AMD Radeon 540 vs AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 leads with an average benchmark score of 8863, while the AMD Radeon 540 sits at 7673. That puts the WX 5100 about 15.5% higher in overall recorded performance.

Q: Are these two cards from the same architecture generation?

A: Yes, both use GCN 4.0 architecture and are built on the same 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. However, they use different chips: the WX 5100 uses Ellesmere, while the Radeon 540 uses Lexa.

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The Radeon Pro WX 5100 has 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth across a 256-bit bus with 8 GB of GDDR5. The Radeon 540 has only 24.00 GB/s on a 32-bit bus with 1024 MB of GDDR5. The difference is substantial.

Q: How do the two compare in Vulkan performance?

A: In the geekbench_vulkan test, the WX 5100 scored 26909 versus 9162 for the Radeon 540, a 193.7% advantage for the WX 5100. The Radeon 540 was not able to record a win in any head-to-head benchmark.

Q: What is the percentile ranking for each card?

A: The WX 5100 ranks in the 44th percentile among all GPUs, while the Radeon 540 ranks in the 41st percentile. Both are close in overall standing, despite the large gap in raw scores.

Q: Which card is newer?

A: The Radeon 540 was released on 2017-04-19, while the Radeon Pro WX 5100 was released on 2016-11-17. The Radeon 540 is about five months newer, though both are now end-of-life products.

Architecture Differences

Both cards share the same GCN 4.0 architecture and 14 nm process from GlobalFoundries, but they diverge sharply in chip design and resource allocation. The Radeon Pro WX 5100 uses the Ellesmere chip, which packs 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 24.6M per mm². The Radeon 540 uses the Lexa chip, with 2,200 million transistors on a 103 mm² die, for a density of 21.4M per mm². This means the WX 5100 has more than double the transistor count and a physically larger die, which directly translates into more compute resources.

The shading unit count tells the story: the WX 5100 has 1792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The Radeon 540 has only 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. That is roughly 4.7 times more shaders and 4.7 times more TMUs on the WX 5100. The ROP count is double on the WX 5100. These resource differences drive the compute and fill-rate gaps.

Memory architecture is another major split. The WX 5100 has 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, with memory clocked at 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective), producing 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon 540 has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 32-bit bus, with memory at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective), but only 24.00 GB/s of bandwidth. Even though the Radeon 540 has a higher memory clock, its narrow bus limits it to a fraction of the bandwidth.

Both cards support DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. Both are single-slot designs with no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 250 W. The WX 5100 draws up to 75 W, while the Radeon 540 draws up to 50 W. The WX 5100 uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, while the Radeon 540 uses PCIe 3.0 x8. Display outputs differ as well: the WX 5100 has 4x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the Radeon 540 has 2x DisplayPort 1.4a.

The FP32 compute figures reflect the architectural gap. The WX 5100 delivers 3.892 TFLOPS, while the Radeon 540 delivers 908.5 GFLOPS. Both have 1:1 FP16 ratios, meaning FP16 performance equals FP32 on each. Pixel rate on the WX 5100 is 34.75 GPixel/s versus 18.93 GPixel/s on the Radeon 540. Texture rate is 121.6 GTexel/s versus 28.39 GTexel/s.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear hierarchy. The Radeon Pro WX 5100 is the stronger card in every recorded measure. It wins both head-to-head benchmarks, holds a higher average score, and has a higher percentile rank. The Radeon 540 is a smaller, lower-power part that cannot match the WX 5100 in any test where both have results.

For a professional workstation context, the WX 5100 is the obvious choice. Its 8 GB memory, 160.0 GB/s bandwidth, and 3.892 TFLOPS FP32 performance place it in a different class. The nearest rivals to the WX 5100, based on average score, are the AMD Radeon R9 M265X (0.1% slower), the AMD Radeon 550X (0.6% faster), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (1.3% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 v2 (1.4% slower). That puts the WX 5100 in a tightly packed group where small percentage differences separate cards.

The Radeon 540, by contrast, sits near the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 (1.2% faster), the AMD Radeon R7 250 (1.5% faster), and the Intel Arc A310 (1.6% faster). Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, which is only 0.6% faster on average. This suggests the Radeon 540 is competitive within its own low-end segment, but it is not in the same tier as the WX 5100.

