AMD FirePro W7100 vs AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary and the AMD FirePro W7100 represent two distinct eras of GPU design, separated by a generation gap that is starkly reflected in their benchmark performance. The data shows a decisive victory for the newer Radeon card, but the FirePro’s legacy in professional visualization remains a point of interest. This analysis compares the two directly using the available benchmark data and architectural specifications.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is limited to two compute-focused tests, but the results are unambiguous. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary scores 77,161, which is a massive 219.1% higher than the FirePro W7100’s 24,182. This is not a marginal improvement; it is a generational leap in raw compute throughput. The Radeon’s advantage stems from its significantly higher FP32 performance, which the data shows as 10.14 TFLOPS versus the FirePro’s 3.297 TFLOPS.

The second shared test, Geekbench Vulkan, tells a similar story. The RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary achieves 74,281 points, beating the FirePro W7100’s 27,529 by 169.8%. Vulkan is a modern API that leverages asynchronous compute and low-level hardware access, areas where the newer RDNA architecture excels. The FirePro, based on the older GCN 3.0 design, simply cannot keep pace in this workload. The benchmark results indicate that in any compute-heavy task, the RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary is in a different performance class.

Looking at the broader context, the RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary’s average benchmark score is 26,553, placing it at the 72nd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A4000, scores 26,683, a mere 0.5% higher, putting the two effectively on par. In contrast, the FirePro W7100’s average score of 25,856 puts it at the 71st percentile, with its closest competitor being the AMD FirePro D700, which scores 25,842 and is only 0.1% different. While both cards sit near the 71st-72nd percentile, the direct comparison reveals the Radeon is far ahead of the FirePro, suggesting the FirePro’s percentile is buoyed by its professional-grade feature set rather than raw speed.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is fundamental. The RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary is built on the RDNA 1.0 architecture, fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC, packing 10,300 million transistors into a 251 mm² die. In contrast, the FirePro W7100 uses the GCN 3.0 architecture, built on a much older 28 nm process, with only 5,000 million transistors on a larger 366 mm² die. This explains the transistor density difference: the Radeon achieves 41.0M / mm² versus the FirePro’s 13.7M / mm². The newer node allows the Radeon to be more power-efficient while delivering dramatically higher clock speeds.

Clock speeds tell a clear story of progress. The RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary has a base clock of 1680 MHz and a boost clock of 1980 MHz, with a game clock of 1830 MHz. The FirePro W7100’s clocks are listed as null in the data, which suggests its operating frequency was not a headline feature; its memory clock is 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective). The Radeon’s memory runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective), directly contributing to its superior bandwidth. The Radeon also features 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, compared to the FirePro’s 1792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. This means the Radeon has more of every execution resource, which is why its pixel rate (126.7 GPixel/s) and texture rate (316.8 GTexel/s) dwarf the FirePro’s (29.44 GPixel/s and 103.0 GTexel/s).

Memory technology further separates them. The RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, yielding 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The FirePro W7100 also has 8 GB, but it is GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, yielding only 160.0 GB/s. That is a 2.8x difference in memory bandwidth, which heavily impacts workloads that stream large textures or datasets. The Radeon also supports PCIe 4.0 x16, doubling the bus bandwidth of the FirePro’s PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, which is relevant for data transfer from system memory.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark wins, the RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary wins in every measurable category. It has 2 wins in the head-to-head data, while the FirePro has 0. The Radeon’s strength lies in raw compute performance, as evidenced by its OpenCL and Vulkan scores. Its higher FP32 throughput (10.14 TFLOPS) and FP16 performance (20.28 TFLOPS with 2:1 ratio) make it ideal for scientific computing, machine learning inference, and any task that leverages GPGPU acceleration. The doubled FP16 rate is particularly notable, as it suggests improved throughput for AI-related workloads that use reduced precision.

