AMD FirePro M5100 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only directly comparable benchmark in the database is Geekbench OpenCL, and the result is decisive. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost scores 9302, while the AMD FirePro M5100 scores 6830. That is a 36.2% advantage for the NVIDIA card, a substantial gap in raw compute throughput. In practical terms, the GTX 650 Ti Boost delivers over a third more OpenCL performance than the FirePro M5100, which is a significant margin for any workload that leverages GPU compute.

The GTX 650 Ti Boost also holds a higher standing in the overall database rankings. It sits at the 42nd percentile against all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 8067 across all recorded tests. The FirePro M5100, by contrast, is at the 38th percentile with an average score of 6830, but that figure is based on a single OpenCL result rather than a composite of multiple tests. The NVIDIA card also has additional benchmark data points in Geekbench Metal (4858) and Geekbench Vulkan (10041), which the AMD card lacks entirely, so its average is drawn from a broader set of workloads.

Looking at nearest rivals reinforces the picture. The GTX 650 Ti Boost sits almost exactly level with the NVIDIA GRID K2 (8080, a 0.2% deficit), the GTX 650 Ti (8053, a 0.2% lead), and the GTX 880M (8040, a 0.3% lead). It even edges out the Quadro P5000 (8039) by 0.3%. That clustering means the GTX 650 Ti Boost is performing right at the expected level for its class, neither overachieving nor underperforming relative to its direct peers. The FirePro M5100, meanwhile, is 1% ahead of the Radeon R7 M370 (6764) and 2% ahead of the GeForce GT 1010 (6698), but it trails the GeForce GTX 675M (6946) by 1.7% and the Radeon R5 M240 (6975) by 2.1%. So while the FirePro holds its own against low-end mobile parts, it sits in a lower performance tier than the GTX 650 Ti Boost.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different design philosophies and different market segments. The GTX 650 Ti Boost uses the GK106 chip built on NVIDIA's Kepler architecture, fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process. It packs 2,540 million transistors into a 221 mm² die, for a transistor density of 11.5 million per square millimeter. The FirePro M5100 uses the Venus chip with AMD's GCN 1.0 architecture, also on TSMC's 28 nm node, but with 1,500 million transistors on a smaller 123 mm² die, giving a higher density of 12.2 million per square millimeter. The NVIDIA chip is physically larger and more complex, which is reflected in its higher transistor count.

The compute resources differ substantially. The GTX 650 Ti Boost has 768 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 24 ROPs. The FirePro M5100 has 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. Those numbers translate directly into throughput: the NVIDIA card achieves 1.585 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, a pixel rate of 16.51 GPixel/s, and a texture rate of 66.05 GTexel/s. The AMD card manages 992.0 GFLOPS, 12.40 GPixel/s, and 31.00 GTexel/s. Across every metric, the GTX 650 Ti Boost holds a clear advantage, with the FP32 gap being especially large at roughly 60% higher.

Clock speeds also favor NVIDIA. The GTX 650 Ti Boost runs at a base clock of 980 MHz with a boost of 1032 MHz. The FirePro M5100 is significantly slower at 725 MHz base and 775 MHz boost. Memory configurations show a similar story: both cards use 2 GB of GDDR5, but the NVIDIA card has a 192-bit bus with 144.2 GB/s of bandwidth, while the AMD card is limited to a 128-bit bus and 72.00 GB/s. That is exactly half the memory bandwidth, a critical factor for texture-heavy workloads and higher resolutions. The memory clocks reflect this, with the GTX 650 Ti Boost running at 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) versus 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective) for the FirePro.

Feature support is mostly comparable. Both support DirectX 12, though the NVIDIA card lists 11_0 feature level while the AMD card lists 11_1. OpenGL support is identical at 4.6. Vulkan support is close: the GTX 650 Ti Boost lists 1.2.175 and the FirePro M5100 lists 1.2.170. Neither card has ray tracing cores or tensor cores, which is expected for this generation.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 650 Ti Boost wins on almost every measurable axis. It is a desktop card, and the data reflects desktop-class performance expectations. Its higher FP32 throughput, double the memory bandwidth, and superior pixel and texture rates make it the stronger choice for any compute-heavy or graphics-intensive workload. The Geekbench OpenCL result, where it leads by 36.2%, is the clearest signal: if the task can be offloaded to the GPU, the NVIDIA card will finish it faster. The additional Vulkan score of 10041 and Metal score of 4858 suggest it also handles modern API workloads competently, though those tests are not available for the FirePro M5100.

