AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 represent two very different eras of GPU design, separated by nearly a decade of architectural evolution. The data shows the GTX 480 holds a narrow edge in the only shared benchmark, while the Vega 11 counters with a significantly higher overall average score and broader API support. This comparison is ultimately between a modern integrated processor and a legacy discrete flagship, with the numbers revealing a closer contest than the generational gap might suggest.

The Verdict

The benchmark results indicate that the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 is the choice for users prioritizing raw compute performance in legacy applications. In the sole head-to-head test, Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 480 scores 13,300 against the Vega 11’s 12,525, a 5.8% advantage. This makes it the winner of the only direct comparison available.

However, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 presents a more compelling overall package. Its average benchmark score across all tests is 14,385, which is 8.2% higher than the GTX 480’s 13,300 average. The Vega 11 also achieves a higher percentile ranking among all GPUs at 56, compared to the GTX 480’s 53. For any workload that leverages Vulkan or the full DirectX 12 feature set, the Vega 11 is the superior choice, as the GTX 480 lacks Vulkan support entirely and only reaches DirectX 12 (11_0).

The verdict is clear: the GTX 480 wins on legacy OpenCL compute, while the Vega 11 wins on versatility, modern API support, and overall average performance. The GTX 480’s 250 W TDP and requirement for a 600 W power supply also make it a demanding component, whereas the Vega 11’s 15 W TDP and integrated nature present no such hurdles. Users with an existing high-wattage PSU and a need for raw OpenCL throughput may favor the GTX 480, but for any modern use case, the Vega 11 is the more balanced and forward-looking option.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 480’s victory is confined to the specific domain of OpenCL compute. Its score of 13,300 in Geekbench OpenCL is its only benchmark result, and it is the sole test where it outperforms the Vega 11. This suggests that applications heavily reliant on OpenCL, particularly older professional or scientific software, would see a modest benefit from the Fermi-based card.

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 wins in every other measurable category. Its average benchmark score of 14,385 is higher than the GTX 480’s 13,300, indicating better performance across a wider range of workloads. The Vega 11 also excels in API support, offering Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_1), while the GTX 480 lacks Vulkan and only supports DirectX 12 (11_0). This makes the Vega 11 the only one of the two capable of running modern Vulkan-based games and applications. Additionally, the Vega 11’s 1.971 TFLOPS FP32 performance exceeds the GTX 480’s 1,345.0 GFLOPS, giving it a clear edge in general-purpose floating-point tasks.

The power and physical requirements also favor the Vega 11. As an IGP, it draws 15 W and requires no power connectors, while the GTX 480 is a dual-slot card drawing 250 W and needing both a 6-pin and an 8-pin power connector. This makes the Vega 11 a drop-in solution for any compatible motherboard, whereas the GTX 480 demands a dedicated slot, substantial power delivery, and a 600 W suggested PSU.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures and process nodes. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 uses the GCN 5.0 architecture on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with the Picasso chip containing 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 uses the Fermi architecture on a 40 nm process at TSMC, with the GF100 chip housing 3,100 million transistors on a much larger 529 mm² die. The transistor density tells the story of the manufacturing gap: the Vega 11 packs 23.5 million transistors per mm², versus just 5.9 million for the GTX 480.

The compute configurations are strikingly different. The Vega 11 has 704 shading units, 44 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. The GTX 480 has 480 shading units, 60 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. This means the GTX 480 has more texture and pixel processing hardware, which explains its higher pixel rate of 21.03 GPixel/s versus the Vega 11’s 11.20 GPixel/s. However, the Vega 11’s higher shading unit count and clock speeds give it the advantage in FP32 throughput.

Memory architecture is another major divergence. The Vega 11 uses system-shared memory, with its bandwidth described as "System Dependent." The GTX 480 has 1536 MB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus, providing 177.4 GB/s of bandwidth. This dedicated memory gives the GTX 480 a significant advantage in memory-bound scenarios. The Vega 11 compensates with a boost clock of 1400 MHz, while the GTX 480’s core clock is not listed.

