GPU Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 470 decisively outperforms the AMD FirePro W8000 in the available benchmark data, winning both head-to-head tests by significant margins. The FirePro W8000, an older GCN 1.0 workstation part, trails by 27.2% in OpenCL and 14.8% in Vulkan, despite holding a slight edge in the aggregate average score across all GPUs. The data clearly favors the RX 470 for raw compute performance, while the W8000’s workstation features and display outputs remain its only distinguishing advantages.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are unambiguous: the RX 470 wins both recorded comparisons. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the RX 470 scores 33,568 against the FirePro W8000’s 24,440, a delta of -27.2% for the older card. This is a substantial gap in general-purpose compute workloads, reflecting the RX 470’s newer architecture and higher shader count. The FirePro W8000’s 1792 shading units and 3.226 TFLOPS FP32 peak simply cannot match the RX 470’s 2048 shading units and 4.940 TFLOPS.

The Vulkan test shows a narrower but still decisive margin. The RX 470 posts 39,884 points, while the FirePro W8000 manages 33,981, a 14.8% deficit. Vulkan is a low-overhead API that scales well with raw hardware throughput, and the RX 470’s advantage here aligns with its higher texture fill rate (154.4 GTexel/s vs 100.8 GTexel/s) and pixel rate (38.59 GPixel/s vs 28.80 GPixel/s). Interestingly, the FirePro W8000’s average benchmark score across all tests is 29,211, which is slightly higher than the RX 470’s 28,996 average, but this is driven by the W8000’s inclusion of only two benchmark results versus the RX 470’s four.

The percentile rankings reflect the near-parity in overall performance: the W8000 sits at the 75th percentile of all GPUs, while the RX 470 is at the 74th. Their nearest rival lists confirm this closeness, the W8000’s average score is 0.7% above the RX 470, and the RX 470’s average is 0.7% below the W8000. However, in the specific tests where both were measured head-to-head, the RX 470’s newer GCN 4.0 architecture delivers a clear victory.

FAQ

Q: Which card wins in OpenCL compute performance?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 470 wins decisively, scoring 33,568 versus the FirePro W8000’s 24,440 in Geekbench OpenCL, a 27.2% advantage.

Q: Is the FirePro W8000 competitive in Vulkan workloads?

A: No. The RX 470 scores 39,884 in Geekbench Vulkan, while the FirePro W8000 trails at 33,981, a 14.8% gap that puts the older card firmly behind.

Q: How do their overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: The FirePro W8000 has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 29,211 versus the RX 470’s 28,996, a marginal 0.7% difference that places them in the 75th and 74th percentiles of all GPUs, respectively.

Q: Which card has a higher memory bandwidth?

A: The RX 470 offers 211.2 GB/s of bandwidth from its 4 GB GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, compared to the FirePro W8000’s 176.0 GB/s from the same memory configuration.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The RX 470 has a TDP of 120 W and requires a single 6-pin power connector with a 300 W suggested PSU, whereas the FirePro W8000 has a 225 W TDP, dual 6-pin connectors, and a 550 W suggested PSU.

Q: Do both cards support the same DirectX version?

A: No. The RX 470 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the FirePro W8000 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1), a significant feature gap for modern gaming and compute APIs.

Architecture Differences

The two cards represent distinct generations of AMD’s Graphics Core Next architecture. The FirePro W8000 uses the Tahiti chip built on GCN 1.0, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 4,313 million transistors into a 352 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.3M per mm². The RX 470, in contrast, uses the Ellesmere chip with GCN 4.0, built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It contains 5,700 million transistors on a smaller 232 mm² die, achieving a much higher density of 24.6M per mm².

This architectural leap explains the performance difference. The RX 470’s newer GCN 4.0 design brings higher clock speeds, 926 MHz base and 1206 MHz boost versus the W8000’s unspecified clocks, and more compute resources: 2048 shading units and 128 TMUs versus 1792 shading units and 112 TMUs. Both cards have 32 ROPs, but the RX 470’s higher clocks push its pixel rate to 38.59 GPixel/s and texture rate to 154.4 GTexel/s, compared to 28.80 GPixel/s and 100.8 GTexel/s for the W8000.

