AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM Comparison

The benchmark data is unequivocal: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is in a completely different performance class than the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11. In the two shared tests, the RTX 3050 OEM leads by margins of 385% and 321.6%, making any direct comparison a formality. The RTX 3050 OEM is a dedicated, end-of-life discrete GPU from the GeForce 30-series, while the RX Vega 11 is a 15 W integrated graphics processor (IGP) from the GCN 5.0 era. The verdict is simple: the RTX 3050 OEM is for anyone needing playable frame rates in modern titles, while the RX Vega 11 is for basic desktop output and legacy gaming, strictly based on the data.

The Verdict

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the only viable choice for gaming or GPU-accelerated compute. Its average benchmark score of 15199 places it in the 57th percentile of all GPUs, putting it in the same performance bracket as the AMD Radeon RX 7600 (which scores 15171, a delta of just 0.2%) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (15290, a delta of -0.6%). This means the RTX 3050 OEM delivers performance comparable to a previous-generation mid-range card, which is a substantial capability for a 130 W part.

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11, with an average score of 14385, sits in the 56th percentile, but that percentile placement is misleading. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (14373, delta 0.1%) and the GTX 965M (14404, delta -0.1%), which are both ancient or mobile parts. The Vega 11 is an IGP with a 15 W TDP, and its performance profile is fundamentally limited by its shared memory architecture and low core count.

The data shows no scenario where the RX Vega 11 wins. In the head-to-head benchmarks, the RTX 3050 OEM wins both tests. The RTX 3050 OEM is for gamers and creators on a strict platform budget who still want a real GPU. The RX Vega 11 is strictly for office machines, media PCs, or systems where a discrete GPU is impossible or unnecessary. There is no nuance here; the performance gap is a chasm.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two parts is generational and fundamental. The RTX 3050 OEM is built on NVIDIA's Ampere architecture, fabricated on an 8 nm process at Samsung. It packs 12,000 million transistors into a 276 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 43.5M per mm². The RX Vega 11, in contrast, uses AMD's GCN 5.0 architecture, built on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It contains 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, with a density of 23.5M per mm². The RTX 3050 OEM has more than double the transistor density, a direct result of the newer process node.

The feature set is where the RTX 3050 OEM pulls far ahead. It includes 18 dedicated ray tracing cores and 72 tensor cores, hardware that the RX Vega 11 lacks entirely (both fields are null in the data). This enables hardware-accelerated ray tracing and DLSS-like AI features on the NVIDIA part. The RX Vega 11 is a pure rasterization engine. The API support also reflects this: the RTX 3050 OEM supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the Vega 11 tops out at DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3.

The compute capabilities are starkly different. The RTX 3050 OEM has 2304 shading units, 72 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The RX Vega 11 has 704 shading units, 44 TMUs, and only 8 ROPs. The RTX 3050 OEM's FP32 throughput is 8.087 TFLOPS, compared to the Vega 11's 1.971 TFLOPS. Even the FP16 rates differ in approach: the RTX 3050 OEM offers 8.087 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), while the Vega 11 offers 3.942 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), showing a different design philosophy for mixed-precision workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only two tests where both GPUs have data are Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan, and the RTX 3050 OEM wins both by an enormous margin. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 3050 OEM scores 60740 versus the RX Vega 11's 12525, a delta of 385%. This is not a marginal win; it is a four-fold increase in raw compute throughput. For any OpenCL-accelerated workload, the RTX 3050 OEM is the only practical option.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the gap is slightly smaller but still massive. The RTX 3050 OEM scores 57103, while the RX Vega 11 manages 13543, a delta of 321.6%. Vulkan is a modern low-level API, and the RTX 3050 OEM's superior hardware (more ROPs, higher texture rate, dedicated RT cores) translates directly into a three-fold performance advantage. The data shows no test where the RX Vega 11 is competitive.

