AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a decisive outcome in this pairing, with the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP winning both head-to-head tests. The most dramatic margin comes in the Geekbench Vulkan test, where the RX 580 2048SP scores 38,666 against the GTX 780 Ti's 27,238. That is a 29.6% advantage for the AMD card. In Geekbench OpenCL, the gap is narrower but still favors the RX 580 2048SP: 29,668 versus 27,326, a 7.9% lead. The GTX 780 Ti does not register a single win in these head-to-head comparisons; the data shows two wins for AMD and zero for NVIDIA.

These results align with the broader average benchmark scores. The GTX 780 Ti holds an average benchmark score of 24,236, while the RX 580 2048SP averages 23,061. This means the GTX 780 Ti actually leads by roughly 5.1% when averaging across all benchmark tests, despite losing both direct comparisons. The explanation lies in the different test sets: the GTX 780 Ti's benchmarks include Geekbench Metal (18,144), OpenCL (27,326), and Vulkan (27,238), while the RX 580 2048SP includes 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 (849), OpenCL (29,668), and Vulkan (38,666). The 3DMark result is a low outlier for the AMD card, pulling its average down, whereas its Vulkan score is exceptionally strong.

Looking at percentile ranks, the GTX 780 Ti sits at the 70th percentile among all GPUs, while the RX 580 2048SP sits at the 68th percentile. This is a narrow separation. The GTX 780 Ti's nearest rivals include the GTX 1630 (average score 24,277, delta -0.2%), RTX 2080 SUPER (24,170, delta +0.3%), RX 6800S (24,063, delta +0.7%), and RX 6600 XT (24,442, delta -0.8%). For the RX 580 2048SP, its nearest rivals are the Intel Arc B580 (23,021, delta +0.2%), RTX 3080 (23,172, delta -0.5%), RTX 2080 (22,895, delta +0.7%), and P106-100 (23,249, delta -0.8%). The deltas are all within a single percentage point, indicating that both cards sit in a tightly clustered performance band.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations and manufacturing approaches. The GTX 780 Ti uses NVIDIA's Kepler architecture with the GK110B chip, built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The RX 580 2048SP uses AMD's GCN 4.0 architecture with the Polaris 20 chip, fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The node shrink is substantial: 28 nm versus 14 nm. This explains the transistor density difference, where the RX 580 2048SP packs 24.6 million transistors per square millimeter versus the GTX 780 Ti's 12.6 million. Despite the smaller die (232 mm² versus 561 mm²), the RX 580 2048SP carries 5,700 million transistors versus 7,080 million on the GTX 780 Ti.

The compute configurations differ markedly. The GTX 780 Ti has 2,880 shading units, 240 texture mapping units, and 48 render output units. The RX 580 2048SP has 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. In raw shading unit count, the GTX 780 Ti holds a 40.6% advantage. However, clock speeds reverse some of that: the RX 580 2048SP runs at a base clock of 1,168 MHz and boost of 1,284 MHz, while the GTX 780 Ti is at 875 MHz base and 928 MHz boost. The higher clocks on the AMD card help narrow the compute throughput gap. The FP32 performance is nearly identical: 5.345 TFLOPS for the GTX 780 Ti versus 5.259 TFLOPS for the RX 580 2048SP, a difference of only 1.6%. The RX 580 2048SP also offers FP16 at 5.259 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio, while the GTX 780 Ti lists no FP16 capability.

Memory subsystems are another differentiator. The GTX 780 Ti uses 3 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus, yielding 336.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 580 2048SP has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, providing 224.0 GB/s. The GTX 780 Ti's wider bus gives it a 50.3% bandwidth advantage. Memory clocks are essentially the same: 1,753 MHz on the GTX 780 Ti and 1,750 MHz on the RX 580 2048SP, both with 7 Gbps effective data rate. Pixel and texture rates follow the ROP/TMU counts: the GTX 780 Ti achieves 55.68 GPixel/s and 222.7 GTexel/s, while the RX 580 2048SP achieves 41.09 GPixel/s and 164.4 GTexel/s.

API support differs. The GTX 780 Ti lists DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The RX 580 2048SP lists DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The AMD card supports a higher DirectX feature level and a newer Vulkan version. Display outputs also vary: the GTX 780 Ti has 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2; the RX 580 2048SP has 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split decision. For raw compute throughput, the two cards are nearly tied, with the GTX 780 Ti's 5.345 TFLOPS edging out the RX 580 2048SP's 5.259 TFLOPS. For memory bandwidth, the GTX 780 Ti is decisively ahead at 336.6 GB/s versus 224.0 GB/s. But in the actual head-to-head benchmark tests, the RX 580 2048SP wins both, and the Vulkan margin is substantial at 29.6%. The RX 580 2048SP also draws less power (150 W versus 250 W), requires a smaller PSU (450 W versus 600 W), and offers a newer API feature set.

The GTX 780 Ti's average benchmark score is higher (24,236 versus 23,061), and it holds a better percentile rank (70th versus 68th). Its nearest rival cluster includes higher-tier cards like the RTX 2080 SUPER, suggesting its overall performance profile is competitive with later-generation hardware. Yet the direct comparisons favor the RX 580 2048SP, particularly in Vulkan, where the 38,666 score is 42% higher than its own OpenCL result. The RX 580 2048SP's nearest rivals include the RTX 3080, which is a much newer and higher-tier card, indicating that its Vulkan performance is anomalously strong relative to its average.