The FirePro W7100, conversely, has no wins in the provided data. Its only potential advantage lies in its professional positioning. It is a single-slot card with 4x DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, compared to the Radeon’s dual-slot design with 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The FirePro’s single-slot form factor and lower 150 W TDP (versus the Radeon’s 225 W) could be advantageous in dense multi-GPU server configurations. However, the data does not include any workstation-specific benchmarks like CAD or DCC applications, so its professional software optimization cannot be quantified here. The raw numbers suggest that for any general-purpose compute task, the Radeon is the superior choice.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary in OpenCL?

A: The Radeon scores 77,161 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 219.1% higher than the FirePro W7100’s 24,182. This indicates the Radeon is over three times faster in this compute test.

Q: Does the FirePro W7100 win in any benchmark?

A: No. In the provided head-to-head data, the FirePro W7100 has zero wins. The Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary wins both the Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan tests.

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

A: The Radeon has a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s, while the FirePro has 160.0 GB/s. This is a significant difference, driven by the Radeon’s faster GDDR6 memory running at 14 Gbps effective versus the FirePro’s GDDR5 at 5 Gbps effective.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor density?

A: The RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary has a transistor density of 41.0M / mm², compared to the FirePro W7100’s 13.7M / mm². This is due to the Radeon’s advanced 7 nm process versus the FirePro’s 28 nm process.

Q: Are these cards in the same performance percentile?

A: They are close. The Radeon is in the 72nd percentile of all GPUs, while the FirePro is in the 71st percentile. However, this is misleading, as the Radeon’s average benchmark score (26,553) is higher than the FirePro’s (25,856), and the direct head-to-head tests show a massive Radeon lead.

Q: What is the difference in FP32 performance?

A: The RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary delivers 10.14 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the FirePro W7100 delivers 3.297 TFLOPS. This 3x advantage is the primary driver of the Radeon’s benchmark superiority.

The Verdict

The data is clear: the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary is the overwhelmingly superior product for compute performance. Its 219.1% lead in OpenCL and 169.8% lead in Vulkan are not incremental gains; they represent a complete generational overhaul. The Radeon’s 7 nm process, higher clock speeds, and faster GDDR6 memory give it a commanding lead in every measurable specification. For any user prioritizing raw compute, gaming, or general GPU acceleration, the Radeon is the only rational choice.

The FirePro W7100, however, should not be dismissed entirely. Its single-slot design, lower power draw of 150 W, and four DisplayPort outputs suggest it was built for a specific professional niche: dense visualization clusters where space and power are at a premium. Its GCN architecture also supports OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170, though the Radeon supports Vulkan 1.4. For a user with legacy professional software that is optimized for FirePro drivers, the W7100 could still be functional. However, its performance is severely limited compared to the Radeon, and its 28 nm process means it will run relatively hot and inefficiently. The benchmark data unequivocally favors the Radeon for anyone who needs compute power, while the FirePro’s value is confined to its niche physical form factor and legacy software support.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary | AMD FirePro W7100 |

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

| Architecture | RDNA 1.0 | GCN 3.0 |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 10,300 million | 5,000 million |

| Die Size | 251 mm² | 366 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 41.0M / mm² | 13.7M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1680 MHz | null |

| Boost Clock | 1980 MHz | null |

| Game Clock | 1830 MHz | null |

| Memory Clock | 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) | 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 448.0 GB/s | 160.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2560 | 1792 |

| TMUs | 160 | 112 |

| ROPs | 64 | 32 |

| Pixel Rate | 126.7 GPixel/s | 29.44 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 316.8 GTexel/s | 103.0 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 10.14 TFLOPS | 3.297 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 20.28 TFLOPS (2:1) | 3.297 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 225 W | 150 W |

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

| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin | 1x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 550 W | 450 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | 4x DisplayPort 1.2 |

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

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.2.170 |

| Length | 272 mm (10.7 inches) | 241 mm (9.5 inches) |

| Width | 40 mm (1.6 inches) | null |