AMD FirePro W600 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M Comparison

The AMD FirePro W600 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M are both end-of-life mobile/professional graphics solutions built on a 28 nm TSMC process, yet they serve distinctly different performance profiles. The data shows a clear, if narrow, overall victory for the NVIDIA part in raw compute, but the AMD card holds its ground in specific legacy contexts. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results, architectural differences, and use-case scenarios strictly from the provided facts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and it is a decisive win for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M. The GTX 770M scores 8552, while the AMD FirePro W600 scores 6223. This represents a 27.2% advantage for the NVIDIA part. In practical terms, this means the GTX 770M delivers significantly higher raw compute throughput for OpenCL workloads, which often power general-purpose GPU computing tasks like video encoding, physics simulations, and certain data-processing filters.

However, the competitive context changes when looking at each card's standing against its own nearest rivals. The FirePro W600’s score of 6223 places it in a tight cluster: it is just 0.2% above the AMD Radeon HD 6950 (score 6210) and only 0.7% below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 and RTX 5070 Ti SUPER (both scoring 6270). This shows that while the W600 loses to the GTX 770M, it is not an outlier; its OpenCL performance is squarely in line with a range of other GPUs, including some far more modern NVIDIA parts. The FirePro’s percentile ranking is 36, meaning it outperforms roughly a third of all GPUs in the database.

The GTX 770M, despite winning the head-to-head, has a slightly lower percentile ranking of 35. This is because its average benchmark score across all tests is 6000, which is dragged down by its much weaker Metal performance score of 3448. Interestingly, in its nearest rival list, the GTX 770M is perfectly matched with the AMD Radeon RX 6400 (score 6001, delta 0%) and sits just 0.1% above the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server (score 5996). This suggests that while the GTX 770M excels in OpenCL, its overall average is not dominant, indicating a specific strength rather than universal superiority.

The head-to-head result is stark: the GTX 770M wins the only shared benchmark, and it wins by a substantial margin. The data does not show a single benchmark where the FirePro W600 comes out ahead; the wins column shows 0 for the AMD card and 1 for the NVIDIA card.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark data, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M is the clear winner for OpenCL compute tasks. Its score of 8552 is not just higher than the FirePro’s 6223; it is also positioned far above its own average score of 6000. This indicates that the GTX 770M’s architecture is heavily optimized for the types of parallel workloads that OpenCL measures. If your priority is general-purpose GPU computing, physics, video processing, or any task that leverages OpenCL, the GTX 770M is the only choice supported by the data.

The AMD FirePro W600, while losing the compute battle, does not have a benchmark where it wins outright. However, its single OpenCL score of 6223 is much closer to its overall average of 6223, suggesting a more consistent performance profile across different workloads. In contrast, the GTX 770M’s OpenCL score is 42.5% higher than its average score, while its Metal score is 42.5% lower. This implies the FirePro is the more predictable part, whereas the GTX 770M has extreme peaks and valleys. For users who need a dependable, single-metric performance level without worrying about workload-specific regressions, the FirePro’s consistency is a qualitative advantage, even if it is quantitatively slower in OpenCL.

Furthermore, the FirePro W600’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Quadro K620 (score 6282), which it trails by just 0.9%. This proximity to a professional Quadro card suggests that the W600’s performance is well-suited for professional, workstation-style tasks that may not demand the absolute peak compute of the GTX 770M but require reliable, consistent output. The GTX 770M, meanwhile, is flanked by the AMD FirePro W4100 (score 5987, delta 0.2%) and NVIDIA Quadro K4000M (score 5986, delta 0.2%), indicating its average performance is on par with entry-level professional parts, even though its peak OpenCL is much higher.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different architectural lineages. The AMD FirePro W600 is built on GCN 1.0 architecture, using the Cape Verde chip, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M uses the Kepler architecture with the GK106 chip. Both are fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but their internal designs diverge significantly.

The transistor counts tell a story of scale. The GTX 770M packs 2,540 million transistors on a 221 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 11.5M / mm². The FirePro W600 is much smaller, with 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, giving it a higher density of 12.2M / mm². This means the AMD chip is more tightly packed, but the NVIDIA chip has far more total resources to work with.

The execution resources are heavily skewed toward the NVIDIA part. The GTX 770M features 960 shading units, 80 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 24 raster operations pipelines (ROPs). The FirePro W600 has just 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. This explains the GTX 770M’s massive lead in texture rate: 63.76 GTexel/s versus the FirePro’s 24.00 GTexel/s. The pixel rate also favors NVIDIA at 15.94 GPixel/s versus 12.00 GPixel/s. In terms of raw floating-point performance, the GTX 770M delivers 1.530 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, exactly double the FirePro’s 768.0 GFLOPS.

