AMD FirePro D500 vs AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data contains a single direct comparison between the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT and the AMD FirePro D500: the Geekbench Vulkan test. In this benchmark, the RX 5600 XT scored 56,218 points, while the FirePro D500 scored 18,533 points. The RX 5600 XT wins decisively with a delta of 203.3% over the FirePro D500. This means the RX 5600 XT delivers more than triple the Vulkan performance of the older workstation card. For context, the RX 5600 XT's average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 20,713, placing it at the 66th percentile of all GPUs in the database. The FirePro D500's average benchmark score is 18,533, which places it at the 62nd percentile. Despite the large gap in the single shared test, the overall percentile rankings are relatively close, with only 4 percentile points separating the two cards.

Looking at the RX 5600 XT's broader benchmark suite, its strongest results include a Passmark G3D score of 13,457, a Geekbench OpenCL score of 68,537, and a Geekbench Metal score of 80,376. Its compute-oriented Passmark GPU Compute score is 6,296. The FirePro D500 has no recorded scores for these specific tests, so the direct comparison is limited to Vulkan. The RX 5600 XT also shows a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,669. In terms of nearest rivals, the RX 5600 XT's average score of 20,713 is only 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon R9 M390X (20,662), 0.6% ahead of the Intel Arc A750 (20,582), 0.8% ahead of the Intel Arc B570 (20,556), and 0.9% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Mobile (20,534). This indicates that the RX 5600 XT sits at the top of a very tight cluster of similarly performing GPUs. The FirePro D500, with an average score of 18,533, is 0.5% behind the AMD Radeon RX 560X (18,626), 0.8% behind the Intel Arc A770M (18,383, note the delta is positive for the D500 here meaning the D500 is ahead), and 0.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 460 (18,373). It is also 0.8% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 XT (18,685). The data shows the RX 5600 XT is competitive with modern mid-range and mobile GPUs, while the FirePro D500 aligns more closely with older entry-level cards in its performance class.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from entirely different eras and design philosophies. The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT is built on the RDNA 1.0 architecture, using the Navi 10 chip, and is fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It contains 10,300 million transistors on a die size of 251 mm², yielding a transistor density of 41.0 million per square millimeter. The AMD FirePro D500, in contrast, uses the older GCN 1.0 architecture with the Tahiti chip, manufactured on a 28 nm process, also at TSMC. It packs 4,313 million transistors on a much larger die of 352 mm², resulting in a significantly lower transistor density of 12.3 million per square millimeter. The manufacturing process difference is stark: 7 nm versus 28 nm, which explains the RX 5600 XT's superior density and efficiency characteristics.

