AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 vs NVIDIA GRID M60-1Q Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data splits the two cards across different test suites, and the results are decisive in opposite directions. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 holds a clear advantage in the DirectX 12 workload, while the NVIDIA GRID M60-1Q takes the lead in the Vulkan-based test. This is not a case where one card dominates every scenario; instead, each product was built for a different primary use case, and the data reflects that divergence.

The RX Vega 56 scores 1501 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, a modern rasterization test that stresses geometry, shading, and memory throughput. That score places it ahead of the GRID M60-1Q by a significant margin in this particular workload. The GRID M60-1Q, by contrast, records a Geekbench Vulkan score of 31220, which is its only entry in the database. The RX Vega 56 also has a Geekbench Metal score of 73512, though the GRID M60-1Q has no Metal result to compare directly.

From a use-case perspective, the RX Vega 56 is positioned for client-side rendering, gaming, and workstation graphics where DirectX 12 performance matters most. The GRID M60-1Q, with its single 1 GB frame buffer and lack of display outputs, is clearly a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) or cloud gaming card, where the Vulkan API is often used for server-side rendering and streaming. The data shows that the GRID M60-1Q wins in Vulkan, which aligns with its intended role in virtualized environments.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this split. The RX Vega 56 has an average score of 37507 across its recorded tests, while the GRID M60-1Q averages 31220. That is a 20.1% gap in favor of the AMD card on aggregate, but the individual test results tell a more nuanced story. The RX Vega 56 wins the DirectX 12 test outright, and the GRID M60-1Q wins the Vulkan test outright. For users who prioritize one API over the other, the choice is straightforward.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from entirely different architectural generations, and the gap in manufacturing technology is substantial. The RX Vega 56 uses the Vega 10 chip built on GlobalFoundries' 14 nm process, packing 12,500 million transistors into a 495 mm² die. That yields a transistor density of 25.3 million per square millimeter. The GRID M60-1Q uses the GM204 chip on TSMC's 28 nm process, with 5,200 million transistors on a 398 mm² die, giving a density of 13.1 million per square millimeter. The Vega 10 die is nearly 24% larger physically but carries more than double the transistor count.

The architectural generation also differs. The RX Vega 56 is based on GCN 5.0, released in the Vega product generation, while the GRID M60-1Q is based on Maxwell 2.0, from the GRID Mx generation. The RX Vega 56 was released on 2017-08-13, and the GRID M60-1Q came earlier on 2015-08-29. The RX Vega 56 lists its predecessor as Polaris and successor as Navi, while the GRID M60-1Q has neither predecessor nor successor recorded.

Shader resources diverge sharply. The RX Vega 56 has 3584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operations pipelines. The GRID M60-1Q has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. That means the AMD card has 75% more shaders and 75% more TMUs, while the ROP count is identical at 64.

Clock speeds also favor the RX Vega 56. The AMD card runs at a base clock of 1156 MHz and a boost clock of 1471 MHz. The GRID M60-1Q runs at a much lower base of 557 MHz but boosts to 1178 MHz, still 293 MHz below the AMD boost. The memory systems are completely different: the RX Vega 56 uses 8 GB of HBM2 on a 2048-bit bus, delivering 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth, while the GRID M60-1Q uses 1 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 160.4 GB/s.

The RX Vega 56 also carries display outputs (1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a), while the GRID M60-1Q has no outputs at all. The API support is nearly identical, with both supporting DirectX 12 (12_1) and OpenGL 4.6. The GRID M60-1Q supports Vulkan 1.4, while the RX Vega 56 supports Vulkan 1.3.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Direct comparison data is limited, but the available results are telling. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the RX Vega 56 records a score of 1501. There is no corresponding DX12 score for the GRID M60-1Q in the database, so the comparison relies on the aggregate metrics. The RX Vega 56's average benchmark score is 37507, and its closest rival in the database is the NVIDIA Tesla P4 at 37628, a delta of -0.3%. The GRID M60-1Q's average score is 31220, which puts it 0% away from the NVIDIA Quadro M5000 at 31206.

For the Vulkan test, the GRID M60-1Q scores 31220 on Geekbench Vulkan. The RX Vega 56 does not have a Vulkan score recorded. The GRID M60-1Q's percentile ranking is 76, meaning it outperforms 76% of all GPUs in the database. The RX Vega 56 ranks higher at the 81st percentile.

Breaking down the raw throughput rates, the RX Vega 56 achieves a pixel rate of 94.14 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 329.5 GTexel/s. The GRID M60-1Q manages 75.39 GPixel/s and 150.8 GTexel/s. The AMD card is 24.9% faster in pixel throughput and more than double the texture throughput. In floating point, the RX Vega 56 delivers 10.54 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the GRID M60-1Q delivers 4.825 TFLOPS, a 118% advantage for the AMD card. The RX Vega 56 also offers FP16 at 21.09 TFLOPS, while the GRID M60-1Q has no FP16 capability recorded.

