AMD FirePro W5100 vs NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm Comparison

The AMD FirePro W5100 and NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm represent two very different approaches to professional GPU computing from the same era, built on the same 28 nm TSMC process. The data shows a clear performance leader in compute workloads, but the feature set and physical design tell a more nuanced story. This analysis compares the two based strictly on benchmark results, architectural specifications, and recorded characteristics.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct head-to-head benchmark available is Geekbench OpenCL, and the results are decisive. The NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm scores 17215, while the AMD FirePro W5100 scores 11888. The delta is -30.9% for the FirePro, meaning the Tesla is roughly 31% faster in this compute-oriented test. This is a substantial margin, placing the two cards in different performance tiers for OpenCL workloads.

Looking at average benchmark scores across all recorded tests, the gap narrows considerably. The FirePro W5100 posts an average benchmark score of 12847, while the Tesla K20Xm averages 12625. The FirePro is actually ahead by a small margin in this aggregate metric, which includes the FirePro’s Geekbench Vulkan score of 13805. The Tesla has no Vulkan result in the data; its only other benchmark is Geekbench Metal at 8035. This means the FirePro’s average is boosted by a strong Vulkan showing, while the Tesla’s average is dragged down by a comparatively weak Metal score.

The percentile rankings tell a similar story of overall parity. Both cards sit at the 52nd percentile among all GPUs. The nearest rivals for each card reinforce this mid-pack positioning. The FirePro W5100’s closest competitors are the AMD Radeon Pro 455 (avg 12831, delta 0.1%), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 (avg 12830, delta 0.1%), AMD Radeon 740M (avg 12870, delta -0.2%), and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 (avg 12773, delta 0.6%). The Tesla K20Xm’s nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 7600M XT (avg 12710, delta -0.7%), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 (avg 12773, delta -1.2%), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 (avg 12830, delta -1.6%), and AMD Radeon Pro 455 (avg 12831, delta -1.6%).

In the OpenCL head-to-head, the Tesla’s 31% advantage is the defining number. In aggregate, the FirePro edges ahead by roughly 1.8% (12847 vs 12625). The Vulkan result for the FirePro shows it handles that API effectively, while the Tesla’s Metal score of 8035 is far below its OpenCL score, suggesting API-specific strengths and weaknesses.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm wins decisively in OpenCL compute performance. Its score of 17215 is 31% higher than the FirePro’s OpenCL result. This is the primary workload for a Tesla product, and the data shows it excels there. The Tesla also offers significantly more raw compute resources: 2688 shading units versus 768, 224 texture mapping units versus 48, and 48 render output units versus 16. Its pixel rate of 40.99 GPixel/s is nearly three times the FirePro’s 14.88 GPixel/s, and its texture rate of 164.0 GTexel/s dwarfs the FirePro’s 44.64 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 3.935 TFLOPS versus 1,428.5 GFLOPS, a difference of roughly 2.75x.

The AMD FirePro W5100 wins in the aggregate benchmark average, thanks to its Vulkan score of 13805. This suggests the FirePro is better suited for workloads that leverage Vulkan, likely in visualization or modern graphics contexts. The FirePro also has display outputs (4x DisplayPort 1.2), while the Tesla has no outputs at all. This makes the FirePro a functional graphics card for direct display, whereas the Tesla is purely a compute accelerator.

The FirePro’s smaller footprint and power requirements are another area where it wins. Its TDP is 50 W versus the Tesla’s 235 W, and its suggested PSU is 250 W versus 550 W. The FirePro is single-slot with no power connectors, while the Tesla is dual-slot. The FirePro is also physically smaller at 173 mm (6.8 inches) in length compared to the Tesla’s 267 mm (10.5 inches). For systems with power or space constraints, the FirePro is the more practical installation.

The Verdict

The choice between these two cards depends entirely on the workload. For pure OpenCL compute performance, the NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm is the clear winner. Its 17215 score is 31% ahead of the FirePro’s OpenCL result, and its hardware specifications align with that advantage: more than triple the shading units, nearly five times the texture units, and over double the FP32 throughput. The Tesla also offers more memory (6 GB vs 4 GB) with a much wider 384-bit bus, yielding 249.6 GB/s of bandwidth versus 96.00 GB/s.

