AMD Radeon Pro 5300M vs NVIDIA Quadro K5100M Comparison

The AMD Radeon Pro 5300M is the clear winner in this comparison, decisively outperforming the NVIDIA Quadro K5100M in every shared benchmark test. The data shows a generational leap, with the Radeon Pro 5300M delivering roughly 2.5 to 4 times the performance of the older Quadro, making the latter a legacy option that is only relevant for specific legacy applications or when its larger memory pool is an absolute requirement.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are unambiguous. In the Geekbench Metal test, the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M scores 33,626, while the NVIDIA Quadro K5100M scores 8,315. This represents a massive 75.3% deficit for the Quadro, meaning the Radeon Pro 5300M is approximately four times faster in this API. This is not a marginal improvement; it is a complete overhaul in compute capability. The Metal API is a critical workload for professional applications on macOS, and the Radeon's dominance here is a decisive factor.

Similarly, in the Geekbench OpenCL test, the Radeon Pro 5300M again takes the lead with a score of 29,252, compared to the Quadro K5100M's 11,771. The delta here is 59.8%, indicating the Radeon is roughly 2.5 times faster. While the gap is smaller than in Metal, it is still a substantial performance advantage. These two tests are the only direct comparisons available, and the Radeon Pro 5300M wins both, giving it a 2-0 record in head-to-head matchups. The Quadro K5100M fails to secure a single benchmark victory. The average benchmark score reinforces this trend, with the Quadro K5100M at 10,043 and the Radeon Pro 5300M at 10,013, showing a near-parity in aggregate that is misleading given the wide disparity in the individual tests where the Radeon's superior architecture shines.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the data, the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M wins in every measurable performance category. Its victories in both Geekbench Metal and OpenCL indicate a superior compute platform that excels in modern, API-heavy workloads. The Radeon's higher scores suggest it is better suited for tasks like 3D rendering, video encoding, and GPU-accelerated compute, which are common in professional creative workflows. The 5300M's performance is not just ahead; it is in a different league, as evidenced by the 75.3% and 59.8% deltas.

The NVIDIA Quadro K5100M, on the other hand, has no benchmark wins to claim. Its only potential area of "winning" is not in raw speed but in memory capacity, as it offers 8 GB of VRAM compared to the Radeon's 4 GB. This could be a factor for workloads that require very large datasets to be resident in video memory, but the data does not include benchmarks that test this specific scenario. The Quadro's performance in the available tests is significantly lower, so any advantage in memory size is heavily mitigated by its inability to process data at a competitive speed. Its role is essentially that of a legacy part, where its primary value is compatibility with older software or systems that require its specific MXM form factor.

Architecture Differences

The performance gap is rooted in fundamental architectural differences. The AMD Radeon Pro 5300M is built on the RDNA 1.0 architecture using a 7 nm process at TSMC, while the NVIDIA Quadro K5100M is based on the older Kepler architecture on a 28 nm process. This process difference is stark: the Radeon's chip, Navi 14, packs 6,400 million transistors into a 158 mm² die, achieving a density of 40.5M transistors per mm². In contrast, the Quadro's GK104 chip contains 3,540 million transistors on a much larger 294 mm² die, with a density of only 12.0M transistors per mm². The newer process node allows for dramatically higher efficiency and performance per watt.

The clock speeds also tell a story of advancement. The Radeon Pro 5300M has a base clock of 1000 MHz and a boost clock of 1250 MHz, while the Quadro K5100M operates at a static 771 MHz for both base and boost. This higher clock speed, combined with the newer architecture, gives the Radeon a significant raw compute advantage. The Radeon's FP32 performance is 3.200 TFLOPS, and it also supports FP16 at 6.400 TFLOPS (2:1), whereas the Quadro's FP32 is only 2.369 TFLOPS with no FP16 support listed. The memory subsystems are also different generations: the Radeon uses 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus with a bandwidth of 192.0 GB/s, while the Quadro uses 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, yielding a lower bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s. The Radeon's higher bandwidth, despite a narrower bus, is a direct result of faster GDDR6 memory running at 12 Gbps effective versus the Quadro's 3.6 Gbps effective GDDR5.

The Verdict

From a pure performance standpoint, the choice is clear: the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M is the superior GPU. The benchmark data shows it is 75.3% faster in Metal and 59.8% faster in OpenCL than the NVIDIA Quadro K5100M. Anyone needing a GPU for modern compute or graphics workloads should select the Radeon Pro 5300M. Its architecture is significantly more advanced, its power efficiency is better (85 W TDP vs 100 W), and its performance is in a different class. The Quadro K5100M's only advantage is its 8 GB memory capacity, which might be relevant for specific large-memory tasks, but the massive performance deficit makes it a poor choice for general professional use. The Radeon Pro 5300M is the only rational choice for users who prioritize speed and modern feature support.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro K5100M has an average benchmark score of 10,043, which is 0.3% higher than the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M's score of 10,013. However, this average is based on different test sets, and in direct comparisons, the Radeon wins decisively.

Q: How much faster is the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M in the Geekbench Metal test?

A: The Radeon Pro 5300M scores 33,626 compared to the Quadro K5100M's 8,315, a 75.3% performance lead for the AMD card.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth between the two cards?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 5300M has a memory bandwidth of 192.0 GB/s, which is significantly higher than the NVIDIA Quadro K5100M's 115.2 GB/s.

Q: Does the NVIDIA Quadro K5100M have more VRAM?

A: Yes, the Quadro K5100M features 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the Radeon Pro 5300M has 4 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Q: Which GPU has a newer architecture?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 5300M uses the RDNA 1.0 architecture, while the NVIDIA Quadro K5100M is based on the older Kepler architecture.

Q: What is the TDP of each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 5300M has a TDP of 85 W, while the NVIDIA Quadro K5100M has a higher TDP of 100 W.

Specification Differences

This section highlights only the specifications where the two GPUs differ.

| Specification | NVIDIA Quadro K5100M | AMD Radeon Pro 5300M |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Chip | GK104 | Navi 14 |

| Architecture | Kepler | RDNA 1.0 |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 7 nm |

| Transistors | 3,540 million | 6,400 million |

| Die Size | 294 mm² | 158 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.0M / mm² | 40.5M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 771 MHz | 1000 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 771 MHz | 1250 MHz |

| Memory Speed | 3.6 Gbps effective | 12 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 4 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 115.2 GB/s | 192.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1536 | 1280 |

| TMUs | 128 | 80 |

| Pixel Rate | 24.67 GPixel/s | 40.00 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 98.69 GTexel/s | 100.0 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 2.369 TFLOPS | 3.200 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | N/A | 6.400 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 100 W | 85 W |

| Bus Interface | MXM-B (3.0) | PCIe 4.0 x8 |

| DirectX Support | 12 (11_0) | 12 (12_1) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.2.175 | 1.4 |

| Release Date | 2013-07-22 | 2019-11-12 |