AMD FirePro M6100 vs AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 Comparison

# AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 vs AMD FirePro M6100

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 and AMD FirePro M6100 represent two distinct generations of AMD mobile graphics, separated by five years of architecture evolution. The data shows a close contest in raw compute, with the FirePro M6100 edging ahead in the only shared benchmark, though each GPU targets fundamentally different use cases. The Vega 11 IGP leverages modern GCN 5.0 architecture on a 12 nm process, while the FirePro M6100 is a dedicated MXM module built on older GCN 2.0 silicon. Their average benchmark scores place them within a whisper of each other, yet their architectural differences tell a more nuanced story.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only directly comparable benchmark between these two GPUs is Geekbench OpenCL, and the results show a narrow victory for the FirePro M6100. The FirePro M6100 scores 13,354, while the Radeon RX Vega 11 trails at 12,525 — a delta of -6.2% for the Vega part. That 829-point gap is modest in real-world terms, but it does establish a clear order: the FirePro M6100 is the faster GPU in this specific compute workload. Interestingly, the Vega 11 has additional benchmark data points that the FirePro lacks. In Geekbench Vulkan, the Vega 11 posts 13,543, and in Geekbench Metal it reaches 17,086. These scores cannot be directly compared to the FirePro M6100, as the latter only has an OpenCL result, but they suggest the Vega 11 is capable of strong performance across multiple API environments.

Looking at the broader competitive landscape, the Vega 11's average benchmark score of 14,385 places it at the 56th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN with an average score of 14,373 — the Vega 11 leads by just 0.1%. It also edges out the AMD Radeon Vega 11 (14,352) by 0.2% and the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics (14,315) by 0.5%. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M trails by 0.1% at 14,404. The FirePro M6100, with its average of 13,354, sits at the 54th percentile. Its closest competitor is the AMD Radeon RX 5500M at 13,356 — a 0% delta — while the AMD Radeon HD 8950M (13,376) is 0.2% ahead, and the AMD Radeon Pro 555X (13,321) trails by 0.3%. The AMD Radeon Pro 555 (13,407) leads by 0.4%. These margins are so tight that the two GPUs are effectively interchangeable in terms of raw compute performance, despite their architectural differences.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is substantial. The Radeon RX Vega 11 uses the Picasso chip built on GCN 5.0 architecture, fabricated by GlobalFoundries on a 12 nm process. It packs 4,940 million transistors into a 210 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 23.5 million per square millimeter. The FirePro M6100, by contrast, uses the Emerald chip on GCN 2.0 architecture, manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process. It contains 2,080 million transistors on a 160 mm² die, with a density of 13.0 million per square millimeter. The Vega 11's newer process allows for more than double the transistor count in a modestly larger die, a clear generational leap in manufacturing efficiency.

The compute resources differ significantly in configuration. The Vega 11 has 704 shading units, 44 texture mapping units, and 8 render output units. The FirePro M6100 counters with 896 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 16 ROPs — a 27% advantage in shader count and double the ROPs. Yet despite these differences, both GPUs achieve identical FP32 performance at 1.971 TFLOPS. They also match exactly in texture rate at 61.60 GTexel/s. The pixel rate tells a different story: the FirePro M6100 reaches 17.60 GPixel/s, while the Vega 11 manages only 11.20 GPixel/s. The FirePro's 16 ROPs give it a 57% advantage in pixel throughput. The Vega 11 does offer FP16 support at 3.942 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), a feature absent from the FirePro M6100's specifications.

Memory architecture represents another fundamental divide. The Vega 11 uses system-shared memory with a bus width, size, type, and bandwidth all listed as "System Shared" or "System Dependent." This means its performance scales with the host system's RAM configuration. The FirePro M6100, as a dedicated MXM module, has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 96.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The memory clock runs at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective). This dedicated memory arrangement gives the FirePro a predictable performance ceiling, while the Vega 11's shared memory approach is more flexible but potentially constrained by system memory bandwidth.

The feature sets also diverge. The Vega 11 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the FirePro M6100 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) — a minor but notable difference in feature level. Both support OpenGL 4.6. The Vega 11 has Vulkan 1.3 support, while the FirePro M6100 is limited to Vulkan 1.2.170. The Vega 11's newer architecture also brings the GCN 5.0 feature set, while the FirePro M6100 is grounded in GCN 2.0. The Vega 11 is an IGP with no power connectors and a 15 W TDP, while the FirePro M6100 is an MXM module with no power connectors and unspecified TDP. The Vega 11's display outputs are motherboard dependent; the FirePro's are portable device dependent.

