AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 vs AMD Radeon RX 5700 Comparison

The AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 represent two distinct generations of AMD graphics technology, separated by a significant architectural leap. The data shows a clear performance hierarchy, with the R9700 winning 9 out of 10 head-to-head benchmarks, yet the RX 5700 still holds a notable niche. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results, architecture differences, and the practical implications for different workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data reveals a decisive split in workload suitability. The AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 dominates in nearly every modern compute and graphics test. Its most significant victory comes in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, where it scores 7006 against the RX 5700's 1862, a delta of 276.3%. This indicates a massive advantage in current-generation, DirectX 12-based gaming and rendering workloads that leverage the newer architecture's features.

For compute-heavy tasks, the R9700 excels equally. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 118202 versus 69603 (a 69.8% delta), and in Passmark GPU Compute, it reaches 15300 compared to 6517 (a 134.8% delta). These scores point to the R9700 being the superior choice for AI inference, scientific simulation, and other general-purpose GPU (GPGPU) applications. Its advantage extends to legacy DirectX APIs as well, with wins in DirectX 9 (363 vs 209), DirectX 10 (155 vs 87), DirectX 11 (272 vs 101), and DirectX 12 (83 vs 54) benchmarks.

The AMD Radeon RX 5700, however, wins one critical test: Geekbench Vulkan, scoring 64166 against the R9700's 63550, a narrow delta of -1%. This suggests that in specific Vulkan-based workloads, the older card can hold its own, possibly due to driver optimizations or the specific nature of the test. This is the sole benchmark in the head-to-head comparison where the RX 5700 comes out ahead. Outside of that single test, the R9700's superior hardware resources—more shading units, TMUs, and ROPs—translate into consistent wins across the board, including a 88.5% lead in Passmark G3D (26979 vs 14314) and a 40.9% lead in Passmark G2D (1236 vs 877).

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two cards is vast, explaining the performance disparity. The R9700 is built on the RDNA 4.0 architecture, using the Navi 48 chip, while the RX 5700 uses the older RDNA 1.0 architecture with the Navi 10 chip. This generational jump is reflected in the manufacturing process: the R9700 is fabricated on a 4 nm TSMC node, whereas the RX 5700 uses a 7 nm process. This allows for a substantial increase in transistor count, with the R9700 packing 53,900 million transistors on a 357 mm² die, versus 10,300 million on a 251 mm² die for the RX 5700. The transistor density tells the story: 151.0M / mm² for the R9700 versus 41.0M / mm² for the RX 5700.

Core configuration further separates them. The R9700 features 4096 shading units, 256 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 128 render output units (ROPs). It also includes 64 dedicated ray tracing cores, a feature the RX 5700 lacks entirely. The RX 5700, by contrast, has 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. Clock speeds also favor the newer card, with the R9700 boosting to 2920 MHz and running a game clock of 2350 MHz, compared to the RX 5700's boost of 1725 MHz and game clock of 1625 MHz. The R9700's base clock is also higher at 1660 MHz versus 1465 MHz.

Memory is another major differentiator. The R9700 comes with 32 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 644.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 5700 has 8 GB of GDDR6 on the same 256-bit bus, but with a lower 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. This quadrupling of memory capacity and 44% increase in bandwidth make the R9700 far more capable for large datasets and high-resolution textures. The R9700 also supports newer display outputs (HDMI 2.1b and DisplayPort 2.1a) and a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, whereas the RX 5700 uses HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4a, and PCIe 4.0 x16. The R9700's FP32 compute is rated at 47.84 TFLOPS, a six-fold increase over the RX 5700's 7.949 TFLOPS.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the data, the choice is clear for most users. The AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 is the overwhelmingly superior product for anyone needing maximum performance. Its wins in every major benchmark category, except one, make it the default recommendation for modern gaming, professional rendering, and compute-intensive tasks. The 276.3% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad and the 134.8% lead in Passmark GPU Compute are not small margins; they represent a generational leap that cannot be overcome by the RX 5700. Its 32 GB of memory also future-proofs it for workloads that exceed the 8 GB limit of the RX 5700.

