AMD FirePro S10000 vs NVIDIA T600 Mobile Comparison

The NVIDIA T600 Mobile and AMD FirePro S10000 represent two very different approaches to professional graphics, separated by nearly a decade of architectural evolution. The benchmark data reveals a fascinating split: the newer NVIDIA part wins decisively in OpenCL compute workloads, while the older AMD card fights back in Vulkan graphics performance. With each card claiming one win in their two head-to-head matchups, the choice between them is not straightforward and depends heavily on the specific application workload.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Geekbench OpenCL test delivers a clear victory for the NVIDIA T600 Mobile, scoring 35,486 points against the AMD FirePro S10000's 30,631 points. This represents a 15.8% advantage for the NVIDIA card, a substantial margin that indicates significantly better compute throughput in general-purpose GPU workloads. The T600 Mobile's OpenCL score also places it in the 77th percentile of all GPUs, matching the FirePro S10000's percentile ranking despite the older card's higher raw specifications in certain areas.

Interestingly, the tables turn completely in the Geekbench Vulkan test. Here, the AMD FirePro S10000 takes the lead with a score of 34,145, outperforming the NVIDIA T600 Mobile's 30,211 by 11.5%. This is a notable reversal, especially considering the NVIDIA card is built on the Turing architecture with modern Vulkan support version 1.4, while the AMD card only supports Vulkan 1.2.170. The Vulkan result suggests that the FirePro S10000's raw graphics horsepower, driven by its larger shader array, still holds up well in modern graphics APIs despite its age.

Looking at the broader context, both cards sit in the same performance neighborhood. The NVIDIA T600 Mobile's average benchmark score of 32,849 is just 1.4% higher than the AMD FirePro S10000's 32,388. The nearest rivals for the NVIDIA card include the NVIDIA P104-100 at 32,982 (-0.4% delta), the AMD Radeon RX 590 GME at 32,601 (+0.8% delta), and the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 at 32,540 (+0.9% delta). The AMD card's closest competitors are the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE at 32,456 (-0.2% delta), the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 at 32,540 (-0.5% delta), and the AMD Radeon Pro 570X at 32,176 (+0.7% delta). Both GPUs are clearly positioned in the same performance tier, with the T600 Mobile holding a slight aggregate edge.

The Verdict

The data paints a picture of two capable but aging professional GPUs that excel in different domains. The NVIDIA T600 Mobile is the better choice for compute-heavy workloads that leverage OpenCL, where its 15.8% advantage over the FirePro S10000 is substantial. Its higher average benchmark score of 32,849 versus 32,388 indicates that, on balance, it delivers more consistent performance across multiple test scenarios. The T600 Mobile also offers a more modern feature set with DirectX 12 (12_1) support and Vulkan 1.4, which could matter for software compatibility in newer applications.

The AMD FirePro S10000, despite being nearly a decade older, demonstrates that its large shader array and wide memory bus still provide meaningful graphics performance. Its Vulkan victory by 11.5% suggests that for graphics-centric workloads, particularly those that can take advantage of its 1792 shading units, it remains a viable option. However, its age shows in its 28 nm process node and lack of modern features like hardware ray tracing or tensor cores, which neither card possesses.

For a mobile professional workstation, the NVIDIA T600 Mobile's 40 W TDP and IGP form factor make it dramatically more practical than the FirePro S10000's 375 W dual-slot design requiring 2x 8-pin power connectors and a 750 W suggested PSU. The T600 Mobile is an end-of-life product, but its integration into mobile platforms gives it a usability advantage that the server-oriented FirePro S10000 cannot match. The data suggests the NVIDIA card for compute and mobile use cases, while the AMD card retains relevance for raw graphics throughput in desktop server environments.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is profound. The NVIDIA T600 Mobile uses the TU117 chip based on the Turing architecture, manufactured on a 12 nm process at TSMC. This newer design crams 4,700 million transistors into a 200 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 23.5 million transistors per square millimeter. The AMD FirePro S10000, in contrast, uses the Tahiti chip based on the older GCN 1.0 architecture, built on a 28 nm process. It packs 4,313 million transistors onto a much larger 352 mm² die, resulting in a lower density of 12.3 million transistors per square millimeter.

The compute capabilities differ significantly in structure. The NVIDIA card features 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs, delivering 2.527 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 5.053 TFLOPS of FP16 performance with a 2:1 ratio. The AMD card counters with 1792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, producing 3.405 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. Interestingly, the AMD card has no listed FP16 capability, while the NVIDIA card's FP16 support is a significant advantage for AI and machine learning workloads that can utilize reduced precision.

