GPU Comparison

# AMD FirePro W7000 vs AMD Radeon RX 460

The AMD FirePro W7000 and AMD Radeon RX 460 split their head-to-head benchmark wins exactly one apiece, but the nature of those wins tells a clear story. The FirePro W7000 dominates in Vulkan performance with an 8.9% margin, while the RX 460 ekes out a fractional lead in OpenCL. Looking at average benchmark scores, the FirePro W7000 sits at 19,905 points versus 18,373 for the RX 460, a meaningful gap that places the workstation card in the 65th percentile of all GPUs compared to the RX 460's 62nd.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive result in this comparison comes from the Geekbench Vulkan test, where the AMD FirePro W7000 scores 22,001 against the RX 460's 20,198. That 8.9% advantage is substantial and reflects the FirePro's stronger compute pipeline in modern graphics APIs. The FirePro W7000's nearest rivals in average score include the NVIDIA Tesla K40m (19,885, just 0.1% behind) and the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT (19,765, 0.7% behind), which contextualizes its positioning as a card that punches well above its generation.

In Geekbench OpenCL, the tables turn narrowly. The RX 460 scores 17,855 versus the FirePro W7000's 17,808, a 0.3% delta that is essentially a statistical tie. This near-parity in OpenCL is notable given the architectural gulf between the two cards. The RX 460 also has a Geekbench Metal score of 17,065, a test the FirePro W7000 does not have data for. The RX 460's average score places it just 0.1% behind the Intel Arc A770M (18,383) and 0.9% behind the AMD FirePro D500 (18,533), while sitting 1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 (18,189) and 1.2% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (18,159).

The aggregate data shows the FirePro W7000 with an average benchmark score of 19,905, which is 1,532 points higher than the RX 460's 18,373. That 8.3% overall advantage aligns closely with the Vulkan delta, suggesting the FirePro's lead is consistent rather than test-specific. The RX 460's OpenCL win, while real, is too small to offset the Vulkan deficit.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two AMD cards spans two distinct GCN generations. The FirePro W7000 uses the Pitcairn chip built on GCN 1.0 architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 28 nm process. It packs 2,800 million transistors into a 212 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 13.2 million per mm². The RX 460, in contrast, uses the Baffin chip on GCN 4.0 architecture, built on GlobalFoundries' 14 nm process. It contains 3,000 million transistors in a much smaller 123 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 24.4 million per mm², nearly double the density of the FirePro.

The FirePro W7000 belongs to the FirePro GCN (Wx000) generation and was released June 12, 2012, while the RX 460 is from the Arctic Islands (RX 400) generation, released August 7, 2016. The RX 460's predecessor is Pirate Islands and its successor is Polaris; the FirePro W7000's predecessor is FirePro Terascale and its successor is Radeon Pro Polaris. Both cards are now end-of-life.

Core counts differ significantly. The FirePro W7000 fields 1,280 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 raster operations units. The RX 460 has fewer of each: 896 shading units, 56 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. Despite fewer cores, the RX 460 achieves higher clock speeds, a 1,090 MHz base and 1,200 MHz boost, while the FirePro W7000's core clocks are not specified in the data. Memory configurations also diverge: the FirePro W7000 carries 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 153.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the RX 460 has 2 GB on a 128-bit bus with 112.0 GB/s bandwidth. The FirePro's memory runs at 1,200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective), the RX 460's at 1,750 MHz (7 Gbps effective).

Where Each One Wins

The FirePro W7000 is the clear winner in Vulkan workloads, posting a 8.9% advantage that likely stems from its larger memory bus and higher bandwidth. With 4 GB of VRAM and 153.6 GB/s of bandwidth, it has 37% more bandwidth than the RX 460's 112.0 GB/s, which becomes critical in memory-intensive compute tasks. Its 2.432 TFLOPS of FP32 performance slightly edges the RX 460's 2.150 TFLOPS, and its pixel rate of 30.40 GPixel/s is 58% higher than the RX 460's 19.20 GPixel/s. Texture rate favors the FirePro as well: 76.00 GTexel/s versus 67.20 GTexel/s.

The RX 460 wins in OpenCL by a razor-thin 0.3%, and it offers capabilities the FirePro lacks. It has explicit FP16 performance rated at 2.150 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), whereas the FirePro W7000 has no FP16 data listed. The RX 460 also supports DirectX 12 (12_0) versus the FirePro's DirectX 12 (11_1), and it supports Vulkan 1.3 versus the FirePro's Vulkan 1.2.170. The RX 460's power efficiency is dramatically better, a 75 W TDP versus 150 W for the FirePro W7000, and it requires no power connectors, drawing power entirely from the PCIe slot. The FirePro W7000 needs a 1x 6-pin connector and a 450 W suggested PSU, versus 250 W for the RX 460.

