AMD FirePro D300 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER Comparison

Architecture Differences

The AMD FirePro D300 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER represent two very different eras of GPU design. The FirePro D300 uses the Pitcairn chip built on GCN 1.0 architecture, manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 2,800 million transistors into a 212 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 13.2M per mm². The RTX 2060 SUPER, by contrast, uses the TU106 chip with Turing architecture, built on a 12 nm process, also at TSMC. It scales to 10,800 million transistors across a 445 mm² die, with a density of 24.3M per mm².

The feature set diverges sharply. The FirePro D300 has no dedicated ray tracing or tensor cores, while the RTX 2060 SUPER includes 34 ray tracing cores and 272 tensor cores. The FirePro D300's GCN design targets compute workloads with 1280 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The RTX 2060 SUPER more than doubles those counts: 2176 shading units, 136 TMUs, and 64 ROPs.

Memory technology also differs. The FirePro D300 uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 162.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 2060 SUPER uses 8 GB of GDDR6, also on a 256-bit bus, but with 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Clock behavior is distinct as well. The FirePro D300 lists no base or boost clock in the database, only a memory clock of 1270 MHz (5.1 Gbps effective). The RTX 2060 SUPER has a 1470 MHz base clock and a 1650 MHz boost clock, with memory at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective).

API support separates the two further. The FirePro D300 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The RTX 2060 SUPER supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The newer Turing card also carries display outputs that include DVI, HDMI 2.0, two DisplayPort 1.4a connections, and USB Type-C, while the FirePro D300 has four DisplayPort 1.2 outputs. Both are end-of-life products, but the FirePro D300 predates the RTX 2060 SUPER by over five years, with release dates in early 2014 and mid-2019 respectively.

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data shows a clear division of labor. The AMD FirePro D300 was built for professional data center duties, and its GCN 1.0 architecture emphasizes raw compute throughput in a single-slot, 150 W envelope. Its 2 GB GDDR5 frame buffer and four DisplayPort outputs suggest a multi-display workstation role. The FirePro D300's successor is listed as Radeon Instinct, which reinforces its compute-oriented lineage.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER, meanwhile, belongs to the GeForce 20-series consumer gaming lineup. Its Turing architecture brings real-time ray tracing via 34 RT cores and AI acceleration through 272 tensor cores. The 8 GB GDDR6 frame buffer and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth make it suited for modern game loads, while the dual-slot design and 175 W TDP reflect a more power-hungry but capable consumer part. Its predecessor is GeForce 10 and its successor is GeForce 30, placing it squarely in the consumer GPU timeline.

Benchmark outcomes align with these roles. The RTX 2060 SUPER wins both head-to-head tests in the database, with a 2-0 record. The FirePro D300 does not win any of the shared benchmarks. However, the FirePro D300's percentile ranking among all GPUs is 64, which is slightly higher than the RTX 2060 SUPER's 62. Its average benchmark score of 19637 also exceeds the RTX 2060 SUPER's 18093. This indicates the older card holds its own in certain compute-oriented workloads, even if the newer card dominates in the specific tests where they overlap.

The use-case split is straightforward: the FirePro D300 leans toward professional compute and multi-display setups, while the RTX 2060 SUPER targets gaming and ray-traced content. The RTX 2060 SUPER's tensor cores and higher FP16 throughput (14.36 TFLOPS at 2:1) give it an edge in AI-adjacent tasks, while the FirePro D300's GCN architecture was designed for the compute patterns common in data center workloads of its era.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records two shared benchmark tests between these GPUs, and both go decisively to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 2060 SUPER scores 76957 against the FirePro D300's 19515. That translates to a delta of -74.6%, meaning the FirePro D300 trails by roughly three-quarters of the RTX 2060 SUPER's score. The margin is enormous and reflects the architectural gap between a 2014 professional card and a 2019 consumer GPU.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the pattern repeats. The RTX 2060 SUPER scores 77402, while the FirePro D300 manages 19759. The delta is -74.5%, nearly identical to the OpenCL result. The FirePro D300's Vulkan score of 19759 is only slightly above its OpenCL score of 19515, suggesting the GCN architecture scales similarly across both APIs. The RTX 2060 SUPER also shows consistency, with its Vulkan score of 77402 marginally ahead of its OpenCL score of 76957.