The memory subsystems also reflect different design philosophies. The NVIDIA T600 Mobile uses 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 192.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD FirePro S10000 uses 3 GB of GDDR5 memory on a wider 384-bit bus, achieving 240.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD card's 25% higher memory bandwidth could benefit memory-intensive workloads, but its smaller capacity and older memory technology partially offset this advantage. Both cards support PCIe 3.0 x16, so bus interface is not a differentiator.

Specification Differences

The most striking specification difference is power consumption. The NVIDIA T600 Mobile draws a mere 40 W, making it suitable for integration into laptops and compact systems, while the AMD FirePro S10000 consumes 375 W and requires a dual-slot cooling solution with 2x 8-pin power connectors. The AMD card's suggested PSU of 750 W further emphasizes its power-hungry nature, whereas the NVIDIA card requires no power connectors at all.

Memory configurations diverge in both capacity and type. The T600 Mobile offers 4 GB of GDDR6, while the FirePro S10000 provides 3 GB of GDDR5. The bus widths are 128-bit and 384-bit respectively, with the AMD card's wider bus enabling higher bandwidth at 240.0 GB/s versus 192.0 GB/s for the NVIDIA card. Clock speeds also differ, with the NVIDIA card running at 780 MHz base and 1410 MHz boost, while the AMD card runs at 825 MHz base and 950 MHz boost.

The physical form factors could not be more different. The NVIDIA T600 Mobile is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) designed for mobile platforms, while the AMD FirePro S10000 is a 305 mm dual-slot server card with 1x DVI and 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs. The NVIDIA card's display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," reflecting its mobile nature. Release dates are also far apart, with the T600 Mobile launching in April 2021 and the FirePro S10000 launching in November 2012, a gap that explains many of the architectural differences.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA T600 Mobile has an average benchmark score of 32,849, which is 1.4% higher than the AMD FirePro S10000's 32,388.

Q: How do the two cards compare in Vulkan performance?

A: The AMD FirePro S10000 wins the Geekbench Vulkan test with 34,145 points, beating the NVIDIA T600 Mobile's 30,211 by 11.5%.

Q: What is the power consumption difference between these GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA T600 Mobile draws only 40 W, while the AMD FirePro S10000 consumes 375 W and requires a dual-slot design with 2x 8-pin power connectors.

Q: Which card has more shading units?

A: The AMD FirePro S10000 has 1792 shading units, exactly double the 896 shading units found in the NVIDIA T600 Mobile.

Q: What are the memory bandwidth specifications for each card?

A: The NVIDIA T600 Mobile has 192.0 GB/s bandwidth from 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, while the AMD FirePro S10000 has 240.0 GB/s bandwidth from 3 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus.

Q: Which GPU supports FP16 computation?

A: Only the NVIDIA T600 Mobile lists FP16 support, delivering 5.053 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio. The AMD FirePro S10000 has no listed FP16 capability.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA T600 Mobile is the clear winner in OpenCL compute workloads, where its 15.8% performance advantage makes it the better choice for general-purpose GPU computing, scientific simulations, and any application that leverages OpenCL acceleration. Its 4 GB GDDR6 memory provides more capacity for larger datasets, and its FP16 support at 5.053 TFLOPS opens up possibilities for machine learning inference tasks that the AMD card simply cannot handle. The T600 Mobile's 40 W power draw and IGP form factor also make it the only practical choice for mobile workstations, where the FirePro S10000's 375 W power requirement would be impossible to accommodate.

The AMD FirePro S10000 wins in Vulkan graphics performance, with an 11.5% lead that suggests better raw graphics throughput in modern APIs. Its 1792 shading units and 240.0 GB/s memory bandwidth give it an edge in pixel-pushing workloads, and its higher FP32 performance of 3.405 TFLOPS versus 2.527 TFLOPS indicates superior raw compute throughput for single-precision workloads that don't rely on OpenCL. The card's 1x DVI and 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs also make it suitable for multi-display server configurations, though its 305 mm length and dual-slot design limit installation options.

For users who need a balance of compute and graphics, the data slightly favors the NVIDIA card based on its higher average benchmark score and more modern feature set. However, for workloads specifically optimized for Vulkan or requiring maximum memory bandwidth, the AMD FirePro S10000 demonstrates that its older architecture still has meaningful strengths. The choice ultimately depends on whether the application workload is compute-heavy, favoring NVIDIA, or graphics-heavy, favoring AMD.