The FirePro M5100 does have some structural advantages, but they are not reflected in raw performance. It is an MXM module, meaning it is designed for mobile workstations, with a slot width of "MXM Module" and display outputs described as "Portable Device Dependent". The GTX 650 Ti Boost is a dual-slot desktop card with fixed display outputs, 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2. For someone building a desktop system, the NVIDIA card is the obvious choice. For a laptop repair or upgrade scenario, the FirePro M5100 is form-factor appropriate, though its performance will be noticeably lower.

Power requirements also differ in ways that matter in practice. The GTX 650 Ti Boost has a TDP of 134 W, requires a 300 W power supply, uses a 1x 6-pin connector, and spans 241 mm in length. The FirePro M5100 has no recorded TDP, no power connector data, and no suggested PSU rating, which makes it harder to compare precisely, but the absence of power infrastructure data suggests it is a lower-power part by nature, consistent with a mobile GPU.

The FirePro M5100 also claims a higher DirectX feature level (11_1 versus 11_0) compared to the NVIDIA card's 11_0, which could matter in edge-case API usage, but the performance gap in actual compute benchmarks overwhelms that nuance.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in OpenCL?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost scores 9302 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 36.2% higher than the AMD FirePro M5100's 6830.

Q: How do these cards rank against all GPUs?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost sits at the 42nd percentile with an average benchmark score of 8067. The FirePro M5100 sits at the 38th percentile with an average score of 6830.

Q: Do both cards support modern APIs?

A: Both support DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan. The GTX 650 Ti Boost lists Vulkan 1.2.175 and a DirectX 12 feature level of 11_0, while the FirePro M5100 lists Vulkan 1.2.170 and a DirectX 12 feature level of 11_1.

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost has 144.2 GB/s over a 192-bit bus, exactly double the FirePro M5100's 72.00 GB/s over a 128-bit bus.

Q: What is the form factor difference?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost is a dual-slot desktop card, 241 mm long, with a 1x 6-pin power connector and a 300 W suggested PSU. The FirePro M5100 is an MXM module with no length, power connector, or PSU data recorded.

Q: How does the FirePro M5100 compare to its own nearest rivals?

A: It is 1% ahead of the Radeon R7 M370 and 2% ahead of the GeForce GT 1010, but it trails the GeForce GTX 675M by 1.7% and the Radeon R5 M240 by 2.1%.

The Verdict

The data points in one direction. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost outperforms the AMD FirePro M5100 by 36.2% in the only shared benchmark, has a higher average score across the database, holds a higher percentile ranking, and offers more than double the memory bandwidth. Its compute throughput, pixel rate, and texture rate are all materially higher. Any workload that depends on GPU compute, rendering, or bandwidth will favor the NVIDIA card.

The FirePro M5100 is not without rationale. Its MXM form factor makes it a replacement candidate for mobile workstations, and its lower performance envelope aligns with a part designed for portability and integration rather than peak output. It also has a slightly higher DirectX feature level (11_1 versus 11_0), which could matter for specific compatibility scenarios. But the database shows no benchmark where the FirePro wins, and its nearest rivals are all lower-tier parts.

For a desktop user choosing between these two, the GTX 650 Ti Boost is the clear pick. For someone maintaining a laptop with an MXM slot, the FirePro M5100 is the only option that fits, and its performance is adequate for its class, but it is not competitive with the desktop card. The GTX 650 Ti Boost had a launch MSRP of 169 USD, and it delivers a level of compute performance that the FirePro M5100 cannot match, even though both are now end-of-life products.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost | AMD FirePro M5100 |

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

| Architecture | Kepler | GCN 1.0 |

| Chip | GK106 | Venus |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 2,540 million | 1,500 million |

| Die Size | 221 mm² | 123 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 11.5M / mm² | 12.2M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 980 MHz | 725 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1032 MHz | 775 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) | 1125 MHz (4.5 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Bus Width | 192 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 144.2 GB/s | 72.00 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 768 | 640 |

| TMUs | 64 | 40 |

| ROPs | 24 | 16 |

| FP32 | 1.585 TFLOPS | 992.0 GFLOPS |

| Pixel Rate | 16.51 GPixel/s | 12.40 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 66.05 GTexel/s | 31.00 GTexel/s |

| TDP | 134 W | Not recorded |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | MXM Module |

| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | Not recorded |

| Suggested PSU | 300 W | Not recorded |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | MXM-A (3.0) |

| Display Outputs | 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 | Portable Device Dependent |

| DirectX | 12 (11_0) | 12 (11_1) |

| Vulkan | 1.2.175 | 1.2.170 |

| Length | 241 mm (9.5 inches) | Not recorded |

| Release Date | 2013-03-25 | 2013-10-15 |