GPU Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon RX 570 is the superior performer in every measurable test included in this comparison. The RX 570 wins both head-to-head benchmarks, with a 23.8% advantage in Geekbench OpenCL and a 20.5% advantage in Geekbench Vulkan. The FirePro W8000, despite being positioned as a professional workstation card, trails in raw compute and graphics API performance. The data suggests that the RX 570, released in 2017, represents a generational leap over the 2012 FirePro W8000 in terms of compute throughput, even though the W8000 commands a significantly higher launch MSRP of 1,599 USD compared to the RX 570's 169 USD. For anyone prioritizing raw performance in OpenCL or Vulkan workloads, the RX 570 is the clear choice. The FirePro W8000's appeal would rest on its professional feature set, not its benchmark scores, as the data shows no test where it comes out ahead.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two cards is substantial, reflecting a five-year evolution in AMD's GPU design philosophy. The FirePro W8000 is built on the Tahiti chip using GCN 1.0 architecture, manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. In contrast, the RX 570 uses the Polaris 20 chip with GCN 4.0 architecture, fabricated on a more advanced 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. This process shrink is critical; the RX 570 packs 5,700 million transistors onto a 232 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 24.6M per mm². The W8000, by comparison, has 4,313 million transistors on a larger 352 mm² die, yielding only 12.3M transistors per mm². The density difference is nearly 2x, explaining how the newer card achieves higher performance with lower power consumption.

The RX 570 also features a more complete feature set. It supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, while the W8000 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both cards support OpenGL 4.6. The RX 570 also has native FP16 support at a 1:1 ratio, a capability the W8000 lacks entirely. The memory interfaces are similar at 256-bit, but the RX 570 runs faster GDDR5 at 7 Gbps effective versus 5.5 Gbps on the W8000, leading to higher bandwidth. The RX 570 also benefits from a newer display output suite, including HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 1.4a, while the W8000 offers four DisplayPort 1.2 outputs and an SDI connection.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two available head-to-head tests reveal a consistent pattern of RX 570 dominance. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RX 570 scores 32,084 against the W8000's 24,440, a delta of -23.8% from the W8000's perspective. This is a substantial margin, indicating that the RX 570's 5.095 TFLOPS FP32 compute capability is far more effective than the W8000's 3.226 TFLOPS in real-world OpenCL workloads. The 23.8% performance gap is nearly proportional to the 58% difference in raw FP32 throughput, suggesting the newer architecture is translating its compute advantage efficiently.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the RX 570 again wins, scoring 42,752 versus 33,981 for the W8000, a 20.5% delta. Vulkan is a modern low-level API, and the W8000's older GCN 1.0 architecture with Vulkan 1.2 support is showing its age. The RX 570's Vulkan 1.3 support and newer GCN iteration give it a clear edge in API efficiency. The wins are decisive, but the margins are interesting: the Vulkan gap (20.5%) is slightly smaller than the OpenCL gap (23.8%). This could indicate that the W8000's driver optimization for Vulkan is relatively better than its OpenCL support, or that both cards hit similar bottlenecks in certain Vulkan operations. The data does not provide further granularity, but the overall trend is consistent.

