its FP32 throughput of 7.949 TFLOPS is over three times the Vega M GL’s 2.588 TFLOPS. Pixel fill rate tells the same story: 110.4 GPixel/s versus 32.35 GPixel/s, a 3.4x advantage. Texture fill rate stands at 248.4 GTexel/s for the RX 5700 against 80.88 GTexel/s for the Vega M GL. In memory bandwidth, the RX 5700’s 448.0 GB/s more than doubles the Vega M GL’s 179.2 GB/s. The RX 5700 also offers 8 GB of VRAM versus 4 GB, a crucial difference for modern game textures and large datasets.

The Vega M GL’s only inherent advantages are in power efficiency and physical integration. With a 65 W TDP, it consumes less than half the power of the RX 5700’s 180 W. As an IGP, it requires no additional cooling solution beyond the laptop’s existing thermal system, no power connector, and no dedicated expansion slot. Its 1024-bit memory bus is unusually wide, which partially compensates for the low HBM2 clock speed. For a mobile platform, these characteristics make it viable in thin-and-light systems where the RX 5700 physically cannot fit and would overwhelm thermal budgets.

The benchmark suite reveals where each part excels in workload types. The RX 5700’s Geekbench OpenCL score of 69,603 indicates strong general-purpose compute performance, useful for rendering, video encoding, and productivity applications. Its Vulkan score of 64,166 suggests robust modern gaming performance. The Vega M GL’s Geekbench OpenCL score of 19,549 and Vulkan score of 22,757 show it can handle light compute and older or less demanding games, but it is not designed for high-end workloads. The RX 5700’s PassMark scores further illustrate its breadth: 14,314 in G3D, 6,517 in GPU compute, and 877 in G2D.

The Verdict

The data dictates a clear choice for performance-seeking users: the AMD Radeon RX 5700 is categorically superior in raw compute, graphics rendering, and memory bandwidth. Its 256% lead in OpenCL and 182% lead in Vulkan over the Vega M GL are insurmountable for any workload that depends on GPU throughput. The RX 5700’s 67th percentile ranking versus the Vega M GL’s 66th percentile, while close, understates the gap because the mobile part’s limited benchmark availability (only two tests) skews its average upward relative to its true capabilities. Gamers, content creators, and professionals should choose the RX 5700 for its 8 GB GDDR6 memory, 7.949 TFLOPS FP32 performance, and support for DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4.

The AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, however, is not without purpose. Its 65 W TDP and IGP form factor make it suitable exclusively for portable devices where the RX 5700’s 180 W requirement, 268 mm length, and dual-slot footprint are impossible. Users who need basic graphics acceleration in a thin laptop, with support for DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, will find the Vega M GL adequate. It should never be chosen for desktop builds or high-performance mobile workstations. The RX 5700’s launch MSRP is 349 USD, reflecting its discrete, high-performance positioning, while the Vega M GL has no launch MSRP as it ships integrated into systems.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the AMD Radeon RX 5700 than the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The RX 5700 scores 69,603, while the Vega M GL scores 19,549, giving the RX 5700 a 256% advantage.

Q: What is the transistor count difference between the two GPUs?

A: The RX 5700 contains 10,300 million transistors on a 7 nm process, while the Vega M GL has 5,000 million transistors on a 14 nm process.

Q: Which GPU has higher memory bandwidth, and by how much?

A: The RX 5700 delivers 448.0 GB/s across a 256-bit GDDR6 bus, compared to the Vega M GL’s 179.2 GB/s on a 1024-bit HBM2 bus, a 2.5x difference.

Q: Do both GPUs support Vulkan?

A: Yes, but with different versions. The RX 5700 supports Vulkan 1.4, while the Vega M GL supports Vulkan 1.3.

Q: What are the TDP requirements for each card?

A: The RX 5700 has a 180 W TDP requiring a 450 W suggested PSU, while the Vega M GL has a 65 W TDP as an integrated processor.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in FP32 floating-point performance?

A: The RX 5700 achieves 7.949 TFLOPS, more than three times the Vega M GL’s 2.588 TFLOPS.