The FirePro D300's nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 (delta of 0.2%), the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT (delta of -0.6%), the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX (delta of 1.2%), and the NVIDIA Tesla K40m (delta of -1.2%). These are all close matches, with the FirePro D300 sitting within 1.2% of each. That places it in a performance tier alongside professional and mid-range consumer cards from various generations.

The RTX 2060 SUPER's nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (delta of -0.4%), the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (delta of -0.5%), the AMD Radeon RX 460 (delta of -1.5%), and the Intel Arc A770M (delta of -1.6%). These deltas are small, indicating the RTX 2060 SUPER sits in a crowded performance band. The presence of the RX 460 as a near rival is notable, as it suggests the average benchmark score does not fully capture the RTX 2060 SUPER's strengths in modern workloads.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every specification category. The FirePro D300 uses the Pitcairn chip with GCN 1.0 architecture, while the RTX 2060 SUPER uses TU106 with Turing. Process nodes are 28 nm versus 12 nm. Transistor counts are 2,800 million versus 10,800 million, and die sizes are 212 mm² versus 445 mm². Transistor density is 13.2M per mm² versus 24.3M per mm².

Clock speeds show a similar gap. The FirePro D300 has no recorded base or boost clock, while the RTX 2060 SUPER has a 1470 MHz base and 1650 MHz boost. Memory clocks are 1270 MHz (5.1 Gbps effective) versus 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). Memory capacity is 2 GB GDDR5 versus 8 GB GDDR6. Both use a 256-bit bus, but bandwidth is 162.6 GB/s versus 448.0 GB/s.

Compute resources differ substantially. Shading units are 1280 versus 2176. TMUs are 80 versus 136. ROPs are 32 versus 64. The RTX 2060 SUPER adds 34 RT cores and 272 tensor cores, which the FirePro D300 lacks entirely. Pixel rate is 27.20 GPixel/s versus 105.6 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 68.00 GTexel/s versus 224.4 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 2.176 TFLOPS versus 7.181 TFLOPS. The RTX 2060 SUPER also lists FP16 at 14.36 TFLOPS (2:1), while the FirePro D300 has no FP16 figure.

Power and physical specs differ as well. TDP is 150 W versus 175 W. The FirePro D300 is single-slot, while the RTX 2060 SUPER is dual-slot. The RTX 2060 SUPER requires a single 8-pin power connector, while the FirePro D300 lists no power connector in the database. Both suggest a 450 W PSU. Lengths are 242 mm (9.5 inches) for the FirePro D300 and 229 mm (9 inches) for the RTX 2060 SUPER. The RTX 2060 SUPER adds height and width dimensions of 113 mm (4.4 inches) and 35 mm (1.4 inches), while the FirePro D300 has none recorded.

API support diverges at the DirectX level. The FirePro D300 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), while the RTX 2060 SUPER supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2). Both support OpenGL 4.6, but Vulkan versions differ: 1.2.170 versus 1.4. Display outputs are 4x DisplayPort 1.2 for the FirePro D300 versus 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a, and 1x USB Type-C for the RTX 2060 SUPER.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD FirePro D300 has an average benchmark score of 19637, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER has 18093. The FirePro D300 also ranks slightly higher in percentile versus all GPUs, at 64 compared to the RTX 2060 SUPER's 62.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER scores 76957 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the FirePro D300 scores 19515. The RTX 2060 SUPER leads by a delta of -74.6%, meaning the FirePro D300 is roughly 74.6% behind.

Q: Does the FirePro D300 have ray tracing or tensor cores?

A: No. The FirePro D300 lists no RT cores and no tensor cores. The RTX 2060 SUPER includes 34 ray tracing cores and 272 tensor cores.

Q: What are the memory specifications of each card?

A: The FirePro D300 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 162.6 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 2060 SUPER has 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor density?

A: The RTX 2060 SUPER has a transistor density of 24.3M per mm², compared to the FirePro D300's 13.2M per mm². The RTX 2060 SUPER also uses more transistors overall: 10,800 million versus 2,800 million.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the RTX 2060 SUPER?

A: The launch MSRP of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER is 399 USD. The FirePro D300 has no launch MSRP recorded in the database.