AMD Radeon RX 570X vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 570X and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 represent two distinct eras of GPU design, separated by nearly a decade of architectural evolution. The benchmark data available for direct comparison is limited to a single OpenCL test, but the disparity in that result is overwhelming. The RX 570X delivers a Geekbench OpenCL score of 38,939, while the GTX 480 manages only 13,300, yielding a commanding 192.8% advantage for the AMD part. This single metric, combined with the broader specification sheets, paints a clear picture of generational progress.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct head-to-head benchmark result is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and it is decisively one-sided. The AMD Radeon RX 570X scores 38,939 points, which is nearly triple the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480's score of 13,300 points. The delta percentage of 192.8% indicates that the RX 570X is not merely faster; it is almost three times as performant in this compute-oriented workload. This is a massive generational leap, reflecting the fundamental architectural and process technology advantages held by the newer card.

In terms of overall standing, the RX 570X holds an average benchmark score of 13,871 and sits at the 55th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile (13,821) and AMD Radeon 660M (13,812), are within a 0.4% delta, showing that the RX 570X is competitively placed within its contemporary performance class. Interestingly, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT, a far more powerful card, is listed as a nearest rival with an average score of 13,745, a 0.9% delta, which highlights how average scores can cluster even when peak performance differs vastly.

The GTX 480, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 13,300, placing it at the 53rd percentile. Its nearest rivals are all AMD mobile or older parts, including the AMD Radeon Pro 555X (13,321) and AMD FirePro M6100 (13,354), with negative deltas of -0.2% and -0.4% respectively. This indicates that the GTX 480's performance level, while once flagship-class, has been equaled or surpassed by far more modest modern hardware. The data shows that the RX 570X is not just a step ahead; it is in a different performance tier altogether.

Architecture Differences

The architectural chasm between these two cards is vast. The RX 570X is built on the Polaris 20 chip using AMD's GCN 4.0 architecture, fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. In contrast, the GTX 480 uses the GF100 chip with NVIDIA's Fermi architecture, built on a much older 40 nm process at TSMC. This process difference is critical: the RX 570X packs 5,700 million transistors into a 232 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 24.6M per mm². The GTX 480, with 3,100 million transistors on a massive 529 mm² die, achieves only 5.9M transistors per mm². The RX 570X is denser and more efficient by an order of magnitude in this metric.

The compute resources differ dramatically. The RX 570X features 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 480 has only 480 shading units, 60 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. While the GTX 480 has more ROPs, the RX 570X has over four times the shading units and more than double the TMUs. This translates directly to raw throughput: the RX 570X delivers 5.095 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and a texture rate of 159.2 GTexel/s, whereas the GTX 480 offers 1,345.0 GFLOPS (or 1.345 TFLOPS) and 42.06 GTexel/s. The pixel rate also favors the newer card, with 39.81 GPixel/s versus 21.03 GPixel/s.

Memory configurations also separate the two. The RX 570X uses 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 480 uses 1536 MB of GDDR5 on a wider 384-bit bus, but its slower memory clock yields only 177.4 GB/s. The RX 570X has both more capacity and higher bandwidth. Furthermore, the RX 570X supports modern APIs including Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_0), while the GTX 480 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and has no Vulkan support listed. The RX 570X also uses PCIe 3.0 x16, versus the GTX 480's PCIe 2.0 x16.

The Verdict

From a purely performance standpoint, the data is unambiguous. The AMD Radeon RX 570X is the superior product in every measurable benchmark category. Its Geekbench OpenCL score is 192.8% higher, its FP32 throughput is over 3.7 times greater, and it offers more memory, bandwidth, and modern API support. The GTX 480 is a relic of a bygone era; its 53rd percentile standing and nearest rivals consisting of modest mobile parts confirm that its performance has been thoroughly eclipsed.

The GTX 480 does have a launch MSRP of 499 USD, but this historical figure does not change the current performance landscape. For any user seeking compute performance, modern API compatibility, or simply a higher benchmark score, the RX 570X is the clear choice. The GTX 480's only advantage lies in its legacy status as a piece of computing history. The verdict is simple: choose the RX 570X for any practical application.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the AMD Radeon RX 570X than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 in OpenCL?

A: The RX 570X scores 38,939 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 192.8% higher than the GTX 480's score of 13,300.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 570X, with 24.6M transistors per mm², compared to the GTX 480's 5.9M transistors per mm².

Q: What is the memory size difference?

A: The RX 570X has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the GTX 480 has 1536 MB (1.5 GB) of GDDR5.

Q: Does the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 support Vulkan?

A: No, the data lists no Vulkan support for the GTX 480, whereas the RX 570X supports Vulkan 1.3.

Q: Which card has a higher FP32 (single-precision) performance?

A: The RX 570X, with 5.095 TFLOPS, compared to the GTX 480's 1,345.0 GFLOPS.

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The RX 570X, with an average score of 13,871, versus the GTX 480's 13,300.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 570X wins in every head-to-head benchmark category listed. It dominates the only direct comparison, Geekbench OpenCL, with a 192.8% lead. It also wins on all derived performance metrics: pixel rate (39.81 vs 21.03 GPixel/s), texture rate (159.2 vs 42.06 GTexel/s), and FP32 compute (5.095 vs 1.345 TFLOPS). Its memory subsystem is superior as well, offering higher bandwidth and quadruple the capacity.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has no benchmark wins in the data. Its only potential advantages are historical or physical: it has a wider 384-bit memory bus and more ROPs (48 vs 32). However, these do not translate into superior performance in any listed test. The GTX 480's higher TDP of 250 W and requirement for a 600 W PSU, compared to the RX 570X's 150 W TDP and 450 W PSU suggestion, further underscore its inefficiency. The RX 570X is the definitive winner across all practical usage scenarios.

Specification Differences

The following table highlights the key specification differences between the two GPUs, based solely on the data provided.

| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 570X | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | Fermi |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 40 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 5,700 million | 3,100 million |

| Die Size | 232 mm² | 529 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 24.6M / mm² | 5.9M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1168 MHz | N/A |

| Boost Clock | 1244 MHz | N/A |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 1536 MB |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 384 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 224.0 GB/s | 177.4 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2048 | 480 |

| TMUs | 128 | 60 |

| ROPs | 32 | 48 |

| Pixel Rate | 39.81 GPixel/s | 21.03 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 159.2 GTexel/s | 42.06 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 5.095 TFLOPS | 1,345.0 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 150 W | 250 W |

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

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 600 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| DirectX Support | 12 (12_0) | 12 (11_0) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.3 | None |

| Length | 241 mm (9.5 inches) | 267 mm (10.5 inches) |

| Release Date | 2018-04-10 | 2010-03-25 |