AMD Radeon 550X vs AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear hierarchy between these two Lexa-based AMD workstation cards. The AMD Radeon 550X holds a commanding lead in every recorded test, with an average benchmark score of 8918 compared to 7580 for the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100. That is a 17.6% gap in average score, a substantial margin that places the 550X in the 45th percentile of all GPUs while the Pro WX 3100 sits at the 41st percentile. For users prioritizing raw compute performance, the Radeon 550X is the unambiguous choice, winning both head-to-head benchmarks by 20.9% in OpenCL and 14.6% in Vulkan. The Pro WX 3100 counterargues with double the memory capacity, 4 GB versus 2 GB, and a professional-oriented display output suite with three DisplayPort connections. However, its lower clock speeds and reduced memory bandwidth mean it trails in every performance metric recorded. The data suggests the 550X is the stronger compute performer, while the Pro WX 3100 is the more versatile display companion for multi-monitor professional setups. Neither card offers modern features like ray tracing or tensor cores, as both are built on the aging GCN 4.0 architecture.

Where Each One Wins

The Radeon 550X wins decisively in raw compute performance. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 8866 versus 7333 for the Pro WX 3100 represents a 20.9% advantage, and its Vulkan score of 8970 versus 7827 is 14.6% higher. This consistent margin across both APIs indicates the 550X has a structural performance advantage, not one tied to a specific workload type. The source of this edge lies in clock speeds: the 550X runs at 1082 MHz base and 1218 MHz boost, while the Pro WX 3100 operates at 925 MHz base and 1219 MHz boost. The nearly identical boost clocks mean the gap is largely established at the base frequency, where the 550X runs 157 MHz faster. The 550X also enjoys faster memory, with 7 Gbps effective GDDR5 speed delivering 112.0 GB/s of bandwidth versus 6 Gbps and 96.00 GB/s on the Pro WX 3100. The 550X achieves this with a lower 50 W TDP compared to 65 W for the Pro WX 3100, making it the more power-efficient performer in this comparison.

The Radeon Pro WX 3100 wins in memory capacity and display connectivity. Its 4 GB frame buffer doubles the 550X's 2 GB, a meaningful advantage for applications with large texture sets or high-resolution compute buffers. The Pro WX 3100 also offers 1x DisplayPort 1.4a and 2x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, enabling three simultaneous display connections out of the box. The 550X provides 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a, which is a more consumer-oriented output configuration. The Pro WX 3100 is a single-slot card, while the 550X requires dual-slot spacing, a difference that matters in dense workstation chassis. The Pro WX 3100 also has a lower profile at 168 mm length and 69 mm height, compared to the 550X's 145 mm length, though the 550X is shorter overall.

Architecture Differences

Both cards share the same fundamental silicon: the Lexa chip built on GCN 4.0 architecture, fabricated by GlobalFoundries on a 14 nm process. The transistor count is identical at 2,200 million, and the die size is the same 103 mm², yielding an identical transistor density of 21.4M per mm². The compute configuration is also identical: 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 render output units. Neither card includes ray tracing or tensor cores, consistent with their GCN 4.0 heritage. The FP32 performance is nearly identical at 1,247.2 GFLOPS for the 550X and 1,248.3 GFLOPS for the Pro WX 3100, a difference of just 1.1 GFLOPS. Both cards support FP16 at a 1:1 ratio, meaning no throughput penalty for half-precision workloads. The pixel rates are effectively equal at 19.49 GPixel/s and 19.50 GPixel/s, as are texture rates at 38.98 GTexel/s and 39.01 GTexel/s.

The architectural differences emerge in clock strategy and memory configuration. The Pro WX 3100 runs lower base clocks at 925 MHz but reaches a nearly identical boost of 1219 MHz versus the 550X's 1218 MHz. This suggests the Pro WX 3100 has a more aggressive boost behavior, potentially to maintain performance under sustained professional workloads. The memory subsystem differs substantially: the 550X uses 1750 MHz memory (7 Gbps effective) while the Pro WX 3100 uses 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective), both over a 128-bit bus. This yields a 16.0 GB/s bandwidth advantage for the 550X. The Pro WX 3100 compensates with double the capacity, 4 GB versus 2 GB, which changes how memory-bound tasks behave even with lower bandwidth. Both cards use PCIe 3.0 x8 interfaces, and both support DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, so API compatibility is identical. The production status for both is end-of-life, with the 550X releasing on March 26, 2019, and the Pro WX 3100 on June 11, 2017.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in compute workloads?

