AMD Radeon PRO V710 vs AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT Comparison

The AMD Radeon PRO V710 and the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT are two very different GPUs that happen to share a manufacturer. The PRO V710 is a single-slot, 158 W professional accelerator built on the 5 nm RDNA 3.0 architecture with 28 GB of memory, while the RX 6900 XT is a triple-slot, 300 W consumer flagship from the RDNA 2.0 generation with 16 GB. The benchmark data shows a clear performance hierarchy, but the story is more nuanced than raw speed alone, as the PRO V710’s compute-oriented design and the RX 6900 XT’s rasterization-focused architecture produce distinct strengths across different workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT wins both recorded benchmark comparisons, and it does so by a substantial margin. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, which is a demanding modern DirectX 12 workload, the RX 6900 XT scores 4079 points against the PRO V710’s 853 points. That represents a delta of -79.1% for the PRO V710, meaning the RX 6900 XT delivers roughly 4.8 times the performance in this specific test. This is a massive gap that reflects the fundamental difference in their design goals — the RX 6900 XT is built for maximum frame rates, while the PRO V710 is optimized for professional compute tasks.

The second head-to-head test, Geekbench OpenCL, shows a narrower but still decisive win for the RX 6900 XT. The RX 6900 XT scores 187673, while the PRO V710 manages 116460, resulting in a delta of -37.9% for the PRO V710. This means the RX 6900 XT is about 61% faster in this compute benchmark. While the gap is smaller than in Steel Nomad, it is still significant and indicates that the RX 6900 XT’s higher shader count and clock speeds translate into real compute advantages, even against a card with a newer architecture.

Looking at the broader average benchmark scores reinforces this trend. The PRO V710 has an average benchmark score of 58657, while the RX 6900 XT sits at 50951. This is a counterintuitive result — the PRO V710 actually has a higher average score across all its recorded benchmarks, despite losing the head-to-head tests. The explanation lies in the benchmark suites themselves: the PRO V710’s average is buoyed by its strong Geekbench OpenCL result, while the RX 6900 XT’s average is dragged down by its poor Passmark DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 scores (268 and 167, respectively). The RX 6900 XT’s Passmark G3D score of 26732 and GPU Compute score of 14547 are respectable, but they don’t compensate for the legacy DirectX tests.

The percentile rankings tell a similar story of close overall standing. The PRO V710 sits at the 88th percentile of all GPUs, while the RX 6900 XT is at the 86th percentile. This is a narrow gap of just two percentile points, suggesting that despite the RX 6900 XT’s dominance in the head-to-head tests, the PRO V710 is competitive in the broader landscape. The nearest rivals for each card reinforce this: the PRO V710’s closest competitor is the NVIDIA P102-100, with a delta of just 0.2%, while the RX 6900 XT’s closest rival is the NVIDIA CMP 50HX, with a delta of -1.6%. In both cases, the rivals are within a couple of percentage points, indicating that these cards are tightly grouped in overall performance.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear verdict for most users: the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is the faster card in traditional graphics and gaming workloads. Its 2-0 record in the head-to-head benchmarks, combined with its massive 79.1% win in 3DMark Steel Nomad, makes it the obvious choice for anyone prioritizing raw rendering performance. The RX 6900 XT also offers a more complete feature set for consumers, with display outputs including HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4a, whereas the PRO V710 has no display outputs at all — it is a compute-only accelerator.

However, the verdict is not entirely one-sided. The PRO V710 has advantages that matter in specific professional contexts. Its 28 GB of memory is nearly double the RX 6900 XT’s 16 GB, which is critical for large datasets in AI, scientific computing, or complex 3D scenes. It also draws significantly less power — 158 W versus 300 W — and requires only a single 8-pin power connector and a 450 W power supply, compared to the RX 6900 XT’s dual 8-pin connectors and 700 W PSU recommendation. The PRO V710 is also single-slot, making it far easier to install in dense server or workstation configurations.

The release dates tell a story of generational progression. The RX 6900 XT launched on 2020-10-27 with a launch MSRP of 999 USD, while the PRO V710 arrived much later on 2024-10-02. The PRO V710 uses the newer RDNA 3.0 architecture on a 5 nm process, versus the RX 6900 XT’s RDNA 2.0 on 7 nm. This newer process node allows the PRO V710 to pack 28,100 million transistors into a 346 mm² die, whereas the RX 6900 XT uses 26,800 million transistors across a much larger 520 mm² die. The PRO V710’s transistor density of 81.2M / mm² is significantly higher than the RX 6900 XT’s 51.5M / mm², reflecting the efficiency gains of the newer manufacturing process.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT wins decisively in scenarios that demand high frame rates and low latency. Its 5120 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 128 ROPs are all substantially higher than the PRO V710’s 3456 shading units, 216 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. This translates directly to the 288.0 GPixel/s pixel rate and 720.0 GTexel/s texture rate, compared to the PRO V710’s 192.0 GPixel/s and 432.0 GTexel/s. For gamers, the RX 6900 XT’s boost clock of 2250 MHz also exceeds the PRO V710’s 2000 MHz boost clock, providing a raw speed advantage that the benchmark results confirm.

