AMD Radeon Pro W5500 vs AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT Comparison

The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 and AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT share the same Navi 14 silicon, but they are tuned for different arenas. The Pro W5500 is a single-slot, 125 W workstation card with 8 GB of memory and a launch MSRP of 399 USD, while the RX 5500 XT is a dual-slot consumer card with 4 GB, a 130 W board power, and a launch MSRP of 169 USD. Benchmark data shows a clear split: the consumer card edges ahead in most graphics workloads, while the professional card dominates compute and 2D tasks.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 5500 XT takes the majority of benchmark victories, winning 6 of the 10 head-to-head tests. Its wins are concentrated in modern API and synthetic gaming workloads. It leads in Geekbench Metal (54842 vs 54302), OpenCL (46965 vs 45615), and Vulkan (44191 vs 42021), showing a consistent edge in cross-platform compute and graphics APIs. It also wins in Passmark DirectX 12 (40 vs 39), DirectX 9 (133 vs 126), and the G3D test (9083 vs 8978). The G3D margin is slim at 1.2%, but the DirectX 9 win is the largest of any graphics test at 5.3% ahead.

The Pro W5500 wins 4 tests, and its victories are more specialized. Its biggest win is Passmark GPU Compute, where it scores 4804 against 4446, an 8.1% advantage. That is the largest delta in either direction across the entire benchmark suite. It also wins Passmark G2D (806 vs 774, a 4.1% edge), DirectX 10 (47 vs 46, a 2.2% edge), and ties in DirectX 11 (56 vs 56). The pattern is obvious: the Pro card is built for non-gaming tasks like compute and 2D rendering, while the RX card is tuned for gaming-oriented APIs.

The percentile rankings reflect this split. The Pro W5500 sits at the 58th percentile of all GPUs, while the RX 5500 XT sits at the 57th. Despite the RX card winning more tests, the Pro card's overall average benchmark score is higher: 15679 vs 14692. This suggests the Pro card's compute and 2D strengths carry more weight in aggregate scoring than the RX card's gaming API wins.

Architecture Differences

Both cards are built on the same Navi 14 chip using TSMC's 7 nm process. They share identical transistor counts (6,400 million), die size (158 mm²), and transistor density (40.5M / mm²). The architecture is RDNA 1.0 for both, with the same DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4 API support. Core configurations are also identical: 1408 shading units, 88 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Neither card has ray tracing cores or tensor cores.

The differences appear in clock speeds and memory configuration. The Pro W5500 runs a base clock of 1744 MHz and a boost clock of 1855 MHz, while the RX 5500 XT has a lower base of 1607 MHz and a boost of 1845 MHz. However, the RX card lists a game clock of 1717 MHz, which the Pro card does not specify. The Pro card's higher base clock contributes to its slightly higher peak rates: 59.36 GPixel/s pixel rate and 163.2 GTexel/s texture rate, versus 59.04 GPixel/s and 162.4 GTexel/s for the RX card. FP32 performance is nearly identical at 5.224 TFLOPS for the Pro and 5.196 TFLOPS for the RX, with FP16 at 10.45 TFLOPS and 10.39 TFLOPS respectively.

The most significant difference is memory. Both use GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth, but the Pro W5500 ships with 8 GB while the RX 5500 XT has only 4 GB. This doubles the frame buffer for the workstation card, a critical factor for large datasets and textures. Power and physical design also diverge: the Pro card is single-slot with a 1x 6-pin connector and 125 W TDP, while the RX card is dual-slot with a 1x 8-pin connector and 130 W TDP. Both suggest a 300 W power supply and use a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface. Display outputs differ as well: the Pro card has 4x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the RX card has 1x HDMI 2.0b plus 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The Pro card is longer at 241 mm (9.5 inches) versus 180 mm (7.1 inches) for the RX card.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest win for the RX 5500 XT comes in Passmark DirectX 9, where it scores 133 against the Pro's 126, a 5.3% margin. This is followed by the Geekbench Vulkan test, where the RX card leads 44191 vs 42021, a 4.9% advantage. In OpenCL, the RX card is 2.9% ahead (46965 vs 45615), and in DirectX 12 it wins by 2.5% (40 vs 39). The Metal test shows a slim 1% lead for the RX card (54842 vs 54302), and the G3D test is even closer at 1.2% (9083 vs 8978). These results show the RX card's strength in modern graphics APIs, but the margins shrink as the tests become more compute-oriented.

