AMD FirePro W8000 vs NVIDIA T600 Mobile Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data splits the decision cleanly between two very different workloads. The NVIDIA T600 Mobile wins the OpenCL benchmark decisively, while the AMD FirePro W8000 takes the Vulkan benchmark. For users prioritizing compute workloads that leverage OpenCL, the T600 Mobile is the clear choice, delivering 45.2% higher performance in that specific test. Conversely, for graphics or compute tasks that run through Vulkan, the FirePro W8000 holds an 11.1% advantage. The average benchmark score favors the T600 Mobile at 32,849 versus 29,211 for the FirePro W8000, a difference of roughly 12.5%. The T600 Mobile also sits in the 77th percentile of all GPUs, two points higher than the FirePro W8000’s 75th percentile. In short: the T600 Mobile is the better all-rounder in the database’s measurements, but the FirePro W8000 is not obsolete in every metric.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different architectural generations and design philosophies. The NVIDIA T600 Mobile uses the TU117 chip, built on the Turing architecture, produced on a 12 nm process at TSMC. It packs 4,700 million transistors on a 200 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 23.5 million per mm². The AMD FirePro W8000 uses the Tahiti chip, based on GCN 1.0, also fabricated by TSMC but on a 28 nm process. It contains 4,313 million transistors spread across a 352 mm² die, resulting in a lower density of 12.3 million per mm². The T600 Mobile’s newer node allows it to achieve nearly double the transistor density, which contributes to its much lower power draw.

The T600 Mobile has 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The FirePro W8000 counters with 1,792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and the same 32 ROPs. Despite having half the shader count, the T600 Mobile reaches a higher pixel rate of 45.12 GPixel/s compared to 28.80 GPixel/s for the FirePro W8000. However, the FirePro W8000 leads in texture rate at 100.8 GTexel/s versus 78.96 GTexel/s. In raw FP32 compute, the FirePro W8000 delivers 3.226 TFLOPS, while the T600 Mobile produces 2.527 TFLOPS. The T600 Mobile also supports FP16 at 5.053 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, a capability the FirePro W8000 lacks entirely.

Memory configurations differ substantially. Both cards have 4 GB of VRAM, but the T600 Mobile uses GDDR6 with a 128-bit bus and 192.0 GB/s bandwidth. The FirePro W8000 uses GDDR5 with a wider 256-bit bus but achieves only 176.0 GB/s bandwidth. The memory clock on the T600 Mobile runs at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective), while the FirePro W8000 runs at 1375 MHz (5.5 Gbps effective). The T600 Mobile’s higher effective memory speed compensates for its narrower bus, resulting in superior bandwidth.

Power and physical design are stark contrasts. The T600 Mobile is rated at 40 W TDP, is an IGP form factor, and requires no power connectors. The FirePro W8000 draws 225 W, uses a dual-slot design, requires two 6-pin power connectors, and recommends a 550 W PSU. The FirePro W8000 measures 279 mm in length and 111 mm in height. The T600 Mobile’s display outputs are portable device dependent, while the FirePro W8000 offers 4x DisplayPort 1.2 and 1x SDI. API support shows the T600 Mobile supporting DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the FirePro W8000 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.

FAQ

Q: Which card has better OpenCL performance?

A: The NVIDIA T600 Mobile scores 35,486 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 45.2% higher than the AMD FirePro W8000’s 24,440. This is the single largest performance gap in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: Which card wins in Vulkan benchmarks?

A: The AMD FirePro W8000 leads in Geekbench Vulkan with a score of 33,981, beating the NVIDIA T600 Mobile’s 30,211 by 11.1%.

Q: How do the two cards compare in average benchmark scores?

A: The T600 Mobile averages 32,849 across all recorded benchmarks, while the FirePro W8000 averages 29,211. The T600 Mobile is about 12.5% higher on average.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The T600 Mobile has a TDP of 40 W and needs no power connectors. The FirePro W8000 has a TDP of 225 W and requires two 6-pin power connectors, with a suggested PSU of 550 W.

Q: Which card has more shading units?

A: The AMD FirePro W8000 has 1,792 shading units, double the 896 found in the NVIDIA T600 Mobile. However, the T600 Mobile still achieves higher pixel throughput.

Q: What are the release dates for these GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA T600 Mobile was released in April 2021, while the AMD FirePro W8000 was released in June 2012. Both are now marked as end-of-life in the database.

