AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 vs NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A and AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 represent two very different approaches to graphics processing, separated by four years of architectural evolution and targeting entirely different use cases. The data reveals a fascinating contrast: the MX570 A is a modern, ultra-low-power mobile solution built on a state-of-the-art 8nm process, while the RX Vega 56 is a power-hungry desktop behemoth from the GCN era. Their average benchmark scores are surprisingly close, yet the underlying specifications and performance profiles could not be more different.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The direct head-to-head benchmark data is sparse, but the individual benchmark results and aggregate scores paint a vivid picture of their respective strengths. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 achieves an average benchmark score of 37,507, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A posts a slightly higher average of 38,691. This puts the MX570 A approximately 3.2% ahead in aggregate performance, a margin that is surprisingly narrow given the massive differences in power consumption and physical size.

Looking at specific tests, the RX Vega 56 excels in compute-heavy workloads. Its Geekbench Metal score of 73,512 is nearly double the MX570 A's Geekbench Vulkan score of 37,601. This suggests that in Apple-centric or Metal-optimized environments, the Vega 56 is in a completely different performance class. Conversely, the MX570 A counters with a Geekbench OpenCL score of 39,780 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 37,601, showing strong cross-API consistency.

The RX Vega 56 also posts a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,501, a modern benchmark that the MX570 A has no equivalent result for. This absence is telling — the MX570 A's 2GB of VRAM and 64-bit memory bus would likely struggle with the texture and geometry demands of this test. The aggregate scores place both GPUs at the 81st percentile among all GPUs, meaning they sit in the same performance tier despite their architectural chasm.

When examining nearest rivals, the MX570 A's closest competitor is the AMD Radeon Pro 580X, with a delta of 0% (scores of 38,706 vs 38,691). It also edges out the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile by 0.9% and the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 by 1%. The RX Vega 56, meanwhile, trades blows with the NVIDIA Tesla P4 (-0.3%) and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 (-0.4%), while leading the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 by 0.9%.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A leads with an average benchmark score of 38,691, compared to the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56's 37,507. This represents a 3.2% advantage for the MX570 A in aggregate performance.

Q: How do their memory subsystems compare?

A: The RX Vega 56 uses 8GB of HBM2 memory on a 2048-bit bus, delivering 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The MX570 A uses 2GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, providing 96.00 GB/s. The Vega 56 offers 4x the capacity and over 4x the bandwidth.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The MX570 A has a TDP of 25W and requires no power connectors, while the RX Vega 56 has a TDP of 210W and needs two 8-pin power connectors with a suggested PSU of 550W. The Vega 56 consumes 8.4x more power.

Q: Which GPU supports newer graphics APIs?

A: The MX570 A supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The RX Vega 56 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The MX570 A has a higher DirectX feature level and a newer Vulkan version.

Q: How do their transistor counts and die sizes differ?

A: The RX Vega 56 packs 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die using a 14nm process. The MX570 A has 8,700 million transistors on a 200 mm² die using an 8nm process. This gives the MX570 A a transistor density of 43.5M/mm² versus 25.3M/mm² for the Vega 56.

Q: Are these GPUs still in production?

A: Both are end-of-life products. The MX570 A was released in December 2021, while the RX Vega 56 launched in August 2017. The Vega 56's predecessor was Polaris, and its successor is Navi.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs spans four years and two fundamentally different design philosophies. The MX570 A uses the Ampere architecture, built on Samsung's 8nm process, while the RX Vega 56 uses GCN 5.0 (Vega), fabricated by GlobalFoundries on a 14nm node. This process difference is stark: the MX570 A achieves 43.5 million transistors per square millimeter on a 200 mm² die, while the Vega 56 manages only 25.3M/mm² on a much larger 495 mm² die.

The compute configurations tell a story of divergent priorities. The MX570 A features 2,048 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, supplemented by 16 ray tracing cores and 64 tensor cores. The RX Vega 56 counters with 3,584 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, but has no ray tracing or tensor cores. This means the Vega 56 has 75% more shading units and 3.5x more texture mapping units, but lacks the dedicated AI and ray tracing hardware of the Ampere part.

Clock speeds and compute rates reinforce the contrast. The MX570 A runs at a base clock of 832 MHz with a boost of 1155 MHz, delivering 4.731 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. The Vega 56 operates at 1156 MHz base and 1471 MHz boost, producing 10.54 TFLOPS of FP32 — more than double the compute throughput. In FP16, the Vega 56 pushes 21.09 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), while the MX570 A manages 4.731 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio). The pixel and texture rates follow suit: the Vega 56 achieves 94.14 GPixel/s and 329.5 GTexel/s versus 36.96 GPixel/s and 73.92 GTexel/s for the MX570 A.

