AMD FirePro W7100 vs AMD Radeon RX 6800S Comparison

AMD FirePro W7100 and AMD Radeon RX 6800S represent two very different eras of AMD GPU design, both now end-of-life. The FirePro W7100 is a 2014 workstation card built on GCN 3.0, while the RX 6800S is a 2022 mobile part based on RDNA 2.0. Benchmark results show a decisive generational shift, with the newer RX 6800S dominating in compute workloads, but the data also reveals that the older card holds its own in specific API scenarios relative to its direct peers. This analysis breaks down the raw numbers, architectural differences, and practical implications for anyone choosing between these two.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two available head-to-head benchmark comparisons paint a clear picture of generational dominance. In Geekbench OpenCL, the AMD Radeon RX 6800S scores 73,202, a massive 67% higher than the FirePro W7100’s 24,182. This is not a marginal improvement; it is a threefold increase in raw compute throughput, reflecting the fundamental architectural leap between 2014 and 2022. The RX 6800S also wins the Geekbench Vulkan test decisively, posting 81,272 against the FirePro’s 27,529, a 66.1% advantage.

Looking at the broader benchmark context, the FirePro W7100’s average benchmark score is 25,856, placing it in the 71st percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD FirePro D700 (25,842, a 0.1% difference) and the AMD Radeon R9 M395X (25,891, -0.1%), showing it is tightly clustered with other high-end parts from its era. Interestingly, the data shows the W7100 is also within 0.5% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile (25,740) and the AMD Radeon Pro W5700 (25,726) on average score, although this is an artifact of the limited test set, not a realistic performance comparison.

The RX 6800S, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 24,063, which sits in the 69th percentile. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER (24,170, -0.4%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (24,236, -0.7%). The RX 6800S also shows a 0.8% lead over the AMD Radeon RX 9070 (23,877) and a 0.9% lead over the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 (24,277). These rivalries confirm that the RX 6800S, despite being a mobile chip, competes with desktop graphics cards from several generations ago. The FirePro W7100’s wins are zero in the head-to-head tests, while the RX 6800S takes both, a clean sweep that underscores its superiority in the measured workloads.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is vast. The FirePro W7100 uses the Tonga chip on the GCN 3.0 architecture, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 5,000 million transistors on a 366 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 13.7 million per mm². In contrast, the RX 6800S uses the Navi 23 chip on RDNA 2.0, also built by TSMC but on a 7 nm process. This newer node allows 11,060 million transistors on a much smaller 237 mm² die, achieving a density of 46.7 million per mm² — over three times denser.

The compute resources differ accordingly. The FirePro W7100 has 1,792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The RX 6800S increases these to 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. Critically, the RX 6800S introduces 32 ray tracing cores, a feature completely absent from the older GCN part. The FirePro’s FP32 throughput is 3.297 TFLOPS, while the RX 6800S more than doubles that to 8.602 TFLOPS. In FP16, the difference is even starker: the FirePro manages 3.297 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), while the RX 6800S hits 17.20 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, showing a clear focus on shader-heavy and compute workloads.

Memory architecture is another major divergence. Both cards have 8 GB of VRAM, but the FirePro uses GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 6800S uses faster GDDR6 on a narrower 128-bit bus, yet achieves 256.0 GB/s due to higher clock speeds. The FirePro’s memory runs at 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective), while the RX 6800S runs at 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective). Clock speeds for the GPU core itself are only listed for the RX 6800S, with a base of 1800 MHz, boost of 2100 MHz, and game clock of 1975 MHz. The FirePro’s clocks are not provided, though its pixel rate of 29.44 GPixel/s and texture rate of 103.0 GTexel/s indicate its operating range.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in compute benchmarks?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6800S is significantly faster. It scores 73,202 in Geekbench OpenCL versus the FirePro W7100’s 24,182, a 67% lead. In Vulkan, the RX 6800S scores 81,272 compared to 27,529, a 66.1% lead.

Q: Do both cards support ray tracing?

A: No. The RX 6800S includes 32 ray tracing cores as part of its RDNA 2.0 architecture. The FirePro W7100, based on GCN 3.0, has no ray tracing cores at all.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The FirePro W7100 has a TDP of 150 W and requires a single 6-pin power connector, with a suggested PSU of 450 W. The RX 6800S has a lower TDP of 100 W and uses no power connectors, as it is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) for mobile devices.

Q: Which card has better memory bandwidth?

A: The RX 6800S offers 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth despite a 128-bit bus, thanks to faster GDDR6 memory. The FirePro W7100 provides 160.0 GB/s over a wider 256-bit bus using GDDR5.

Q: What is the DirectX feature level support?

A: The RX 6800S supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), which includes features like ray tracing and mesh shaders. The FirePro W7100 is limited to DirectX 12 (12_0), an older feature level.

Q: How does the FirePro W7100 compare to its own rivals?

