AMD FirePro D500 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the only head-to-head benchmark available?

A: The AMD FirePro D500 wins the sole head-to-head test (geekbench_vulkan), scoring 18,533 against the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB's 17,475. That is a 5.7% advantage for the AMD card.

Q: How do the two cards compare in average benchmark score?

A: The GTX 1060 3 GB has a higher average benchmark score of 19,334, while the FirePro D500 averages 18,533. The NVIDIA card sits at the 64th percentile of all GPUs, versus the 62nd percentile for the AMD card.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each card, and how close are they?

A: The GTX 1060 3 GB's closest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX, which is only 0.4% behind it in average score. The FirePro D500's nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 560X, which is 0.5% ahead of it.

Q: Which card has more shading units and texture mapping units?

A: The FirePro D500 has 1,536 shading units and 96 TMUs, compared to the GTX 1060 3 GB's 1,152 shading units and 72 TMUs. However, the GTX 1060 3 GB has more ROPs: 48 versus 32.

Q: What are the process nodes and transistor counts for each GPU?

A: The GTX 1060 3 GB is built on TSMC's 16 nm process with 4,400 million transistors on a 200 mm² die. The FirePro D500 uses TSMC's 28 nm process with 4,313 million transistors on a much larger 352 mm² die.

Q: Which card offers higher memory bandwidth?

A: The FirePro D500 provides 243.8 GB/s of bandwidth through a 384-bit bus, while the GTX 1060 3 GB offers 192.2 GB/s over a 192-bit bus. Both use 3 GB of GDDR5 memory.

Architecture Differences

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB is built on the Pascal architecture, using the GP106 chip, while the AMD FirePro D500 employs the GCN 1.0 architecture with the Tahiti chip. This is a fundamental generational split: Pascal is a 16 nm design from TSMC, whereas GCN 1.0 is a 28 nm part from the same foundry. The node difference is stark—the GTX 1060 3 GB packs 4,400 million transistors into just 200 mm², achieving a transistor density of 22.0M per mm². The FirePro D500, by contrast, crams 4,313 million transistors into 352 mm², yielding only 12.3M per mm². That is nearly a 2x density advantage for the NVIDIA part.

The two cards also diverge in their compute and output features. The GTX 1060 3 GB supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the FirePro D500 lists DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The NVIDIA card has no RT or tensor cores, and the AMD card has none either. In terms of display outputs, the GTX 1060 3 GB offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the FirePro D500 provides 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 and 1x SDI—a clear workstation-oriented feature set.

Power characteristics differ dramatically. The GTX 1060 3 GB is rated at 120 W TDP with a suggested 300 W PSU and a single 6-pin connector. The FirePro D500 draws 274 W, needs a 600 W PSU, and lists no power connectors in the data. The NVIDIA card is also shorter at 250 mm (9.8 inches) versus the AMD card's 279 mm (11 inches). Both are dual-slot designs and use PCIe 3.0 x16 interfaces.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison available is the geekbench_vulkan test, and it favors the AMD FirePro D500. The AMD card scores 18,533, while the GTX 1060 3 GB scores 17,475—a 5.7% margin. This is a meaningful, if not overwhelming, lead for the older GCN architecture in a modern API workload. The result is notable because the GTX 1060 3 GB otherwise holds a higher average benchmark score across all tests, suggesting the NVIDIA card wins in other API scenarios not directly compared here.

Looking at the broader benchmark picture, the GTX 1060 3 GB posts 13,527 in geekbench_metal and 27,001 in geekbench_opencl. The FirePro D500 has no recorded scores for those tests, so the Vulkan result is the only apples-to-apples data point. The average benchmark score—19,334 for NVIDIA versus 18,533 for AMD—shows the GTX 1060 3 GB leading by roughly 4.3%, but that gap is driven by tests where the FirePro D500 has no data. In the single shared workload, the AMD card is ahead.

The deltaPct values in the nearest rivals list reinforce this split. The GTX 1060 3 GB's closest competitor, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, is only 0.4% behind it, while the FirePro D500's nearest rival, the Radeon RX 560X, is 0.5% ahead. This suggests the GTX 1060 3 GB sits in a slightly higher performance tier overall, but the Vulkan-specific edge of the FirePro D500 keeps it competitive.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs diverge on nearly every major specification except memory size and type. Both have 3 GB of GDDR5, but the FirePro D500's memory clock is 1270 MHz (5.1 Gbps effective) versus the GTX 1060 3 GB's 2002 MHz (8 Gbps effective). The AMD card compensates with a 384-bit bus versus 192-bit, yielding 243.8 GB/s bandwidth versus 192.2 GB/s—a 26.8% advantage for AMD.