The RX 470 also supports FP16 compute at a 1:1 ratio with FP32 (4.940 TFLOPS), while the FirePro W8000 has no listed FP16 capability. In terms of API support, the RX 470 is ahead with DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, whereas the W8000 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6. The memory subsystems differ as well: the RX 470 runs its GDDR5 at 1650 MHz (6.6 Gbps effective) for 211.2 GB/s, while the W8000 runs at 1375 MHz (5.5 Gbps) for 176.0 GB/s, both on 256-bit buses with 4 GB capacities.

Specification Differences

The most striking gap is in power efficiency. The RX 470 draws only 120 W TDP, nearly half the FirePro W8000’s 225 W, while delivering higher performance. The RX 470 also needs just a single 6-pin power connector and a 300 W suggested PSU, versus the W8000’s dual 6-pin and 550 W suggestion. Physical dimensions favor the RX 470: it measures 240 mm in length and 95 mm in height (35 mm wide), while the W8000 is longer at 279 mm and taller at 111 mm. Both are dual-slot cards.

Display outputs show a clear workstation-versus-consumer split. The FirePro W8000 offers 4x DisplayPort 1.2 and 1x SDI, while the RX 470 provides 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The RX 470’s newer display standard supports higher resolutions and refresh rates. The memory clock differs as noted, with the RX 470 at 1650 MHz versus the W8000’s 1375 MHz. The RX 470 also has a higher FP32 throughput at 4.940 TFLOPS versus 3.226 TFLOPS, and it adds FP16 support at the same rate, which the W8000 lacks entirely.

Release timing underscores the generational gap: the FirePro W8000 launched on June 13, 2012, while the RX 470 arrived on August 3, 2016. Both are now end-of-life, with the W8000’s launch MSRP of 1,599 USD versus the RX 470’s 179 USD. The W8000’s predecessor is FirePro Terascale, and its successor is Radeon Pro Polaris; the RX 470’s predecessor is Pirate Islands, and its successor is Polaris.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner for most use cases: the AMD Radeon RX 470. It wins both head-to-head benchmarks, offers nearly double the FP32 throughput (4.940 TFLOPS vs 3.226 TFLOPS), higher memory bandwidth (211.2 GB/s vs 176.0 GB/s), and does so at nearly half the power draw (120 W vs 225 W). The RX 470’s 14.8% Vulkan lead and 27.2% OpenCL lead are decisive, and its newer architecture supports DirectX 12_0 and Vulkan 1.3, while the W8000 is stuck with older API versions.

The FirePro W8000’s only statistical advantage is its average benchmark score of 29,211, which is 0.7% higher than the RX 470’s 28,996. However, this is a artifact of the W8000 having fewer benchmark results. The W8000 retains value only for specific workstation scenarios: its 4x DisplayPort 1.2 plus SDI output configuration is unique, and its 1,599 USD launch MSRP indicates a professional positioning. For general compute, gaming, or any workload that leverages modern APIs, the RX 470 is the superior choice.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 470 wins in every measured performance category. It dominates in Geekbench OpenCL by 27.2% and Geekbench Vulkan by 14.8%. Its higher shading unit count (2048 vs 1792), faster memory (1650 MHz vs 1375 MHz), and superior fill rates (154.4 GTexel/s vs 100.8 GTexel/s) make it the better card for gaming, general-purpose compute, and any application that can use FP16 acceleration. Its lower TDP and single power connector also make it far easier to integrate into a standard system.

The AMD FirePro W8000 wins only in specific niche areas. Its 4x DisplayPort 1.2 and SDI outputs are tailored for professional video and broadcast workflows, where multiple display outputs and SDI connectivity are required. Its higher average benchmark score (29,211 vs 28,996, a 0.7% margin) is a marginal statistical artifact rather than a real performance advantage. For anyone needing a workstation card with specialized display outputs, the W8000 has a purpose; for everyone else, the RX 470 is the data-backed pick.