AMD FirePro W7100 vs AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 Comparison

AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 and AMD FirePro W7100 are both end-of-life professional workstation GPUs, but they come from different design eras and target different workloads. The benchmark data shows a split decision: the Vega 20 wins in OpenCL compute, while the FirePro W7100 takes the Vulkan test. The Vega 20 also holds a higher overall benchmark average and percentile ranking, indicating it is the more capable card in general-purpose tasks, though the FirePro W7100’s larger memory pool and specific API advantage make it relevant for certain legacy workflows.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two cards were tested in two shared benchmarks, and the results are close but decisive in each direction. In Geekbench OpenCL, the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 scores 26,679, beating the AMD FirePro W7100’s 24,182 by a solid 10.3%. That is not a marginal lead; it reflects a genuine compute throughput advantage, likely stemming from the Vega architecture’s newer design and higher memory bandwidth. The Vega 20’s peak texture rate is also slightly higher at 102.6 GTexel/s versus 103.0 GTexel/s for the FirePro W7100, but the OpenCL gap is much larger than that difference alone would suggest, pointing to architectural efficiency gains rather than raw shading power.

However, the tables turn in Geekbench Vulkan. Here, the AMD FirePro W7100 scores 27,529, edging out the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20’s 26,410 by 4.1%. This is a notable reversal, as the Vega 20 is the newer part with a higher average benchmark score overall. The FirePro W7100’s Vulkan win is not a fluke—it also has a higher single-test score in Vulkan than the Vega 20 does, and this is the only test where the older card outperforms the newer one. The delta is modest, but it suggests that the FirePro W7100’s driver stack or hardware design handles Vulkan workloads more efficiently, even though the Vega 20 has a newer API version (1.3 versus 1.2.170).

Looking at the broader benchmark averages, the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 posts an average score of 27,839, which is 7.7% higher than the AMD FirePro W7100’s 25,856. The Vega 20 also sits at the 73rd percentile of all GPUs, while the FirePro W7100 sits at the 71st percentile. In terms of nearest rivals, the Vega 20 is essentially tied with the AMD Radeon RX 7800M (deltaPct -0.2%) and the AMD Radeon Pro W5500X (deltaPct -0.5%), while the FirePro W7100 is nearly identical to the AMD FirePro D700 (deltaPct 0.1%) and the AMD Radeon R9 M395X (deltaPct -0.1%). The Vega 20 also edges out the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 by 1% in average score, which is a remarkable result for a 100 W integrated part, whereas the FirePro W7100 is 0.5% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 is built on the Vega 12 chip using GCN 5.0 architecture, fabricated on a 14 nm process by GlobalFoundries. The AMD FirePro W7100 uses the Tonga chip with GCN 3.0 architecture, manufactured on a 28 nm process by TSMC. This process node difference is significant: the 14 nm node allows the Vega 20 to achieve higher clock speeds and better power efficiency, while the 28 nm node on the FirePro W7100 is an older, less dense process. The FirePro W7100 does have a larger physical die at 366 mm² and 5,000 million transistors, with a transistor density of 13.7M / mm², but the Vega 20’s smaller and more efficient design compensates with a lower TDP of 100 W versus 150 W.

Memory configurations differ markedly. The Vega 20 comes with 4 GB of HBM2 memory on a 1024-bit bus, delivering 189.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The FirePro W7100 offers 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Vega 20 has the bandwidth advantage by 18.4%, which helps in compute-heavy tasks, but the FirePro W7100 has twice the capacity, which is crucial for large datasets that exceed 4 GB. The memory clock speeds also differ: the Vega 20 runs at 740 MHz (1480 Mbps effective), while the FirePro W7100 runs at 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective).

Compute unit counts and throughput figures are close but not identical. The Vega 20 has 1,280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, producing 3.284 TFLOPS FP32 and 6.569 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1 ratio). The FirePro W7100 has 1,792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, producing 3.297 TFLOPS FP32 and 3.297 TFLOPS FP16 (1:1 ratio). The FirePro W7100 has more raw shading units and slightly higher FP32 throughput, but the Vega 20 doubles its FP16 rate, which is a major advantage for workloads that can use reduced precision. Pixel rates differ as well: the Vega 20 achieves 41.06 GPixel/s versus 29.44 GPixel/s for the FirePro W7100, a 39.5% advantage for the newer card.

API support also separates the two. The Vega 20 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The FirePro W7100 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The Vega 20’s higher DirectX feature level and newer Vulkan version indicate better modern API compatibility, though the FirePro W7100 still wins the Vulkan benchmark test. The FirePro W7100 has a fixed set of display outputs (4x DisplayPort 1.2) and is a single-slot card with a 6-pin power connector and a recommended 450 W power supply, while the Vega 20 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with portable device dependent outputs.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20’s strengths lie in compute-heavy workloads that benefit from high memory bandwidth and FP16 support. Its 189.4 GB/s bandwidth is 18.4% higher than the FirePro W7100’s, and its FP16 throughput of 6.569 TFLOPS is double the FirePro W7100’s 3.297 TFLOPS. This makes the Vega 20 the better choice for OpenCL-based compute tasks, as evidenced by its 10.3% lead in that benchmark. The Vega 20 also has a higher pixel rate (41.06 GPixel/s versus 29.44 GPixel/s), which helps in rasterization-heavy scenarios, and its lower TDP of 100 W makes it more power-efficient, which is critical for integrated or thermally constrained systems.