If you need compute density, memory capacity, or multi-display output, the WX 5100 is the only rational pick. If you need a minimal single-slot card with low power draw and only light duties, the Radeon 540 can suffice, but it will not handle demanding workloads.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 | AMD Radeon 540 |

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

| Chip | Ellesmere | Lexa |

| Generation | Radeon Pro Polaris (WX x100) | Polaris (RX 500) |

| Transistors | 5,700 million | 2,200 million |

| Die Size | 232 mm² | 103 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 24.6M / mm² | 21.4M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 713 MHz | Not specified |

| Boost Clock | 1086 MHz | Not specified |

| Memory Clock | 1250 MHz, 5 Gbps effective | 1500 MHz, 6 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 1024 MB |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 32 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 160.0 GB/s | 24.00 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1792 | 384 |

| TMUs | 112 | 24 |

| ROPs | 32 | 16 |

| Pixel Rate | 34.75 GPixel/s | 18.93 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 121.6 GTexel/s | 28.39 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 3.892 TFLOPS | 908.5 GFLOPS |

| FP16 | 3.892 TFLOPS (1:1) | 908.5 GFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 75 W | 50 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| Display Outputs | 4x DisplayPort 1.4a | 2x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| Release Date | 2016-11-17 | 2017-04-19 |

| Predecessor | Radeon Pro GCN | Arctic Islands |

| Successor | Radeon Pro Vega | Vega |

| Launch MSRP | 499 USD | Not specified |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records two direct comparisons between these cards, and the Radeon Pro WX 5100 wins both by wide margins.

In geekbench_opencl, the WX 5100 scored 24217 against 6184 for the Radeon 540. That is a 291.6% delta, meaning the WX 5100 nearly quadruples the Radeon 540 in OpenCL compute performance. This is the largest gap in any shared test. The WX 5100's 1792 shading units and 3.892 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput are the likely drivers of this result.

In geekbench_vulkan, the WX 5100 scored 26909 against 9162 for the Radeon 540, a 193.7% advantage. The Vulkan gap is smaller than OpenCL but still decisive. The WX 5100's higher texture rate (121.6 GTexel/s) and larger memory bandwidth (160.0 GB/s) give it a clear edge in graphics-heavy workloads.

The wins tally is 2 for the WX 5100 and 0 for the Radeon 540. The Radeon 540 has no recorded benchmark where it beats the WX 5100. Its only available scores are the two geekbench tests listed above, and it loses both.

The average benchmark scores reinforce the pattern. The WX 5100 averages 8863 across all its recorded tests, while the Radeon 540 averages 7673. That is a difference of 1190 points, roughly 15.5% higher for the WX 5100. The percentile ranks are close (44 versus 41), but the raw performance gap is significant.

Where Each One Wins

The Radeon Pro WX 5100 wins in every scenario where compute throughput or graphics bandwidth matters. It has 4.7 times the shading units, 4.7 times the TMUs, double the ROPs, and 6.7 times the memory bandwidth. It also has 8 GB of VRAM versus 1024 MB, which matters for large textures or datasets. The 4x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs make it suitable for multi-monitor workstation setups. Its launch MSRP was 499 USD, positioning it as a professional-grade part.

The Radeon 540 has no benchmark wins, but it does have a few practical advantages. It draws 50 W versus 75 W, making it easier to cool passively or in tight chassis. It uses a smaller die (103 mm² versus 232 mm²) and fewer transistors, which likely contributes to lower manufacturing complexity. Its PCIe 3.0 x8 interface is sufficient for its bandwidth needs. It also has a later release date, suggesting it is a more recent design, though both are end-of-life.

For use-case selection, the WX 5100 is the pick for OpenCL compute, Vulkan rendering, high-resolution textures, or multi-display professional work. The Radeon 540 is only viable for light 2D workloads or scenarios where the 50 W power draw is a hard constraint. The data shows no scenario where the Radeon 540 outperforms the WX 5100 in a shared benchmark. If you need performance, take the WX 5100. If you need the lowest power footprint and nothing else, the Radeon 540 exists, but it is not a performance alternative.