AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 Mobile

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 Mobile is a 14 nm GCN 5.0 part built on the Vega 10 chip, featuring 3,584 shading units and 64 ROPs. Its data sheet shows a base clock of 1138 MHz and a boost clock of 1301 MHz, with memory running at 1600 Mbps effective across an 8 GB HBM2 interface. The GPU's raw throughput figures are substantial: 9.326 TFLOPS FP32 and 18.65 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1), with a pixel rate of 83.26 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 291.4 GTexel/s. The memory subsystem delivers 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth over a 2048-bit bus, all within a 120 W TDP on an MXM Module form factor. The part is officially end-of-life, having been released on 2018-05-31, and holds a 50th percentile ranking among all GPUs. Notably, the FACT PACK lists no nearest rivals, no benchmark scores, and no average score, so all performance analysis must be derived strictly from the architectural specifications provided.

Benchmark Performance

Without synthetic benchmark scores or a defined competitive set, the RX Vega 56 Mobile's performance profile must be interpreted from its fixed hardware parameters. The FP32 throughput of 9.326 TFLOPS places this GPU in a performance class that was competitive for high-refresh 1080p and entry-level 1440p gaming at the time of its release. The 18.65 TFLOPS FP16 figure (2:1 ratio) indicates that the architecture could accelerate compute workloads using half-precision, though this did not translate to consumer gaming advantages. The pixel rate of 83.26 GPixel/s is the direct result of 64 ROPs operating at the 1301 MHz boost clock; this fillrate capacity is sufficient for driving 1080p resolutions with high detail settings, but it becomes a limiting factor at 4K where pixel throughput demands escalate sharply.

The memory subsystem is the defining characteristic of this mobile GPU. The 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth, achieved through 8 GB of HBM2 on a 2048-bit bus, is exceptionally high for a 120 W mobile part. This bandwidth figure directly supports the texture rate of 291.4 GTexel/s, allowing the 224 texture mapping units to remain fed during heavy anisotropic filtering and texture-heavy scenes. In practical terms, benchmark results would indicate that this GPU excels in scenarios where memory bandwidth is the bottleneck—such as high-resolution texture packs, MSAA at 1440p, or compute shaders that stream large data sets. Conversely, the 1301 MHz boost clock is modest by modern standards, meaning that raw shader-bound performance in lightly-threaded workloads will trail newer architectures with higher clocks.

The FP32 to FP16 ratio of 2:1 suggests that the Vega architecture's compute units are dual-issue for half-precision operations. This does not affect gaming benchmarks directly, but it does imply that productivity applications leveraging FP16 (like certain machine learning inference or video processing pipelines) could see up to double the throughput of FP32 tasks. The 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die yield a density of 25.3M / mm², which is a measure of the chip's complexity relative to its physical size; this density informs thermal behavior, as the 120 W TDP must be dissipated across that area, but no thermal throttle data is available in the FACT PACK.

How It Compares

The FACT PACK explicitly lists `nearestRivals` as an empty array, and `benchmarks` as empty, with `avgBenchmarkScore` set to 0. Consequently, there are no direct percentage deltas or rival names to cite. The `percentileVsAllGpus` value of 50 indicates that this GPU sits exactly at the median of all GPUs tracked by the database—neither a top-tier performer nor a low-end part. In the absence of named competitors, the comparison must be framed qualitatively: the RX Vega 56 Mobile's 9.326 TFLOPS FP32 output places it above integrated graphics solutions but well below contemporary desktop flagship GPUs that exceed 20 TFLOPS. The 8 GB HBM2 frame buffer is a distinct advantage over older 4 GB GDDR5 parts, particularly for modern games that exceed 4 GB allocations at high settings.

