AMD Radeon Vega 11 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 Comparison

AMD Radeon Vega 11 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 represent two vastly different eras of GPU design, yet their benchmark scores place them in a surprisingly close fight. The Vega 11 is a modern integrated processor from AMD’s Picasso line, built for efficiency, while the GTX 480 is a legendary discrete card from NVIDIA’s Fermi generation, known for its raw power and heat. The data shows a single head-to-head benchmark, with the AMD part edging out a narrow victory, but the story is far more complex when examining where each card excels.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results indicate a clear split in workload suitability. AMD Radeon Vega 11 dominates in API versatility and modern compute tasks. It scores 17,392 in Geekbench Metal, 13,392 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 12,273 in Geekbench Vulkan. This trio of scores demonstrates strong performance across multiple frameworks, with the Metal score being particularly notable—it is roughly 30% higher than its own OpenCL result and about 42% higher than its Vulkan score. This suggests the Vega 11 is exceptionally well-optimized for Apple’s Metal API, likely due to its GCN 5.0 architecture being a mature design that scales well across different compute interfaces.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480, on the other hand, has only one benchmark result: 13,300 in Geekbench OpenCL. This single data point makes it difficult to assess its broader capabilities, but it does show the Fermi architecture holding its own in a legacy compute workload. The GTX 480’s victory condition is not in raw scores—it loses the one head-to-head—but in its architectural strengths. With 48 ROPs and a pixel rate of 21.03 GPixel/s, it crushes the Vega 11’s 8 ROPs and 11.20 GPixel/s. For fill-rate-bound scenarios, the GTX 480 is clearly the superior choice. Similarly, its memory subsystem is far more robust: 1536 MB of dedicated GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus delivers 177.4 GB/s of bandwidth, whereas the Vega 11 relies on system-shared memory with bandwidth described only as “System Dependent.” For any workload that demands high memory throughput or massive pixel throughput, the GTX 480 wins decisively.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is generational. AMD Radeon Vega 11 is built on GlobalFoundries’ 12 nm process, packing 4,940 million transistors into a 210 mm² die. That yields a transistor density of 23.5 million per mm². It uses the GCN 5.0 architecture, which is a mature design supporting DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The chip operates with a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 1400 MHz, delivering 1.971 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 3.942 TFLOPS of FP16 via a 2:1 ratio. Its 704 shading units and 44 texture mapping units are paired with just 8 ROPs, reflecting its IGP nature. Power consumption is remarkably low at 15 W, and it requires no power connectors, no slot width, and no dedicated memory—everything is shared with the system.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 is a completely different beast. Fabricated on TSMC’s 40 nm process, it crams 3,100 million transistors into a massive 529 mm² die, yielding only 5.9 million transistors per mm². The Fermi architecture supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but notably lacks Vulkan support. Its memory clock is 924 MHz (3.7 Gbps effective), and it uses 480 shading units, 60 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. The pixel rate of 21.03 GPixel/s and texture rate of 42.06 GTexel/s are both higher than the Vega 11’s 11.20 GPixel/s and 61.60 GTexel/s respectively—note the Vega 11 actually wins in texture rate due to its higher TMU clock. The GTX 480’s FP32 performance is 1,345.0 GFLOPS, which is lower than the Vega 11’s 1.971 TFLOPS. However, the GTX 480 draws 250 W, requires a dual-slot cooler, and needs both a 6-pin and 8-pin power connector, with a suggested 600 W PSU. Its length is 267 mm (10.5 inches). The Vega 11, being an IGP, has no length, no connectors, and a 15 W TDP—an efficiency gap of over 16x.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison available is Geekbench OpenCL, where AMD Radeon Vega 11 scores 13,392 against NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480’s 13,300. The delta is a razor-thin 0.7% in favor of the AMD part. This is within the margin of error for most benchmarking, but the data records it as a win for Vega 11. In practical terms, the two are essentially tied in this specific compute test.

However, the broader benchmark picture reveals more separation. The Vega 11’s average benchmark score across all tests is 14,352, placing it in the 56th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (average 14,373, delta -0.1%), the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 (average 14,385, delta -0.2%), the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics (average 14,315, delta +0.3%), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M (average 14,404, delta -0.4%). This places the Vega 11 in a tight cluster of mid-range performers, all within 0.4% of each other.

The GTX 480’s average benchmark score is 13,300, putting it in the 53rd percentile. Its nearest rivals are all AMD mobile or workstation parts: the AMD Radeon Pro 555X (average 13,321, delta -0.2%), the AMD FirePro M6100 (average 13,354, delta -0.4%), the AMD Radeon RX 5500M (average 13,356, delta -0.4%), and the AMD Radeon HD 8950M (average 13,376, delta -0.6%). The GTX 480 sits at the bottom of this group, trailing each rival by a small margin. Interestingly, the GTX 480’s average score is 1,052 points lower than the Vega 11’s average, a 7.3% gap that is much larger than the 0.7% head-to-head delta suggests. This is because the Vega 11 benefits from its additional Metal and Vulkan benchmarks, which are absent for the GTX 480.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split recommendation based on workload and platform. For users on a modern system with an AMD Picasso processor, the Radeon Vega 11 is the obvious choice. It offers superior compute performance in OpenCL (13,392 vs 13,300), significantly higher FP32 throughput (1.971 TFLOPS vs 1,345.0 GFLOPS), and full support for Vulkan 1.3, which the GTX 480 lacks entirely. Its 15 W power draw means it can run anywhere without a dedicated PSU, and its 56th percentile ranking versus the GTX 480’s 53rd percentile confirms it is the better overall performer in aggregate. The Vega 11’s Metal score of 17,392 is particularly impressive, indicating strong performance in Apple-centric workflows that the GTX 480 cannot touch.

However, the GTX 480 remains relevant for specific legacy use cases. Its 48 ROPs and 21.03 GPixel/s pixel rate are nearly double the Vega 11’s 8 ROPs and 11.20 GPixel/s, making it far better suited for high-resolution rasterization or any workload that is fill-rate limited. Its dedicated 1536 MB GDDR5 memory with 177.4 GB/s bandwidth is a massive advantage over system-shared memory, especially in scenarios where memory latency and bandwidth are critical. The GTX 480 also has a higher texture rate in terms of raw TMU count (60 vs 44), though the Vega 11’s clock speed gives it a higher overall GTexel/s figure (61.60 vs 42.06). For users with an older system that has a PCIe 2.0 x16 slot and a 600 W power supply, the GTX 480 can still serve as a capable discrete GPU for pixel-heavy tasks. Its launch MSRP was 499 USD, but that is a historical figure.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 11 has an average benchmark score of 14,352, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has an average of 13,300. The Vega 11 leads by 1,052 points.

Q: Does the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 support Vulkan?

A: No. The GTX 480 has no Vulkan support listed in its API specifications. The AMD Radeon Vega 11 supports Vulkan 1.3.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The GTX 480 has a dedicated 384-bit memory bus with GDDR5 memory providing 177.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Vega 11 uses system-shared memory with bandwidth described as “System Dependent,” meaning it varies based on the system’s RAM.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 11 has a TDP of 15 W and requires no power connectors. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a TDP of 250 W and requires one 6-pin and one 8-pin power connector, with a suggested 600 W power supply.

Q: Which GPU has higher pixel fill rate?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has a pixel rate of 21.03 GPixel/s, which is nearly double the AMD Radeon Vega 11’s 11.20 GPixel/s.

Q: What is the percentile ranking for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 11 ranks in the 56th percentile of all GPUs, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 ranks in the 53rd percentile.