AMD FirePro M6100 vs AMD Radeon RX 570X Comparison

The Verdict

The data presents a clear generational divide. The AMD Radeon RX 570X is the decisive performer, winning the only head-to-head benchmark available with a 191.6% margin. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the RX 570X scores 38,939 against the FirePro M6100's 13,354. This is not a close contest; it is a complete rout. The RX 570X is the only choice for anyone prioritizing raw compute performance.

However, the FirePro M6100 is not without a purpose. Its average benchmark score of 13,354 places it in the 54th percentile of all GPUs, which is nearly identical to the RX 570X's 55th percentile. The data suggests that while the newer card is vastly faster in raw compute, the older mobile workstation part still holds a respectable position in the overall performance distribution. For tasks that are not heavily compute-bound, the M6100 remains a functional, if outdated, option. The verdict is simple: for maximum performance, pick the RX 570X. For a legacy mobile workstation with adequate basic functionality, the FirePro M6100 is the only one of the two that fits that form factor.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is substantial, reflecting their different release eras. The AMD Radeon RX 570X is built on the Polaris 20 chip using the GCN 4.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. In contrast, the AMD FirePro M6100 uses the Emerald chip with the older GCN 2.0 architecture, produced on TSMC's 28 nm process. This process difference is a primary driver of the performance gap.

The transistor counts tell a story of scale. The RX 570X packs 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die, achieving a density of 24.6 million transistors per mm². The FirePro M6100, meanwhile, contains only 2,080 million transistors on a 160 mm² die, with a density of 13.0 million per mm². This means the newer chip has nearly three times the transistor count and almost double the density, allowing for significantly more compute resources.

The execution resources differ massively. The RX 570X features 2,048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 raster operation units (ROPs). The FirePro M6100 is equipped with only 896 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. This halving of core resources is directly reflected in the compute throughput: the RX 570X delivers 5.095 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the M6100 manages just 1.971 TFLOPS.

Memory architecture also diverges. The RX 570X has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, yielding 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The FirePro M6100 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, providing only 96.00 GB/s. The newer card's memory operates at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective), while the older one runs at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective). Both support DirectX 12 (12_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but the RX 570X supports Vulkan 1.3 while the M6100 is limited to Vulkan 1.2.170.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the available benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 570X wins the Geekbench OpenCL test decisively, scoring 38,939 compared to the FirePro M6100's 13,354. This represents a 191.6% higher score for the RX 570X.

Q: How do their overall performance percentiles compare?

A: Despite the large benchmark gap, their overall standing is remarkably close. The RX 570X is in the 55th percentile of all GPUs, while the FirePro M6100 sits just one point lower in the 54th percentile.

Q: What are the key differences in memory capacity and bandwidth?

A: The RX 570X offers 8 GB of memory with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth over a 256-bit bus. The FirePro M6100 offers only 2 GB with 96.00 GB/s bandwidth over a 128-bit bus.

Q: Which GPU has a more advanced manufacturing process?

A: The RX 570X uses a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, while the FirePro M6100 uses a 28 nm process at TSMC. The smaller process node allows for significantly higher transistor density.

Q: What is the difference in shading units?

A: The RX 570X has 2,048 shading units, which is more than double the 896 shading units found in the FirePro M6100.

Q: Which card is newer?

A: The RX 570X was released on 2018-04-10, while the FirePro M6100 was released earlier on 2014-05-26. Both are now marked as end-of-life products.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs diverge on nearly every major specification.

• Chip: The RX 570X uses Polaris 20, while the M6100 uses Emerald.
• Architecture: GCN 4.0 for the RX 570X versus GCN 2.0 for the M6100.
• Process Node: 14 nm (GlobalFoundries) for the RX 570X versus 28 nm (TSMC) for the M6100.
• Transistors: 5,700 million on the RX 570X versus 2,080 million on the M6100.
• Die Size: 232 mm² for the RX 570X versus 160 mm² for the M6100.
• Transistor Density: 24.6M / mm² versus 13.0M / mm².
• Memory Size: 8 GB versus 2 GB.
• Memory Bus Width: 256 bit versus 128 bit.
• Memory Bandwidth: 224.0 GB/s versus 96.00 GB/s.
• Memory Clock: 1750 MHz (7 Gbps) versus 1500 MHz (6 Gbps).
• Shading Units: 2,048 versus 896.
• TMUs: 128 versus 56.
• ROPs: 32 versus 16.
• Pixel Rate: 39.81 GPixel/s versus 17.60 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: 159.2 GTexel/s versus 61.60 GTexel/s.
• FP32 Performance: 5.095 TFLOPS versus 1.971 TFLOPS.
• FP16 Performance: The RX 570X has 5.095 TFLOPS (1:1); the M6100 has no listed FP16 capability.
• TDP: The RX 570X is rated at 150 W; the M6100 has no listed TDP.
• Slot Width: Dual-slot for the RX 570X versus MXM Module for the M6100.
• Power Connectors: 1x 6-pin for the RX 570X versus None for the M6100.
• Suggested PSU: 450 W for the RX 570X; none listed for the M6100.
• Bus Interface: PCIe 3.0 x16 for the RX 570X versus MXM-B (3.0) for the M6100.
• Display Outputs: The RX 570X has 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a; the M6100 is listed as "Portable Device Dependent."
• Vulkan Support: 1.3 for the RX 570X versus 1.2.170 for the M6100.
• Length: The RX 570X is 241 mm (9.5 inches); the M6100 has no listed length.
• Release Date: 2018-04-10 for the RX 570X versus 2014-05-26 for the M6100.
• Predecessor: Polaris for the RX 570X versus FirePro Mobility for the M6100.
• Successor: Vega for the RX 570X versus Radeon Pro Mobile for the M6100.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and it is overwhelmingly one-sided.

The AMD Radeon RX 570X achieves a score of 38,939, while the AMD FirePro M6100 trails far behind with 13,354. This gives the RX 570X a 191.6% advantage, meaning it is nearly three times faster in this compute workload. This result is consistent with the specification differences: the RX 570X has 2.6 times the shading units, 2.3 times the texture fill rate, and 2.6 times the FP32 compute throughput.

Looking at the broader context, the RX 570X's average benchmark score of 13,871 places it in close competition with the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile (13,821, a 0.4% delta), the AMD Radeon 660M (13,812, 0.4% delta), and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT (13,745, 0.9% delta). It also sits just 1.1% behind the NVIDIA Tesla K10 (14,029). This shows that while the RX 570X wins its direct comparison against the M6100, it is competitive with a wide range of other hardware.

The FirePro M6100, with its average score of 13,354, is essentially tied with the AMD Radeon RX 5500M (13,356, 0% delta) and the AMD Radeon Pro 555X (13,321, 0.3% delta). It is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon HD 8950M (13,376) and 0.4% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 555 (13,407). These near-zero deltas indicate that the M6100's performance profile is consistent with other mid-range mobile GPUs of its era.

In summary, the head-to-head data shows a single, decisive win for the RX 570X. The 191.6% delta in the Geekbench OpenCL test is the defining metric of this comparison. While the FirePro M6100 holds its own among its peers, it is simply outclassed by the newer architecture and superior specifications of the Radeon RX 570X.