The AMD FirePro W7100 wins where memory capacity and Vulkan performance matter most. Its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory is twice the Vega 20’s 4 GB, allowing it to handle larger models, textures, or datasets without running out of memory. The 4.1% lead in Geekbench Vulkan is the standout result, indicating that the FirePro W7100 has better Vulkan driver optimization or hardware scheduling for that API. The FirePro W7100 also has a higher shading unit count (1,792 versus 1,280) and slightly higher FP32 throughput (3.297 TFLOPS versus 3.284 TFLOPS), which can benefit workloads that rely on raw single-precision compute but do not use FP16. Its fixed 4x DisplayPort 1.2 outputs make it a straightforward multi-monitor solution, while the Vega 20’s outputs are portable device dependent.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 has an average benchmark score of 27,839, which is 7.7% higher than the AMD FirePro W7100’s 25,856.

Q: How do the two cards compare in OpenCL performance?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 scores 26,679 in Geekbench OpenCL, beating the AMD FirePro W7100’s 24,182 by 10.3%.

Q: Which GPU performs better in Vulkan?

A: The AMD FirePro W7100 scores 27,529 in Geekbench Vulkan, outperforming the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20’s 26,410 by 4.1%.

Q: What are the memory capacity and bandwidth differences?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 has 4 GB of HBM2 memory with 189.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the AMD FirePro W7100 has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: How do the power requirements differ?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 has a TDP of 100 W and is an integrated graphics processor, while the AMD FirePro W7100 has a TDP of 150 W and requires a single 6-pin power connector with a recommended 450 W power supply.

Q: Which GPU supports a higher DirectX feature level?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the AMD FirePro W7100 supports DirectX 12 (12_0).

The Verdict

The data points to the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 as the stronger overall performer for most modern workloads. It has a higher average benchmark score (27,839 versus 25,856), a higher percentile ranking (73rd versus 71st), and a decisive 10.3% win in OpenCL. Its higher memory bandwidth (189.4 GB/s versus 160.0 GB/s), double FP16 throughput (6.569 TFLOPS versus 3.297 TFLOPS), and higher pixel rate (41.06 GPixel/s versus 29.44 GPixel/s) make it the better choice for compute-intensive applications, especially those that leverage reduced precision or require fast memory access. Its lower TDP of 100 W also makes it more suitable for compact or power-constrained systems.

However, the AMD FirePro W7100 is not without merit. Its 8 GB memory capacity is double the Vega 20’s 4 GB, which is a hard requirement for workloads that exceed the Vega 20’s memory ceiling. Its 4.1% Vulkan win is also a concrete advantage that cannot be ignored, and its higher shading unit count (1,792 versus 1,280) plus slightly higher FP32 throughput (3.297 TFLOPS versus 3.284 TFLOPS) keep it competitive in single-precision tasks. For legacy users with a 450 W power supply and a need for 4x DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, the FirePro W7100 remains a functional option.

If you prioritize compute performance, modern API support, and power efficiency, the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 is the clear pick. If you need maximum memory capacity or depend on Vulkan performance, the AMD FirePro W7100 is the safer bet. Both are end-of-life, so availability and driver support should be verified before purchase.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon Pro Vega 20 | AMD FirePro W7100 |

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

| Chip | Vega 12 | Tonga |

| Architecture | GCN 5.0 | GCN 3.0 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 28 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not specified | 5,000 million |

| Die Size | Not specified | 366 mm² |

| Transistor Density | Not specified | 13.7M / mm² |

| Memory Size | 4 GB | 8 GB |

| Memory Type | HBM2 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | 1024 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 189.4 GB/s | 160.0 GB/s |

| Memory Clock | 740 MHz (1480 Mbps effective) | 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) |

| Shading Units | 1280 | 1792 |

| TMUs | 80 | 112 |

| ROPs | 32 | 32 |

| Pixel Rate | 41.06 GPixel/s | 29.44 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 102.6 GTexel/s | 103.0 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 3.284 TFLOPS | 3.297 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 6.569 TFLOPS (2:1) | 3.297 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 100 W | 150 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Single-slot |

| Power Connectors | Not specified | 1x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | Not specified | 450 W |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 4x DisplayPort 1.2 |

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

| Vulkan Support | 1.3 | 1.2.170 |

| Release Date | 2018-11-13 | 2014-08-11 |

| Predecessor | Not specified | FirePro Terascale |

| Successor | Not specified | Radeon Pro Polaris |