For a user needing a card with display outputs, the AMD FirePro W5100 is the only option of the two, as the Tesla has no outputs. The FirePro’s Vulkan score of 13805 indicates modern graphics API capability, and its aggregate benchmark average of 12847 is actually higher than the Tesla’s 12625. The FirePro also fits in tighter spaces and draws far less power, making it suitable for smaller workstations.

The data does not support a universal winner. The Tesla K20Xm wins the compute benchmark that matters most for its product category. The FirePro W5100 wins on versatility, API coverage, and physical integration. Both cards are end-of-life, but they serve different niches. The Tesla is a compute workhorse; the FirePro is a workstation graphics card with compute capability.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm scores 17215, which is 30.9% higher than the AMD FirePro W5100’s 11888.

Q: Does the AMD FirePro W5100 have any display outputs?

A: Yes, the FirePro W5100 has 4x DisplayPort 1.2 outputs. The NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm has no outputs.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two cards?

A: The Tesla K20Xm has 249.6 GB/s bandwidth with a 384-bit bus and 6 GB GDDR5 memory. The FirePro W5100 has 96.00 GB/s bandwidth with a 128-bit bus and 4 GB GDDR5 memory.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The FirePro W5100 has an average benchmark score of 12847, slightly higher than the Tesla K20Xm’s 12625. Both cards rank at the 52nd percentile among all GPUs.

Q: Which card has a higher power draw?

A: The Tesla K20Xm has a TDP of 235 W and a suggested PSU of 550 W. The FirePro W5100 has a TDP of 50 W and a suggested PSU of 250 W.

Q: What is the FP32 performance difference?

A: The Tesla K20Xm delivers 3.935 TFLOPS, while the FirePro W5100 delivers 1,428.5 GFLOPS. The Tesla is roughly 2.75x faster in FP32.

Architecture Differences

The two cards use fundamentally different architectures from different vendors. The AMD FirePro W5100 is built on the Bonaire chip, using GCN 2.0 architecture from the FirePro GCN (Wx100) generation. The NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm uses the GK110 chip, based on Kepler architecture from the Tesla Kepler (Kxx) generation.

Both are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the chip sizes differ dramatically. The Tesla’s GK110 has 7,080 million transistors on a 561 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 12.6M per mm². The FirePro’s Bonaire has 2,080 million transistors on a 160 mm² die, with a density of 13.0M per mm². The Tesla packs over three times the transistors onto a die over three times the size.

The compute unit configurations reflect these differences. The Tesla has 2688 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. The FirePro has 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. Neither card has ray tracing cores or tensor cores. The Tesla’s pixel rate is 40.99 GPixel/s and texture rate is 164.0 GTexel/s. The FirePro’s rates are 14.88 GPixel/s and 44.64 GTexel/s.

API support differs in DirectX version. The FirePro supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the Tesla supports DirectX 12 (11_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6. The Vulkan versions are close: 1.2.170 for the FirePro and 1.2.175 for the Tesla. Memory clocks also differ, with the FirePro at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective) and the Tesla at 1300 MHz (5.2 Gbps effective).

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every measurable specification. Memory size is 4 GB for the FirePro versus 6 GB for the Tesla. Memory type is GDDR5 for both, but the bus width is 128-bit for the FirePro and 384-bit for the Tesla. Bandwidth is 96.00 GB/s versus 249.6 GB/s.

Power requirements are starkly different. The FirePro has a TDP of 50 W and a suggested PSU of 250 W. The Tesla has a TDP of 235 W and a suggested PSU of 550 W. The FirePro is single-slot with no power connectors, while the Tesla is dual-slot. Physical length is 173 mm (6.8 inches) for the FirePro and 267 mm (10.5 inches) for the Tesla.

The FirePro has 4x DisplayPort 1.2 outputs; the Tesla has no outputs. The FirePro’s release date was 2014-03-30, while the Tesla’s was 2012-11-11. The FirePro’s predecessor is FirePro Terascale and its successor is Radeon Pro Polaris. The Tesla’s predecessor is Tesla Fermi and its successor is Tesla Maxwell. The Tesla has a launch MSRP of 7,699 USD; the FirePro has no recorded MSRP. Both cards are end-of-life. Both use PCIe 3.0 x16. The FirePro’s dimensions include a height of 111 mm (4.4 inches); the Tesla’s height is not recorded.