AMD FirePro M6100 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 and AMD FirePro M6100 are two very different products that land surprisingly close in raw compute performance. The GTX 570 is a desktop-oriented Fermi part from 2010, while the FirePro M6100 is a mobile workstation GPU from 2014. In the single available benchmark, the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GTX 570 scores 13,515 against the FirePro M6100's 13,354, a 1.2% margin. Both sit at the 54th percentile of all GPUs, meaning they occupy the same performance tier despite their generational and form-factor gaps. The data shows a near-tie in compute throughput, but the architectural context and real-world applicability could not be more different.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 570 wins the only head-to-head benchmark listed. In Geekbench OpenCL, it posts 13,515 points versus 13,354 for the FirePro M6100, giving it a 1.2% advantage. This is a narrow margin, but a win is a win. The GTX 570 also carries higher memory bandwidth: 152.0 GB/s over a 320-bit bus, compared to the FirePro's 96.00 GB/s over a 128-bit bus. This bandwidth advantage likely explains its slight edge in compute workloads that are memory-sensitive.

The FirePro M6100 wins in areas that the benchmark data alone does not capture. It is built on a 28 nm process versus the GTX 570's 40 nm node, and it packs 896 shading units against the GTX 570's 480. Its texture rate is higher at 61.60 GTexel/s versus 43.92 GTexel/s, and its FP32 throughput is 1.971 TFLOPS versus 1,405.4 GFLOPS. These raw compute specs suggest the FirePro should be faster in shader-heavy tasks, yet the benchmark shows otherwise. The FirePro also wins on API support: it lists DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the GTX 570 only reaches DirectX 12 (11_0) and has no Vulkan support listed.

Architecture Differences

The GTX 570 is built on NVIDIA's Fermi 2.0 architecture, using the GF110 chip fabricated on a 40 nm process at TSMC. It integrates 3,000 million transistors on a 520 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 5.8M per mm². The memory subsystem is generous: 1280 MB of GDDR5 on a 320-bit bus, running at 950 MHz (3.8 Gbps effective). It has 480 shading units, 60 TMUs, and 40 ROPs, producing a pixel rate of 21.96 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 43.92 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is rated at 1,405.4 GFLOPS.

The FirePro M6100 uses AMD's GCN 2.0 architecture, built around the Emerald chip on a 28 nm process, also at TSMC. It contains 2,080 million transistors on a much smaller 160 mm² die, giving it a transistor density of 13.0M per mm² — more than double the GTX 570's density. Memory is 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective), delivering 96.00 GB/s. It has 896 shading units, 56 TMUs, and just 16 ROPs. Pixel rate is lower at 17.60 GPixel/s, but texture rate is higher at 61.60 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is listed as 1.971 TFLOPS.

The architectural differences are stark. The GTX 570 uses a wide memory bus and high ROP count, favoring bandwidth-bound and fill-rate-bound workloads. The FirePro uses a narrower bus but compensates with faster effective memory clocks and a much higher shader count. The GTX 570 is a dual-slot desktop card requiring 2x 6-pin power connectors and a 550 W suggested PSU. The FirePro is an MXM Module with no power connectors, designed for mobile workstations. The GTX 570's display outputs are 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a; the FirePro's are listed as "Portable Device Dependent."

The Verdict

From the data, the GTX 570 is the faster card in the one benchmark we have, but the margin is trivial. A 1.2% difference in Geekbench OpenCL is within run-to-run variance. The real decision driver is form factor and use case. The GTX 570 is a desktop-only part with a 219 W TDP, dual-slot cooler, and fixed display outputs. It cannot go into a laptop, and its power draw requires a dedicated PSU. The FirePro M6100 is an MXM module with no power connectors of its own, meaning it is meant for a mobile workstation chassis that supplies power through the slot.