The power draw is comparable at the board level: the RX Vega 56 is rated at 210 W, and the GRID M60-1Q at 225 W. Both recommend a 550 W power supply. The RX Vega 56 uses two 8-pin connectors, while the GRID M60-1Q uses a single 8-pin. The RX Vega 56 is longer at 280 mm versus 267 mm, and it has recorded height and width dimensions (111 mm and 40 mm), while the GRID M60-1Q only lists length.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 has an average benchmark score of 37507, compared to 31220 for the NVIDIA GRID M60-1Q. That is a 20.1% difference in favor of the AMD card.

Q: How do the two cards compare in terms of memory bandwidth?

A: The RX Vega 56 uses 8 GB of HBM2 on a 2048-bit bus, providing 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The GRID M60-1Q uses 1 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, providing 160.4 GB/s. The AMD card offers 255.2 GB/s more bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor count?

A: The RX Vega 56 contains 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die, while the GRID M60-1Q contains 5,200 million transistors on a 398 mm² die. The AMD chip has more than double the transistor count.

Q: What is the Vulkan performance difference?

A: The GRID M60-1Q scores 31220 on Geekbench Vulkan, and it is the only benchmark recorded for that card. The RX Vega 56 has no Vulkan score in the database, so a direct comparison in that API is not possible from the recorded data.

Q: Do both cards support the same APIs?

A: Both support DirectX 12 (12_1) and OpenGL 4.6. The GRID M60-1Q supports Vulkan 1.4, while the RX Vega 56 supports Vulkan 1.3. Neither card has ray tracing or tensor core hardware.

Q: Which card is larger physically?

A: The RX Vega 56 is 280 mm long, 111 mm tall, and 40 mm wide. The GRID M60-1Q is 267 mm long, with no height or width recorded. Both are dual-slot cards.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every major specification category. The process node is 14 nm for the RX Vega 56 and 28 nm for the GRID M60-1Q. The foundry is GlobalFoundries for AMD and TSMC for NVIDIA. Transistor count is 12,500 million versus 5,200 million, and die size is 495 mm² versus 398 mm².

Base clock speeds are 1156 MHz for the RX Vega 56 and 557 MHz for the GRID M60-1Q. Boost clocks are 1471 MHz and 1178 MHz, respectively. The RX Vega 56 has 3584 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The GRID M60-1Q has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs.

Memory capacity is 8 GB of HBM2 for the AMD card and 1 GB of GDDR5 for the NVIDIA card. Bus width is 2048 bits versus 256 bits. Memory bandwidth is 409.6 GB/s versus 160.4 GB/s. The RX Vega 56 has a memory clock of 800 MHz, while the GRID M60-1Q runs at 1253 MHz.

Pixel rate is 94.14 GPixel/s versus 75.39 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 329.5 GTexel/s versus 150.8 GTexel/s. FP32 throughput is 10.54 TFLOPS versus 4.825 TFLOPS. The RX Vega 56 has FP16 at 21.09 TFLOPS; the GRID M60-1Q has none.

TDP is 210 W for the AMD card and 225 W for the NVIDIA card. The RX Vega 56 requires 2x 8-pin power connectors, while the GRID M60-1Q requires 1x 8-pin. The RX Vega 56 has display outputs (HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 1.4a), while the GRID M60-1Q has none. The RX Vega 56 was released on 2017-08-13, and the GRID M60-1Q on 2015-08-29. Both are end-of-life products.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split based on workload. The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 is the stronger choice for DirectX 12 rendering tasks, delivering 1501 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 and an average score of 37507, which places it at the 81st percentile of all GPUs. Its closest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla P4, sits only 0.3% behind, meaning the RX Vega 56 is competitive with that card as well.

The NVIDIA GRID M60-1Q is the better option for Vulkan-based virtualized workloads. Its Geekbench Vulkan score of 31220 is its sole benchmark, and it holds a 76th percentile ranking. Its nearest rival, the Quadro M5000, is exactly 0% away, indicating the GRID M60-1Q is representative of that performance tier.

For raw compute throughput, the RX Vega 56 wins decisively: 10.54 TFLOPS FP32 versus 4.825 TFLOPS, 329.5 GTexel/s versus 150.8 GTexel/s, and 94.14 GPixel/s versus 75.39 GPixel/s. The memory subsystem also favors AMD overwhelmingly, with 409.6 GB/s versus 160.4 GB/s and 8 GB versus 1 GB of capacity.

The GRID M60-1Q's only advantage beyond Vulkan is its slightly lower power draw at 225 W versus 210 W, which is not actually an advantage; the RX Vega 56 consumes less power. The NVIDIA card has a lower base clock but a higher memory clock, and it supports Vulkan 1.4 versus 1.3. For users who need a physical display output, the RX Vega 56 is the only option, as the GRID M60-1Q has none.

In practical terms, the RX Vega 56 is the pick for anyone running DirectX 12 games or workstation applications on a local machine. The GRID M60-1Q is the pick for server-side Vulkan rendering in a virtualized environment, where its lack of outputs and smaller memory footprint are acceptable trade-offs. The aggregate data favors AMD, but the API-specific results show that each card has a home in a different deployment scenario.