AMD FirePro W5100 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 and AMD FirePro W5100 represent two distinct approaches to graphics hardware from different eras, and the benchmark data offers a clear, if narrow, comparison. In the sole head-to-head benchmark available, the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GTX 570 scores 13,515 points against the FirePro W5100's 11,888 points. This results in a 13.7% advantage for the NVIDIA card, a significant margin in a single test. The GTX 570 also holds a higher percentile rank among all GPUs, sitting at the 54th percentile, while the FirePro W5100 ranks at the 52nd percentile. While the FirePro W5100 has an additional Geekbench Vulkan score of 13,805, this test was not run on the GTX 570, making direct comparison impossible. The data shows a clear, though not overwhelming, win for the older NVIDIA card in the compute-oriented OpenCL workload.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct competition point in the data is the Geekbench OpenCL test, which measures general-purpose compute performance. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 achieves a score of 13,515, while the AMD FirePro W5100 trails with 11,888. This represents a 13.7% performance delta, a substantial lead for the GTX 570. To put this into perspective, the GTX 570's nearest rivals in the overall database include the AMD Radeon HD 7770M with an average score of 13,536 and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT at 13,543; the GTX 570 trails these by only 0.2%. Conversely, the FirePro W5100's closest competitor is the AMD Radeon Pro 455, with an average score of 12,831, which the FirePro leads by just 0.1%. This context suggests that while the GTX 570 is competitive with a modern high-end card in this specific OpenCL test, the FirePro W5100 sits in a lower performance tier, closer to entry-level and older mid-range parts.

Examining the relative performance of each card against its peers further clarifies the gap. The GTX 570 is only 0.2% behind the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT in average score, indicating that in this compute workload, the Fermi architecture holds its own against a much newer product. On the other hand, the FirePro W5100 is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon 740M, a modern integrated graphics solution, and 0.6% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670. This places the FirePro W5100 in a performance bracket that is roughly comparable to older mainstream desktop cards and newer integrated graphics. The 13.7% delta between the GTX 570 and FirePro W5100 is therefore not just a small edge; it is a meaningful performance gap that separates the two into different competitive classes for this benchmark. The data clearly indicates that for OpenCL compute tasks, the GTX 570 is the more capable processor.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark results, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 is the definitive winner in compute performance as measured by Geekbench OpenCL. Its score of 13,515 is superior, and its 13.7% lead over the FirePro W5100 is the only head-to-head victory recorded. The GTX 570 also has a higher average benchmark score of 13,515 compared to the FirePro W5100's 12,847, which includes results from multiple tests. This suggests that the GTX 570 is the better choice for workloads that rely heavily on general-purpose GPU computing, such as OpenCL-accelerated applications.

The AMD FirePro W5100, despite losing the OpenCL comparison, has its own strengths that are not captured by the compute-centric metrics. It boasts a significantly larger memory pool of 4 GB compared to the GTX 570's 1280 MB. While the GTX 570 has a wider 320-bit memory bus and higher bandwidth of 152.0 GB/s, the FirePro W5100's larger frame buffer could be an advantage in scenarios that require holding large textures or datasets in memory, such as certain professional visualization or multi-display setups. The FirePro W5100 also has a Vulkan score of 13,805 from Geekbench, which is higher than its OpenCL score and suggests better performance in APIs that the GTX 570 lacks support for entirely, as the GTX 570's Vulkan API field is null. Therefore, the W5100's win is in API support and memory capacity, not in raw compute speed.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 is faster, scoring 13,515 compared to the AMD FirePro W5100's 11,888, a 13.7% difference.

Q: How does the GTX 570 compare to its closest rivals?

A: The GTX 570's average score of 13,515 is 0.2% behind the AMD Radeon HD 7770M and 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA P106-090.

Q: What is the FirePro W5100's performance relative to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590?

A: The FirePro W5100 has an average score of 12,847, which is 0.1% higher than the GeForce GTX 590's average score of 12,830.

Q: Does the FirePro W5100 support any APIs that the GTX 570 does not?

A: Yes, the FirePro W5100 supports Vulkan (version 1.2.170) and has a Geekbench Vulkan score of 13,805, while the GTX 570 has no Vulkan data listed.

Q: What is the difference in memory size between the two cards?

A: The AMD FirePro W5100 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 has 1280 MB of GDDR5 memory.

