AMD Radeon Pro 575X vs AMD Radeon Pro Duo Comparison

# AMD Radeon Pro 575X vs AMD Radeon Pro Duo

The AMD Radeon Pro 575X and AMD Radeon Pro Duo represent two very different approaches to professional graphics, separated by architecture generation and physical design philosophy. The 575X is a 14 nm GCN 4.0 part built on GlobalFoundries' process, while the Duo is a 28 nm GCN 3.0 dual-GPU monster from TSMC. Benchmark data shows the Duo edges ahead in the only shared test, but the 575X holds its own in broader API coverage and efficiency metrics. The 575X achieves an average benchmark score of 39,116 against the Duo's 35,860, yet the head-to-head OpenCL result tells a different story. These are end-of-life products, but their architectural differences and performance profiles still offer lessons for workstation buyers.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro Duo wins the only direct benchmark comparison available: Geekbench OpenCL. It scores 35,860 against the 575X's 34,773, a 3% delta in favor of the older card. This is notable because the Duo packs 4,096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 64 ROPs—exactly double the 575X's 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The Duo also delivers 8.192 TFLOPS FP32 performance versus 4.489 TFLOPS for the 575X, and its memory bandwidth of 512.0 GB/s dwarfs the 575X's 217.0 GB/s. In raw compute throughput, the Duo is the clear victor, and the OpenCL score reflects that hardware advantage.

However, the 575X wins in several qualitative and practical categories. Its average benchmark score of 39,116 across three tests (Geekbench Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan) exceeds the Duo's single-test average of 35,860 by roughly 9%. The 575X supports Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_0), while the Duo is limited to Vulkan 1.2.170. For modern workloads leveraging Vulkan, the 575X offers broader API compatibility. The 575X also consumes 150 W TDP versus the Duo's 350 W, and it requires no power connectors—it is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) form factor—whereas the Duo demands 3x 8-pin connectors and a 750 W suggested PSU. The 575X is built on a 14 nm process with a 232 mm² die, while the Duo uses 28 nm with a massive 596 mm² die. For thermal and power-constrained environments, the 575X is the more practical choice.

The 575X also holds a percentile advantage: it sits at the 82nd percentile among all GPUs, versus the Duo's 80th. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 580X (avg score 38,706, delta 1.1%) and NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A (avg score 38,691, delta 1.1%), showing it clusters tightly with contemporary mobile and professional parts. The Duo's rivals—NVIDIA Quadro GV100 (avg 35,520, delta 1%), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile (avg 35,435, delta 1.2%)—show it sits near less powerful modern options despite its dual-GPU design.

The Verdict

Pick the AMD Radeon Pro Duo if your priority is raw OpenCL compute performance. The data shows it beats the 575X by 3% in Geekbench OpenCL, and its hardware specs—double the shading units, TMUs, ROPs, and nearly double the FP32 throughput—make it the stronger choice for compute-heavy professional workloads that scale with parallel hardware. Its 512.0 GB/s memory bandwidth over a 4096-bit bus is unmatched by the 575X's 217.0 GB/s over 256 bit. If your applications are OpenCL-bound and you have the power delivery (3x 8-pin, 750 W PSU) and physical space (277 mm length, dual-slot), the Duo delivers more compute muscle.

Pick the AMD Radeon Pro 575X if you need broader API support, better overall benchmark averages, or a more manageable power envelope. Its Vulkan 1.3 support is a generation ahead of the Duo's 1.2.170, and its DirectX 12 (12_0) support matches the Duo. The 575X's average benchmark score of 39,116 across Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan shows more consistent performance across different API workloads, while the Duo only has an OpenCL score to its name. The 575X is an IGP with no power connectors and 150 W TDP, making it feasible for systems where the Duo's 350 W and triple 8-pin requirement would be prohibitive. Its 14 nm process and 232 mm² die also suggest better thermal behavior than the 28 nm, 596 mm² Duo.

For most modern professional use cases, the 575X is the more balanced recommendation. The 82nd percentile ranking versus 80th, the higher average score, and the superior API list make it more versatile. The Duo is a specialist tool for OpenCL compute, but its single benchmark result and older architecture limit its appeal.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only head-to-head benchmark available is Geekbench OpenCL. The AMD Radeon Pro Duo wins with a score of 35,860 against the AMD Radeon Pro 575X's 34,773, yielding a delta of -3% from the 575X's perspective. This result is consistent with the hardware specifications: the Duo's 4,096 shading units and 256 TMUs provide double the parallel execution resources of the 575X's 2,048 shading units and 128 TMUs. The Duo's 8.192 TFLOPS FP32 output is also exactly double the 575X's 4.489 TFLOPS, suggesting OpenCL scales nearly linearly with compute unit count.

