AMD Radeon RX 570X vs AMD Radeon RX 580 Comparison

The Verdict

The data splits this pairing cleanly. The AMD Radeon RX 580 is the decisive winner in raw 3D graphics performance, posting a Passmark G3D score of 8813 against the RX 570X’s 1923 — a staggering 78.2% gap. That is not a marginal difference; it is a generational chasm in practical gaming and rendering workloads. The RX 580 also edges out the RX 570X in 2D performance (769 vs 750, a 2.5% lead) and carries a higher average benchmark score (12928 vs 13871? No — the RX 570X actually holds the higher average, 13871 vs 12928, though the RX 580’s nearest rivals cluster within 0.6% of its score, suggesting the 580 is a more consistent performer across varied tests).

The RX 570X’s single win comes in Geekbench OpenCL, where it scores 38939 versus the RX 580’s 37453 — a 4% advantage. That matters for compute-heavy tasks that leverage OpenCL specifically. However, the RX 580 counters with superior numbers across every other measurable category: higher clocks (1257 MHz base / 1340 MHz boost vs 1168 MHz / 1244 MHz), 256 more shading units (2304 vs 2048), 16 more texture mapping units (144 vs 128), and 32 GB/s more memory bandwidth (256.0 GB/s vs 224.0 GB/s). The RX 580 also launched with a 229 USD MSRP, while the RX 570X has no listed launch price.

Who should pick which? Strictly from the data, the RX 580 is the choice for anyone prioritizing 3D gaming, DirectX workloads, or general graphics throughput. The RX 570X is only preferable if your workflow is exclusively OpenCL compute and you value the 4% edge there — but that is a narrow niche. The RX 580’s 78.2% lead in Passmark G3D is so large that it overwhelms the RX 570X’s OpenCL win. For a balanced assessment, the RX 580 wins 2 of 3 head-to-head benchmarks and holds a higher percentile rank (55th vs 53rd) among all GPUs, despite the RX 570X’s higher average score.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Radeon RX 570X — OpenCL compute. The RX 570X wins the Geekbench OpenCL test by 4% (38939 vs 37453). This is its sole benchmark victory, but it is a real one. If your application uses OpenCL for general-purpose GPU computing — think physics simulations, some rendering backends, or scientific workloads — the RX 570X delivers measurably better raw compute throughput in that specific API. The RX 570X also matches the RX 580 in pixel rate fundamentals with 32 ROPs, but its lower texture rate (159.2 GTexel/s vs 193.0 GTexel/s) and FP32 throughput (5.095 TFLOPS vs 6.175 TFLOPS) trail significantly.

AMD Radeon RX 580 — everything else. The RX 580 dominates 3D graphics with an 8813 Passmark G3D score versus 1923 — a 78.2% advantage that dwarfs any other metric. It wins Passmark G2D (769 vs 750, 2.5% faster), which covers 2D desktop compositing and basic display workloads. Its higher boost clock (1340 MHz vs 1244 MHz) and 256 GB/s memory bandwidth translate directly into faster texture fetching and shader execution. The RX 580 also has a higher texture rate (193.0 GTexel/s vs 159.2 GTexel/s) and pixel rate (42.88 GPixel/s vs 39.81 GPixel/s), meaning it fills frames faster in rasterized content. For DirectX 12, Vulkan 1.3, or OpenGL 4.6 workloads, the RX 580 is unequivocally the stronger card. Its Passmark GPU compute score of 3488 further confirms broad compute superiority outside of OpenCL.

Architecture Differences

Both cards share the same fundamental silicon: the Polaris 20 chip on GlobalFoundries’ 14 nm node, with 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die (24.6M transistors per mm²). Both use GCN 4.0 architecture and belong to the Polaris generation — the RX 570X in the RX 500X refresh, the RX 580 in the original RX 500 series. Both feature 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, dual-slot cooling, PCIe 3.0 x16 interfaces, and identical display outputs (1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a for the RX 570X; 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a for the RX 580).

The differences are in the execution units and clocks. The RX 580 packs 2304 shading units and 144 TMUs, versus 2048 shading units and 128 TMUs on the RX 570X. That is a 12.5% increase in both shading units and TMUs. The RX 580 runs faster too: 1257 MHz base and 1340 MHz boost, compared to 1168 MHz base and 1244 MHz boost on the RX 570X. Memory clocks are also higher on the RX 580 (2000 MHz / 8 Gbps effective) versus the RX 570X (1750 MHz / 7 Gbps effective), yielding 256.0 GB/s versus 224.0 GB/s bandwidth.

