AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48

The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48 is a Vega 10-based GPU built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, packing 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die. It sits at the 89th percentile among all GPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 61,081. The card is now end-of-life, having been released on 2019-03-18. Its architecture, GCN 5.0, drives 3,072 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs, yielding a pixel rate of 76.80 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 230.4 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is rated at 7.373 TFLOPS, while FP16 reaches 14.75 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio). These specifications place it in a curious middle ground: not a flagship, but far from entry-level, and the benchmark data confirms a tight cluster of rivals within a few percentage points.

Memory Subsystem

The Vega 48 ships with 8 GB of HBM2 memory across a 2048-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 402.4 GB/s. This is a substantial memory interface — the 2048-bit width is far wider than typical GDDR6 solutions, and the HBM2 type offers low latency and high efficiency. The effective memory clock is 786 MHz, translating to 1572 Mbps effective. For high-resolution workloads, the bandwidth is a strong asset: 402.4 GB/s can feed large framebuffers and heavy texture streaming without bottlenecking the 7.37 TFLOPS compute engine. However, the 8 GB capacity is the limiting factor in modern titles at 4K, especially with high-resolution texture packs or when running multiple displays. At 1440p, 8 GB is generally sufficient, but the data suggests the card's performance ceiling is more about capacity than bandwidth. The average benchmark score of 61,081 reflects a GPU that competes with cards like the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X (61,207) and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (61,492), both of which also carry 8 GB-class memory. The bandwidth advantage here is clear, but the capacity parity means the Vega 48 cannot outmuscle rivals purely on memory size.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Vega 48 has no dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores — the fact pack lists them as null. This means hardware-accelerated ray tracing is not available; any ray tracing workload would rely on compute shaders, which is inefficient compared to dedicated RT hardware found in newer architectures. The API support includes DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. DirectX 12_1 implies support for features like conservative rasterization and raster order views, but not the full DirectX Raytracing (DXR) tier. Vulkan 1.3 includes ray tracing extensions, but without dedicated hardware, performance would be poor. The card does support FP16 with a 2:1 ratio, which can accelerate some machine learning or compute tasks, but again, no tensor cores. For users who prioritize ray tracing, this is not the right GPU. However, for traditional rasterization and compute workloads, the feature set is solid: modern API support, high texture rate (230.4 GTexel/s), and a pixel rate of 76.80 GPixel/s. The 64 ROPs are modest, but the HBM2 bandwidth helps fill them. The lack of tensor cores also means no DLSS-style upscaling; any such feature would be software-based.

Who Should Consider It

Given its 89th percentile standing, the Vega 48 outperforms the majority of GPUs in the database. Its Geekbench Metal score of 71,531 is notably high, suggesting strong performance in Metal-accelerated applications, which is relevant for macOS or iOS development environments. The OpenCL score of 53,570 and Vulkan score of 58,142 are also respectable. For gaming, the card is positioned within 1.7% of its closest rivals — the AMD Radeon 8050S (62,108 average) and the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT (61,492) — meaning it can handle 1440p at high settings and 4K with reduced details, assuming the 8 GB VRAM is not exceeded. The 402.4 GB/s bandwidth is a boon for high-resolution textures, but the 8 GB capacity will force texture quality reductions in the most demanding titles. For users who do not need ray tracing and who prioritize raw compute or Metal performance, the Vega 48 is a viable option. It is also an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with no power connectors, so it may be found in laptops or all-in-one systems where discrete cooling and PSU upgrades are not possible. The end-of-life status means it is a legacy part, but its benchmark scores still hold up against modern mid-range GPUs.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory configuration of the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 48?

A: It has 8 GB of HBM2 memory on a 2048-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 402.4 GB/s and an effective memory clock of 1572 Mbps.

Q: Does the Vega 48 support hardware ray tracing?

A: No. It has no dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, but ray tracing would be software-based.

Q: What are its benchmark scores?

A: Geekbench Metal: 71,531; Geekbench OpenCL: 53,570; Geekbench Vulkan: 58,142. The average benchmark score is 61,081.

Q: How does it compare to the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X?

A: The Vega 48 trails the W5700X by 0.2% in average benchmark score (61,081 vs. 61,207).

Q: What power connectors does it require?

A: None. The slot width is listed as IGP (integrated graphics processor), and the power connector field is "None".

Q: When was it released, and is it still in production?

A: It was released on 2019-03-18 and is now end-of-life.

How It Compares

AMD Radeon Pro W5700X: The Vega 48 is nearly identical in performance, with an average score of 61,081 versus the W5700X's 61,207, a delta of -0.2%. This is a statistical tie; the W5700X holds a negligible lead. Both cards likely target the same workstation segment, and the choice between them would come down to other factors like driver support or software optimization.

AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT: The RX 6850M XT averages 61,492, which is 0.7% higher than the Vega 48. That difference is within noise, but the RX 6850M XT is a mobile part, whereas the Vega 48 is an IGP. The RX 6850M XT may have a different memory configuration, but the fact pack does not provide those details. The practical performance difference is minimal.

Intel Arc Pro A60: The Vega 48 outperforms the Arc Pro A60 by 1.3% (61,081 vs. 60,326). This is a small margin, but it shows that the Vega 48 holds its own against a modern entry-level professional GPU. The Arc A60 likely has newer features like hardware ray tracing, but the Vega 48's raw compute and bandwidth keep it ahead in average score.

AMD Radeon 8050S: The 8050S leads the Vega 48 by 1.7% (62,108 vs. 61,081). This is the largest delta among the listed rivals, yet still a narrow gap. The 8050S may be a newer architecture, but the Vega 48's HBM2 memory and high texture rate keep it competitive.

Power and Cooling

The fact pack lists no TDP and no suggested PSU, which is unusual. The slot width is "IGP" — integrated graphics processor — and the power connectors are "None". This indicates the Vega 48 is not a discrete card that requires external power; it likely draws power from the motherboard or system board, and its cooling is entirely dependent on the host device. The display outputs are "Portable Device Dependent", meaning they vary by the laptop or system it is integrated into. This makes power and cooling recommendations moot: there is no separate cooler to install, and no PSU upgrade path. Users should rely on the system's existing thermal design. The 14 nm process and 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die suggest a power draw that is manageable for a laptop or compact system, but without a TDP figure, we cannot quantify it. The absence of a suggested PSU reinforces that this is not a user-serviceable component.

Benchmark Performance

The Vega 48's average benchmark score of 61,081 places it at the 89th percentile of all GPUs in the database. Breaking down the individual tests, the Metal score of 71,531 is the strongest, indicating excellent performance in Apple's Metal API — likely why this GPU was used in Mac systems. The OpenCL score of 53,570 is lower, but still competitive. The Vulkan score of 58,142 sits between the two. These numbers suggest that the Vega 48 is well-optimized for Metal, which is a key consideration for macOS users. Relative to its nearest rivals, the deltas are tight: -0.2% versus the W5700X, -0.7% versus the RX 6850M XT, +1.3% versus the Arc Pro A60, and -1.7% versus the Radeon 8050S. This means the Vega 48 is essentially on par with the W5700X and RX 6850M XT, slightly ahead of the Arc A60, and slightly behind the 8050S. In practical terms, a user would not notice the difference in day-to-day workloads. The FP32 compute of 7.373 TFLOPS and FP16 of 14.75 TFLOPS give it solid compute throughput for its class, and the 402.4 GB/s bandwidth ensures that memory-intensive tasks are not starved. The 89th percentile ranking confirms that it outperforms the vast majority of GPUs, even if it does not lead its immediate peer group.