AMD FirePro D500 vs AMD Radeon RX 560X Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 560X edges out the AMD FirePro D500 in the only shared benchmark, but the real story is how two very different GPU generations arrive at nearly identical average scores. The RX 560X holds a 9.2% lead in Geekbench Vulkan, yet the FirePro D500 counters with superior raw memory bandwidth and a wider bus. The verdict is split by workload: the RX 560X is the choice for modern API gaming and efficiency, while the FirePro D500 is the pick for memory-bandwidth-hungry compute tasks, provided power draw is not a constraint.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear, though narrow, victory for the AMD Radeon RX 560X in overall synthetic performance. Its average benchmark score of 18626 is 0.5% higher than the FirePro D500's 18533, and in the head-to-head Geekbench Vulkan test, it wins decisively with a 20231 score against 18533, a 9.2% margin. For users prioritizing modern graphics API performance, the RX 560X is the unequivocal choice.

However, the FirePro D500 is not obsolete. Its 243.8 GB/s memory bandwidth is more than double the RX 560X's 112.0 GB/s, making it the superior option for workloads that saturate memory, such as large data sets or high-resolution textures. This advantage comes at a steep cost: the D500 consumes 274 W versus the RX 560X's 75 W, requiring a 600 W suggested PSU compared to 250 W. The verdict, strictly from data, is that the RX 560X wins on efficiency and modern feature support, while the FirePro D500 wins on raw memory throughput and raw shading unit count.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent opposite ends of AMD's GCN evolution. The RX 560X uses the Polaris 21 chip built on GCN 4.0, featuring a 14 nm process from GlobalFoundries. The FirePro D500 uses the Tahiti chip on the original GCN 1.0 architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 28 nm process. This generational gap explains the efficiency disparity: the newer 14 nm node allows the RX 560X to deliver comparable performance at a fraction of the power.

The chips themselves are starkly different in composition. The FirePro D500 packs 4,313 million transistors on a 352 mm² die, while the RX 560X has only 3,000 million transistors on a 123 mm² die. Interestingly, the older chip has more raw resources: 1536 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs, versus the RX 560X's 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The RX 560X compensates with higher clocks (boost 1275 MHz vs. unspecified for the D500), but the D500's memory subsystem is the defining architectural trait: a 384-bit bus with 243.8 GB/s bandwidth versus the RX 560X's 128-bit bus with 112.0 GB/s.

Feature support diverges sharply. The RX 560X supports DirectX 12 (12_0), Vulkan 1.3, and has a 1:1 FP16 ratio at 2.611 TFLOPS. The FirePro D500 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170, with no listed FP16 capability. The RX 560X also offers modern display outputs (HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4a), while the D500 provides six mini-DisplayPort 1.2 connections plus SDI, reflecting its professional data center origins.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 560X has an average benchmark score of 18626, which is 0.5% higher than the AMD FirePro D500's 18533.

Q: How much faster is the RX 560X in the shared Vulkan test?

A: In the Geekbench Vulkan benchmark, the RX 560X scores 20231 versus the FirePro D500's 18533, giving it a 9.2% performance advantage.

Q: Does the FirePro D500 have more memory bandwidth?

A: Yes, the FirePro D500 has 243.8 GB/s bandwidth over a 384-bit bus, which is substantially higher than the RX 560X's 112.0 GB/s over a 128-bit bus.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The RX 560X has a TDP of 75 W with a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the FirePro D500 has a TDP of 274 W and requires a 600 W suggested PSU.

Q: Which GPU supports newer graphics APIs?

A: The RX 560X supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, while the FirePro D500 only reaches DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Q: What is the transistor density difference?

A: The RX 560X achieves 24.4M transistors per mm² on a 14 nm process, while the FirePro D500 has 12.3M transistors per mm² on a 28 nm process.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every fundamental specification. The RX 560X uses a 14 nm process from GlobalFoundries, while the FirePro D500 uses 28 nm from TSMC. Transistor counts are 3,000 million versus 4,313 million, with die sizes of 123 mm² and 352 mm² respectively. The RX 560X has a boost clock of 1275 MHz; the D500's clocks are not specified.