A: The AMD Radeon 550X is faster in every recorded benchmark. It scores 8866 in Geekbench OpenCL versus 7333 for the Pro WX 3100, a 20.9% advantage, and 8970 in Geekbench Vulkan versus 7827, a 14.6% advantage.

Q: Does the Pro WX 3100 have any performance advantage?

A: No, the Pro WX 3100 does not win a single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. Its only advantages are in memory capacity (4 GB versus 2 GB), display outputs (three DisplayPort connections versus one each of DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort), and its single-slot form factor.

Q: Why does the 550X outperform the Pro WX 3100 if they use the same chip?

A: The 550X runs a higher base clock of 1082 MHz versus 925 MHz on the Pro WX 3100, and it uses faster memory at 7 Gbps effective versus 6 Gbps. These clock differences translate directly into higher bandwidth and compute throughput.

Q: Which card is more power efficient?

A: The Radeon 550X has a 50 W TDP compared to 65 W for the Pro WX 3100, making it the lower-power option despite delivering higher performance in all recorded benchmarks.

Q: Are these cards suitable for modern API workloads?

A: Both support DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, so API coverage is identical. Neither card includes ray tracing or tensor cores, limiting their appeal for next-generation workloads that rely on those features.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Pro WX 3100?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 had a launch MSRP of 199 USD. The Radeon 550X has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Geekbench OpenCL test reveals the largest performance gap between the two cards. The Radeon 550X scores 8866, which is 1533 points higher than the Pro WX 3100's 7333, a delta of 20.9%. This is a substantial margin that places the 550X well ahead of its rival in general-purpose compute. The 550X's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 at 8863 (0.6% behind) and the AMD Radeon R9 M265X at 8851 (0.8% behind), while the Pro WX 3100's nearest competitor is the AMD Radeon R7 250 at 7557 (0.3% ahead). Interestingly, the 550X's average score of 8918 puts it just ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660's 9022 by 1.2%, while the Pro WX 3100's average of 7580 lags the AMD Radeon 540's 7673 by 1.2%.

The Vulkan benchmark tells a similar story with a slightly narrower margin. The 550X scores 8970 versus 7827 for the Pro WX 3100, a 14.6% advantage. This closer gap in Vulkan suggests the Pro WX 3100's architecture handles the lower-level API somewhat more efficiently relative to its OpenCL performance, but it still falls significantly short. The 550X's Vulkan score is actually higher than its OpenCL score by 104 points, while the Pro WX 3100 shows a 494-point improvement in Vulkan over OpenCL. This pattern indicates both cards benefit from Vulkan's reduced driver overhead, but the 550X maintains its overall superiority regardless of API choice. The average benchmark scores reinforce the trend: 8918 for the 550X versus 7580 for the Pro WX 3100, a 17.6% difference that reflects consistent performance leadership across all recorded tests.

Specification Differences

The two cards diverge most clearly in clock speeds and memory configuration. The Radeon 550X runs at 1082 MHz base and 1218 MHz boost, while the Pro WX 3100 runs at 925 MHz base and 1219 MHz boost, a 157 MHz base clock difference. Memory clocks differ by 250 MHz, with the 550X at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective) and the Pro WX 3100 at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective). This yields bandwidth of 112.0 GB/s for the 550X and 96.00 GB/s for the Pro WX 3100, a 16.0 GB/s gap. Memory capacity is the Pro WX 3100's counterpoint: 4 GB versus 2 GB, both GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus. The power envelopes differ as well, with the 550X rated at 50 W TDP and the Pro WX 3100 at 65 W.

Physical dimensions and connectivity also separate the two. The 550X is a dual-slot card measuring 145 mm (5.7 inches) in length, while the Pro WX 3100 is a single-slot card measuring 168 mm (6.6 inches) in length and 69 mm (2.7 inches) in height. Both require no external power connectors and suggest a 250 W power supply. Display outputs differ markedly: the 550X offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the Pro WX 3100 offers 1x DisplayPort 1.4a and 2x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a. The release dates place the Pro WX 3100 earlier at June 11, 2017, with the 550X following on March 26, 2019. The Pro WX 3100 carries a launch MSRP of 199 USD, while the 550X has no recorded launch MSRP. Finally, the Pro WX 3100 lists its predecessor as Radeon Pro GCN and successor as Radeon Pro Vega, while the 550X lists its predecessor as Polaris and successor as Vega.