Where Each One Wins

The FirePro M6100 wins decisively in the only head-to-head benchmark available. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 13,354 beats the Vega 11's 12,525 by 6.2%. This advantage likely stems from its dedicated GDDR5 memory and higher ROP count. For applications that rely heavily on pixel throughput or consistent memory bandwidth, the FirePro M6100's 17.60 GPixel/s pixel rate and 96.00 GB/s bandwidth provide a clear edge. Its 16 ROPs versus the Vega 11's 8 makes it better suited for fill-rate-bound workloads. The FirePro also has more shading units (896 vs 704) and more TMUs (56 vs 44), giving it architectural headroom in compute-heavy tasks despite the identical FP32 throughput.

The Radeon RX Vega 11 wins on architectural modernity and API support. Its Vulkan 1.3 support surpasses the FirePro's Vulkan 1.2.170, and its DirectX 12_1 feature level exceeds the FirePro's 12_0. The Vega 11's FP16 capability at 3.942 TFLOPS opens up workloads that the FirePro cannot accelerate. Its 12 nm process and 4,940 million transistors suggest better power efficiency, though the TDP is listed at 15 W for the Vega 11 while the FirePro's TDP is unspecified. The Vega 11 also benefits from system-shared memory, which means it can access as much RAM as the host system provides — a flexibility the FirePro's fixed 2 GB cannot match. In the nearest-rival context, the Vega 11's average score of 14,385 places it 7.7% ahead of the FirePro's 13,354, though this comparison includes benchmarks the FirePro did not run.

For gaming and consumer workloads, the Vega 11's modern architecture and broader API support make it the more versatile choice. Its Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12_1 compatibility align with contemporary game engines. For professional or legacy applications, the FirePro M6100's dedicated memory and proven GCN 2.0 architecture offer stability and predictable performance. The FirePro's higher pixel rate and ROP count benefit tasks like CAD viewport rendering or video compositing that stress fill-rate.

The Verdict

The data presents a nuanced picture. The AMD FirePro M6100 wins the only directly comparable benchmark, posting 13,354 to the Radeon RX Vega 11's 12,525 in Geekbench OpenCL — a 6.2% advantage. Its dedicated 2 GB GDDR5 memory with 96.00 GB/s bandwidth, 16 ROPs, and 896 shading units make it the stronger choice for memory-bandwidth-sensitive and pixel-bound workloads. The Vega 11, however, counters with a 7.7% higher average benchmark score (14,385 vs 13,354) across its broader benchmark suite, superior API support including Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12_1, and FP16 compute capability. Its 12 nm process and 4,940 million transistors represent a generational leap in efficiency and features.

For users prioritizing raw OpenCL compute and dedicated memory bandwidth, the FirePro M6100 is the data-backed pick. Its 6.2% OpenCL lead is meaningful for compute-focused tasks. For users who need modern API support, flexible system-shared memory, and the option of FP16 acceleration, the Radeon RX Vega 11 is the more future-proof choice. The Vega 11's Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12_1 support align with current software ecosystems. Those who value the highest average benchmark score should choose the Vega 11; those who value the single benchmark where both compete should choose the FirePro M6100.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The AMD FirePro M6100 scores 13,354, while the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 scores 12,525 — a 6.2% advantage for the FirePro M6100.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Radeon RX Vega 11 has an average benchmark score of 14,385, which is 7.7% higher than the FirePro M6100's 13,354. This difference is partly due to the Vega 11 having scores in three benchmarks (Geekbench Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan) while the FirePro only has an OpenCL result.

Q: What are the key architectural differences?

A: The Radeon RX Vega 11 uses the Picasso chip on GCN 5.0 architecture with a 12 nm process and 4,940 million transistors. The FirePro M6100 uses the Emerald chip on GCN 2.0 architecture with a 28 nm process and 2,080 million transistors. The Vega 11 has 704 shading units and 8 ROPs, while the FirePro has 896 shading units and 16 ROPs.

Q: Which GPU supports newer APIs?

A: The Radeon RX Vega 11 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The FirePro M6100 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The Vega 11 has the edge in both DirectX feature level and Vulkan version.

Q: How does memory configuration differ?

A: The Radeon RX Vega 11 uses system-shared memory with size, type, bus width, and bandwidth all listed as system dependent. The FirePro M6100 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 96.00 GB/s bandwidth and a 1500 MHz memory clock (6 Gbps effective).

Q: What is their FP32 performance?

A: Both GPUs achieve identical FP32 performance at 1.971 TFLOPS. However, the Radeon RX Vega 11 also offers FP16 performance at 3.942 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), a feature the FirePro M6100 does not list.