AMD Radeon HD 6950 vs NVIDIA Quadro M500M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded database contains a single direct comparison between these two graphics solutions, the Geekbench OpenCL test. In that test, the AMD Radeon HD 6950 scored 6210 points, while the NVIDIA Quadro M500M scored 5986 points. This gives the AMD part a win by a margin of 3.7%. This is a modest but measurable lead in raw compute throughput as measured by OpenCL.

To contextualize the AMD result, the database shows it sits at the 36th percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD FirePro W600, which scores 6223 (a 0.2% difference), and the NVIDIA Quadro K620 at 6282 (a 1.1% difference). The AMD card also sits within 0.9% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER AD102 and the RTX 5070 Ti SUPER, both of which score 6270. This clustering indicates the HD 6950’s OpenCL score is competitive with a range of professional and consumer parts, despite its age.

For the NVIDIA Quadro M500M, the score of 5986 places it at the 32nd percentile. Its closest rivals in the database are the AMD Radeon HD 8790M at 5691 (a 1.5% difference), the AMD FirePro M4000 at 5537 (a 1.2% difference), the NVIDIA GeForce MX130 at 5508 (a 1.7% difference), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M at 5501 (a 1.9% difference). Notably, the M500M’s OpenCL score is higher than all four of these rivals, with the delta percentages showing it outperforms them by 1.2% to 1.9%. The database also lists a Vulkan score for the M500M of 5222, though no comparable Vulkan result exists for the HD 6950, so a direct cross-GPU comparison cannot be made on that API.

The head-to-head data is limited to this single OpenCL benchmark, so the overall win count stands at 1 for the AMD Radeon HD 6950 and 0 for the NVIDIA Quadro M500M. The average benchmark score for the AMD card is 6210, while the NVIDIA card’s average is 5604, a figure pulled down by its Vulkan result. When comparing averages, the AMD card leads by a substantial 606 points, though this is not a direct apples-to-apples comparison since the Vulkan test has no equivalent for the AMD side.

Where Each One Wins

Based strictly on the available data, the AMD Radeon HD 6950 wins the only directly comparable benchmark, the Geekbench OpenCL test. Its 6210 score represents a 3.7% advantage over the NVIDIA Quadro M500M. This suggests that for workloads that rely on OpenCL compute, the older AMD card holds a clear, albeit narrow, edge.

The NVIDIA Quadro M500M’s advantage lies in its API support. The database records that it supports Vulkan 1.4, and it has a recorded Vulkan score of 5222. The AMD Radeon HD 6950 has no listed Vulkan support and no Vulkan benchmark score. Therefore, for any application or workflow that requires Vulkan, the NVIDIA card is the only viable option between the two. Additionally, the M500M supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, while the AMD card is limited to DirectX 11.2 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.4. This gives the NVIDIA part a broader feature set for modern API-driven software.

In terms of efficiency, the NVIDIA Quadro M500M has a TDP of 30 W, compared to the AMD Radeon HD 6950’s 200 W. While no performance-per-watt metric is directly recorded, this six-fold difference in power draw is a significant operational consideration. The NVIDIA card also requires no power connectors and is an MXM module, whereas the AMD card is a dual-slot solution requiring 2x 6-pin connectors and a 550 W power supply. For mobile or low-power embedded systems, the NVIDIA part is the clear choice based on these physical and power characteristics.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher OpenCL benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 6950 scores 6210 in the Geekbench OpenCL test, which is 3.7% higher than the NVIDIA Quadro M500M’s score of 5986.

Q: Does the NVIDIA Quadro M500M support Vulkan?

A: Yes, the NVIDIA Quadro M500M lists Vulkan 1.4 support and has a recorded Geekbench Vulkan score of 5222. The AMD Radeon HD 6950 has no Vulkan support listed in the database.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference between the two cards?

A: Both cards have 2 GB of memory, but the AMD Radeon HD 6950 uses GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth. The NVIDIA Quadro M500M uses DDR3 on a 64-bit bus with 14.40 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: How do their percentiles compare among all GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 6950 is at the 36th percentile, while the NVIDIA Quadro M500M is at the 32nd percentile.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor density?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro M500M has a transistor density of 13.2M per mm², while the AMD Radeon HD 6950 has a density of 6.8M per mm².

