AMD FirePro W2100 vs AMD Radeon R5 M335 Comparison

# The Verdict

The benchmark database places the AMD Radeon R5 M335 and the AMD FirePro W2100 in adjacent performance territory, but the recorded scores favor one side consistently. Across the two recorded OpenCL and Vulkan workloads, the Radeon R5 M335 wins both: it leads by 15.9% in Geekbench OpenCL and by 5.8% in Geekbench Vulkan. The FirePro W2100, while built on newer GCN silicon, trails in every measured test. For users who prioritize raw compute throughput in database workloads, the data points to the Radeon R5 M335. For users who need a stable workstation class card with DisplayPort outputs, the FirePro W2100 is the only one of the two with that connectivity. The verdict is split by use case, but the scoreboard is firmly in favor of the Radeon part.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from the same vendor family but represent different design generations. The AMD Radeon R5 M335 uses the GCN 1.0 architecture on a 28 nm process node, fabricated by TSMC. The chip integrates 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die, for a transistor density of 12.3 million per mm². The AMD FirePro W2100 is built on GCN 1.0 as well, but with a different chip, Oland, on a 28 nm node at TSMC. It carries 950 million transistors across a 77 mm² die, giving a density of 12.3M per mm². Both cards are 28 nm parts, but the W2100 packs roughly 37.7% more transistors into a 37.5% larger die. In practice, the memory subsystem is the more visible split: the R5 M335 pairs 2 GB of DDR3 on a 64-bit bus with 14.40 GB/s of bandwidth, while the FirePro W2100 uses 2 GB of DDR3 across a 128-bit bus for 28.80 GB/s. The FirePro doubles the memory bus width, and the data reflects that in bandwidth-limited workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score in the database?

A: The AMD Radeon R5 M335 averages 4752, versus 4295 for the AMD FirePro W2100. That is a lead of 457 points, or about 10.6% for the Radeon part.

Q: How much memory does each card have?

A: Both are 2 GB. The Radeon R5 M335 uses DDR3 on a 64-bit bus; the FirePro W2100 also uses 2 GB of DDR3, but on a 128-bit bus.

Q: Which card is ahead in the Vulkan test?

A: The AMD Radeon R5 M335 scores 4758 in geekbench_vulkan, the FirePro W2100 scores 4497. That is a 5.8% advantage for the Radeon.

Q: What is the pixel rate difference?

A: The Radeon R5 M335 outputs 8.240 GPixel/s, while the FirePro W2100 outputs 5.440 GPixel/s. The Radeon is 51.5% higher.

Q: What process node is used for the AMD FirePro W2100?

A: The FirePro W2100 is built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The Radeon R5 M335 is also 28 nm, also TSMC.

Q: Which card has more shader units?

A: Both have 320 shader units, 20 texture mapping units, and 8 ROPs. They are identical in these execution resources.

Q: What is the power connector situation?

A: The Radeon R5 M335 has no power connectors, and the FirePro W2100 also has none. The Radeon draws its power through a PCIe 3.0 x8 slot, same as the FirePro.

Specification Differences

Most specifications are identical between the two cards, which makes the performance gap purely a matter of clocks and memory bus width. The Radeon R5 M335 runs its base clock at 630 MHz and boosts to 680 MHz. The FirePro W2100 runs lower: 630 MHz base and 680 MHz boost. The memory situation is similar, both run at 900 MHz, but the FirePro W2100 doubles the memory bus width to 128-bit, which gives 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth versus 14.40 GB/s for the Radeon. The R5 M335 compensates in clocks only slightly, but the memory subsystem dominates the performance gap.

The execution resources are the same: 320 shader units, 20 texture units, 8 ROPs. The FirePro W2100 has a 26 W TDP, while the Radeon R5 M335 has a 26 W TDP. The FirePro supports DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, while the Radeon uses device dependent outputs. The Radeon is marked End-of-life, the FirePro is End-of-life. In APIs, both support DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.2.170. The Radeon released 2015-10-20, the FirePro released 2014-08-11.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the AMD Radeon R5 M335 is in the geekbench_opencl test. There, it scores 4745 versus 4093 for the FirePro W2100, a difference of 15.9%. In the geekbench_vulkan test, the Radeon R5 M335 records 4758 against 4497 for the W2100, 5.8% ahead. The Radeon wins both tests, and the database records two wins for the Radeon and zero for the FirePro. If the workload is heavily OpenCL compute, the Radeon is the clear choice. If the task is more bandwidth-dependent, the FirePro's 2x memory bandwidth could close the gap in some scenarios, but the measured data show the Radeon M335 ahead in both recorded tests.

The Vulkan test shows a narrower lead, 5.8%, versus the bigger 15.9% found in OpenCL. That suggests the FirePro's wider memory bus helps it in Vulkan workloads, but not enough to take the win. The Radeon R5 M335 wins the benchmark comparison.

Where Each One Wins

For pure compute workloads, the AMD Radeon R5 M335 is the winner. It leads the FirePro W2100 by 15.9% in geekbench_opencl and by 5.8% in geekbench_vulkan. Users running OpenCL compute tasks should favor the M335. The FirePro does not win any benchmark in the database.

For users with a workstation form factor who need DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, the AMD FirePro W2100 is the only choice between these two; the Radeon R5 M335 has no display outputs of its own. But in raw performance, the data says the M335 is the better card.

The FirePro W2100 still offers competitive features: 2 GB DDR3, GCN 1.0, 28 nm, and 950 million transistors. But the Radeon R5 M335 matches it in most architectural specs and beats it in every recorded benchmark. The verdict: the AMD Radeon R5 M335 is the performance pick from the data.