AMD Radeon Pro 580 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X Comparison

AMD Radeon Pro 580 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X are two very different products from different eras, and the benchmark data reflects that. The Radeon Pro 580, built on GCN 4.0, is a 2017 mobile-class integrated part, while the GTX TITAN X, based on Maxwell 2.0, is a 2015 flagship desktop card. The TITAN X wins two of three head-to-head benchmarks, but the Radeon Pro 580 takes a decisive victory in Metal, showcasing how API-specific performance can flip the script. The data shows a close overall average, but the strengths and weaknesses are sharply divided, making the choice between them entirely dependent on the workload.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher overall average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 580 has a higher average benchmark score of 40318, compared to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X's 36530. This places the Radeon Pro 580 in the 82nd percentile of all GPUs, while the TITAN X sits in the 80th percentile.

Q: How do the two compare in the Vulkan benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X wins the geekbench_vulkan test with a score of 49397, which is 12.4% higher than the Radeon Pro 580's score of 43285. This is the TITAN X's largest margin of victory in the head-to-head tests.

Q: What is the most significant win for the AMD Radeon Pro 580?

A: The Radeon Pro 580 dominates in geekbench_metal, scoring 39213 against the TITAN X's 18723. This represents a massive 109.4% advantage, more than doubling the NVIDIA card's performance in that specific API.

Q: Which card has more memory and bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X has 12 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus, yielding 336.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 has 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, providing 217.0 GB/s.

Q: Are these cards still in production?

A: No, both the AMD Radeon Pro 580 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X are listed as end-of-life products. They were released in 2017 and 2015, respectively.

Q: What is the closest rival to the Radeon Pro 580 based on average score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 is the closest rival, with an average score of 40377, which is just 0.1% higher than the Radeon Pro 580's 40318. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 is also close, trailing by 0.6%.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is significant. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 uses the Ellesmere chip built on GCN 4.0 architecture, fabricated by GlobalFoundries on a 14 nm process. It packs 5,700 million transistors into a 232 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 24.6 million per mm². In contrast, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X uses the GM200 chip with Maxwell 2.0 architecture, manufactured by TSMC on a larger 28 nm process. It holds 8,000 million transistors on a much larger 601 mm² die, with a lower density of 13.3 million per mm².

The core configurations differ substantially. The Radeon Pro 580 has 2304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 raster output units (ROPs). The TITAN X has more of everything: 3072 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. This gives the TITAN X higher theoretical peak rates, including 104.5 GPixel/s pixel rate and 209.1 GTexel/s texture rate, versus the Radeon Pro 580's 38.40 GPixel/s and 172.8 GTexel/s. However, the Radeon Pro 580 has a higher base clock of 1100 MHz and boost clock of 1200 MHz, compared to the TITAN X's 1000 MHz base and 1089 MHz boost.

Memory architecture also sets them apart. The TITAN X offers 12 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus with 336.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the Radeon Pro 580 provides 8 GB on a 256-bit bus with 217.0 GB/s. The TITAN X supports DirectX 12 (12_1) while the Radeon Pro 580 supports DirectX 12 (12_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6, but the TITAN X supports Vulkan 1.4 versus the Radeon Pro 580's Vulkan 1.3.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The geekbench_metal test delivers the most lopsided result in this comparison. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 scores 39213, which is 109.4% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X's 18723. This is a massive gap, more than doubling the TITAN X's output. This result likely reflects AMD's strong optimization for Apple's Metal API, given the Radeon Pro 580's placement in the Radeon Pro Mac generation.

The NVIDIA card fights back in geekbench_opencl. Here, the GTX TITAN X scores 41471, which is 7.3% higher than the Radeon Pro 580's 38457. While a clear win, this margin is far smaller than AMD's Metal advantage. The TITAN X's higher theoretical FP32 performance of 6.691 TFLOPS versus 5.530 TFLOPS likely contributes to this result, though the Radeon Pro 580's 1:1 FP16 ratio of 5.530 TFLOPS suggests it could handle certain compute tasks efficiently.

The geekbench_vulkan test shows the TITAN X's second win. It scores 49397, which is 12.4% higher than the Radeon Pro 580's 43285. This is a more substantial margin than the OpenCL result, indicating the Maxwell 2.0 architecture performs well in Vulkan workloads. The overall head-to-head record stands at 2 wins for NVIDIA and 1 win for AMD, but the magnitude of AMD's Metal win is so large that it nearly offsets both NVIDIA victories in terms of raw score differences.