Q: Which card has a higher pixel rate?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 has a pixel rate of 21.96 GPixel/s, which is higher than the AMD FirePro W5100's 14.88 GPixel/s.

Specification Differences

A direct comparison of specifications reveals stark differences in board design and memory configuration. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 is a dual-slot card measuring 267 mm in length and requires two 6-pin power connectors, with a suggested power supply of 550 W. In contrast, the AMD FirePro W5100 is a single-slot card with a much shorter length of 173 mm, draws power directly from the PCIe slot with no power connectors, and requires a suggested power supply of only 250 W. The memory subsystems are also fundamentally different: the GTX 570 uses a 320-bit bus to achieve a bandwidth of 152.0 GB/s, whereas the FirePro W5100 has a 128-bit bus with a lower bandwidth of 96.00 GB/s, but compensates with a larger 4 GB capacity versus the GTX 570's 1280 MB.

The display outputs also differ significantly, with the GTX 570 offering two DVI ports and one mini-HDMI 1.3a, while the FirePro W5100 provides four DisplayPort 1.2 outputs. The bus interface is another point of divergence, as the GTX 570 uses PCIe 2.0 x16 while the FirePro W5100 uses the newer PCIe 3.0 x16. Regarding thermal design power, the GTX 570 is rated at 219 W, a figure that is more than four times higher than the FirePro W5100's 50 W TDP. Finally, the launch MSRP of the GTX 570 was 349 USD, while no launch MSRP data is available for the FirePro W5100.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is substantial, stemming from different design philosophies and manufacturing processes. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 is built on the Fermi 2.0 architecture using the GF110 chip, fabricated on a 40 nm process at TSMC. This older process results in a massive die size of 520 mm² and a transistor count of 3,000 million, yielding a transistor density of 5.8M per mm². The chip contains 480 shading units, 60 texture mapping units, and 40 ROPs. In contrast, the AMD FirePro W5100 uses the GCN 2.0 architecture with the Bonaire chip, manufactured on a more advanced 28 nm process. This allows for a much smaller die at 160 mm², containing 2,080 million transistors, which translates to a significantly higher transistor density of 13.0M per mm². The FirePro's compute unit layout includes 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and only 16 ROPs.

These architectural choices have direct consequences for performance metrics. The GTX 570's higher ROP count contributes to its superior pixel rate of 21.96 GPixel/s, while the FirePro W5100's lower ROP count results in a pixel rate of just 14.88 GPixel/s. Conversely, the texture rates are nearly identical, with the GTX 570 at 43.92 GTexel/s and the FirePro W5100 at 44.64 GTexel/s. The raw FP32 compute output is also very close, with the GTX 570 delivering 1,405.4 GFLOPS and the FirePro W5100 slightly ahead at 1,428.5 GFLOPS. The FirePro W5100 also supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the GTX 570's DirectX support is limited to 12 (11_0) and it has no Vulkan support listed. The FirePro W5100's generation is listed as FirePro GCN (Wx100), whereas the GTX 570 belongs to the GeForce 500 generation.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear choice based on workload priorities. For tasks that demand raw compute performance in OpenCL, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 is the clear winner. Its 13.7% lead in the head-to-head benchmark and higher overall percentile rank demonstrate a decisive advantage in this area. The GTX 570 is also the more powerful card in terms of pixel throughput, with a 21.96 GPixel/s rate versus the FirePro W5100's 14.88 GPixel/s. Users running compute-intensive applications that leverage OpenCL should prefer the GTX 570 based on these results.

The AMD FirePro W5100, however, is the more practical choice for other specific scenarios. Its 4 GB memory capacity is four times larger than the GTX 570's, which is a critical advantage for workloads that need to store large datasets on the GPU. Its support for Vulkan, an API entirely absent from the GTX 570's feature set, makes it compatible with a broader range of modern software. Furthermore, its dramatically lower power profile—a 50 W TDP and single-slot design versus the GTX 570's 219 W dual-slot requirement—makes it suitable for systems with severe power and space constraints. The FirePro W5100 also supports more display outputs, offering four DisplayPort 1.2 connections compared to the GTX 570's two DVI and one mini-HDMI. The verdict is that the GTX 570 is for compute performance, while the FirePro W5100 is for memory capacity, modern API support, and efficient, compact system integration.