The mobile form factor (MXM Module) differentiates this GPU from desktop cards with identical specs; the 120 W TDP is the sole power envelope figure, and the absence of power connectors suggests the module draws power solely through the MXM slot interface. Compared to later Navi Mobile successors (as named in the `successor` field), the Vega 56 Mobile likely trails in efficiency per watt, but no clock or performance data for that successor is provided. The 50th percentile ranking implies that in aggregate database scoring, half of all GPUs perform better and half perform worse—a neutral positioning that suggests the RX Vega 56 Mobile is a balanced mid-range option rather than a specialist high-end or entry-level part.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The FACT PACK explicitly lists `rtCores` as null and `tensorCores` as null, confirming that the RX Vega 56 Mobile has no dedicated ray tracing hardware and no tensor core accelerators. This is consistent with the GCN 5.0 architecture, which predates AMD's dedicated ray tracing units found in later RDNA generations. As a result, any ray-traced effects in games would run on the general-purpose shading units, which would dramatically reduce frame rates compared to GPUs with dedicated RT cores. The FP16 throughput of 18.65 TFLOPS could theoretically accelerate some denoising or post-processing tasks, but this is not equivalent to hardware-accelerated ray tracing.

The API support includes DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The DirectX 12_1 feature level means the GPU supports tier-1 variable rate shading and other conservative rasterization features, but it lacks the mesh shaders and enhanced ray tracing features of DirectX 12 Ultimate. Vulkan 1.3 support is notable, as it enables modern cross-platform titles to leverage the GPU's compute capabilities efficiently. Display outputs include 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, which supports high refresh rates at 1440p (up to 165 Hz via DisplayPort) and 4K at 60 Hz with HDR, assuming the rest of the system can deliver the frame rates. The absence of tensor cores means that DLSS-style AI upscaling is not possible; however, the GPU can use FidelityFX Super Resolution in games that support it, which relies on spatial upscaling rather than dedicated AI hardware.

Who Should Consider It

Given the 50th percentile ranking and the specific hardware attributes, the RX Vega 56 Mobile is suited to gamers targeting 1080p with maxed-out settings or 1440p with high (not ultra) settings. The 8 GB HBM2 buffer at 409.6 GB/s is ample for 1080p textures and most 1440p scenarios, but the 83.26 GPixel/s pixel rate will struggle with 4K resolution where pixel count quadruples; at 4K, users would need to reduce settings or rely on upscaling techniques to maintain playable frame rates. The 120 W TDP makes this GPU feasible in larger laptops or mobile workstations with adequate cooling, but the absence of power connectors means the MXM slot must supply all power, which limits peak sustained clocks in thermally constrained chassis.

For compute-oriented users, the 9.326 TFLOPS FP32 and 18.65 TFLOPS FP16 make this a capable performer for machine learning inference (using FP16), video encoding, or 3D rendering. The 2048-bit memory bus provides exceptional bandwidth for data-heavy workloads like large dataset processing or high-resolution texture streaming. However, the lack of tensor cores means no dedicated AI acceleration beyond the general-purpose shaders. The end-of-life production status suggests that new buyers should look elsewhere, but for existing systems or second-hand purchases, the RX Vega 56 Mobile remains a viable option for 1080p high-refresh gaming and light 1440p workloads. Users who prioritize ray tracing or AI upscaling will find this GPU unsuitable, as those features are entirely absent from the silicon.

FAQ

Q: Does the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 Mobile support hardware ray tracing?

A: No. The FACT PACK lists `rtCores` as null, meaning there are no dedicated ray tracing cores. Any ray-traced effects would run on the general-purpose 3,584 shading units, which would incur a significant performance penalty.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth and capacity of this GPU?

A: The GPU features 8 GB of HBM2 memory on a 2048-bit bus, delivering 409.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock is 800 MHz, which translates to 1600 Mbps effective.

Q: How does the FP16 performance compare to FP32?

A: The FP16 throughput is 18.65 TFLOPS, which is exactly twice the FP32 figure of 9.326 TFLOPS. This 2:1 ratio indicates that half-precision compute tasks can run at double the rate of full-precision tasks.

Q: What is the thermal design power (TDP) and form factor?

A: The TDP is 120 W, and the slot width is listed as an MXM Module. There are no power connectors, meaning the module draws power exclusively through the MXM interface.

Q: What display outputs are available?

A: The GPU provides 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. These support high refresh rates on compatible monitors, with DisplayPort 1.4a enabling 1440p at high refresh or 4K at 60 Hz.

Q: Is this GPU still in production?

A: No. The production status is listed as end-of-life, with a release date of 2018-05-31. The successor is listed as Navi Mobile, indicating that newer architectures have replaced this part.