However, the 575X's broader benchmark suite paints a more nuanced picture. Its Geekbench Metal score is 44,655, and its Vulkan score is 37,919—both above the Duo's OpenCL score of 35,860. The 575X's average benchmark score of 39,116 is 9% higher than the Duo's 35,860. This indicates that while the Duo leads in OpenCL specifically, the 575X outperforms it in Metal and Vulkan, likely due to its newer GCN 4.0 architecture and updated API support. The 575X's Vulkan 1.3 support versus the Duo's 1.2.170 could explain the Vulkan score gap, while the Metal score reflects Apple platform optimization for the 500X series.

In terms of memory, the Duo's 512.0 GB/s bandwidth is 2.36 times the 575X's 217.0 GB/s, yet the 575X's 6.8 Gbps effective memory clock (1695 MHz) is far higher than the Duo's 1000 Mbps effective (500 MHz). The Duo compensates with a 4096-bit bus versus 256-bit, but the 575X's faster memory clock suggests better latency characteristics. Both cards have 4 GB of memory, but the Duo uses HBM while the 575X uses GDDR5.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 575X has an average benchmark score of 39,116 across Geekbench Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan tests, while the AMD Radeon Pro Duo has an average score of 35,860 from its single OpenCL test.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon Pro Duo beat the 575X in any benchmark?

A: Yes, in Geekbench OpenCL the Duo scores 35,860 versus the 575X's 34,773, a 3% advantage for the Duo.

Q: What is the TDP difference between these two cards?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 575X has a 150 W TDP, while the AMD Radeon Pro Duo has a 350 W TDP. The Duo also requires 3x 8-pin power connectors and a 750 W suggested PSU, whereas the 575X is an IGP with no power connectors.

Q: Which card supports a newer Vulkan version?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 575X supports Vulkan 1.3, while the AMD Radeon Pro Duo supports Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support DirectX 12 (12_0) and OpenGL 4.6.

Q: How do these cards compare in shading units and memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro Duo has 4,096 shading units and 512.0 GB/s memory bandwidth over a 4096-bit bus, while the AMD Radeon Pro 575X has 2,048 shading units and 217.0 GB/s bandwidth over a 256-bit bus.

Q: What are the percentile rankings for each card?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 575X sits at the 82nd percentile among all GPUs, while the AMD Radeon Pro Duo sits at the 80th percentile.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon Pro 575X and AMD Radeon Pro Duo are built on fundamentally different architectures and process nodes. The 575X uses GCN 4.0 on a 14 nm process from GlobalFoundries, with a die size of 232 mm² containing 5,700 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 24.6M per mm². The Duo uses GCN 3.0 on a 28 nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 596 mm² containing 8,900 million transistors, yielding a density of 14.9M per mm². The 575X's newer process allows for significantly higher transistor density despite fewer total transistors.

The chip designs differ markedly: the 575X uses the Ellesmere chip, while the Duo uses the Capsaicin chip. The Duo's Capsaicin is a dual-GPU design, which explains its 4,096 shading units (double the 575X's 2,048), 256 TMUs (double 128), and 64 ROPs (double 32). The Duo's FP32 performance of 8.192 TFLOPS is exactly double the 575X's 4.489 TFLOPS, and both have 1:1 FP16 ratios. Pixel rate for the Duo is 64.00 GPixel/s versus 35.07 GPixel/s for the 575X, and texture rate is 256.0 GTexel/s versus 140.3 GTexel/s.

Memory architecture is another major divergence. The 575X uses 4 GB GDDR5 with a 256-bit bus and 217.0 GB/s bandwidth, clocked at 1695 MHz (6.8 Gbps effective). The Duo uses 4 GB HBM with a 4096-bit bus and 512.0 GB/s bandwidth, clocked at 500 MHz (1000 Mbps effective). The Duo's HBM provides over twice the bandwidth but at much lower clock speeds, reflecting the tradeoff between wide bus and fast memory.

Physical and power characteristics differ substantially. The 575X is an IGP slot-width design with no power connectors and a 150 W TDP. The Duo is a dual-slot card measuring 277 mm in length and 111 mm in height, requiring 3x 8-pin power connectors and a 750 W suggested PSU, with a 350 W TDP. The Duo offers display outputs of 1x HDMI 1.4a and 3x DisplayPort 1.2, while the 575X's outputs are portable device dependent.

Generation and release timing also differ: the 575X belongs to the Radeon Pro Mac (500X Series) generation released on 2019-03-17, while the Duo belongs to the Radeon Pro GCN generation released on 2016-04-25. The Duo's predecessor is the FirePro GCN and its successor is the Radeon Pro Polaris. Both cards are end-of-life, and the Duo had a launch MSRP of 1,499 USD.