For the GTX 780 Ti, the data shows a card with strong bandwidth and compute that struggles specifically in the newer API tests. Its Vulkan score of 27,238 is barely different from its OpenCL score of 27,326, suggesting it does not extract additional performance from Vulkan. The RX 580 2048SP, in contrast, sees a 30.3% improvement going from OpenCL to Vulkan. This is the single most informative data point in the comparison: the AMD card's architecture responds far better to Vulkan workloads.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two cards:

• Process node: 28 nm (GTX 780 Ti) versus 14 nm (RX 580 2048SP)
• Foundry: TSMC versus GlobalFoundries
• Transistors: 7,080 million versus 5,700 million
• Die size: 561 mm² versus 232 mm²
• Transistor density: 12.6M / mm² versus 24.6M / mm²
• Base clock: 875 MHz versus 1,168 MHz
• Boost clock: 928 MHz versus 1,284 MHz
• Memory size: 3 GB versus 4 GB
• Memory bus width: 384 bit versus 256 bit
• Memory bandwidth: 336.6 GB/s versus 224.0 GB/s
• Shading units: 2,880 versus 2,048
• TMUs: 240 versus 128
• ROPs: 48 versus 32
• Pixel rate: 55.68 GPixel/s versus 41.09 GPixel/s
• Texture rate: 222.7 GTexel/s versus 164.4 GTexel/s
• FP32: 5.345 TFLOPS versus 5.259 TFLOPS
• FP16: not listed versus 5.259 TFLOPS (1:1)
• TDP: 250 W versus 150 W
• Power connectors: 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin versus 1x 8-pin
• Suggested PSU: 600 W versus 450 W
• Display outputs: 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 versus 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
• DirectX support: 12 (11_1) versus 12 (12_0)
• Vulkan support: 1.2.175 versus 1.3
• Length: 267 mm versus 241 mm
• Launch MSRP: 699 USD versus not listed

FAQ

Q: Which card has higher raw FP32 compute?

A: The GTX 780 Ti has 5.345 TFLOPS versus the RX 580 2048SP's 5.259 TFLOPS, a 1.6% advantage for the NVIDIA card.

Q: Why does the RX 580 2048SP win the Vulkan test by so much?

A: The RX 580 2048SP scores 38,666 in Geekbench Vulkan versus 27,238 for the GTX 780 Ti, a 29.6% margin. The AMD card also supports Vulkan 1.3 while the NVIDIA card is limited to 1.2.175.

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 780 Ti has 336.6 GB/s of bandwidth on a 384-bit bus, versus 224.0 GB/s on a 256-bit bus for the RX 580 2048SP. This is a 50.3% advantage for the GTX 780 Ti.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The GTX 780 Ti has a 250 W TDP and recommends a 600 W PSU, while the RX 580 2048SP has a 150 W TDP and recommends a 450 W PSU.

Q: How do the cards compare in average benchmark score?

A: The GTX 780 Ti averages 24,236 across its benchmark set, while the RX 580 2048SP averages 23,061. The GTX 780 Ti leads by approximately 5.1%.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor density?

A: The RX 580 2048SP has 24.6M transistors per mm² on a 14 nm process, versus 12.6M per mm² for the GTX 780 Ti on 28 nm.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 580 2048SP wins in API-level performance. Its Vulkan score of 38,666 is 29.6% higher than the GTX 780 Ti's, and its OpenCL score of 29,668 is 7.9% higher. It also supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, making it the better choice for modern API workloads. Its newer process node (14 nm versus 28 nm) and higher transistor density point to better architectural efficiency. The lower power draw (150 W versus 250 W) and smaller PSU requirement (450 W versus 600 W) make it more suitable for compact or power-conscious systems. It also offers 4 GB of memory versus 3 GB, which can be relevant for larger textures.

The GTX 780 Ti wins in memory bandwidth, pixel throughput, and texture throughput. Its 336.6 GB/s bandwidth is 50.3% higher, its 55.68 GPixel/s pixel rate is 35.5% higher, and its 222.7 GTexel/s texture rate is 35.5% higher than the RX 580 2048SP's respective 41.09 GPixel/s and 164.4 GTexel/s. It also has more shading units (2,880 versus 2,048) and a higher FP32 peak (5.345 versus 5.259 TFLOPS). Its average benchmark score is higher (24,236 versus 23,061), and it sits at the 70th percentile versus the 68th. The GTX 780 Ti's nearest rivals include the RTX 2080 SUPER, indicating its overall performance remains competitive with much newer hardware. It also has a wider memory bus (384-bit versus 256-bit), which helps in bandwidth-bound scenarios.

For users prioritizing modern API support, Vulkan performance, and lower power consumption, the RX 580 2048SP is the data-backed choice. For users prioritizing memory bandwidth, texture fill, and overall average benchmark performance, the GTX 780 Ti holds the edge. The direct head-to-head results favor the AMD card two-to-zero, but the aggregate benchmark picture is closer, with each card holding advantages in different domains.