Memory configurations also differ. The FirePro W600 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 770M has 3 GB of GDDR5 on a wider 192-bit bus, providing 96.19 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 770M also has a defined clock structure with a base of 706 MHz and a boost of 797 MHz, while the FirePro W600 lists no base or boost clocks, only a memory clock of 1000 MHz (effective 4 Gbps). The GTX 770M’s memory runs at 1002 MHz.

Other notable differences include the bus interface and physical form factor. The FirePro W600 is a PCIe 3.0 x16 card with a Single-slot design, measuring 168 mm in length, 111 mm in height, and 20 mm in width. It has 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs. The GTX 770M is an MXM Module using an MXM-B (3.0) interface, with dimensions not listed and display outputs described as "Portable Device Dependent". The FirePro W600 has a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the GTX 770M lists none, though both have a TDP of 75 W and no power connectors.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous regarding raw performance: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M is the superior choice for OpenCL compute workloads. Its 8552 score represents a 27.2% lead over the FirePro W600’s 6223. If your primary metric is computational throughput in a cross-platform API, the GTX 770M is the only logical pick.

However, the verdict shifts based on context and consistency. The FirePro W600, with its percentile rank of 36 and a score of 6223, is a stable performer that aligns closely with its nearest rivals, including the NVIDIA Quadro K620. It offers a predictable performance envelope, which can be more valuable in professional environments where workload variability is low and reliability is paramount. Its 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs also make it a unique solution for multi-display setups, a feature the GTX 770M lacks entirely due to its portable-device-dependent output.

For a mobile or embedded system where the GTX 770M’s MXM form factor fits, and where OpenCL performance is the goal, the NVIDIA card is the clear winner. For a stationary, single-slot workstation requiring multiple display outputs and consistent, predictable compute performance, the FirePro W600 is the more appropriate, though slower, choice. The GTX 770M’s average benchmark score of 6000 is actually lower than the FirePro’s average of 6223, indicating that on a broader spectrum of tests, the AMD card may actually be more balanced. Ultimately, the GTX 770M wins the compute crown, but the FirePro W600 wins on consistency and display versatility.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher OpenCL benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M scores 8552 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the AMD FirePro W600 scores 6223, giving the NVIDIA part a 27.2% advantage.

Q: How does the GTX 770M's average performance compare to the FirePro W600's?

A: The GTX 770M has an average benchmark score of 6000, while the FirePro W600 has an average score of 6223. Despite losing the OpenCL head-to-head, the FirePro has a higher average score.

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

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M has a memory bandwidth of 96.19 GB/s due to its 192-bit bus and 3 GB GDDR5 memory. The AMD FirePro W600 has a bandwidth of 64.00 GB/s from its 128-bit bus and 2 GB GDDR5 memory.

Q: Which card has more shading units and what is the FP32 performance difference?

A: The GTX 770M has 960 shading units and delivers 1.530 TFLOPS of FP32 compute. The FirePro W600 has 512 shading units and delivers 768.0 GFLOPS, exactly half the NVIDIA card's output.

Q: Are both cards the same power draw?

A: Yes, both the AMD FirePro W600 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M have a TDP of 75 W. Neither requires external power connectors.

Q: What are the display output capabilities of each?

A: The AMD FirePro W600 provides 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs in a single-slot PCIe form factor. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M is an MXM module with display outputs described as "Portable Device Dependent".

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD FirePro W600 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M |

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

| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Kepler |

| Chip | Cape Verde | GK106 |

| Transistors | 1,500 million | 2,540 million |

| Die Size | 123 mm² | 221 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.2M / mm² | 11.5M / mm² |

| Base Clock | None | 706 MHz |

| Boost Clock | None | 797 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) | 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 3 GB |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 192 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 64.00 GB/s | 96.19 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 512 | 960 |

| TMUs | 32 | 80 |

| ROPs | 16 | 24 |

| Pixel Rate | 12.00 GPixel/s | 15.94 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 24.00 GTexel/s | 63.76 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 768.0 GFLOPS | 1.530 TFLOPS |

| Slot Width | Single-slot | MXM Module |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | MXM-B (3.0) |

| Display Outputs | 6x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 | Portable Device Dependent |

| Dimensions (L×H×W) | 168 mm × 111 mm × 20 mm | None |

| Suggested PSU | 250 W | None |

| DirectX Support | 12 (11_1) | 12 (11_0) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.2.170 | 1.2.175 |

| Release Date | 2012-06-12 | 2013-05-29 |

| Predecessor | FirePro Terascale | GeForce 600M |

| Successor | Radeon Pro Polaris | GeForce 800M |