The RX 460 also wins on physical footprint. At 170 mm (6.7 inches) in length, it is substantially shorter than the FirePro W7000's 242 mm (9.5 inches). The FirePro is a single-slot card while the RX 460 is dual-slot. Display outputs differ: the FirePro W7000 offers 4x DisplayPort 1.2, while the RX 460 provides 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the AMD FirePro W7000 for users prioritizing raw compute throughput, particularly in Vulkan-based workloads where its 8.9% lead is decisive. Its higher average benchmark score (19,905 versus 18,373), larger memory pool (4 GB versus 2 GB), wider bus (256-bit versus 128-bit), and superior fill rates make it the stronger card for demanding workstation tasks. The 65th percentile ranking versus the RX 460's 62nd confirms its overall performance edge.

However, the AMD Radeon RX 460 is the more sensible choice for power-constrained or space-constrained systems. Its 75 W TDP requires no auxiliary power connectors, and its 170 mm length fits in far smaller chassis. Its OpenCL parity with the FirePro (within 0.3%) means compute workloads using that API will see negligible difference. The RX 460's newer architecture brings modern API support, DirectX 12 (12_0), Vulkan 1.3, and FP16 at 1:1 ratio, which may extend its relevance in newer software. The RX 460's nearest rival comparisons show it trading blows with much newer hardware like the Intel Arc A770M (0.1% difference) and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile (1.2% ahead), suggesting its architecture has aged gracefully.

The FirePro W7000's launch MSRP was 899 USD, reflecting its workstation positioning. The RX 460 has no launch MSRP listed. For users who need maximum VRAM, bandwidth, and Vulkan performance, the FirePro W7000 is the data-backed choice. For users who need a compact, low-power card that still delivers competitive OpenCL results and modern API support, the RX 460 is the answer.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD FirePro W7000 scores 19,905 on average, compared to 18,373 for the AMD Radeon RX 460, a difference of 1,532 points.

Q: How much faster is the FirePro W7000 in Vulkan?

A: The FirePro W7000 scores 22,001 in Geekbench Vulkan versus 20,198 for the RX 460, giving it an 8.9% advantage.

Q: Does the RX 460 win any benchmark tests?

A: Yes, the RX 460 wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 17,855 against the FirePro W7000's 17,808, a 0.3% margin. It also has a Metal score of 17,065, which the FirePro W7000 does not have data for.

Q: What are the memory differences between the two cards?

A: The FirePro W7000 has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 153.6 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 460 has 2 GB on a 128-bit bus with 112.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which card consumes less power?

A: The RX 460 has a 75 W TDP and requires no power connectors, while the FirePro W7000 has a 150 W TDP and needs a 1x 6-pin connector. The suggested PSU is 250 W for the RX 460 versus 450 W for the FirePro.

Q: Which card has better API support?

A: The RX 460 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, while the FirePro W7000 supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. The RX 460 also has explicit FP16 performance at 2.150 TFLOPS (1:1), which the FirePro lacks.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD FirePro W7000 | AMD Radeon RX 460 |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 4.0 |

| Process Node | 28 nm (TSMC) | 14 nm (GlobalFoundries) |

| Transistors | 2,800 million | 3,000 million |

| Die Size | 212 mm² | 123 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 13.2M / mm² | 24.4M / mm² |

| Shading Units | 1,280 | 896 |

| TMUs | 80 | 56 |

| ROPs | 32 | 16 |

| Memory | 4 GB GDDR5 | 2 GB GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus | 256 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 153.6 GB/s | 112.0 GB/s |

| Memory Clock | 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective) | 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective) |

| Base Clock | Not specified | 1090 MHz |

| Boost Clock | Not specified | 1200 MHz |

| FP32 Performance | 2.432 TFLOPS | 2.150 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | Not specified | 2.150 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| Pixel Rate | 30.40 GPixel/s | 19.20 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 76.00 GTexel/s | 67.20 GTexel/s |

| TDP | 150 W | 75 W |

| Slot Width | Single-slot | Dual-slot |

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

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 250 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| Display Outputs | 4x DisplayPort 1.2 | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DisplayPort 1.4a |

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

| Vulkan Support | 1.2.170 | 1.3 |

| Length | 242 mm (9.5 inches) | 170 mm (6.7 inches) |

| Release Date | 2012-06-12 | 2016-08-07 |

| Launch MSRP | 899 USD | Not specified |

| Percentile vs All GPUs | 65th | 62nd |