Radeon RX 580 2048SP vs Radeon RX 6500M

AMD

Radeon RX 580 2048SP

2018Core: 1168 MHzBoost: 1284 MHz
Similar parts
·······
VS
AMD

Radeon RX 6500M

2022Core: 2000 MHzBoost: 2400 MHz
Similar parts
·······

Radeon RX 580 2048SP vs Radeon RX 6500M Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

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 580 2048SP vs Radeon RX 6500M 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 580 2048SP vs Radeon RX 6500M: 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 580 2048SP

2018

Why buy it

  • 33.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 33.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Older hardware, 16 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • 200% higher power demand at 150W vs 50W.

Radeon RX 6500M

2022

Why buy it

  • Better long-term bet: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 6nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 50W instead of 150W, a 100W reduction.
  • More future proof: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 6nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 580 2048SP across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 33.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $229 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon RX 580 2048SP is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 33.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2.6% in PassMark G3D (7,633 vs 7,443), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon RX 6500M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer frame-generation stack, FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023) instead of FSR Frame Generation (2023), a 6nm process instead of 14nm, 16 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2022 generation instead of 2018. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon RX 580 2048SP makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon RX 580 2048SP is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon RX 6500M has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon RX 580 2048SP vs Radeon RX 6500M Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Radeon RX 580 2048SP

The Radeon RX 580 2048SP is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 15 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1168 MHz to 1284 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,633 points.

AMD

Radeon RX 6500M

The Radeon RX 6500M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2000 MHz to 2400 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,443 points.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon RX 580 2048SP scores 7,633 and the Radeon RX 6500M reaches 7,443 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX 580 2048SP is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon RX 6500M uses RDNA 2.0, both on 14 nm vs 6 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon RX 580 2048SP) vs 1,024 (Radeon RX 6500M). Raw compute: 5.259 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 580 2048SP) vs 4.915 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6500M). Boost clocks: 1284 MHz vs 2400 MHz.

FeatureRadeon RX 580 2048SPRadeon RX 6500M
G3D Mark Score
7,633+3%
7,443
Architecture
GCN 4.0
RDNA 2.0
Process Node
14 nm
6 nm
Shading Units
2048+100%
1024
Compute (TFLOPS)
5.259 TFLOPS+7%
4.915 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1284 MHz
2400 MHz+87%
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
128+100%
64
L1 Cache
512 KB+100%
256 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB+100%
1 MB
Frame Generation
FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation
FSR 3 + AFMF

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Both cards support Frame Generation, but the Radeon RX 6500M is on the newer stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF, while the Radeon RX 580 2048SP stays on FSR Frame Generation.

FeatureRadeon RX 580 2048SPRadeon RX 6500M
Upscaling Tech
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
FSR 3
Frame Generation
FSR Frame Generation
FSR Frame Generation + AFMF
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
AMD Anti-Lag
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon RX 580 2048SP has 16 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 6500M carries 4 GB. Radeon RX 580 2048SP gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (Radeon RX 580 2048SP) vs 144 GB/s (Radeon RX 6500M) — a 55.6% advantage for the Radeon RX 580 2048SP. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the Radeon RX 580 2048SP and 64-bit on the Radeon RX 6500M. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Radeon RX 580 2048SP) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX 6500M) — the Radeon RX 580 2048SP has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon RX 580 2048SPRadeon RX 6500M
VRAM Capacity
16 GB+300%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
224 GB/s+56%
144 GB/s
Bus Width
256-bit+300%
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+100%
1 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (Radeon RX 580 2048SP) vs 12 (12_2) (Radeon RX 6500M). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureRadeon RX 580 2048SPRadeon RX 6500M
DirectX
12
12 (12_2)
Vulkan
1.3
1.4+8%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 580 2048SP) vs VCN 3.0 (Radeon RX 6500M). Decoder: UVD 6.3 vs VCN 3.0. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 580 2048SP) vs H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Decode Only) (Radeon RX 6500M).

FeatureRadeon RX 580 2048SPRadeon RX 6500M
Encoder
VCE 3.4
VCN 3.0
Decoder
UVD 6.3
VCN 3.0
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,VP9
H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Decode Only)
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX 580 2048SP draws 150W versus the Radeon RX 6500M's 50W — a 100% difference. The Radeon RX 6500M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon RX 580 2048SP) vs 350W (Radeon RX 6500M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85°C.

FeatureRadeon RX 580 2048SPRadeon RX 6500M
TDP
150W
50W-67%
Recommended PSU
450W
350W-22%
Power Connector
8-pin
Mobile
Length
241mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75°C-12%
85°C
Perf/Watt
50.9
148.9+193%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon RX 6500M (2022 vs 2018).

FeatureRadeon RX 580 2048SPRadeon RX 6500M
MSRP
$229
Codename
Polaris 20
Navi 24
Release
October 15 2018
January 4 2022
Ranking
#334
#341

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.