AMD FirePro S7150 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile Comparison

# AMD FirePro S7150 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile

The AMD FirePro S7150 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile are separated by several generations of GPU architecture. The AMD part is a professional workstation card built on the GCN 3.0 architecture, while the NVIDIA part is a high-end mobile gaming chip built on the Ampere architecture. Benchmark data from the database shows a clear split in performance, with the NVIDIA card taking a decisive lead in every recorded test.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are unambiguous. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the AMD FirePro S7150 scores 26,543, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile scores 106,022. That is a massive 75% difference in favor of the NVIDIA card. The results are similar in the Geekbench Vulkan test, where the AMD card scores 29,690 against the NVIDIA card's 100,027. Again, the NVIDIA card wins by a commanding 70.3%.

The performance gap is so wide in these tests that it dwarfs the differences seen in the benchmark averages. The AMD card's average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 28,117, which places it in the 73rd percentile of all GPUs. The NVIDIA card's average score is 23,518, but this figure is skewed by a set of lower-scoring DirectX tests. The card sits in the 69th percentile overall.

Looking at the specific test results, the NVIDIA card wins the OpenCL and Vulkan compute workloads outright. However, the AMD card shows a competitive edge in some of the legacy DirectX tests. For example, in the Passmark DirectX 9 test, the AMD card scores 196 against the NVIDIA's 124, a win for the AMD. Similarly, in the Passmark DirectX 10 test, the AMD card wins with a score of 153 versus 124. The real-world relevance of these older API tests is limited, but they do show architectural strength in compatibility.

Where Each One Wins

From the recorded data, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile is the clear winner in modern, compute-heavy workloads. It wins the OpenCL and Vulkan benchmarks by a huge margin, showing a significant advantage in raw compute throughput and driver efficiency in modern APIs.

The AMD FirePro S7150 does have its wins, but they are confined to older, legacy DirectX test suites. It wins the Passmark DirectX 9 test (196 vs 124), the DirectX 10 test (153 vs 124), and the DirectX 11 test (73 vs 124). These wins point to the AMD card having strong fixed-function hardware that was well-optimized for that era of graphics APIs. It is also notably the AMD card does not trail in every test, but the overall performance picture is one of a last-generation part.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split between these two is generational. The AMD FirePro S7000 series uses the Tonga chip, a variant of the GCN 3.0 architecture. It is built on a 28 nm process at TSMC, integrating 5,000 million transistors on a 366 mm² die, for a transistor density of 13.7 million per mm². This is a compute-oriented design, but its feature set is from an older era.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile uses the GA104 chip, built on the Ampere architecture. It is manufactured on an 8 nm process at Samsung with 17,400 million transistors on a 392 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 44.4 million per mm². This is a far denser and more modern design, and the architectural advantages show in the benchmark results.

The memory setups are also different. The AMD card has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA card has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, but delivers a much higher 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Higher bandwidth is a major advantage in texture-heavy workloads and higher resolutions.

The compute resources are where the gap widens. The AMD card has 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The NVIDIA card has 5888 shading units, 184 texture mapping units, and 96 ROPs, plus 46 RT cores and 184 tensor cores. This is a massive difference in raw shading power, and it directly explains the NVIDIA card's huge lead in the modern benchmarks.

The Verdict

From the data alone, the choice is clear for anyone who prioritizes raw performance. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile is in a different performance class than the AMD FirePro S7000. It wins 2 out of 2 head-to-head benchmark comparisons and does so with a margin that ranges from 70.3% to 75%. The only wins for the AMD card come from legacy DirectX workloads, which are not representative of modern tasks.

For a builder looking for a card for a modern, compute-heavy workstation or gaming laptop, the RTX 3070 Ti Mobile is the superior choice, provided the thermal and power requirements are met. The AMD card is an end-of-life product with an old architecture and a low feature set, and while it does have a capable air cooler and a single-slot design, the benchmark data shows that it cannot compete with the modern NVIDIA part in the workloads that matter.

The AMD FirePro S7150 was a workstation card in its time, and its 8 GB of memory and GCN compute power were respectable. The RTX 3070 Ti is a modern GPU in every sense of the word, from its denser transistor to its dedicated tensor and RT cores.

FAQ

Q: How big is the performance gap in real-world workstation tasks?

A: In the recorded compute benchmarks (OpenCL and Vulkan), the NVIDIA card is between 70.3% and 75% faster. That is a huge gap, and it will translate into a much higher frame rate and faster render times in any modern workstation task.

Q: Is the AMD FirePro S7000 any good for a legacy workstation?

A: For a legacy workstation that requires a single-slot, low-power card with no additional power connectors, the AMD card has its place. It is a factory overclocked card with 8 GB of GDDR5 memory and is capable of running legacy DirectX titles. However, it is an end-of-life product with no modern feature support.

Q: Does the RTX 3070 Ti Mobile need a specific size of power supply?

A: The database lists the NVIDIA card with a TDP of 115 W and no power connectors, which suggests it draws enough power from the PCIe slot for most laptops. The AMD card has a TDP of 150 W and requires a single 6-pin power connector. The listed PSU suggestion for the NVIDIA is 450 W, but the AMD card has no such listing. Always check the OEM laptop's power delivery system before installing any card.

Q: Is the NVIDIA card a better buy for content creation?

A: Yes, if raw performance is the only thing in mind. It is the newer architecture, has more shading units, more texture and pixel fill rate, and it supports the modern DX12 Ultimate and Vulkan APIs. The AMD card is a legacy part, and it will not get any new features or driver performance improvements.

Specification Differences

| Feature | AMD FirePro S7150 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Mobile |

|:--- |:--- |:--- |

| Chip | Tonga | GA104 |

| Architecture | GCN 3.0 | Ampere |

| Process | 28 nm | 8 nm |

| Transistors | 5,000 million | 17,400 million |

| Die Size | 366 mm² | 392 mm² |

| Memory | 8 GB GDDR5 | 8 GB GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus | 256 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 160.0 GB/s | 448.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2048 | 5888 |

| TMUs | 128 | 184 |

| ROPs | 32 | 96 |

| RT Cores | None | 46 |

| Tensor Cores | None | 184 |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |

| APIs | DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.2.170 | DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4 |

| TDP | 150 W | 115 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | None |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | Not listed |

| Release Date | 2016-01-31 | 2022-01-03 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | End-of-life |