The AMD Radeon RX 5700, however, is not without a purpose. Its single win in Geekbench Vulkan shows it can be competitive in specific API-limited scenarios. More importantly, its lower power draw (180 W TDP versus 300 W) and smaller physical footprint (36 mm width versus 40 mm) could make it a better fit for legacy systems with limited power supplies or small form factor cases, though it requires a 450 W PSU while the R9700 suggests 700 W. The RX 5700 is also an end-of-life product, meaning it may be available at a lower cost in the secondary market, but this analysis does not consider price. For a user with a strict Vulkan-based workload where a -1% delta is acceptable, the RX 5700 could suffice. For everyone else, the R9700's nine benchmark wins and superior architectural features make it the only rational choice from a performance standpoint.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in DirectX 12 gaming benchmarks?

A: The AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 is significantly faster. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, it scores 7006 compared to the RX 5700's 1862, a 276.3% advantage. It also leads in Passmark DirectX 12 (83 vs 54, a 53.7% delta).

Q: Does the RX 5700 win in any test?

A: Yes, it wins one test: Geekbench Vulkan. It scores 64166 versus the R9700's 63550, a narrow 1% delta. This is the only benchmark in the head-to-head comparison where the RX 5700 comes out ahead.

Q: How much more memory does the R9700 have?

A: The R9700 has 32 GB of GDDR6 memory, while the RX 5700 has 8 GB. Both use a 256-bit bus, but the R9700's bandwidth is 644.6 GB/s versus 448.0 GB/s for the RX 5700.

Q: What is the difference in ray tracing support?

A: The R9700 includes 64 dedicated ray tracing cores, while the RX 5700 has none. This makes the R9700 capable of hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a feature entirely absent on the older card.

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock?

A: The R9700 has a boost clock of 2920 MHz, compared to the RX 5700's 1725 MHz. The R9700 also has a higher base clock (1660 MHz vs 1465 MHz) and game clock (2350 MHz vs 1625 MHz).

Q: What are the transistor counts for each card?

A: The R9700 has 53,900 million transistors on a 357 mm² die, while the RX 5700 has 10,300 million transistors on a 251 mm² die. The R9700's transistor density is 151.0M / mm², versus 41.0M / mm² for the RX 5700.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark. The R9700 scores 7006, while the RX 5700 manages just 1862. This 276.3% delta is the largest in the comparison and highlights the R9700's superiority in modern, API-heavy workloads. This test likely stresses the newer architecture's features, such as ray tracing and advanced shading, where the RX 5700's lack of dedicated hardware is a severe disadvantage.

In compute performance, the gap is equally pronounced. The Passmark GPU Compute test shows the R9700 scoring 15300 against 6517 for the RX 5700, a 134.8% delta. This is a critical metric for AI, data science, and content creation. Similarly, Geekbench OpenCL shows a 69.8% advantage for the R9700 (118202 vs 69603). These numbers indicate that the R9700 is not just a gaming card; it is a formidable compute accelerator.

The R9700 also demonstrates strong wins in legacy DirectX APIs. In Passmark DirectX 11, it scores 272 versus 101, a 169.3% delta. In DirectX 10, the lead is 155 vs 87 (78.2%), and in DirectX 9, it is 363 vs 209 (73.7%). Even in the 2D test (Passmark G2D), the R9700 leads with 1236 vs 877, a 40.9% delta. The overall graphics score in Passmark G3D is 26979 for the R9700 versus 14314 for the RX 5700, an 88.5% delta.

The single exception is Geekbench Vulkan. Here, the RX 5700 scores 64166, narrowly edging out the R9700's 63550. The -1% delta is within a margin that could be attributed to driver differences or specific test characteristics, but it is a data point that prevents the R9700 from a perfect sweep. This anomaly suggests that in Vulkan-centric applications that do not leverage the R9700's extra cores or ray tracing capabilities, the older card can remain competitive. However, the overall trend is overwhelmingly in favor of the R9700, which holds a 100% win rate in the other nine benchmarks.