The Pro W5500's largest win is Passmark GPU Compute, where it scores 4804 against 4446, an 8.1% lead. This is the most decisive result in the entire comparison. The Pro card also wins Passmark G2D by 4.1% (806 vs 774), and DirectX 10 by 2.2% (47 vs 46). The two cards tie exactly in DirectX 11 at 56 each. The compute advantage is notable because it aligns with the Pro card's workstation positioning. The G2D win suggests better 2D rendering performance, which can matter for desktop workflows and professional applications.

Nearest rival data adds context to these scores. The Pro W5500's average benchmark score of 15679 puts it within 0.8% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti (15548), 1% ahead of the AMD Radeon R9 M380 (15521), and 1.1% behind the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (15852). The RX 5500 XT's average of 14692 places it 0.4% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 (14747), 1.1% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro M2000 (14532), and 2% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M (14404). These comparisons show the Pro card trading blows with a high-end GTX 1080 Ti, while the RX card sits in a much lower performance tier.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear choice based on workload. The RX 5500 XT is the better pick for gaming-oriented tasks. It wins the majority of head-to-head tests, particularly in modern APIs like Vulkan, OpenCL, and Metal, and it leads in DirectX 9 and DirectX 12. The margins are modest — the largest gaming win is 5.3% — but they are consistent across multiple test categories. For users running game engines or applications that leverage these APIs, the RX card offers a small but repeatable performance advantage.

The Pro W5500 is the better pick for compute-heavy professional workloads. Its 8.1% lead in Passmark GPU Compute is the single largest margin in the comparison, and it also wins in 2D performance and ties in DirectX 11. The 8 GB frame buffer is double the RX card's 4 GB, which is significant for large datasets, high-resolution textures, or multi-application workflows. The higher base clock (1744 MHz vs 1607 MHz) and higher peak pixel/texture rates also give it a slight edge in raw throughput. The single-slot design and lower TDP (125 W vs 130 W) make it easier to fit into dense workstation builds.

Neither card is a clear winner overall. The RX 5500 XT has more benchmark wins (6 vs 4), but the Pro W5500 has a higher average benchmark score (15679 vs 14692) and sits at a higher percentile (58 vs 57). The Pro card also faces tougher rivals — it trades blows with the GTX 1080 Ti — while the RX card competes with older mid-range parts like the GTX 770. This suggests the Pro card is the more capable silicon overall, but the RX card is better optimized for the specific APIs used in gaming benchmarks.

FAQ

Q: Which card has more memory?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 has 8 GB of GDDR6, while the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT has 4 GB. Both use a 128-bit bus with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two cards?

A: The Pro W5500 leads by 8.1% in Passmark GPU Compute (4804 vs 4446), which is the biggest margin in either direction. The RX 5500 XT's largest win is 5.3% in Passmark DirectX 9 (133 vs 126).

Q: How do the two cards compare in overall average benchmark score?

A: The Pro W5500 has an average benchmark score of 15679, while the RX 5500 XT averages 14692. The Pro card sits at the 58th percentile of all GPUs, and the RX card at the 57th.

Q: Do the cards share the same chip and architecture?

A: Yes, both use the Navi 14 chip on RDNA 1.0 architecture, built on TSMC's 7 nm process. They have identical transistor counts (6,400 million), die size (158 mm²), shading units (1408), TMUs (88), and ROPs (32).

Q: Which card wins in DirectX 11 performance?

A: The two cards tie exactly in Passmark DirectX 11, with both scoring 56.

Q: What are the power and physical differences?

A: The Pro W5500 is single-slot with a 125 W TDP and a 1x 6-pin connector, while the RX 5500 XT is dual-slot with a 130 W TDP and a 1x 8-pin connector. Both recommend a 300 W power supply. The Pro card is 241 mm long, while the RX card is 180 mm long.