AMD Radeon Pro 555 vs NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data for these two GPUs does not include any shared test results. The AMD Radeon Pro 555 has recorded scores in Geekbench Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan, while the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q has only a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result. Direct head-to-head comparison is therefore impossible from the database, but the available metrics still reveal a stark performance gulf.

The AMD Radeon Pro 555 posts an average benchmark score of 13407 across its three tests. Its best result is 16236 in Geekbench Metal, followed by 12303 in Vulkan and 11682 in OpenCL. The NVIDIA card, by contrast, records an average score of 11088, but this comes from a single, far more demanding DirectX 12 test. The 3DMark Steel Nomad benchmark is designed to stress modern GPUs with ray tracing and advanced geometry, so a direct score comparison with older Geekbench workloads is not meaningful. What the data does show is that the NVIDIA part sits in the 50th percentile of all GPUs, while the AMD part sits in the 54th percentile, a curious inversion given the massive architectural gap.

Looking at nearest rivals, the AMD Radeon Pro 555 trades blows with mid-range mobile GPUs from its era. It is 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon HD 8950M, 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 5500M, and 0.4% ahead of the AMD FirePro M6100. It trails the NVIDIA P106-090 by 0.5%. These are negligible margins, indicating the Pro 555 performs squarely in its expected class. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q, meanwhile, sits in a peculiar spot: it matches the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Max-Q exactly at 0% delta, is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 550, and 0.4% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER. It trails the AMD FirePro W4300 by 1.2%. These rivals are all far older, lower-end parts, which suggests the single Steel Nomad score may not fully capture the RTX PRO 6000D's true capability.

The absence of overlapping benchmarks means the database cannot produce a definitive win count. The AMD card has three recorded results, the NVIDIA card has one. What can be said is that the NVIDIA part is designed for a completely different workload class, and its single benchmark result likely understates its position relative to the aging AMD part.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs spans nearly a decade of semiconductor evolution. The AMD Radeon Pro 555 uses the Polaris 21 chip built on GCN 4.0 architecture, fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 3,000 million transistors onto a 123 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 24.4 million per square millimeter. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q uses the GB202 chip with Blackwell 2.0 architecture, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It contains 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die, with a density of 122.9 million per square millimeter. That is roughly 30 times more transistors on a die about six times larger.

The compute resources differ by an order of magnitude. The AMD card has 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output pipelines. The NVIDIA card has 24,064 shading units, 752 TMUs, and 192 ROPs. The NVIDIA part also brings dedicated hardware the AMD part lacks entirely: 188 ray tracing cores and 752 tensor cores. These are not incremental upgrades but fundamental capability additions. The AMD GPU has no ray tracing or tensor acceleration hardware whatsoever, while the NVIDIA GPU is built around them.

Clock speeds tell a similar story. The AMD card's boost clock is not recorded in the database, though its memory operates at 1275 MHz with 5.1 Gbps effective transfer rate. The NVIDIA card runs at a base clock of 1590 MHz and boosts to 2288 MHz, with memory at 1750 MHz and 28 Gbps effective transfer rate. The shading rate difference is dramatic in aggregate output rather than raw frequency.

The process node difference also impacts efficiency beyond transistor count. AMD's 14 nm node is older and less dense, limiting how much compute can fit in a given area. NVIDIA's 5 nm node is two generations ahead, enabling far more complex logic in the same footprint. The die size difference of 627 mm² difference between the two parts reflects both the larger chip and the denser manufacturing.

Memory subsystems are incomparable in scale and technology generation. AMD uses 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128 bit bus, delivering 81.60 GB/s of bandwidth. NVIDIA uses 96 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512 bit bus, delivering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. The AMD card has 94 GB less memory and a 384 bit narrower bus width narrower than the NVIDIA part. GDDR7 is also a newer memory standard than GDDR5, though the database does not specify how much newer beyond the type designation.

The bus interface also reflects their different market positioning. AMD connects via PCIe 3.0 x8, while NVIDIA uses PCIe 5.0 x16. The AMD card has no power connectors and is an integrated form factor, while NVIDIA requires a single 16-pin power connector and a 700 W suggested power supply. Display outputs differ too, though the AMD card's output is listed as portable device dependent, while NVIDIA provides 4x DisplayPort 2.1b.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the Geekbench Metal test?**

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 555 scores 16236 in Geekbench Metal, which is its best recorded benchmark result and sits in the 54th percentile of all GPUs. The database does not include a Geekbench score for the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q in the shared test set.

Q: Does the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D support ray tracing?**

A: Yes, it includes 188 dedicated ray tracing cores, along with 752 tensor cores for AI acceleration workloads. The AMD Radeon Pro 555 has neither ray tracing cores nor tensor cores in its specifications, with 768 shading units as its primary compute resource.

Q: How much memory does the NVIDIA GPU have compared to the AMD GPU?**

A: The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q has 96 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512 bit bus, delivering 1.79 TB/s bandwidth. The AMD Radeon Pro 555 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128 bit bus, providing 81.60 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What is the release date difference between these two GPUs?**

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 555 was released on 2017-06-04 and is now end-of-life production status. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q was released on 2025-03-17 and remains active production status.

Q: What is the benchmark percentile for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 555 sits in the 54th percentile of all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 13407. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q sits in the 50th percentile, with an average score of 11088 from a single 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test.

Q: What is the process node used by each GPU's chip?

A: The AMD Polaris 21 chip uses a 14 nm process node fabricated at GlobalFoundries. The NVIDIA GB202 chip uses a 5 nm process node fabricated at TSMC.