These architectural deltas produce cascading performance differences. The RX 580’s texture rate reaches 193.0 GTexel/s versus 159.2 GTexel/s — a 21.2% advantage. Its FP32 compute is 6.175 TFLOPS versus 5.095 TFLOPS, a 21.2% gap. Both cards have 32 ROPs, so pixel rate differences are smaller (42.88 GPixel/s vs 39.81 GPixel/s, a 7.7% lead for the RX 580). Interestingly, the RX 570X has a lower TDP (150 W vs 185 W) and uses a 1x 6-pin power connector versus the RX 580’s 1x 8-pin, but both recommend a 450 W PSU. The RX 570X launched in April 2018; the RX 580 a full year earlier in April 2017. Both are end-of-life, with Vega as the successor for each.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster for gaming?

A: The RX 580, decisively. Its Passmark G3D score is 8813 versus 1923 for the RX 570X — a 78.2% lead. The RX 580 also has higher shading units (2304 vs 2048), higher clocks (1340 MHz boost vs 1244 MHz), and more memory bandwidth (256.0 GB/s vs 224.0 GB/s), all of which favor rasterized game rendering.

Q: Is there any workload where the RX 570X beats the RX 580?

A: Yes, one: OpenCL compute. The RX 570X scores 38939 in Geekbench OpenCL versus 37453 for the RX 580, a 4% advantage. For any task that relies specifically on OpenCL, the RX 570X is faster.

Q: Do both cards support the same modern APIs?

A: Yes. Both support DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. There is no difference in API feature levels between the two.

Q: Which card has better memory performance?

A: The RX 580. It runs GDDR5 at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective) with 256.0 GB/s bandwidth, compared to the RX 570X’s 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective) and 224.0 GB/s. Both use 8 GB on a 256-bit bus.

Q: Are these cards the same physical size?

A: Yes, both are 241 mm (9.5 inches) long and dual-slot. They differ only in power connectors: the RX 570X uses 1x 6-pin, the RX 580 uses 1x 8-pin. Both recommend a 450 W PSU.

Q: What does the average benchmark score tell us?

A: The RX 570X has a higher average benchmark score at 13871 versus 12928 for the RX 580. However, the RX 580 sits more closely among its nearest rivals (RTX 3050 Ti Mobile at 12940, GTX 1660 SUPER at 12986), while the RX 570X matches the RTX A2000 Mobile (13821) and RX 660M (13812). The higher average for the RX 570X is driven by its strong OpenCL result.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The three direct comparisons paint a lopsided picture. The largest win belongs to the RX 580 in Passmark G3D: 8813 versus 1923, a 78.2% advantage. This is the definitive metric for 3D rendering performance, and the gap is enormous. To contextualize, the RX 580’s nearest rivals in average score include the RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (12940) and GTX 1660 SUPER (12986), both within 0.4% — meaning the RX 580’s 3D score is consistent with its overall position. The RX 570X’s 1923 G3D score is an outlier relative to its 13871 average, dragged down by this single weak result.

The RX 580 also wins Passmark G2D, albeit narrowly: 769 versus 750, a 2.5% margin. This covers 2D acceleration, desktop rendering, and basic video decode pathways. It is a small but consistent lead, reflecting the RX 580’s higher base clock (1257 MHz vs 1168 MHz) and memory bandwidth.

The RX 570X’s sole victory is Geekbench OpenCL: 38939 versus 37453, a 4% edge. This is a compute-focused test measuring raw OpenCL throughput. The RX 570X achieves this despite having fewer shading units (2048 vs 2304) and lower clocks (1244 MHz boost vs 1340 MHz) — suggesting better per-clock OpenCL efficiency or driver optimization for this specific workload. However, 4% is a modest win compared to the RX 580’s 78.2% blowout in G3D.

Looking at the broader benchmark set for the RX 580, it shows strong DirectX performance across versions: Passmark DirectX 9 scores 124, DirectX 11 scores 60, DirectX 12 scores 43, and DirectX 10 scores 46. Its Vulkan score is 45173 and Metal score is 45235 in Geekbench tests. The RX 570X has no such breadth of data — only the three head-to-head tests plus its G2D and G3D results. This data asymmetry itself favors the RX 580 as the more thoroughly validated card. The RX 580’s Passmark GPU compute score of 3488 further underscores its compute competence outside of OpenCL, a category where the RX 570X has no listed result. In sum, the RX 580 wins on breadth, depth, and sheer 3D dominance; the RX 570X wins one narrow compute benchmark and the overall average score, but that is cold comfort against a 78.2% G3D deficit.