The RX 6900 XT also holds an edge in raw FP32 compute, delivering 23.04 TFLOPS against the PRO V710’s 27.65 TFLOPS. Wait — that is actually a win for the PRO V710. The PRO V710’s FP32 figure of 27.65 TFLOPS is higher than the RX 6900 XT’s 23.04 TFLOPS, indicating that in pure single-precision floating-point workloads, the PRO V710 is faster. The PRO V710 also matches its FP32 and FP16 performance at a 1:1 ratio, whereas the RX 6900 XT achieves 46.08 TFLOPS FP16 at a 2:1 ratio. This makes the PRO V710 more consistent across precision formats, which can be advantageous in certain compute applications.

The PRO V710 wins in memory capacity and power efficiency. Its 28 GB of GDDR6 memory is the standout feature, providing 75% more capacity than the RX 6900 XT’s 16 GB. While the PRO V710’s memory bandwidth of 504.0 GB/s is slightly lower than the RX 6900 XT’s 512.0 GB/s, the capacity advantage is far more important for workloads that need to hold large models or datasets in VRAM. The PRO V710’s 158 W TDP is also less than half of the RX 6900 XT’s 300 W, making it the clear winner for power-constrained environments.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT, scoring 4079 points versus the PRO V710’s 853 points, a delta of -79.1% for the PRO V710.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference between the two cards?

A: The PRO V710 has 28 GB of GDDR6 memory, while the RX 6900 XT has 16 GB, giving the PRO V710 a 12 GB advantage.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The PRO V710 has a 158 W TDP and requires a 450 W power supply with a single 8-pin connector, while the RX 6900 XT has a 300 W TDP and needs a 700 W PSU with dual 8-pin connectors.

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The PRO V710 has an average benchmark score of 58657, compared to the RX 6900 XT’s 50951, despite losing both head-to-head tests.

Q: Do both cards support the same API feature level?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: What are the release dates for these cards?

A: The RX 6900 XT was released on 2020-10-27, while the PRO V710 was released on 2024-10-02.

Architecture Differences

The two cards represent two distinct generations of AMD GPU architecture. The PRO V710 uses the RDNA 3.0 architecture with the Navi 32 chip, codenamed Wheat Nas, while the RX 6900 XT uses the RDNA 2.0 architecture with the Navi 21 chip. This generational gap is visible in the manufacturing process: the PRO V710 is built on TSMC’s 5 nm process, while the RX 6900 XT uses 7 nm. The smaller process node allows the PRO V710 to achieve a transistor density of 81.2M / mm², far exceeding the RX 6900 XT’s 51.5M / mm².

The chip layouts differ significantly. The PRO V710’s Navi 32 die measures 346 mm² and contains 28,100 million transistors, while the RX 6900 XT’s Navi 21 die is much larger at 520 mm² but contains fewer transistors at 26,800 million. This means the PRO V710 packs more transistors into a smaller area, which is a direct benefit of the 5 nm process. The RX 6900 XT’s larger die with lower density reflects the older manufacturing technology.

The memory subsystems are also architecturally distinct. The PRO V710 uses a 224-bit memory bus with 28 GB of GDDR6, while the RX 6900 XT uses a wider 256-bit bus with 16 GB. This results in nearly identical bandwidth — 504.0 GB/s for the PRO V710 versus 512.0 GB/s for the RX 6900 XT — but the PRO V710’s capacity advantage is substantial. The memory clocks differ as well: the PRO V710 runs at 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective), while the RX 6900 XT runs at 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective).

The compute unit configurations highlight their different purposes. The RX 6900 XT has significantly more shading units (5120 vs 3456), TMUs (320 vs 216), ROPs (128 vs 96), and RT cores (80 vs 54). This gives it a major advantage in pixel throughput and texture work, as evidenced by its 288.0 GPixel/s and 720.0 GTexel/s rates. However, the PRO V710’s FP32 performance of 27.65 TFLOPS exceeds the RX 6900 XT’s 23.04 TFLOPS, and its FP16 performance matches at 1:1 ratio, whereas the RX 6900 XT’s FP16 is 2:1. This suggests the PRO V710 is better optimized for compute-heavy workloads that don’t rely on rasterization.

The physical and power characteristics are also architecturally driven. The PRO V710 is a single-slot card with no display outputs, designed for server racks and compute clusters. The RX 6900 XT is a triple-slot card with HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4a, and USB Type-C outputs, measuring 267 mm in length, 120 mm in height, and 50 mm in width. The PRO V710’s 158 W TDP and single 8-pin connector stand in stark contrast to the RX 6900 XT’s 300 W TDP and dual 8-pin connectors, reflecting the efficiency gains of the 5 nm process and the different thermal design targets.