Specification Differences

The key specification differences are stark. The RX 570 has a base clock of 1168 MHz and boost clock of 1244 MHz, while the W8000 lists no base or boost clocks, only a memory clock of 1375 MHz (5.5 Gbps effective). The RX 570's memory runs at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective), yielding 224.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 176.0 GB/s on the W8000. The RX 570 has 2048 shading units and 128 TMUs, compared to 1792 shading units and 112 TMUs on the W8000. Both have 32 ROPs. Pixel rate favors the RX 570 at 39.81 GPixel/s versus 28.80 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 159.2 GTexel/s versus 100.8 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 5.095 TFLOPS on the RX 570 versus 3.226 TFLOPS on the W8000, and the RX 570 also offers FP16 at 5.095 TFLOPS (1:1) where the W8000 has none. Power draw is notably lower on the RX 570 at 150 W TDP versus 225 W, with a single 6-pin connector versus dual 6-pin, and a suggested PSU of 450 W versus 550 W. The RX 570 is also shorter at 241 mm versus 279 mm. The W8000 has a higher transistor count of 4,313 million, but the RX 570 packs more transistors (5,700 million) into a smaller die. The RX 570 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3; the W8000 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6. The W8000 offers four DisplayPort 1.2 outputs plus an SDI output, while the RX 570 provides 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The W8000 was released on 2012-06-13 with a launch MSRP of 1,599 USD, while the RX 570 came out on 2017-04-17 with a launch MSRP of 169 USD.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in OpenCL compute tasks?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 570 is significantly faster, scoring 32,084 in Geekbench OpenCL compared to the FirePro W8000's 24,440, a 23.8% advantage for the RX 570.

Q: Does the FirePro W8000 win any benchmark in this comparison?

A: No. The data shows the RX 570 wins both head-to-head benchmarks (Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan), and the W8000 has zero benchmark wins in this comparison.

Q: How do their power requirements differ?

A: The RX 570 has a 150 W TDP and requires a 450 W suggested PSU with a single 6-pin connector. The W8000 has a 225 W TDP, needs a 550 W PSU, and uses two 6-pin connectors.

Q: Which card has better Vulkan API support?

A: The RX 570 supports Vulkan 1.3, while the W8000 is limited to Vulkan 1.2.170. In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the RX 570 scores 42,752 versus 33,981, a 20.5% margin.

Q: Is the FirePro W8000's professional positioning reflected in its specs?

A: The W8000 offers unique display outputs (4x DisplayPort 1.2 plus 1x SDI), which is a professional feature. However, its compute and graphics specifications are consistently lower than the RX 570's, including fewer shading units (1792 vs 2048) and lower FP32 throughput (3.226 TFLOPS vs 5.095 TFLOPS).

Q: Are these cards still in production?

A: No. Both are end-of-life products. The W8000 was released on 2012-06-13 and the RX 570 on 2017-04-17.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Radeon RX 570 wins in compute and graphics workloads. Every benchmark in this comparison favors the RX 570. In Geekbench OpenCL, it leads by 23.8%, and in Geekbench Vulkan, it leads by 20.5%. Its higher FP32 throughput (5.095 TFLOPS vs 3.226 TFLOPS), higher pixel rate (39.81 GPixel/s vs 28.80 GPixel/s), and higher texture rate (159.2 GTexel/s vs 100.8 GTexel/s) underpin these results. The RX 570 also offers the advantage of FP16 support at a 1:1 ratio, which the W8000 lacks entirely. For any task that leverages OpenCL or Vulkan, whether that is GPU compute, rendering, or modern gaming APIs, the RX 570 is the data-backed winner. Its lower TDP of 150 W versus 225 W also means it is more power-efficient while delivering higher performance. The RX 570's newer display outputs (HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4a) provide better connectivity for modern monitors. The RX 570's smaller physical footprint (241 mm length vs 279 mm) makes it easier to fit in compact cases. The RX 570's more recent release date (2017 vs 2012) means it has benefited from years of architectural refinement.

AMD FirePro W8000 finds no benchmark victories in this dataset. The W8000's only potential advantages lie in its professional feature set, which is not measured by the benchmarks provided. It offers 4x DisplayPort 1.2 and an SDI output, which could be relevant for specialized video or broadcast workflows that require SDI connectivity. Its older architecture means it supports DirectX 12 (11_1) rather than the full 12_0 feature level. The W8000's launch MSRP of 1,599 USD was vastly higher than the RX 570's 169 USD, but the performance data does not justify that premium for compute or graphics workloads. The W8000 has a higher transistor count on a larger die (352 mm² vs 232 mm²), but this does not translate into higher performance. The data suggests the W8000's niche would be limited to environments requiring its specific display output configuration or legacy software certification, not raw performance. In every measurable benchmark, the RX 570 is the superior choice.