Specification Differences

The specifications that differ between these two GPUs are extensive and cover nearly every facet of graphics hardware design.

| Specification | AMD Radeon Pro 555 | NVIDIA RTX 6000D Blackwell Max-Q |

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

| Chip Name | Polaris 21 | GB202 |

| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | Blackwell 2.0 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 5 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 3,000 million | 92,200 million |

| Die Size | 123 mm² | 750 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 24.4M / mm² | 122.9M / mm² |

| Base Clock | Not recorded | 1590 MHz |

| Boost Clock | Not recorded | 2288 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1275 MHz, 5.1 Gbps effective | 1750 MHz, 28 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 2 GB GDDR5 | 96 GB GDDR7 |

| Bus Width | 128 bit | 512 bit |

| Bandwidth | 81.60 GB/s | 1.79 TB/s |

| Shading Units | 768 | 24,064 |

| TMUs | 48 | 752 |

| ROPs | 16 | 192 |

| RT Cores | None | 188 |

| Tensor Cores | None | 752 |

| Pixel Rate | 13.60 GPixel/s | 439.3 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 40.80 GTexel/s | 1,720.6 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 1,305.6 GFLOPS | 110.1 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 1,305. 1:1 ratio | 110. 1:1 ratio |

| TDP | 75 W | 300 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 16-pin |

| Suggested PSU | Not specified | 700 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x8 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | Portable device dependent | 4x DisplayPort 2.1b |

| DirectX Support | 12 (12_0) | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |

| OpenGL Support | 4.6 | 4.6 |

| Vulkan Support | 1.3 | 1.4 |

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

| Release Date | 2017-06-04 | 2025-08-17 (NVIDIA listed as 2025-08-17 in database) |

| Predecessor | None listed | Workstation Ada |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | 8,565 USD |

The two GPUs share no common specifications beyond their OpenGL support at version 4.6. Even that common point hides deeper differences, as the rest of the stack diverges completely. The AMD card's 1,305.6 GFLOPS FP32 performance is dwarfed by the NVIDIA card's 110.1 TFLOPS, an 84x difference in raw floating point throughput.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro 555 wins in the field of legacy compatibility and simplicity. It supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, which covers the majority of older applications and games. Its 75 W TDP and integrated form factor mean it can fit into systems without dedicated power connectors, making it suitable for compact or portable designs. Its 54th percentile ranking across all GPUs shows it performs respectably for its era, landing within 0.5% of several contemporary mid-range mobile GPUs like the Radeon RX 5500M and FirePro M6100. For workloads that rely on OpenCL or Metal, the AMD card has recorded solid scores, with its Metal result of 16236 being its strongest showing.

The AMD card also wins in terms of physical footprint and power requirements. It has no power connectors and consumes only 75 W, compared to the NVIDIA card's 300 W TDP with a 16-pin connector and 700 W suggested power supply. For systems without adequate power delivery or physical space, the AMD card is the only viable option between the two.

The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q wins in nearly every measurable performance category. Its 96 GB of GDDR7 memory provides 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth, which is essential for large datasets and high-resolution textures. Its 24,064 shading units, 752 TMUs, and 192 ROPs deliver pixel rates of 439.3 GPixel/s and texture rates of 1,720.6 GTexel/s, far exceeding the AMD card's 13.60 GPixel/s and 40.80 GTexel/s. The 188 ray tracing cores and 752 tensor cores enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI inference, features the AMD card lacks entirely.

The NVIDIA card's modern API support includes DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, which unlocks the latest graphics features. Its PCIe 5.0 x16 interface provides substantially higher bandwidth to the host system compared to the AMD card's PCIe 3.0 x8. The 4x DisplayPort 2.1b outputs support high-resolution, high-refresh-rate displays, while the AMD card's output is dependent on the host device.

For professional visualization, AI training, rendering, and any workload that leverages ray tracing or tensor operations, the NVIDIA card is the clear choice. The AMD card holds no advantage in raw performance, memory capacity, or feature support. Its only wins are in power efficiency per watt and system compatibility for older, less demanding setups.

The Verdict

The data presents a straightforward choice: the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q is a professional-grade GPU designed for the most demanding compute and rendering tasks, while the AMD Radeon Pro 555 is a legacy mobile component from a previous era. The NVIDIA card's 92,200 million transistors, 96 GB of GDDR7 memory, 188 ray tracing cores, and 752 tensor cores position it as a tool for serious workloads. The AMD card's 3,000 million transistors, 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, and lack of dedicated acceleration hardware limit it to basic graphics duties.

The benchmark data, while not directly comparable, reinforces this distinction. The AMD card's average score of 13407 comes from older API tests that favor its architecture, while the NVIDIA card's 11088 score comes from a far more demanding modern benchmark. The percentile rankings, 54th for AMD and 50th for NVIDIA, reflect different test pools and should not be interpreted as equivalence.

Users with legacy systems that require low power consumption, no external power connectors, and compatibility with older APIs may find the AMD Radeon Pro 555 adequate. It remains end-of-life but functional for basic display output and light compute. Users who need maximum memory bandwidth, hardware ray tracing, tensor acceleration, and the latest API support should choose the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q. Its launch MSRP is 8,565 USD, reflecting its position as a premium professional accelerator.

The Verdict is clear: if the workload fits within the AMD card's limited capabilities, it serves as a low-power solution. If the workload demands modern features, massive memory capacity, or extreme compute throughput, the NVIDIA card is the only option that meets those requirements. The database records no scenario where the AMD card outperforms the NVIDIA card in any shared benchmark, and the specification differences overwhelmingly favor the NVIDIA part. The choice depends entirely on whether the user needs the NVIDIA card's capabilities, and if they do, the AMD card cannot substitute for it.