AMD FirePro D300 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Comparison

The GeForce RTX 5050 is in a completely different performance class than the FirePro D300, with benchmark data showing a generational gap that dwarfs any architectural differences. In the two available head-to-head tests, the RTX 5050 delivers over 350% higher scores, making this comparison a formality rather than a contest.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data is unambiguous: the GeForce RTX 5050 wins both shared benchmark tests by a massive margin. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 5050 scores 90,334 against the FirePro D300's 19,515, a delta of 362.9%. The Vulkan result tells the same story — 89,381 for the RTX 5050 versus 19,759 for the FirePro D300, a 352.4% advantage.

These are not incremental gains. The RTX 5050's OpenCL score is over 4.6 times higher than the FirePro D300's, and its Vulkan score is over 4.5 times higher. To put this in perspective, the FirePro D300's average benchmark score of 19,637 places it at the 64th percentile of all GPUs, while the RTX 5050's average of 21,035 sits at the 66th percentile. Despite the FirePro D300 being within 7.1% of the RTX 5050's average score, the individual OpenCL and Vulkan tests reveal a chasm that average scores obscure.

Looking at the RTX 5050's full benchmark suite, it shows particular strength in Passmark G3D with a score of 17,326, and Geekbench OpenCL at 90,334. The FirePro D300 has no comparable Passmark data, but its Geekbench scores are consistent with a GPU that is several generations old. The RTX 5050 also demonstrates strong compute performance with a Passmark GPU Compute score of 9,184, while its DirectX 12 Passmark score of 66 trails its DirectX 11 score of 150 — a pattern that reflects the different workload characteristics of those APIs.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 5050 wins every single benchmark where both cards have data. There is no test in the shared dataset where the FirePro D300 comes out ahead. The RTX 5050's 2-0 record in head-to-head tests is backed by its broader benchmark portfolio: it posts a 13.17 TFLOPS FP32 rate, 320.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, all of which contribute to its dominant position.

The FirePro D300's only conceivable advantage lies in its single-slot form factor and its four DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, which make it suitable for multi-display setups in constrained chassis. However, in raw performance terms, the data does not support any scenario where the FirePro D300 wins. Its 2.176 TFLOPS FP32 rate is less than one-sixth of the RTX 5050's, and its 162.6 GB/s bandwidth is barely half.

For workloads that rely on OpenCL or Vulkan — the only shared benchmarks — the RTX 5050 is the clear choice. Its Geekbench Vulkan score of 89,381 indicates strong modern API support, while the FirePro D300's 19,759 Vulkan score reflects its GCN 1.0 architecture's limited Vulkan implementation (1.2.170 versus the RTX 5050's 1.4).

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is as wide as the performance gap. The RTX 5050 is built on NVIDIA's Blackwell 2.0 architecture using a 5 nm TSMC process, packing 16,900 million transistors on a 149 mm² die. In contrast, the FirePro D300 uses AMD's GCN 1.0 architecture on a 28 nm TSMC process, with 2,800 million transistors on a 212 mm² die. The transistor density tells the story: 113.4 million transistors per mm² for the RTX 5050 versus 13.2 million for the FirePro D300 — an 8.6x difference.

The core configurations differ dramatically. The RTX 5050 has 2,560 shading units, 80 TMUs, 32 ROPs, 20 ray tracing cores, and 80 tensor cores. The FirePro D300 has 1,280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, but no ray tracing or tensor cores. This means the RTX 5050 supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI features that the FirePro D300 cannot access at all.

Memory subsystems reflect their respective eras. The RTX 5050 uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, achieving 320.0 GB/s bandwidth. The FirePro D300 uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, achieving 162.6 GB/s. The RTX 5050 also supports PCIe 5.0 x8, while the FirePro D300 is limited to PCIe 3.0 x16. API support favors the RTX 5050 as well: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) versus DirectX 12 (11_1), and Vulkan 1.4 versus 1.2.170.

The RTX 5050 is a dual-slot card requiring a 300 W power supply, while the FirePro D300 is single-slot with a 450 W suggested PSU. Both have a TDP in the same ballpark — 130 W for the RTX 5050 versus 150 W for the FirePro D300 — but the RTX 5050 delivers far more performance per watt given its 6x higher FP32 throughput.

The Verdict

The verdict is straightforward: the GeForce RTX 5050 is the superior GPU in every measurable way. Its 362.9% OpenCL lead and 352.4% Vulkan lead over the FirePro D300 are decisive, and its architectural advantages — newer process node, more shading units, ray tracing support, tensor cores, and triple the memory capacity — make it the only rational choice for any modern workload.

The FirePro D300, released in January 2014, is end-of-life and lacks the features required for contemporary applications. Its 2 GB of GDDR5 memory is insufficient for current games or professional workloads, and its lack of ray tracing and tensor cores excludes it from AI and RT-accelerated tasks. Its only potential niche is legacy multi-display setups requiring four DisplayPort outputs in a single-slot form factor.

For anyone choosing between these two, the RTX 5050 is the clear winner. Its 8 GB GDDR6 memory, 13.17 TFLOPS FP32 performance, and modern API support make it suitable for gaming, content creation, and light AI workloads. The FirePro D300 should only be considered if the single-slot form factor and four DisplayPort 1.2 outputs are absolute requirements, and even then, its performance limitations will be a significant bottleneck.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the RTX 5050 than the FirePro D300 in OpenCL?

A: The RTX 5050 scores 90,334 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 362.9% higher than the FirePro D300's 19,515.

Q: Does the FirePro D300 support ray tracing?

A: No, the FirePro D300 has no ray tracing cores. The RTX 5050 has 20 ray tracing cores.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The RTX 5050 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, while the FirePro D300 has 2 GB of GDDR5.

Q: Which card has better Vulkan support?

A: The RTX 5050 supports Vulkan 1.4 and scores 89,381 in Geekbench Vulkan, while the FirePro D300 supports Vulkan 1.2.170 and scores 19,759.

Q: What are the transistor counts for each GPU?

A: The RTX 5050 has 16,900 million transistors, while the FirePro D300 has 2,800 million.

Q: Is the FirePro D300 still in production?

A: No, the FirePro D300 is end-of-life, while the RTX 5050 is active.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 | AMD FirePro D300 |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Blackwell 2.0 | GCN 1.0 |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 16,900 million | 2,800 million |

| Die Size | 149 mm² | 212 mm² |

| Shading Units | 2560 | 1280 |

| TMUs | 80 | 80 |

| ROPs | 32 | 32 |

| RT Cores | 20 | null |

| Tensor Cores | 80 | null |

| FP32 Performance | 13.17 TFLOPS | 2.176 TFLOPS |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 2 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 320.0 GB/s | 162.6 GB/s |

| TDP | 130 W | 150 W |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | Single-slot |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 5.0 x8 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1b, 3x DisplayPort 2.1b | 4x DisplayPort 1.2 |

| DirectX Support | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (11_1) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.2.170 |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2025-06-30 | 2014-01-17 |