Memory architecture represents perhaps the most significant divergence. The MX570 A uses 2GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective), yielding 96.00 GB/s. The Vega 56 uses 8GB of HBM2 on a 2048-bit bus at 800 MHz (1600 Mbps effective), delivering 409.6 GB/s — a 4.3x bandwidth advantage. The Vega 56's memory bandwidth is clearly designed for high-resolution textures and large datasets, while the MX570 A's smaller pool suits lighter workloads.

The Verdict

The benchmark data indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A and AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 occupy the same overall performance percentile (81st) despite radically different designs. For users prioritizing energy efficiency and modern feature support, the MX570 A is the clear choice — its 25W TDP, integrated form factor, and DirectX 12 Ultimate support make it suitable for thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermals are paramount. The inclusion of ray tracing and tensor cores provides forward-looking capability that the Vega 56 simply cannot match.

Conversely, the RX Vega 56 is the pick for raw compute throughput and memory bandwidth. Its 10.54 TFLOPS FP32 performance, 409.6 GB/s bandwidth, and 8GB of HBM2 memory make it far better suited for demanding gaming at high resolutions or compute-heavy professional workloads. The 2:1 FP16 ratio at 21.09 TFLOPS opens possibilities in AI and scientific computing that the MX570 A's 1:1 ratio cannot approach.

The MX570 A's higher average benchmark score (38,691 vs 37,507) is noteworthy given its 25W power envelope, suggesting exceptional efficiency. However, the Vega 56's superior performance in Metal and DX12-specific tests indicates it still holds advantages in certain optimized environments. Users who need a discrete GPU that sips power and supports the latest APIs should choose the MX570 A. Those who need maximum memory bandwidth and raw compute power, and can tolerate a 210W power draw with a dual-slot footprint, should opt for the RX Vega 56.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ on nearly every specification field. The MX570 A uses the GA107SB chip on an 8nm Samsung process, while the Vega 56 uses the Vega 10 chip on a 14nm GlobalFoundries process. Transistor counts are 8,700 million versus 12,500 million, with die sizes of 200 mm² versus 495 mm². Clock speeds differ: the MX570 A runs at 832 MHz base and 1155 MHz boost, while the Vega 56 runs at 1156 MHz base and 1471 MHz boost. Memory configurations are vastly different — 2GB GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus versus 8GB HBM2 on a 2048-bit bus. Compute units differ at 2,048 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs versus 3,584 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The MX570 A includes 16 RT cores and 64 tensor cores; the Vega 56 has neither. Pixel rate is 36.96 GPixel/s versus 94.14 GPixel/s, texture rate is 73.92 GTexel/s versus 329.5 GTexel/s, and FP32 is 4.731 TFLOPS versus 10.54 TFLOPS. TDP is 25W versus 210W, slot width is IGP versus dual-slot, and power connectors are none versus 2x 8-pin. The MX570 A uses PCIe 4.0 x8, while the Vega 56 uses PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs are portable-device-dependent versus 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The API support differs in DirectX (12 Ultimate 12_2 vs 12_1) and Vulkan (1.4 vs 1.3). The Vega 56 has dimensions of 280mm x 111mm x 40mm and a launch MSRP of 399 USD.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A wins in scenarios where power efficiency and portability are critical. Its 25W TDP, integrated form factor, and lack of power connectors make it ideal for ultra-thin laptops where battery life is paramount. The modern Ampere architecture provides DirectX 12 Ultimate support, ray tracing cores, and tensor cores, enabling features like DLSS and hardware-accelerated ray tracing that the Vega 56 cannot offer. Its higher average benchmark score (38,691 vs 37,507) and 81st percentile ranking show it delivers competitive performance in a fraction of the power envelope. The MX570 A also wins on transistor density (43.5M/mm² vs 25.3M/mm²), demonstrating superior design efficiency.

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 wins in raw performance and memory-intensive workloads. Its 8GB of HBM2 memory with 409.6 GB/s bandwidth is 4.3x faster than the MX570 A's GDDR6, making it superior for high-resolution textures, large datasets, and memory-bandwidth-bound applications. The 10.54 TFLOPS FP32 and 21.09 TFLOPS FP16 performance are more than double the MX570 A's 4.731 TFLOPS, giving it a significant edge in compute-heavy tasks like rendering, scientific simulation, and machine learning. The 3,584 shading units and 224 TMUs provide 75% and 350% more parallel processing resources, respectively, for geometry-heavy workloads. Its 94.14 GPixel/s pixel rate and 329.5 GTexel/s texture rate are 2.5x and 4.5x higher, respectively, enabling smoother performance in high-resolution gaming. The Vega 56 also wins in the Geekbench Metal test with a score of 73,512 versus the MX570 A's Vulkan score of 37,601, indicating superior performance in Metal-optimized applications. The RX Vega 56's 280mm length, dual-slot design, and 550W suggested PSU reflect its desktop-oriented nature, where power and space constraints are less restrictive.