AMD Radeon Pro Duo vs NVIDIA RTX A2000 Comparison

The Verdict

The data shows a clear generational divide. The NVIDIA RTX A2000 is the superior performer for modern workstation workloads, decisively winning the only shared benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, with an 88.8% higher score. It also holds a higher overall percentile ranking, sitting at the 85th percentile compared to the Radeon Pro Duo's 80th. For any professional dealing with current software, the RTX A2000 is the obvious choice.

The AMD Radeon Pro Duo, however, is not without its place. Its enormous 512.0 GB/s memory bandwidth and higher texture rate (256.0 GTexel/s) point to a design that could still be relevant for specific, legacy compute tasks where raw memory throughput matters more than architectural efficiency. Yet, its lower benchmark score, older process node, and higher power draw make it a difficult recommendation for general use. The RTX A2000 is the pick for those who need a balance of modern features, efficiency, and raw compute power. The Radeon Pro Duo is only for niche scenarios where its unique dual-GPU design and massive memory bus are specifically required, and where its age is not a hindrance.

Architecture Differences

The two cards represent opposite ends of a generational spectrum. The NVIDIA RTX A2000 is built on the modern Ampere architecture using an 8 nm process at Samsung. In contrast, the AMD Radeon Pro Duo is based on the aging GCN 3.0 architecture, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. This process difference is stark: the RTX A2000 packs 12,000 million transistors into a 276 mm² die, achieving a density of 43.5M / mm². The Radeon Pro Duo, meanwhile, contains 8,900 million transistors spread over a much larger 596 mm² die, with a density of only 14.9M / mm².

This architectural gap translates into feature support. The RTX A2000 includes dedicated RT Cores (26) and Tensor Cores (104), enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI workloads. The Radeon Pro Duo has neither. In terms of API support, the RTX A2000 is far ahead, supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the Radeon Pro Duo is limited to DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both cards support OpenGL 4.6, but the feature set of the A2000 is clearly future-proofed.

The memory subsystems also tell two different stories. The RTX A2000 uses 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon Pro Duo, on the other hand, uses 4 GB of HBM on a massive 4096-bit bus, delivering 512.0 GB/s. This gives the AMD card a 77.8% bandwidth advantage, a figure that could matter in bandwidth-bound scenarios. However, the A2000's memory runs at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) compared to the Radeon's 500 MHz (1000 Mbps effective), indicating a much more efficient controller.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison in the database is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and it is not close. The NVIDIA RTX A2000 scores 67695, while the AMD Radeon Pro Duo scores 35860. This represents an 88.8% advantage for the NVIDIA card, a massive margin that speaks to the architectural efficiency of Ampere compared to GCN 3.0, despite the AMD card having more shading units (4096 vs 3328) and higher theoretical FP32 performance (8.192 TFLOPS vs 7.987 TFLOPS).

The data shows that the Radeon Pro Duo's raw hardware capabilities do not translate into real-world compute performance as measured by this benchmark. Its higher texture rate (256.0 GTexel/s vs 124.8 GTexel/s) and pixel rate (64.00 GPixel/s vs 57.60 GPixel/s) are impressive on paper, but the Geekbench result shows they are not being utilized effectively. The RTX A2000, despite lower peak rates, wins decisively.

When looking at the broader context, the RTX A2000's nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation (avg score 45972, a 0.2% delta) and the Intel Arc A730M (avg score 45592, a 1% delta), showing the A2000 sits comfortably in a competitive mid-range tier. The Radeon Pro Duo's nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Quadro GV100 (avg score 35520, a 1% delta) and the NVIDIA T1000 (avg score 36289, a -1.2% delta), placing it in a much lower performance bracket despite its high absolute specifications.

Specification Differences

The following table highlights only the fields where the two cards differ:

| Specification | NVIDIA RTX A2000 | AMD Radeon Pro Duo |

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

| Architecture | Ampere | GCN 3.0 |

| Process Node | 8 nm (Samsung) | 28 nm (TSMC) |

| Transistors | 12,000 million | 8,900 million |

| Die Size | 276 mm² | 596 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 43.5M / mm² | 14.9M / mm² |

| Memory Size | 6 GB GDDR6 | 4 GB HBM |

| Memory Bus | 192 bit | 4096 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 288.0 GB/s | 512.0 GB/s |

| Memory Clock | 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) | 500 MHz (1000 Mbps effective) |

| Shading Units | 3328 | 4096 |

| TMUs | 104 | 256 |

| ROPs | 48 | 64 |

| RT Cores | 26 | None |

| Tensor Cores | 104 | None |

| Pixel Rate | 57.60 GPixel/s | 64.00 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 124.8 GTexel/s | 256.0 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 7.987 TFLOPS | 8.192 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 70 W | 350 W |

| Power Connectors | None | 3x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 250 W | 750 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a | 1x HDMI 1.4a, 3x DisplayPort 1.2 |

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

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.2.170 |

| Dimensions | 167 mm (6.6 inches) | 277 mm (10.9 inches) |

| Release Date | 2021-08-09 | 2016-04-25 |

| Launch MSRP | 449 USD | 1,499 USD |

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in compute workloads?

A: The NVIDIA RTX A2000 is significantly faster. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, it scores 67695 compared to the Radeon Pro Duo's 35860, an 88.8% advantage.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon Pro Duo have any advantages?

A: Yes, in raw memory bandwidth and texture processing. It offers 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth versus 288.0 GB/s for the RTX A2000, and a texture rate of 256.0 GTexel/s versus 124.8 GTexel/s. It also has a higher peak FP32 rating of 8.192 TFLOPS.

Q: What are the major architectural differences?

A: The RTX A2000 is built on the modern Ampere architecture with an 8 nm process, while the Radeon Pro Duo uses the older GCN 3.0 architecture on a 28 nm process. The RTX A2000 also includes dedicated RT and Tensor cores, which the Radeon Pro Duo entirely lacks.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The RTX A2000 is far more efficient, with a TDP of 70 W and no power connectors required, using a suggested 250 W PSU. The Radeon Pro Duo has a TDP of 350 W, requires 3x 8-pin power connectors, and needs a 750 W PSU.

Q: Which card has better memory technology?

A: The RTX A2000 uses newer GDDR6 memory with a 192-bit bus, while the Radeon Pro Duo uses older HBM on a 4096-bit bus. Although the Radeon offers higher bandwidth (512.0 GB/s), the A2000's memory runs at a much higher effective speed of 12 Gbps.

Q: Which card has better API support?

A: The RTX A2000 is clearly ahead, supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4. The Radeon Pro Duo only supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6.