If you are building a legacy desktop rig and want the slightly higher compute score, the GTX 570 is the pick. Its 152.0 GB/s bandwidth and 40 ROPs give it an edge in memory-heavy tasks. If you need a GPU for a mobile workstation from that era, the FirePro M6100 is the only choice of the two that physically fits. Its 2 GB VRAM also doubles the GTX 570's 1280 MB, which matters for holding larger datasets. For pure compute per the Geekbench OpenCL result, the GTX 570 wins, but the FirePro's architectural advantages — more shading units, higher texture rate, and newer process node — suggest it would win in shader-bound workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 scores 13,515, while the AMD FirePro M6100 scores 13,354, making the GTX 570 the winner with a 1.2% advantage.

Q: How much memory does each card have?

A: The GTX 570 has 1280 MB of GDDR5, while the FirePro M6100 has 2 GB of GDDR5.

Q: Are these cards still in production?

A: No. Both are listed as "End-of-life" production status. The GTX 570 was released on 2010-12-06, and the FirePro M6100 on 2014-05-26.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The GTX 570 delivers 152.0 GB/s over a 320-bit bus, whereas the FirePro M6100 delivers 96.00 GB/s over a 128-bit bus. The GTX 570 has a 56.0 GB/s advantage in raw bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU supports Vulkan?

A: Only the AMD FirePro M6100 lists Vulkan support (version 1.2.170). The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 has no Vulkan API listed.

Q: What are the power connector requirements?

A: The GTX 570 requires 2x 6-pin power connectors and a 550 W suggested PSU. The FirePro M6100 has no power connectors listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only head-to-head benchmark available is Geekbench OpenCL. The GTX 570 scores 13,515, and the FirePro M6100 scores 13,354. The delta is 1.2% in favor of the GTX 570. This places the GTX 570 just 0.2% below the AMD Radeon HD 7770M (13,536) and 0.3% above the NVIDIA P106-090 (13,470). The FirePro M6100 sits 0% away from the AMD Radeon RX 5500M (13,356) and 0.3% above the AMD Radeon Pro 555X (13,321).

The GTX 570's win is driven by its memory architecture. With 152.0 GB/s of bandwidth, it has 56.0 GB/s more than the FirePro M6100. That is a 58% higher bandwidth figure. The GTX 570 also has 40 ROPs versus 16, more than double the pixel throughput capability at 21.96 GPixel/s versus 17.60 GPixel/s. These factors likely offset the FirePro's higher shader count (896 vs 480) and higher texture rate (61.60 GTexel/s vs 43.92 GTexel/s).

The FirePro M6100 does have one notable spec advantage in this comparison: FP32 compute. It is rated at 1.971 TFLOPS, which is 40% higher than the GTX 570's 1,405.4 GFLOPS. Yet in the actual OpenCL test, that theoretical compute lead did not translate into a score advantage. The GTX 570's wider memory bus and higher ROP count proved more impactful in this particular workload, suggesting that Geekbench OpenCL favors memory throughput over raw shader math.

Specification Differences

Here are the fields where the two GPUs differ, with values taken directly from the data:

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 | AMD FirePro M6100 |

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

| Architecture | Fermi 2.0 | GCN 2.0 |

| Chip | GF110 | Emerald |

| Generation | GeForce 500 | FirePro Mobile (Mx100) |

| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 3,000 million | 2,080 million |

| Die Size | 520 mm² | 160 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 5.8M / mm² | 13.0M / mm² |

| Memory Clock | 950 MHz (3.8 Gbps effective) | 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 1280 MB | 2 GB |

| Bus Width | 320 bit | 128 bit |

| Bandwidth | 152.0 GB/s | 96.00 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 480 | 896 |

| TMUs | 60 | 56 |

| ROPs | 40 | 16 |

| Pixel Rate | 21.96 GPixel/s | 17.60 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 43.92 GTexel/s | 61.60 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 1,405.4 GFLOPS | 1.971 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 219 W | None listed |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | MXM Module |

| Power Connectors | 2x 6-pin | None |

| Suggested PSU | 550 W | None listed |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 2.0 x16 | MXM-B (3.0) |

| Display Outputs | 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a | Portable Device Dependent |

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

| Vulkan | None listed | 1.2.170 |

| Release Date | 2010-12-06 | 2014-05-26 |

| Launch MSRP | 349 USD | None listed |

| Predecessor | GeForce 400 | FirePro Mobility |

| Successor | GeForce 600 | Radeon Pro Mobile |