Specification Differences

• Chip: NVIDIA TU117 (Turing) versus AMD Tahiti (GCN 1.0)
• Process Node: 12 nm versus 28 nm
• Transistors: 4,700 million versus 4,313 million
• Die Size: 200 mm² versus 352 mm²
• Transistor Density: 23.5M / mm² versus 12.3M / mm²
• Base Clock: 780 MHz versus null
• Boost Clock: 1410 MHz versus null
• Memory Clock: 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) versus 1375 MHz (5.5 Gbps effective)
• Memory Type: GDDR6 versus GDDR5
• Memory Bus Width: 128 bit versus 256 bit
• Memory Bandwidth: 192.0 GB/s versus 176.0 GB/s
• Shading Units: 896 versus 1,792
• TMUs: 56 versus 112
• Pixel Rate: 45.12 GPixel/s versus 28.80 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: 78.96 GTexel/s versus 100.8 GTexel/s
• FP32 Performance: 2.527 TFLOPS versus 3.226 TFLOPS
• FP16 Performance: 5.053 TFLOPS (2:1) versus null
• TDP: 40 W versus 225 W
• Slot Width: IGP versus Dual-slot
• Power Connectors: None versus 2x 6-pin
• Suggested PSU: null versus 550 W
• Display Outputs: Portable Device Dependent versus 4x DisplayPort 1.2, 1x SDI
• DirectX Support: 12 (12_1) versus 12 (11_1)
• Vulkan Support: 1.4 versus 1.2.170
• Dimensions: null versus 279 mm length, 111 mm height
• Release Date: April 2021 versus June 2012
• Launch MSRP: null versus 1,599 USD

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Geekbench OpenCL test provides the most lopsided result in the comparison. The NVIDIA T600 Mobile scores 35,486, while the AMD FirePro W8000 manages 24,440. This translates to a 45.2% advantage for the T600 Mobile. The margin is substantial enough that it dominates the average benchmark score calculation. The T600 Mobile’s superior memory bandwidth (192.0 GB/s versus 176.0 GB/s) and newer GDDR6 memory likely contribute to this result, despite the FirePro W8000 having more shading units and higher raw FP32 throughput.

The Geekbench Vulkan test flips the outcome. The AMD FirePro W8000 scores 33,981, beating the NVIDIA T600 Mobile’s 30,211 by 11.1%. This is a notable reversal, especially considering the T600 Mobile supports a newer Vulkan version (1.4 versus 1.2.170). The FirePro W8000’s double shading unit count and higher texture rate may explain its Vulkan advantage, as those resources can be better utilized in certain graphics workloads.

When examining the nearest rivals for each card, the T600 Mobile’s average score of 32,849 places it just behind the NVIDIA P104-100 (32,982, delta -0.4%) and slightly ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 590 GME (32,601, delta 0.8%) and AMD FirePro S9300 X2 (32,540, delta 0.9%). The FirePro W8000’s average of 29,211 sits nearly level with the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GH (29,197, delta 0%), barely ahead of the Intel Arc A370M (29,175, delta 0.1%) and AMD Radeon RX 470 (28,996, delta 0.7%). The gap between the two cards’ averages is consistent with their percentile ranking difference: 77th versus 75th.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA T600 Mobile wins in scenarios that benefit from OpenCL compute acceleration. Its 45.2% lead in the OpenCL benchmark is the defining statistic. The card’s low TDP of 40 W and lack of power connectors make it suitable for compact or mobile systems where power budget is a concern. Its IGP form factor and portable device dependent display outputs indicate a design intended for embedded or laptop use. The T600 Mobile also offers newer API support, including DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, which may benefit compatibility with modern software stacks. Its higher pixel rate of 45.12 GPixel/s suggests efficiency in fill-rate-bound tasks, despite its lower shading unit count.

The AMD FirePro W8000 wins in Vulkan-based workloads, where its 11.1% advantage in the Geekbench Vulkan test demonstrates that its older GCN architecture still holds relevance for certain graphics pipelines. The card’s higher FP32 throughput (3.226 TFLOPS versus 2.527 TFLOPS) and double the texture units (112 versus 56) give it an edge in texture-heavy operations. Its 4x DisplayPort 1.2 and SDI outputs make it more suited for multi-display professional setups. The FirePro W8000’s 256-bit memory bus, although yielding lower bandwidth than the T600 Mobile, may offer better memory parallelism in certain access patterns. Users who prioritize Vulkan performance or need extensive display connectivity would lean toward the FirePro W8000, while those focused on OpenCL compute and power efficiency would select the T600 Mobile based on the recorded data.