The Verdict

The data suggests two distinct use cases. For users working in Metal-centric environments, likely macOS-based workflows, the AMD Radeon Pro 580 is the clear choice. Its 109.4% advantage in geekbench_metal is enormous and cannot be ignored. The card also has a higher average benchmark score overall (40318 vs 36530) and a better percentile ranking (82nd vs 80th), indicating better general performance in the tested scenarios.

For users prioritizing OpenCL or Vulkan performance, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X is stronger. It holds a 7.3% lead in OpenCL and a 12.4% lead in Vulkan. The TITAN X also offers more memory (12 GB vs 8 GB) and higher bandwidth (336.6 GB/s vs 217.0 GB/s), which could be beneficial for large datasets. Its predecessor is the GeForce 700 series, and it was succeeded by the GeForce 10 series, indicating its place in NVIDIA's desktop lineup.

The physical form factors are completely different. The Radeon Pro 580 is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with no power connectors and portable-device-dependent display outputs, fitting a laptop or all-in-one design. The TITAN X is a dual-slot card measuring 267 mm in length, requiring both a 6-pin and 8-pin power connector and a 600 W suggested PSU. This makes the TITAN X unsuitable for compact or mobile systems.

Specification Differences

• Process Node: AMD Radeon Pro 580 is 14 nm (GlobalFoundries); NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X is 28 nm (TSMC).
• Transistors: AMD has 5,700 million; NVIDIA has 8,000 million.
• Die Size: AMD is 232 mm²; NVIDIA is 601 mm².
• Transistor Density: AMD has 24.6M / mm²; NVIDIA has 13.3M / mm².
• Base Clock: AMD is 1100 MHz; NVIDIA is 1000 MHz.
• Boost Clock: AMD is 1200 MHz; NVIDIA is 1089 MHz.
• Memory Clock: AMD is 1695 MHz (6.8 Gbps effective); NVIDIA is 1753 MHz (7 Gbps effective).
• Memory Size: AMD is 8 GB; NVIDIA is 12 GB.
• Memory Bus Width: AMD is 256 bit; NVIDIA is 384 bit.
• Memory Bandwidth: AMD is 217.0 GB/s; NVIDIA is 336.6 GB/s.
• Shading Units: AMD has 2304; NVIDIA has 3072.
• TMUs: AMD has 144; NVIDIA has 192.
• ROPs: AMD has 32; NVIDIA has 96.
• Pixel Rate: AMD is 38.40 GPixel/s; NVIDIA is 104.5 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: AMD is 172.8 GTexel/s; NVIDIA is 209.1 GTexel/s.
• FP32 Performance: AMD is 5.530 TFLOPS; NVIDIA is 6.691 TFLOPS.
• FP16 Performance: AMD is 5.530 TFLOPS (1:1); NVIDIA has no listed FP16 value.
• TDP: AMD is 185 W; NVIDIA is 250 W.
• Slot Width: AMD is IGP; NVIDIA is Dual-slot.
• Power Connectors: AMD has None; NVIDIA has 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin.
• Suggested PSU: AMD has none listed; NVIDIA is 600 W.
• Display Outputs: AMD is Portable Device Dependent; NVIDIA is 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.2.
• DirectX Support: AMD is 12 (12_0); NVIDIA is 12 (12_1).
• Vulkan Support: AMD is 1.3; NVIDIA is 1.4.
• Dimensions: AMD has no listed dimensions; NVIDIA is 267 mm (10.5 inches) long, 111 mm (4.4 inches) high, 38 mm (1.5 inches) wide.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro 580 wins in Metal performance, where it more than doubles the TITAN X's score. It also has a higher average benchmark score and better percentile ranking. Its lower TDP of 185 W versus 250 W, combined with its IGP form factor and lack of power connectors, makes it ideal for integrated or mobile systems where power efficiency and space are at a premium. The 14 nm process and higher transistor density suggest a more modern manufacturing approach, and its 1:1 FP16 capability could benefit certain compute tasks.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X wins in OpenCL and Vulkan, with leads of 7.3% and 12.4% respectively. Its larger memory pool of 12 GB and higher bandwidth of 336.6 GB/s give it an edge in memory-heavy workloads. The card's higher pixel rate (104.5 GPixel/s) and texture rate (209.1 GTexel/s) indicate stronger rasterization throughput, which could benefit traditional gaming or rendering tasks. Its DirectX 12_1 support is also a step above the Radeon Pro 580's 12_0. The TITAN X is a dual-slot desktop card with dedicated power connectors, suited for full-sized systems where its 250 W TDP is acceptable. For users in the GeForce 900 ecosystem, this card is the predecessor to the GeForce 10 series, offering a clear upgrade path. The launch MSRP of 999 USD reflects its original flagship positioning.