G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Radeon RX 540 vs Radeon RX Vega 11 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Radeon RX 540 vs Radeon RX Vega 11: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Radeon RX 540

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $50 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
✅Delivers 53.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 21.6 vs 14.1 G3D/$ ($99 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).
✅Radeon RX Vega 11 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon RX 540 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon RX Vega 11 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2017 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌42.9% higher power demand at 50W vs 35W.

Radeon RX Vega 11

2018

Why buy it

✅4.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Draws 35W instead of 50W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌2018 hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
50.5% HIGHER MSRP
$149 MSRPvs$99 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 14.1 vs 21.6 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon RX Vega 11 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 4.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon RX 540 instead at 2,134 vs 2,094, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon RX 540 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs Unknown of VRAM and native frame generation with FSR Frame Generation (2023), while Radeon RX Vega 11 has no comparable frame-generation support. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon RX 540 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $50 cheaper on MSRP at $99 vs $149, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 53.4% (21.6 vs 14.1), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. Radeon RX Vega 11 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Radeon RX 540 vs Radeon RX Vega 11 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Radeon RX 540

The Radeon RX 540 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 11 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1124 MHz to 1219 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,134 points.

Radeon RX Vega 11

The Radeon RX Vega 11 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 10 2018. It features the GCN 5.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 300 MHz to 1251 MHz. It has 704 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 35W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,094 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon RX 540 scores 2,134 and the Radeon RX Vega 11 reaches 2,094 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX 540 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon RX Vega 11 uses GCN 5.0, both on a 14 nm process. Shader units: 512 (Radeon RX 540) vs 704 (Radeon RX Vega 11). Raw compute: 1.248 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 540) vs 1.761 TFLOPS (Radeon RX Vega 11). Boost clocks: 1219 MHz vs 1251 MHz.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon RX Vega 11
G3D Mark Score	2,134+2%	2,094
Architecture	GCN 4.0	GCN 5.0
Process Node	14 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	512	704+38%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.248 TFLOPS	1.761 TFLOPS+41%
Boost Clock	1219 MHz	1251 MHz+3%
ROPs	16+100%	8
TMUs	32	44+38%
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation	FSR upscaling

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 540 is support for FSR Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The Radeon RX Vega 11 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon RX Vega 11
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	FSR Frame Generation	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon RX 540 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX Vega 11 carries 0 MB. Radeon RX 540 gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the Radeon RX 540 and System on the Radeon RX Vega 11.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon RX Vega 11
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	0 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	80 GB/s	System
Bus Width	128-bit	System

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_0 (Radeon RX 540) vs 12 (12_1) (Radeon RX Vega 11). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 3.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon RX Vega 11
DirectX	12_0	12 (12_1)
Max Displays	0	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 540) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon RX Vega 11). Decoder: UVD 6.3 vs UVD 7.0.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon RX Vega 11
Encoder	VCE 3.4	VCE 3.0
Decoder	UVD 6.3	UVD 7.0
Codecs	—	H.264,H.265

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX 540 draws 50W versus the Radeon RX Vega 11's 35W — a 35.3% difference. The Radeon RX Vega 11 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon RX 540) vs 300W (Radeon RX Vega 11). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs None. Card length: 1mm vs 0mm, occupying 0 vs 0 slots.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon RX Vega 11
TDP	50W	35W-30%
Recommended PSU	350W	300W-14%
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	None
Length	1mm	0mm
Height	—	0mm
Slots	0	0
Temp (Load)	—	75
Perf/Watt	42.7	59.8+40%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon RX 540 came in at $99, while the Radeon RX Vega 11 launched at $149. On MSRP, Radeon RX 540 was 33.6% cheaper ($50 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 21.6 (Radeon RX 540) vs 14.1 (Radeon RX Vega 11) — the Radeon RX 540 offers 53.2% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX Vega 11 (2018 vs 2017).

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon RX Vega 11
MSRP	$99-34%	$149
Performance per Dollar	21.6+53%	14.1
Codename	Lexa	Raven
Release	November 11 2017	May 10 2018
Ranking	#602	#673

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