The RX 5600 XT features 2,304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units. The FirePro D500 has 1,536 shading units, 96 TMUs, and only 32 ROPs. The RX 5600 XT's pixel rate is 99.84 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 224.6 GTexel/s. The FirePro D500's pixel rate is 23.20 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 69.60 GTexel/s. In terms of raw compute, the RX 5600 XT delivers 7.188 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the FirePro D500 manages 2.227 TFLOPS. The RX 5600 XT also supports FP16 compute at 14.38 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, whereas the FirePro D500 has no recorded FP16 capability. Memory subsystems differ as well: the RX 5600 XT uses 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, achieving 288.0 GB/s bandwidth. The FirePro D500 has 3 GB of GDDR5 on a wider 384-bit bus, but only reaches 243.8 GB/s. The clock speeds also diverge, with the RX 5600 XT running a base of 1130 MHz, a game clock of 1375 MHz, and a boost of 1560 MHz, while the FirePro D500 has no recorded base or boost clocks, only a memory clock of 1270 MHz (5.1 Gbps effective). API support shows the RX 5600 XT supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The FirePro D500 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly favors the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT in the single shared test. The 203.3% lead in Geekbench Vulkan is a massive margin, indicating that the RX 5600 XT is the superior choice for any workload relying on Vulkan rendering or compute. The RX 5600 XT also holds a higher average benchmark score (20,713 versus 18,533) and a higher percentile ranking (66 versus 62). However, the FirePro D500 is not without merit in its own right. Its average score is within 12% of the RX 5600 XT's average, and it sits in a similar performance tier according to the percentile data. For users specifically working with the FirePro D500's strengths, such as its 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 and SDI outputs for professional video routing, the raw compute gap may be less relevant. The RX 5600 XT offers a single HDMI 2.0b and three DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, which is a typical consumer layout. The data suggests the RX 5600 XT is the outright performance winner, while the FirePro D500 retains a niche as a specific workstation part with legacy display connectivity. The Verdict: pick the RX 5600 XT for raw performance and modern API support; pick the FirePro D500 only if the specific workstation feature set is required.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every measurable specification field. The RX 5600 XT uses a 7 nm process, while the FirePro D500 uses 28 nm. Transistor count is 10,300 million for the RX 5600 XT versus 4,313 million for the FirePro D500. Die size is 251 mm² for the RX 5600 XT and 352 mm² for the FirePro D500. Transistor density is 41.0M / mm² versus 12.3M / mm². The RX 5600 XT has a base clock of 1130 MHz, a game clock of 1375 MHz, and a boost clock of 1560 MHz, while the FirePro D500 has no recorded base, boost, or game clocks. Memory clock is 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) for the RX 5600 XT and 1270 MHz (5.1 Gbps effective) for the FirePro D500. Memory size is 6 GB GDDR6 versus 3 GB GDDR5. Bus width is 192 bit versus 384 bit. Bandwidth is 288.0 GB/s versus 243.8 GB/s. Shading units are 2304 versus 1536. TMUs are 144 versus 96. ROPs are 64 versus 32. Pixel rate is 99.84 GPixel/s versus 23.20 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 224.6 GTexel/s versus 69.60 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is 7.188 TFLOPS versus 2.227 TFLOPS. FP16 is 14.38 TFLOPS for the RX 5600 XT, with no value for the FirePro D500. TDP is 150 W for the RX 5600 XT and 274 W for the FirePro D500. The RX 5600 XT uses a single 8-pin power connector and suggests a 450 W PSU, while the FirePro D500 lists no power connectors and suggests a 600 W PSU. Bus interface is PCIe 4.0 x16 for the RX 5600 XT and PCIe 3.0 x16 for the FirePro D500. Display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a for the RX 5600 XT, versus 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 and 1x SDI for the FirePro D500. DirectX support is 12 (12_1) for the RX 5600 XT and 12 (11_1) for the FirePro D500. Vulkan support is 1.4 versus 1.2.170. The RX 5600 XT has a length of 267 mm (10.5 inches), while the FirePro D500 is 279 mm (11 inches). Both are dual-slot cards. The RX 5600 XT was released on 2020-01-20, and the FirePro D500 was released on 2014-01-17. The RX 5600 XT has a launch MSRP of 279 USD, while the FirePro D500 has no recorded launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT has an average benchmark score of 20,713, compared to the AMD FirePro D500's average of 18,533.

Q: How does the RX 5600 XT compare to the FirePro D500 in Vulkan performance?

A: In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the RX 5600 XT scores 56,218, which is 203.3% higher than the FirePro D500's score of 18,533.

Q: What is the transistor count difference between the two cards?

A: The RX 5600 XT has 10,300 million transistors, while the FirePro D500 has 4,313 million transistors.

Q: Which card has a higher memory bandwidth?

A: The RX 5600 XT has a memory bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s, which is higher than the FirePro D500's 243.8 GB/s.

Q: Does the FirePro D500 support FP16 computation?

A: No, the FirePro D500 has no recorded FP16 value, while the RX 5600 XT supports FP16 at 14.38 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio.

Q: What are the display output configurations?

A: The RX 5600 XT has 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The FirePro D500 has 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 and 1x SDI.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT wins in every direct performance comparison available in the database. Its 203.3% lead in Vulkan makes it the clear choice for gaming, modern rendering workloads, and any application that leverages Vulkan's low-overhead access to the GPU. The RX 5600 XT also wins on compute throughput, with 7.188 TFLOPS FP32 versus the FirePro D500's 2.227 TFLOPS, and on memory bandwidth, 288.0 GB/s versus 243.8 GB/s. Its higher pixel rate (99.84 GPixel/s versus 23.20 GPixel/s) and texture rate (224.6 GTexel/s versus 69.60 GTexel/s) reinforce its advantage in rasterization-heavy tasks. The RX 5600 XT also benefits from a more modern PCIe 4.0 interface and newer API support (DirectX 12_1 and Vulkan 1.4).

The AMD FirePro D500 wins in specific workstation-oriented features. Its 384-bit memory bus is wider, although it does not translate to higher bandwidth. Its display output suite is distinctly professional: 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 and 1x SDI, which is useful for multi-display video walls or broadcast environments. The FirePro D500 has a lower transistor density but a larger die, which may indicate different design priorities. It also has a higher TDP of 274 W, suggesting it was designed for sustained workstation loads rather than efficiency. In the nearest rival comparison, the FirePro D500 is 0.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 460, showing it can still hold its own against some entry-level consumer cards. For users with legacy software that requires GCN architecture or specific workstation drivers, the FirePro D500 remains a functional option, but the data clearly shows the RX 5600 XT dominates in raw performance metrics.