Feature support also differs. The Vega 11 supports Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_1), while the GTX 480 has no Vulkan support and only reaches DirectX 12 (11_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6. The Vega 11’s FP16 performance is listed at 3.942 TFLOPS (2:1), while the GTX 480 has no FP16 capability listed. The Vega 11 is also noted as the successor to GCN 3.0 IGP and predecessor to Vega II IGP, while the GTX 480 comes from the GeForce 400 generation.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 has a significantly higher average benchmark score of 14,385, compared to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480’s 13,300.

Q: Does the GTX 480 support modern Vulkan games?

A: No, the GTX 480 has no Vulkan support listed. The Vega 11 supports Vulkan 1.3, making it the only one of the two capable of running Vulkan-based applications.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The Vega 11 is rated at a 15 W TDP and is an integrated processor, while the GTX 480 is a dual-slot card with a 250 W TDP, requiring a 600 W suggested PSU and both a 6-pin and 8-pin power connector.

Q: How do their memory subsystems compare?

A: The Vega 11 uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, while the GTX 480 has 1536 MB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus with 177.4 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 has 704 shading units, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has 480 shading units.

Q: What is the release date difference?

A: The GTX 480 was released on 2010-03-25, while the Vega 11 was released on 2019-07-06, a gap of over nine years.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is Geekbench OpenCL. In this test, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 scores 13,300, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 scores 12,525. The delta percentage is -5.8% for the Vega 11, indicating the GTX 480 is 5.8% faster in this specific workload. This is a clear win for the GTX 480, and it aligns with the card’s dedicated memory and higher pixel fill rate.

However, the broader benchmark picture favors the Vega 11. The Vega 11’s average benchmark score of 14,385 is 1,085 points higher than the GTX 480’s average of 13,300, representing an 8.2% advantage. The Vega 11 also participates in more benchmark tests, with scores in Geekbench Metal (17,086), Geekbench OpenCL (12,525), and Geekbench Vulkan (13,543). The GTX 480 only has a single OpenCL result. The Vega 11’s Vulkan score of 13,543 alone exceeds the GTX 480’s OpenCL score, and its Metal result is particularly strong.

The FP32 compute performance further illustrates the Vega 11’s advantage. The Vega 11 delivers 1.971 TFLOPS, while the GTX 480 delivers 1,345.0 GFLOPS. This translates to the Vega 11 being roughly 46.5% faster in raw FP32 throughput. The Vega 11 also offers FP16 performance at 3.942 TFLOPS (2:1), a capability the GTX 480 does not list at all. These differences suggest that while the GTX 480 wins the single OpenCL test, the Vega 11 is the stronger overall compute performer.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification field. The process node is a major divider: the Vega 11 uses a 12 nm process, while the GTX 480 uses a 40 nm process. The Vega 11’s chip, Picasso, contains 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while the GTX 480’s GF100 chip has 3,100 million transistors on a 529 mm² die. Transistor density is 23.5M / mm² for the Vega 11 versus 5.9M / mm² for the GTX 480.

Clock speeds also differ. The Vega 11 has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 1400 MHz. The GTX 480’s base and boost clocks are not listed, but its memory clock is 924 MHz (3.7 Gbps effective). The Vega 11’s memory is system-shared, while the GTX 480 uses 1536 MB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus with 177.4 GB/s bandwidth.

Pixel and texture rates show the GTX 480’s advantage in fixed-function throughput. The GTX 480 has a pixel rate of 21.03 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 42.06 GTexel/s, while the Vega 11 has 11.20 GPixel/s and 61.60 GTexel/s. The Vega 11 wins on texture rate but loses on pixel rate. The shading unit count favors the Vega 11 (704 vs. 480), while the TMU (44 vs. 60) and ROP (8 vs. 48) counts favor the GTX 480.

Power and physical specifications are starkly different. The Vega 11 is an IGP with a 15 W TDP, no power connectors, and motherboard-dependent display outputs. The GTX 480 is a dual-slot card with a 250 W TDP, 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin power connectors, a 600 W suggested PSU, and a length of 267 mm (10.5 inches). The bus interface is IGP for the Vega 11 and PCIe 2.0 x16 for the GTX 480.

API support shows the Vega 11’s modernity. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The GTX 480 supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but has no Vulkan support. The launch MSRP for the GTX 480 was 499 USD, while the Vega 11 has no launch MSRP listed.