Compute resources tell a mixed story. The FirePro D500 has more shading units (1,536 vs 1,152) and more TMUs (96 vs 72), but fewer ROPs (32 vs 48). The NVIDIA card's pixel rate is 81.98 GPixel/s versus 23.20 GPixel/s for AMD—a 3.5x gap. Texture rate favors NVIDIA at 123.0 GTexel/s versus 69.60 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is likewise NVIDIA-dominated: 3.935 TFLOPS versus 2.227 TFLOPS. The GTX 1060 3 GB also lists FP16 at 61.49 GFLOPS (1:64 ratio), while the FirePro D500 has no FP16 data.

Clock behavior differs, too. The GTX 1060 3 GB has explicit base and boost clocks of 1506 MHz and 1708 MHz, while the FirePro D500 lists no base or boost clocks. Power and physical specs are heavily skewed: 120 W TDP versus 274 W, 300 W suggested PSU versus 600 W, and a 250 mm length versus 279 mm. The launch MSRP for the GTX 1060 3 GB is 199 USD; the FirePro D500 has no launch MSRP listed.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 1060 3 GB wins on raw compute throughput, pixel fill, and texture fill. Its FP32 output of 3.935 TFLOPS is 76.7% higher than the FirePro D500's 2.227 TFLOPS. The pixel rate advantage is even more lopsided—81.98 GPixel/s versus 23.20 GPixel/s, a 3.5x lead. Texture rate follows the same pattern: 123.0 GTexel/s versus 69.60 GTexel/s. For workloads that rely on these metrics—rasterization-heavy gaming, pixel shading, and general compute—the NVIDIA card is clearly superior.

The FirePro D500 wins on memory bandwidth and the sole head-to-head benchmark. Its 243.8 GB/s bandwidth is 26.8% higher, which can matter in bandwidth-bound scenarios. The Vulkan score of 18,533 versus 17,475 shows the AMD card holding an edge in that specific API, potentially reflecting its wider memory bus and higher shading unit count in certain workloads. The six mini-DisplayPort outputs and SDI connection also give it a niche advantage for multi-display professional setups.

The GTX 1060 3 GB also wins on efficiency and physical footprint. It consumes less than half the power (120 W versus 274 W), requires a 300 W PSU instead of 600 W, and is 29 mm shorter. For compact builds or systems with limited power delivery, the NVIDIA card is the practical choice.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB is the stronger overall GPU, but the AMD FirePro D500 has specific advantages that matter in select contexts. The GTX 1060 3 GB leads in average benchmark score (19,334 versus 18,533), sits at a higher percentile (64th versus 62nd), and dominates in FP32, pixel rate, and texture rate. Its 3.935 TFLOPS FP32 output is nearly double the FirePro D500's 2.227 TFLOPS, and its 81.98 GPixel/s pixel rate is over three times higher. It is also far more power-efficient, requiring only 120 W versus 274 W.

The FirePro D500's case rests on memory bandwidth and the Vulkan head-to-head result. Its 243.8 GB/s bandwidth exceeds the GTX 1060 3 GB's 192.2 GB/s, and it wins the geekbench_vulkan test by 5.7%. The 384-bit bus and higher shading unit count (1,536 versus 1,152) likely contribute to this API-specific win. Its six mini-DisplayPort outputs and SDI connector make it a workstation-oriented option for multi-display professional use.

For a general-purpose GPU, the GTX 1060 3 GB is the verdict. It wins the aggregate score, offers far higher compute throughput, consumes less power, and has a lower physical footprint. The launch MSRP of 199 USD, stated once here, further defines its consumer positioning. The FirePro D500 is only the pick if the workload is Vulkan-heavy and bandwidth-sensitive, or if the multi-display professional output configuration is a requirement. The head-to-head data shows the AMD card winning that one test, but the broader benchmark data indicates the NVIDIA card wins everywhere else. Pick the GTX 1060 3 GB for compute and rasterization performance; pick the FirePro D500 for bandwidth-bound Vulkan tasks and multi-display professional setups.