AMD FirePro S10000 vs AMD Radeon RX 560 XT Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon RX 560 XT is the better performer in every measured test, and the AMD FirePro S10000 is not competitive on raw compute. The RX 560 XT wins both head-to-head benchmarks, with an average benchmark score of 34,133 against the FirePro S10000's 32,388 — a 5.4% advantage overall. The RX 560 XT also lands in the 79th percentile of all GPUs, while the FirePro S10000 sits at the 77th percentile.

The RX 560 XT is the clear choice for anyone needing modern compute performance, DirectX 12 (12_0) support, and Vulkan 1.3 compatibility. The FirePro S10000, despite its professional branding, is a 2012-era server card that trails in both OpenCL and Vulkan workloads. Its launch MSRP was 3,599 USD, but the data shows no performance justification for that premium today.

For users who already own a FirePro S10000 in a legacy server environment, the data suggests it remains functional but not competitive. The RX 560 XT's 4 GB GDDR5 memory, 224.0 GB/s bandwidth, and 4.394 TFLOPS FP32 output simply outclass the FirePro's 3 GB GDDR5, 240.0 GB/s bandwidth, and 3.405 TFLOPS FP32 in every benchmark recorded.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 560 XT wins both recorded benchmarks outright. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 31,387 versus 30,631 for the FirePro S10000 — a 2.5% margin. In Geekbench Vulkan, the gap widens dramatically: 36,879 versus 34,145, an 8% advantage. There is no benchmark category in the data where the FirePro S10000 emerges victorious.

The data shows the RX 560 XT's wins are not narrow. The Vulkan delta of 8% is particularly telling, as it reflects the architectural gap between GCN 4.0 and GCN 1.0. The FirePro S10000's only statistical edge is memory bandwidth — 240.0 GB/s versus 224.0 GB/s — but this does not translate into any benchmark win. In fact, the FirePro's 384-bit bus is paired with a much lower 825 MHz base clock and 950 MHz boost clock, versus the RX 560 XT's 1074 MHz base and 1226 MHz boost.

For professional workloads that rely on OpenCL compute, the RX 560 XT is 2.5% faster. For Vulkan-based applications, it is 8% faster. The FirePro S10000's 3 GB memory capacity may suit older workloads, but the RX 560 XT's 4 GB capacity and higher pixel rate (39.23 GPixel/s versus 30.40 GPixel/s) make it the more capable card in every measurable respect.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from entirely different eras of AMD's GPU design. The RX 560 XT uses the Ellesmere chip on GCN 4.0 architecture, fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The FirePro S10000 uses the Tahiti chip on GCN 1.0 architecture, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. This process node difference — 14 nm versus 28 nm — explains much of the performance gap.

Transistor counts tell a similar story. The RX 560 XT packs 5,700 million transistors into a 232 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 24.6 million per mm². The FirePro S10000 has 4,313 million transistors on a much larger 352 mm² die, for a density of just 12.3 million per mm². The RX 560 XT achieves nearly double the transistor density, which directly enables its higher clock speeds and efficiency.

Both cards share identical shader configurations: 1,792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. However, the RX 560 XT's higher clocks push its pixel rate to 39.23 GPixel/s and texture rate to 137.3 GTexel/s, versus the FirePro S10000's 30.40 GPixel/s and 106.4 GTexel/s. FP32 compute follows the same pattern: 4.394 TFLOPS for the RX 560 XT versus 3.405 TFLOPS for the FirePro. The RX 560 XT also supports FP16 at 4.394 TFLOPS (1:1), while the FirePro S10000 has no recorded FP16 capability.

API support further separates the two. The RX 560 XT supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The FirePro S10000 only manages DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The RX 560 XT's display outputs include 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the FirePro S10000 offers 1x DVI and 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.2.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 560 XT has an average benchmark score of 34,133, while the AMD FirePro S10000 averages 32,388. The RX 560 XT also holds a 79th percentile ranking versus the FirePro's 77th.

Q: How much faster is the RX 560 XT in Vulkan workloads?

A: The RX 560 XT scores 36,879 in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 8% higher than the FirePro S10000's 34,145. This is the largest performance gap between the two cards in any recorded test.

Q: Do both cards have the same number of shading units?

