AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Comparison

The Verdict

The AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 is the dominant performer in nearly every measurable category, winning 9 of 10 head-to-head benchmarks against the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080. The only exception is Vulkan compute, where the RTX 2080 holds a significant edge. For buyers choosing between these two, the data points decisively toward the R9700 for modern workloads, AI acceleration, and high-resolution gaming. The RTX 2080, while older and end-of-life, still offers a compelling niche for Vulkan-based applications. The R9700’s average benchmark score of 23,315 sits marginally above the RTX 2080’s 22,895, a 1.8% overall gap that understates the massive differences in individual tests. The verdict is clear: the R9700 is the superior card for almost everything, but the RTX 2080 wins where Vulkan matters most.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different design philosophies and manufacturing eras. The AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 uses the Navi 48 chip built on RDNA 4.0 architecture, fabricated on TSMC’s 4 nm process. It packs 53,900 million transistors into a 357 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 151.0 million per mm². In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 uses the TU104 chip with Turing architecture, built on a 12 nm process. It contains 13,600 million transistors across a much larger 545 mm² die, with a density of just 25.0 million per mm². The R9700’s process advantage allows it to fit nearly four times the transistors in a smaller physical area.

The R9700 features 4,096 shading units, 256 texture mapping units, and 128 ROPs, alongside 64 ray tracing cores. The RTX 2080 counters with 2,944 shading units, 184 TMUs, 64 ROPs, 46 RT cores, and 368 tensor cores — a feature the AMD card lacks entirely. The R9700 also leads in raw throughput: 47.84 TFLOPS FP32 versus 10.07 TFLOPS for the RTX 2080, and identical 47.84 TFLOPS FP16 (1:1 ratio) versus 20.14 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1 ratio). Memory configurations differ substantially: the R9700 offers 32 GB GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus with 644.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the RTX 2080 has 8 GB GDDR6 on the same bus width but only 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. The R9700 also uses PCIe 5.0 x16, whereas the RTX 2080 is limited to PCIe 3.0 x16.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, where the R9700 scores 7,006 against the RTX 2080’s 1,752 — a 299.9% advantage. This is not a marginal win; it is a generational obliteration. The R9700 nearly quadruples the RTX 2080’s performance in this modern DirectX 12 test, reflecting both architectural efficiency and the massive shader core advantage.

In compute workloads, the R9700 continues its dominance. Geekbench OpenCL shows a 29.4% lead (118,202 vs. 91,313), while Passmark GPU Compute reveals a 94.4% advantage (15,300 vs. 7,872). The compute results align with the FP32 and memory bandwidth figures: the R9700’s 47.84 TFLOPS and 644.6 GB/s bandwidth dwarf the RTX 2080’s 10.07 TFLOPS and 448.0 GB/s.

The graphics API tests all favor AMD, though by varying margins. Passmark DirectX 11 shows a 72.2% lead (272 vs. 158), and DirectX 9 shows a 62.8% lead (363 vs. 223). DirectX 10 is closer at 14% (155 vs. 136), and DirectX 12 narrows further to 15.3% (83 vs. 72). Passmark G3D gives the R9700 a 44.1% advantage (26,979 vs. 18,720), while G2D shows a 36.3% lead (1,236 vs. 907).

The sole NVIDIA win is in Geekbench Vulkan, where the RTX 2080 scores 107,797 against the R9700’s 63,550 — a 41% deficit for AMD. This is a substantial reversal, suggesting the RTX 2080’s Turing architecture retains a significant optimization advantage in Vulkan compute paths. This single result prevents the R9700 from achieving a perfect sweep and highlights a potential compatibility concern for Vulkan-centric workflows.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 |

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

| Process Node | 4 nm | 12 nm |

| Transistors | 53,900 million | 13,600 million |

| Die Size | 357 mm² | 545 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 151.0M / mm² | 25.0M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1660 MHz | 1515 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2920 MHz | 1710 MHz |

| Memory Size | 32 GB | 8 GB |

| Memory Bandwidth | 644.6 GB/s | 448.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 4096 | 2944 |

| TMUs | 256 | 184 |

| ROPs | 128 | 64 |

| RT Cores | 64 | 46 |

| Tensor Cores | None | 368 |

| FP32 | 47.84 TFLOPS | 10.07 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 47.84 TFLOPS (1:1) | 20.14 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 300 W | 215 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 16-pin | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 700 W | 550 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 5.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1b, 3x DisplayPort 2.1a | 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Type-C |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2025-07-22 | 2018-09-19 |

| Predecessor | Radeon Pro Vega | GeForce 10 |

| Successor | None | GeForce 30 |

| Launch MSRP | 1,299 USD | 699 USD |

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in pure compute workloads?

A: The AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 wins decisively. Geekbench OpenCL shows a 29.4% lead (118,202 vs. 91,313), and Passmark GPU Compute shows a 94.4% advantage (15,300 vs. 7,872). The R9700’s 47.84 TFLOPS FP32 versus the RTX 2080’s 10.07 TFLOPS explains this gap.

Q: Is the RTX 2080 better at anything?

A: Yes, in Geekbench Vulkan, the RTX 2080 scores 107,797 versus the R9700’s 63,550, a 41% advantage. This is the only benchmark where NVIDIA wins, indicating superior Vulkan compute optimization in the Turing architecture.

Q: How large is the memory difference?

A: The R9700 has 32 GB GDDR6, which is four times the RTX 2080’s 8 GB. Bandwidth also favors AMD at 644.6 GB/s versus 448.0 GB/s. This makes the R9700 far better suited for large datasets and AI workloads.

Q: Which card is more power-efficient?

A: The data shows the RTX 2080 has a lower TDP of 215 W versus the R9700’s 300 W. However, the R9700 delivers dramatically higher performance per watt given its 4 nm process and superior benchmark results.

Q: What are the production statuses of these cards?

A: The AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 is listed as Active production, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 is End-of-life. The R9700 was released on 2025-07-22, whereas the RTX 2080 launched on 2018-09-19.

Q: How do their overall benchmark percentiles compare?

A: The R9700 sits at the 69th percentile of all GPUs with an average score of 23,315. The RTX 2080 is at the 68th percentile with an average score of 22,895. They are statistically close in overall standing, despite the R9700’s dominance in individual tests.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 wins in 9 of 10 benchmarks, making it the clear choice for almost every use case. Its 299.9% advantage in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 means it is vastly superior for modern DirectX 12 gaming and real-time rendering. The 94.4% lead in Passmark GPU Compute, combined with 32 GB of memory, positions it as the obvious pick for AI training, scientific computing, and any memory-intensive workload. The 29.4% OpenCL advantage reinforces this. For content creators using DirectX 11 or DirectX 9 legacy applications, the R9700’s 72.2% and 62.8% leads respectively ensure smoother performance. The 44.1% G3D advantage translates to better overall 3D graphics performance across the board.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080’s single victory in Geekbench Vulkan (41% ahead) makes it the preferred option for Vulkan-based applications, particularly those relying on Vulkan compute paths. This could include certain emulators, Vulkan-native game engines, or specialized compute frameworks. The RTX 2080 also has tensor cores, which the R9700 lacks, though no benchmark in the data directly measures tensor core performance. Its lower TDP of 215 W and suggested PSU of 550 W mean it fits into more modest power envelopes, though the R9700’s 300 W TDP is the price for its performance. For users running Vulkan-heavy workloads or those constrained by power supply capacity, the RTX 2080 remains a viable, if older, option. For everyone else, the R9700’s overwhelming benchmark dominance makes it the definitive choice.