Memory configurations are completely different: the RX 560X has 4 GB GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus delivering 112.0 GB/s, while the D500 has 3 GB GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus delivering 243.8 GB/s. The D500 has more shading units (1536 vs 1024), more TMUs (96 vs 64), and more ROPs (32 vs 16). However, the RX 560X achieves higher pixel rate (20.40 GPixel/s vs 23.20 GPixel/s for the D500, wait, the D500 is higher) — actually, the D500 has a higher pixel rate at 23.20 GPixel/s versus 20.40 GPixel/s for the RX 560X. The texture rate favors the RX 560X at 81.60 GTexel/s versus 69.60 GTexel/s for the D500.

FP32 performance is close: 2.611 TFLOPS for the RX 560X versus 2.227 TFLOPS for the D500. The RX 560X lists FP16 at 2.611 TFLOPS (1:1), while the D500 has no FP16 listing. Power is a massive differentiator: 75 W TDP for the RX 560X versus 274 W for the D500, with suggested PSUs of 250 W and 600 W. The RX 560X uses PCIe 3.0 x8, while the D500 uses PCIe 3.0 x16.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Only one shared benchmark exists in the data: Geekbench Vulkan. The RX 560X wins this test outright, scoring 20231 against the FirePro D500's 18533. This 9.2% victory is the single most relevant data point for comparing their modern API performance. The result is consistent with the architectural differences: the RX 560X's newer GCN 4.0 architecture and Vulkan 1.3 support give it an edge in API-level efficiency, despite having 33% fewer shading units.

The RX 560X's average benchmark score of 18626 is bolstered by its Geekbench OpenCL result of 17020, which is not listed for the D500. This suggests the RX 560X maintains solid compute performance across multiple APIs. The FirePro D500's average score of 18533 comes solely from its Vulkan result, meaning its compute performance in OpenCL is unverified in this data set.

Looking at nearest rivals, the RX 560X sits just 0.3% below the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 XT (18685) and 0.9% below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (18789), while being 1.3% behind the NVIDIA Tesla K80 (18866). The FirePro D500 is 0.8% above the Intel Arc A770M (18383) and 0.9% above the AMD Radeon RX 460 (18373), but 0.8% below the Radeon Pro 5700 XT. These positions confirm both cards are mid-pack performers, with the RX 560X holding a slight edge.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 560X wins in nearly every measurable performance category except memory bandwidth. Its Vulkan score is 9.2% higher, its texture rate is 17.2% higher (81.60 vs 69.60 GTexel/s), and its FP32 output is 17.2% higher (2.611 vs 2.227 TFLOPS). It achieves this with a 75 W TDP versus 274 W, making it the clear winner for energy-conscious builds or systems with limited PSU capacity. Its support for Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_0), plus its 1:1 FP16 capability, makes it the better choice for modern gaming and compute workloads that leverage these APIs. The RX 560X also offers a compact 170 mm length and requires no power connectors, simplifying installation.

The AMD FirePro D500 wins decisively in memory bandwidth: 243.8 GB/s versus 112.0 GB/s, a 117.7% advantage. This is its primary weapon. For workloads that are bandwidth-bound — such as large matrix operations, high-resolution image processing, or data-intensive scientific computing — the D500's 384-bit bus provides a significant theoretical advantage. It also has more shading units (1536 vs 1024) and more ROPs (32 vs 16), which can help in geometry-heavy tasks. Its six mini-DisplayPort outputs and SDI connection make it suitable for multi-display professional setups. However, this comes at the cost of a 274 W TDP and a 600 W suggested PSU, along with a longer 279 mm card length. The D500's older GCN 1.0 architecture and limited API support (Vulkan 1.2.170, DirectX 11_1) mean it cannot match the RX 560X in modern API tests, but for raw memory throughput in legacy or specialized applications, it remains the stronger option.