AMD Radeon Vega 3 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data presents a stark contrast between these two GPUs. Across the three shared benchmark tests, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 claims a clean sweep, winning all three head-to-head matchups. The AMD Radeon Vega 3, an integrated graphics processor, never manages to outscore its discrete rival in any of the measured tests. The most lopsided result appears in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where the GTX 1050 scores 15,233 against the Vega 3's 3,963, a delta of -74% for the AMD part. This is a massive gulf in raw compute throughput, reflecting the fundamental difference in hardware resources between the two.

The Geekbench Vulkan test tells a similar story, though with a slightly narrower margin. The GTX 1050 posts 8,995 points, while the Vega 3 manages 3,961, resulting in a -56% delta. This indicates that even in a modern, low-level graphics API, the discrete NVIDIA solution maintains a commanding lead. The smallest difference between the two comes in the Geekbench Metal test. Here, the GTX 1050 scores 7,823, and the Vega 3 reaches 4,880, a -37.6% delta. While this is the closest contest of the three, it still represents a significant performance advantage for the NVIDIA card. The data consistently shows the GTX 1050 outperforming the Vega 3 by a substantial margin across all comparable workloads.

Where Each One Wins

An analysis of the benchmark wins reveals a one-sided affair. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 wins in every single category where both products have recorded scores. This includes cross-platform compute tests like OpenCL and Vulkan, as well as Apple's Metal API. The AMD Radeon Vega 3 has zero wins in the head-to-head comparison. This means there is no workload category in the database where the Vega 3 can be recommended based on performance data.

The GTX 1050's wins are not marginal. In OpenCL, it is nearly four times faster than the Vega 3. In Vulkan, it is more than double the score. Even in Metal, where the Vega 3 is relatively strongest, the GTX 1050 still holds a lead of nearly 3,000 points. The implications for use cases are clear. For any application that leverages general-purpose GPU computing, such as OpenCL-accelerated content creation or Vulkan-based game engines, the GTX 1050 is the superior choice. The Vega 3's only potential advantage lies in its integrated nature, which eliminates the need for a separate card, but from a pure performance standpoint, the data shows no scenario where it wins.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is fundamental. The AMD Radeon Vega 3 is built on the GCN 5.0 architecture, using a chip codenamed Picasso. It is manufactured on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries and features a transistor count of 4,940 million on a die size of 210 mm². In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 uses the Pascal architecture with the GP107 chip, fabricated by Samsung on a 14 nm process. It contains 3,300 million transistors on a smaller 132 mm² die. Interestingly, despite the older process node, the GTX 1050 achieves a higher transistor density of 25.0M per mm², compared to the Vega 3's 23.5M per mm².

The execution resources differ dramatically. The Vega 3 is equipped with 192 shading units, 12 texture mapping units (TMUs), and only 4 render output units (ROPs). The GTX 1050, on the other hand, packs 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. This disparity in core counts explains the massive difference in fill rates. The GTX 1050 achieves a pixel rate of 46.56 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 58.20 GTexel/s. The Vega 3 lags far behind with 4.400 GPixel/s and 13.20 GTexel/s respectively. Clock speeds also favor the NVIDIA card, with a base clock of 1354 MHz and a boost of 1455 MHz, compared to the Vega 3's 300 MHz base and 1100 MHz boost.

Memory configuration presents another major difference. The Vega 3 uses system shared memory, with its bandwidth described as "System Dependent". The GTX 1050 features dedicated 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 112.1 GB/s of bandwidth. This dedicated high-speed memory is critical for sustained performance in gaming and graphics workloads. The GTX 1050 also carries a TDP of 75 W and requires a suggested power supply of 250 W, while the Vega 3 is a 15 W IGP solution. In terms of API support, both support DirectX 12 (12_1) and OpenGL 4.6, but the GTX 1050 offers Vulkan 1.4 support compared to the Vega 3's Vulkan 1.3.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the choice is unambiguous for performance-focused users. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 is the superior product in every measurable way. Its compute scores are dramatically higher, its fill rates are faster, and it has dedicated memory. The GTX 1050's average benchmark score across all tests is 3,629, while the Vega 3's average is higher at 4,268, but this is skewed by the fact that the Vega 3 has only three recorded benchmark entries, all in Geekbench tests where it scores relatively well. The GTX 1050's percentile rank of 21 versus the Vega 3's 25 also reflects the broader benchmark suite for the NVIDIA card.

The GTX 1050 also sits in a different performance class according to the nearest rivals data. The GTX 1050's closest competitors include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 735M with a delta of 0.4% and the AMD Radeon HD 6770 with a delta of -0.5%. The Vega 3's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M at -0.3% and the AMD FirePro W2100 at -0.6%. Interestingly, both lists include an outlier: the Vega 3 is compared to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 at -1.5%, and the GTX 1050 is compared to the NVIDIA RTX 5000 Mobile Ada Generation at 0.9%. These high-end cards appearing in the rival lists suggest that the average scores for these older or integrated parts are influenced by their limited benchmark counts.

For users who need a discrete graphics card for gaming or GPU-accelerated tasks, the GTX 1050 is clearly the choice. It offers a launch MSRP of 109 USD. For users who require an integrated solution with minimal power draw and no additional hardware, the Vega 3 serves a purpose, but it cannot compete on performance. The data leaves no room for debate: the GTX 1050 wins on every metric where both are measured.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher score in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 scores 15,233, which is 74% higher than the AMD Radeon Vega 3's score of 3,963.

Q: What is the difference in pixel fill rate between the two cards?

A: The GTX 1050 has a pixel rate of 46.56 GPixel/s, while the Vega 3 has a pixel rate of 4.400 GPixel/s.

Q: How much memory does the GTX 1050 have and what type is it?

A: The GTX 1050 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 112.1 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: What is the TDP of the AMD Radeon Vega 3?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 3 has a TDP of 15 W.

Q: Which GPU supports Vulkan 1.4?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 supports Vulkan 1.4, while the AMD Radeon Vega 3 supports Vulkan 1.3.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 3 has an average benchmark score of 4,268, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 has an average benchmark score of 3,629.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon Vega 3 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Architecture | GCN 5.0 | Pascal |

| Process Node | 12 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Samsung |

| Transistors | 4,940 million | 3,300 million |

| Die Size | 210 mm² | 132 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 23.5M / mm² | 25.0M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 300 MHz | 1354 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1100 MHz | 1455 MHz |

| Memory Size | System Shared | 2 GB |

| Memory Type | System Shared | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | System Shared | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | System Dependent | 112.1 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 192 | 640 |

| TMUs | 12 | 40 |

| ROPs | 4 | 32 |

| Pixel Rate | 4.400 GPixel/s | 46.56 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 13.20 GTexel/s | 58.20 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 422.4 GFLOPS | 1.862 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 844.8 GFLOPS (2:1) | 29.10 GFLOPS (1:64) |

| TDP | 15 W | 75 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Dual-slot |

| Suggested PSU | None | 250 W |

| Bus Interface | IGP | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | Motherboard Dependent | 1x DVI1x HDMI 2.01x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| Vulkan Support | 1.3 | 1.4 |

| Release Date | 2019-11-19 | 2016-10-24 |

| Launch MSRP | None | 109 USD |