AMD Radeon Vega 11 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 and AMD Radeon Vega 11 represent two vastly different approaches to graphics processing: one is a dedicated, high-performance add-in board from 2019, while the other is a low-power integrated graphics processor (IGP) embedded in an APU. The benchmark data shows a stark disparity in raw performance, but the Vega 11’s role as an IGP means the comparison is less about direct competition and more about understanding the trade-offs between discrete and integrated solutions. The most striking evidence comes from the head-to-head benchmarks, where the RTX 2060 delivers a 385.5% higher score in Geekbench OpenCL and a 436.5% higher score in Geekbench Vulkan, indicating a massive gulf in compute capability.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two shared benchmarks reveal an overwhelming advantage for the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 2060 scores 65,014, while the Vega 11 manages only 13,392. This 385.5% delta is not a marginal improvement but a fundamental difference in processing power. The RTX 2060’s score is roughly 4.85 times higher, suggesting that workloads leveraging OpenCL—such as certain rendering tasks or compute-heavy applications—will see a dramatic performance uplift on the discrete card. The Vulkan benchmark tells an even more lopsided story: the RTX 2060 scores 65,846 versus the Vega 11’s 12,273, a 436.5% difference. This near-5.4x advantage in a modern graphics API points to the RTX 2060’s superior ability to handle contemporary game engines and GPU-accelerated tasks.

The data shows the RTX 2060 wins both head-to-head tests, with the Vega 11 failing to secure a single victory. However, the context is crucial: the Vega 11’s scores are not embarrassing for an IGP; they are simply in a different performance class. The RTX 2060’s average benchmark score of 15,290 places it in the 58th percentile of all GPUs, while the Vega 11’s average of 14,352 puts it in the 56th percentile. This narrow percentile gap (58 vs. 56) is surprising given the huge delta in the head-to-head tests, but it reflects the fact that the average score aggregates a wider range of tests, including older APIs and 2D workloads where the Vega 11 is relatively more competitive. The RTX 2060’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (avg score 15,283, 0% delta) and the AMD Radeon 680M (avg score 15,270, 0.1% delta), showing it sits in a dense cluster of similarly-performing GPUs. The Vega 11, by contrast, is bracketed by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN (avg score 14,373, -0.1% delta) and the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics (avg score 14,315, 0.3% delta), indicating its performance is typical for its class of integrated solutions.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark data, the RTX 2060 is the clear winner in compute-intensive tasks. Its OpenCL and Vulkan scores are not just higher; they are in a different league, making it the obvious choice for gaming, 3D rendering, video editing, and any workload that can utilize the GPU’s parallel processing capabilities. The RTX 2060’s PassMark G3D score of 14,111 further reinforces its strength in DirectX 11 and 12 gaming scenarios, where it outperforms the Vega 11 by a significant margin. The Vega 11, however, has its own niche. Its low 15 W TDP and IGP form factor mean it is designed for basic desktop tasks, light media consumption, and legacy applications. Its PassMark G2D score of 745 (the RTX 2060 scores 745 as well) shows parity in 2D workloads, suggesting that for everyday office work or web browsing, the integrated solution is perfectly adequate. The Vega 11 also shows a higher PassMark DirectX 9 score (190 vs. the RTX 2060’s 190), indicating it can handle older games and applications without issue, though this is a tie rather than a win.

The data implies a use-case split: the RTX 2060 is for users who demand high frame rates and compute performance, while the Vega 11 is for those who prioritize power efficiency and system simplicity. The Vega 11’s lack of dedicated memory (System Shared) and system-dependent bandwidth means its performance scales with the host system’s RAM, which is a fundamental limitation. The RTX 2060’s dedicated 6 GB of GDDR6 memory with 336.0 GB/s bandwidth provides a stable, high-speed foundation for demanding applications. In essence, the Vega 11 wins on portability and energy efficiency, while the RTX 2060 wins on every measurable performance metric in the head-to-head tests.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two GPUs is vast, explaining the performance disparity. The RTX 2060 is built on NVIDIA’s Turing architecture using a 12 nm process at TSMC, featuring the TU106 chip with 10,800 million transistors on a 445 mm² die. This gives it a transistor density of 24.3M per mm². In contrast, the Vega 11 uses AMD’s 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, yielding a transistor density of 23.5M per mm². While the process nodes are identical, the RTX 2060 packs more than twice the transistors into a die that is more than twice the size, resulting in a significantly more complex and powerful processor.