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 6950 has a TDP of 200 W, while the NVIDIA Quadro M500M has a TDP of 30 W.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ significantly across nearly every core specification. The AMD Radeon HD 6950 features 1408 shading units, 88 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The NVIDIA Quadro M500M has 384 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. This reflects a fundamentally different design philosophy: the AMD card is a desktop-oriented, high-throughput part, while the NVIDIA card is a low-power mobile solution.

Memory bandwidth is another major divergence. The AMD card uses GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, achieving 160.0 GB/s. The NVIDIA card uses DDR3 on a 64-bit bus, achieving only 14.40 GB/s. Both have 2 GB capacity, but the AMD card’s bandwidth is over eleven times higher.

Clock speeds differ in structure as well. The AMD card lists only a memory clock of 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective), with no base or boost clock recorded. The NVIDIA card has a base clock of 1029 MHz, a boost clock of 1124 MHz, and a memory clock of 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective). Pixel and texture rates follow the same pattern: the AMD card delivers 25.60 GPixel/s and 70.40 GTexel/s, while the NVIDIA card delivers 8.992 GPixel/s and 17.98 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 2.253 TFLOPS for AMD versus 863.2 GFLOPS for NVIDIA.

Physical specifications also differ. The AMD card is 286 mm long, 126 mm high, and 42 mm wide, occupying a dual-slot form factor. The NVIDIA card has no recorded dimensions, as it is an MXM module. The AMD card requires 2x 6-pin power connectors and a 550 W power supply, while the NVIDIA card requires no connectors and has no suggested PSU. The bus interface is PCIe 2.0 x16 for AMD and MXM-A (3.0) for NVIDIA.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is substantial. The AMD Radeon HD 6950 is built on the TeraScale 3 architecture, using the Cayman chip, and belongs to the Northern Islands (HD 6900) generation. It is fabricated on a 40 nm process at TSMC, with 2,640 million transistors on a 389 mm² die. The NVIDIA Quadro M500M uses the Maxwell architecture, with the GM108S chip, and belongs to the Quadro Maxwell-M (Mx000M) generation. It is built on a 28 nm process at TSMC, with 1,020 million transistors on a 77 mm² die. Despite the smaller transistor count, the NVIDIA chip achieves a higher transistor density of 13.2M per mm² versus 6.8M per mm² for the AMD chip.

API support separates the two clearly. The AMD card supports DirectX 11.2 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.4, with no Vulkan support listed. The NVIDIA card supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. This makes the NVIDIA card more compatible with modern software stacks.

The release timeline also differs. The AMD Radeon HD 6950 was released on 2010-12-13, with a predecessor of Evergreen and a successor of Southern Islands. The NVIDIA Quadro M500M was released on 2016-04-26, with a predecessor of Quadro Kepler-M and a successor of Quadro Pascal-M. The AMD card had a launch MSRP of 299 USD, while the NVIDIA card has no recorded launch MSRP. Both are listed as end-of-life production status.

Display outputs differ as well: the AMD card offers 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 2x mini-DisplayPort 1.2, while the NVIDIA card’s outputs are described as "Portable Device Dependent," reflecting its mobile MXM nature.

The Verdict

For raw compute performance in OpenCL workloads, the AMD Radeon HD 6950 is the stronger choice. Its 6210 score beats the NVIDIA Quadro M500M’s 5986 by 3.7%, and it also sits at a higher overall percentile (36th vs 32nd). The AMD card’s massive memory bandwidth advantage, 160.0 GB/s versus 14.40 GB/s, and its higher pixel and texture rates make it the superior part for any memory-bandwidth-intensive or fill-rate-bound task. Users who need maximum OpenCL throughput from a desktop card should select the AMD Radeon HD 6950.

However, the NVIDIA Quadro M500M is the only option for scenarios requiring Vulkan support, as it has a recorded Vulkan score of 5222 while the AMD card has none. It also supports DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.6, making it more future-proof for software that leverages newer APIs. The NVIDIA card’s 30 W TDP, lack of power connectors, and MXM form factor make it the appropriate choice for mobile workstations or low-power embedded systems. Its smaller die size (77 mm² vs 389 mm²) and higher transistor density also indicate a more modern manufacturing process.

The choice comes down to environment and workload. Desktop users prioritizing compute and bandwidth should pick the AMD Radeon HD 6950. Mobile or power-constrained users needing modern API support should pick the NVIDIA Quadro M500M. The database shows no contest in the single direct benchmark, but the feature set differences are decisive for specific use cases.