A: Its average benchmark score of 25,856 puts it 0.1% ahead of the AMD FirePro D700 and 0.5% ahead of the Radeon Pro W5700, but 0.1% behind the Radeon R9 M395X. It is also within 0.5% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile in average score, though that comparison is limited to the available tests.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two cards:

• Architecture: GCN 3.0 (FirePro W7100) vs RDNA 2.0 (RX 6800S)
• Process Node: 28 nm vs 7 nm
• Transistors: 5,000 million vs 11,060 million
• Die Size: 366 mm² vs 237 mm²
• Transistor Density: 13.7M / mm² vs 46.7M / mm²
• Base Clock: Not specified vs 1800 MHz
• Boost Clock: Not specified vs 2100 MHz
• Game Clock: Not specified vs 1975 MHz
• Memory Type: GDDR5 vs GDDR6
• Memory Bus Width: 256 bit vs 128 bit
• Memory Bandwidth: 160.0 GB/s vs 256.0 GB/s
• Shading Units: 1792 vs 2048
• TMUs: 112 vs 128
• ROPs: 32 vs 64
• Ray Tracing Cores: None vs 32
• Pixel Rate: 29.44 GPixel/s vs 134.4 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: 103.0 GTexel/s vs 268.8 GTexel/s
• FP32 Performance: 3.297 TFLOPS vs 8.602 TFLOPS
• FP16 Performance: 3.297 TFLOPS (1:1) vs 17.20 TFLOPS (2:1)
• TDP: 150 W vs 100 W
• Slot Width: Single-slot vs IGP
• Power Connectors: 1x 6-pin vs None
• Suggested PSU: 450 W vs Not specified
• Bus Interface: PCIe 3.0 x16 vs PCIe 4.0 x8
• Display Outputs: 4x DisplayPort 1.2 vs Portable Device Dependent
• DirectX Support: 12 (12_0) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2)
• Vulkan Support: 1.2.170 vs 1.4
• Release Date: 2014-08-11 vs 2022-01-03
• Predecessor: FirePro Terascale vs Polaris Mobile
• Successor: Radeon Pro Polaris vs Not specified

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon RX 6800S is the superior GPU in every measured benchmark. Its 67% lead in OpenCL and 66.1% lead in Vulkan over the FirePro W7100 are massive, reflecting not just a node advantage but a complete architectural overhaul. The RX 6800S offers more shading units, double the ROPs, ray tracing support, higher pixel and texture rates, and more than double the FP32 throughput. It also does this at a lower TDP of 100 W versus 150 W, making it more power-efficient despite being a mobile part.

However, the FirePro W7100 is not without context. Its average benchmark score of 25,856 places it in the 71st percentile, which is actually higher than the RX 6800S’s 69th percentile. This is because the W7100’s nearest rivals are other professional and high-end desktop cards from its era, while the RX 6800S is compared against a broader range of desktop parts, including older ones like the GTX 780 Ti. The W7100 also has a wider 256-bit memory bus, which could theoretically benefit certain bandwidth-sensitive workloads, though the RX 6800S’s faster GDDR6 memory negates this in practice with 60% more bandwidth.

For a builder choosing between these two today, the decision comes down to context. The RX 6800S is a mobile IGP, meaning it is not a drop-in desktop card. It is meant for laptops or compact systems where space and power are at a premium. The FirePro W7100 is a single-slot desktop workstation card with four DisplayPort outputs, designed for multi-monitor professional setups. If you need a legacy workstation card for a specific compatibility reason, the W7100 is the only option. But for raw performance, the RX 6800S wins decisively, and the benchmark data supports that verdict without qualification.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Radeon RX 6800S wins in all compute-heavy scenarios. Its 67% lead in OpenCL and 66.1% lead in Vulkan make it the clear choice for GPU-accelerated workloads like rendering, machine learning inference, and any task leveraging compute shaders. Its 32 ray tracing cores provide hardware acceleration for ray-traced graphics, a feature the FirePro cannot offer. The RX 6800S also excels in power efficiency, drawing 50 W less than the FirePro while delivering over twice the FP32 performance. Its higher pixel rate (134.4 GPixel/s vs 29.44 GPixel/s) and texture rate (268.8 GTexel/s vs 103.0 GTexel/s) make it better suited for high-resolution gaming and real-time 3D applications. The 2:1 FP16 ratio also gives it a distinct advantage in AI and compute tasks that use half-precision arithmetic.

AMD FirePro W7100 wins in the niche of legacy professional deployment. Its 256-bit memory bus and 32 ROPs, while slower in aggregate bandwidth, might be preferable for certain older workstation drivers or software that was optimized for GCN architecture. Its single-slot form factor and four DisplayPort 1.2 outputs make it a practical choice for multi-display professional setups where the RX 6800S’s "Portable Device Dependent" outputs are not applicable. The W7100 also has a higher percentile ranking (71st vs 69th) among all GPUs in the database, indicating its performance profile is more consistent with the top tier of its contemporaries. For a system that requires a specific PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, the W7100 is the only one of the two that offers it, as the RX 6800S uses PCIe 4.0 x8. In short, the FirePro is the pick only when compatibility with older infrastructure outweighs the massive performance deficit.