A: Yes, both the RX 560 XT and the FirePro S10000 feature 1,792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The performance difference comes from clock speeds and architecture generation, not shader count.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The RX 560 XT has 4 GB GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth. The FirePro S10000 has 3 GB GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus with 240.0 GB/s bandwidth. Despite the FirePro's higher bandwidth, the RX 560 XT wins all benchmarks.

Q: Which card supports newer graphics APIs?

A: The RX 560 XT supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, while the FirePro S10000 supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The RX 560 XT has a TDP of 150 W with a single 6-pin power connector and a suggested PSU of 450 W. The FirePro S10000 has a TDP of 375 W with two 8-pin connectors and a suggested PSU of 750 W.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Geekbench OpenCL test shows the RX 560 XT scoring 31,387 against the FirePro S10000's 30,631. That is a 2.5% win for the RX 560 XT. While this margin is modest, it is consistent with the architectural advantages: the RX 560 XT's 4.394 TFLOPS FP32 output versus 3.405 TFLOPS gives it roughly 29% more theoretical compute, and the benchmark reflects a portion of that advantage.

The Geekbench Vulkan test is where the gap becomes decisive. The RX 560 XT scores 36,879, beating the FirePro S10000's 34,145 by 8%. This is the single largest delta in the head-to-head data. Vulkan 1.3 support on the RX 560 XT, compared to Vulkan 1.2.170 on the FirePro, likely contributes to this advantage. The RX 560 XT's higher boost clock of 1226 MHz versus 950 MHz also plays a role.

Notably, the FirePro S10000's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE (avg score 32,456, delta -0.2%) and the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 (avg score 32,540, delta -0.5%). This places the FirePro S10000 in the same performance tier as modern mid-range cards, but the RX 560 XT sits above it. The RX 560 XT's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX A2000 12 GB (avg score 34,154, delta -0.1%) and the NVIDIA RTX A1000 (avg score 34,207, delta -0.2%), showing it is essentially tied with those professional cards.

The RX 560 XT wins 2 benchmarks, and the FirePro S10000 wins 0. There is no recorded test where the FirePro S10000 takes the lead. Even in memory bandwidth, where the FirePro has a 7% advantage (240.0 GB/s versus 224.0 GB/s), the benchmark results do not favor it. The RX 560 XT's faster clocks and newer architecture simply overcome the FirePro's wider memory bus.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every specification that matters for performance. The RX 560 XT uses a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, while the FirePro S10000 uses a 28 nm process at TSMC. The RX 560 XT has 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die, versus 4,313 million on a 352 mm² die for the FirePro. Transistor density is 24.6M/mm² versus 12.3M/mm².

Clock speeds favor the RX 560 XT across the board: base clock 1074 MHz versus 825 MHz, boost clock 1226 MHz versus 950 MHz. Memory clocks are also higher on the RX 560 XT at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective) versus 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective). The FirePro S10000's 384-bit memory bus gives it 240.0 GB/s bandwidth versus the RX 560 XT's 224.0 GB/s, but this is the only specification where the FirePro leads.

Memory capacity differs: 4 GB GDDR5 for the RX 560 XT versus 3 GB GDDR5 for the FirePro. Pixel rate and texture rate both favor the RX 560 XT: 39.23 GPixel/s versus 30.40 GPixel/s, and 137.3 GTexel/s versus 106.4 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is 4.394 TFLOPS versus 3.405 TFLOPS, with the RX 560 XT also supporting FP16 at 1:1 while the FirePro has no recorded FP16 capability.

Power consumption is dramatically different: the RX 560 XT draws 150 W TDP with a single 6-pin connector and 450 W suggested PSU, while the FirePro S10000 draws 375 W TDP with dual 8-pin connectors and a 750 W suggested PSU. Physical dimensions also differ: the RX 560 XT is 241 mm (9.5 inches) long, while the FirePro S10000 is 305 mm (12 inches) long and 111 mm (4.4 inches) tall.

Display outputs favor the RX 560 XT with 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, versus the FirePro's 1x DVI and 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.2. API support is also newer on the RX 560 XT: DirectX 12 (12_0) versus 12 (11_1), and Vulkan 1.3 versus 1.2.170. The RX 560 XT was released on 2019-03-12, while the FirePro S10000 dates to 2012-11-11. Both cards are end-of-life.