AMD Polaris 21

Polaris 21

Polaris 21 XT

Fritzchens Fritz

Die Shot

Block Diagram

AMD's Polaris 21 GPU uses the GCN 4.0 architecture and is made using a 14 nm production process at GlobalFoundries. With a die size of 123 mm² and a transistor count of 3,000 million it is a small chip. Polaris 21 supports DirectX 12 (Feature Level 12_0). For GPU compute applications, OpenCL version 2.1 can be used. It features 1024 shading units, 64 texture mapping units and 16 ROPs.

Further reading: Polaris Architecture Whitepaper

Graphics Processor

Released: Apr 18th, 2017

GPU Name: Polaris 21

Codename: Baffin

Generation: Arctic Islands/Polaris

Architecture: GCN 4.0

Foundry: GlobalFoundries

Process Size: 14 nm

Transistors: 3,000 million

Density: 24.4M / mm²

Die Size: 123 mm²

Package: BGA-769

Graphics Features

DirectX: 12 (12_0)

OpenGL: 4.6

OpenCL: 2.1

Vulkan: 1.3

Shader Model: 6.7

WDDM: 3.1

Compute: GFX8 (gfx803)

DCE: 11.2

UVD: 6.3

VCE: 3.4

SDMA: 3.0.0

CLRX: GCN 1.2.0

Render Config

Shading Units: 1024

TMUs: 64

ROPs: 16

Compute Units: 16

ACEs: 4

HWSs: 2

SEs: 2

L1 Cache: 16 KB per CU

L2 Cache: 1024 KB

Max. TDP: 75 W

All GCN 4.0 GPUs

AMD GPU Architecture History

2024 RDNA 4.0
2024 RDNA 3.5
2023-2024 CDNA 3.0
2022-2024 RDNA 3.0
2021 CDNA 2.0
2020 CDNA 1.0
2020-2024 RDNA 2.0
2019-2020 RDNA 1.0
2018-2022 GCN 5.1
2017-2020 GCN 5.0
2016-2020 GCN 4.0
2014-2019 GCN 3.0
2013-2017 GCN 2.0
2011-2020 GCN 1.0
2010-2013 TeraScale 3
2009-2015 TeraScale 2
2005-2013 TeraScale
2005-2007 Ultra-Threaded SE

Graphics cards using the AMD Polaris 21 GPU

Name	Chip	Memory	Shaders	TMUs	ROPs	Base Clock	Boost Clock	Memory Clock
AMD Radeon RX 560	Polaris 21 XT	4 GB	1024	64	16	1175 MHz	1275 MHz	1750 MHz
AMD Radeon Pro 560	Polaris 21 XT	4 GB	1024	64	16	907 MHz		1270 MHz
AMD Radeon Pro 555	Polaris 21 PRO	2 GB	768	48	16	850 MHz		1275 MHz
AMD Radeon RX 560D	Polaris 21 XL	4 GB	896	56	16	1090 MHz	1175 MHz	1500 MHz
AMD Radeon RX 560 896SP	Polaris 21 XL	4 GB	896	56	16	1090 MHz	1175 MHz	1750 MHz
AMD Radeon RX 560X	Polaris 21 XT	4 GB	1024	64	16	1175 MHz	1275 MHz	1750 MHz
AMD Radeon RX 560X Mobile	Polaris 21M XT	2 GB	1024	64	16	1175 MHz	1202 MHz	1500 MHz
AMD Radeon RX 560DX	Polaris 21 XL	4 GB	896	56	16	1090 MHz	1175 MHz	1500 MHz
AMD Radeon Pro 560X	Polaris 21 XT	4 GB	1024	64	16	1004 MHz		1470 MHz
AMD Radeon Pro 555X	Polaris 21 PRO	4 GB	768	48	16	907 MHz		1470 MHz
AMD Radeon RX 560X Mobile	Polaris 21M XT	4 GB	1024	64	16	1275 MHz		1450 MHz
AMD Radeon RX 560X Mobile	Polaris 21M XT	4 GB	1024	64	16	1275 MHz		1750 MHz

Polaris 21 GPU Notes

Generation: Polaris
Codename: Baffin
Graphics/Compute: GFX8 (gfx803)
Display Core Engine: 11.2
Unified Video Decoder: 6.3
Video Compression Engine: 3.4
System DMA: 3.0.0
CLRX: GCN 1.2.0

Latest Drivers:
Windows 7:
64-bit: AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 22.6.1
64-bit: Radeon™ Pro Software for Enterprise 21.Q1.1

Windows 8.1:
64-bit: Radeon Software: Crimson ReLive Edition 17.4.4 / 17.7.1

Windows 10 / 11:
64-bit: AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition 24.3.1 (23.19.12)
64-bit: AMD Software: PRO Edition 22.Q4

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