The RX Vega 11 does have a Geekbench Metal score of 17086, but the RTX 3050 OEM has no corresponding Metal result, making a direct comparison impossible. Even if it did, the OpenCL and Vulkan deltas suggest the outcome would be similarly one-sided. The wins tally is 2-0 in favor of the RTX 3050 OEM, which accurately reflects the performance hierarchy.

Specification Differences

The most critical specification difference is memory. The RTX 3050 OEM has 8 GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX Vega 11 uses System Shared memory, with its bandwidth listed as "System Dependent." This means the Vega 11's performance is bottlenecked by the system's main memory speed and the IGP's access to it, a fundamental disadvantage for any texture-heavy workload.

Clock speeds also differ dramatically. The RTX 3050 OEM has a base clock of 1515 MHz and a boost clock of 1755 MHz. The RX Vega 11 has a base clock of just 300 MHz and a boost clock of 1400 MHz. The base clock disparity is particularly telling: the NVIDIA part's idle speed is higher than the AMD part's boost speed.

The physical specifications are polar opposites. The RTX 3050 OEM is a dual-slot card measuring 242 mm (9.5 inches) in length, requiring a 300 W suggested PSU and a single 8-pin power connector. It has a TDP of 130 W. The RX Vega 11 is an IGP with a 15 W TDP, no power connectors, and no physical dimensions. It draws power from the motherboard and is entirely dependent on the host system. The RTX 3050 OEM uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, while the Vega 11 is hardwired into the chipset.

The RTX 3050 OEM also has a distinct display output configuration: 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The RX Vega 11's outputs are "Motherboard Dependent," meaning they vary by the specific motherboard model. The NVIDIA part is also newer, released in 2022, while the Vega 11 launched in 2019.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute performance?

A: The RTX 3050 OEM. Its FP32 throughput is 8.087 TFLOPS, compared to the RX Vega 11's 1.971 TFLOPS. This is a 4x advantage in raw floating-point performance.

Q: Can the RX Vega 11 handle ray tracing?

A: No. The RX Vega 11 has no ray tracing cores (the field is null), while the RTX 3050 OEM has 18 dedicated RT cores. The Vega 11 also lacks tensor cores for AI acceleration.

Q: How does memory bandwidth compare?

A: The RTX 3050 OEM has 224.0 GB/s of dedicated GDDR6 bandwidth on a 128-bit bus. The RX Vega 11 uses System Shared memory, making its bandwidth "System Dependent" and generally much lower.

Q: Is the performance gap consistent across APIs?

A: Yes. In Geekbench Vulkan, the RTX 3050 OEM leads by 321.6%. In Geekbench OpenCL, it leads by 385%. The gap is larger in OpenCL but remains massive in both.

Q: Which GPU is more power-efficient?

A: The RX Vega 11 has a 15 W TDP, while the RTX 3050 OEM is rated at 130 W. However, the RTX 3050 OEM's performance per watt is far higher, given its 4x compute lead.

Q: What is the RTX 3050 OEM's closest rival in the data?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7600, which scores 15171 against the RTX 3050 OEM's 15199, a delta of just 0.2%. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is also close at 15290 (-0.6%).

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3050 OEM wins in every measurable category. It wins in compute-heavy workloads like OpenCL and Vulkan. It wins in memory bandwidth, with 224.0 GB/s versus a system-dependent amount. It wins in feature support, with ray tracing and tensor cores that the Vega 11 lacks. It wins in API compatibility, supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4 versus the Vega 11's DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3. For any task involving 3D rendering, modern gaming, or GPU compute, the RTX 3050 OEM is the definitive choice.

The RX Vega 11's only wins are in system integration and power draw. At 15 W, it requires no additional power connectors and fits in any motherboard with an IGP-compatible socket. It is the only option for a system where a discrete GPU cannot physically be installed. Its performance is sufficient for basic 2D desktop work, video playback, and legacy DirectX 9-era titles, but the data shows it sits near the bottom of the 56th percentile, alongside the GTX TITAN and GTX 965M. The RTX 3050 OEM is a dedicated GPU for dedicated work; the RX Vega 11 is a convenience feature for basic systems.