The core configurations differ dramatically. The RTX 2060 has 1,920 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, while the Vega 11 has only 704 shading units, 44 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. This 2.7x advantage in shading units and 6x advantage in ROPs directly translates to higher pixel and texture fill rates: the RTX 2060 achieves 80.64 GPixel/s and 201.6 GTexel/s, versus the Vega 11’s 11.20 GPixel/s and 61.60 GTexel/s. The RTX 2060 also introduces dedicated RT cores (30) and Tensor cores (240), which are absent from the Vega 11. This enables hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI-based features like DLSS, which the Vega 11 cannot support. The FP32 compute performance is 6.451 TFLOPS for the RTX 2060 versus 1.971 TFLOPS for the Vega 11, a 3.3x difference. The FP16 performance follows a similar pattern: 12.90 TFLOPS (2:1) for the RTX 2060 versus 3.942 TFLOPS (2:1) for the Vega 11.

Memory architecture is another fundamental split. The RTX 2060 uses a 192-bit bus with 6 GB of GDDR6 memory, delivering 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Vega 11 relies on System Shared memory, with its bandwidth being System Dependent. This means the Vega 11’s memory performance is entirely reliant on the host system’s RAM speed and configuration, a variable that can severely bottleneck its performance. The RTX 2060 also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the Vega 11 is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1), and the RTX 2060 supports Vulkan 1.4 versus the Vega 11’s Vulkan 1.3. These API differences mean the RTX 2060 is future-proofed for the latest graphics features, whereas the Vega 11 may struggle with newer titles that require advanced DirectX 12 Ultimate features.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the superior performer in every head-to-head test, with a 385.5% advantage in OpenCL and a 436.5% advantage in Vulkan. Its higher average benchmark score (15,290 vs. 14,352) and its placement in the 58th percentile versus the Vega 11’s 56th percentile confirm its overall superiority. The RTX 2060 is the clear choice for anyone building a gaming PC or workstation that requires dedicated graphics performance. Its 6 GB of GDDR6 memory, 1920 shading units, and support for ray tracing and Tensor cores make it a capable card for modern games and creative applications.

The AMD Radeon Vega 11, however, serves a different purpose. As an IGP with a 15 W TDP, it is not designed to compete with discrete cards. Its data shows it is a competent solution for basic computing tasks, with a PassMark G2D score of 745 that ties the RTX 2060. It is ideal for budget-minded users or those building compact systems where power consumption and heat are primary concerns. The Vega 11’s nearest rivals—the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN and Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics—indicate it performs at the level of older discrete GPUs, which is impressive for an integrated solution. However, the data clearly shows that the RTX 2060 is in a different performance class, and the only reason to choose the Vega 11 is if the use case does not demand the RTX 2060’s power.

Ultimately, the choice depends on the workload. For gaming, rendering, or compute tasks, the RTX 2060 is the only rational option based on the data. For a low-power, integrated system focused on everyday productivity, the Vega 11 is a viable, if limited, alternative. The RTX 2060’s launch MSRP was 349 USD, reflecting its position as a mid-range discrete card at launch. The Vega 11 has no launch MSRP, as it is typically bundled with an APU, further emphasizing its role as a value-oriented integrated solution.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The RTX 2060 scores 65,014, which is 385.5% higher than the AMD Radeon Vega 11’s 13,392.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon Vega 11 win any head-to-head benchmark against the RTX 2060?

A: No, the data shows the RTX 2060 wins both head-to-head tests (Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan), with the Vega 11 recording zero wins.

Q: What is the transistor count difference between the two GPUs?

A: The RTX 2060 has 10,800 million transistors on the TU106 chip, while the Vega 11 has 4,940 million transistors on the Picasso chip.

Q: Does the Vega 11 support hardware ray tracing?

A: No, the Vega 11 has no RT cores, while the RTX 2060 includes 30 RT cores for hardware-accelerated ray tracing.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each GPU?

A: The RTX 2060 has an average benchmark score of 15,290, while the Vega 11 has an average score of 14,352.

Q: Which GPU has a higher memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 2060 has a dedicated 336.0 GB/s bandwidth from its GDDR6 memory, while the Vega 11’s bandwidth is System Dependent, meaning it relies on shared system memory.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 | AMD Radeon Vega 11 |

|----------------|------------------------|--------------------|

| Architecture | Turing | GCN 5.0 |

| Process Node | 12 nm | 12 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | GlobalFoundries |

| Transistors | 10,800 million | 4,940 million |

| Die Size | 445 mm² | 210 mm² |

| Shading Units | 1920 | 704 |

| TMUs | 120 | 44 |

| ROPs | 48 | 8 |

| RT Cores | 30 | None |

| Tensor Cores | 240 | None |

| Pixel Rate | 80.64 GPixel/s | 11.20 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 201.6 GTexel/s | 61.60 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 6.451 TFLOPS | 1.971 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 12.90 TFLOPS (2:1) | 3.942 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 160 W | 15 W |

| Memory Size | 6 GB GDDR6 | System Shared |

| Memory Bus Width | 192 bit | System Shared |

| Memory Bandwidth | 336.0 GB/s | System Dependent |

| DirectX Support | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (12_1) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.3 |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | IGP |

| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | None |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | IGP |