AMD Radeon Pro W5500 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 Comparison

The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 represent two very different eras of GPU design, separated by nearly eight years of architectural evolution. The database positions the Radeon Pro W5500 with a higher average benchmark score of 15,679 compared to the GTX 680’s 14,150, placing them within close proximity in overall percentile rankings (58th versus 55th percentile among all GPUs). However, the head-to-head benchmark data reveals a far more lopsided contest than those aggregate scores suggest, with the AMD card winning all three recorded comparisons by substantial margins. The following analysis breaks down the recorded data to show where each card stands, what the specifications indicate, and which workload profiles favor which product.

FAQ

Q: What is the overall performance difference between the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680?

A: Based on the average benchmark scores in the database, the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 scores 15,679, which is roughly 10.8% higher than the GTX 680’s 14,150. The AMD card sits at the 58th percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 680 sits at the 55th percentile.

Q: Which card wins in the head-to-head benchmark comparisons?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 wins all three head-to-head tests: Geekbench Metal, Geekbench OpenCL, and Geekbench Vulkan. The win count is 3 for the AMD card and 0 for the NVIDIA card.

Q: How large is the AMD card’s lead in the Geekbench Metal test?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 scores 54,302 in Geekbench Metal, compared to the GTX 680’s 7,897. This represents a delta of 587.6%, meaning the AMD card is roughly six times faster in this specific test.

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

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 192.3 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: What are the architectural process nodes for these GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 uses a 7 nm process node with 6,400 million transistors on a 158 mm² die. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 uses a 28 nm process node with 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die.

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 has a boost clock of 1855 MHz, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 has a boost clock of 1058 MHz. The AMD card also has a higher base clock at 1744 MHz versus 1006 MHz.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear verdict for most modern workloads: the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 is the superior performer in compute and API-level benchmarks. Its wins in all three head-to-head tests, with deltas ranging from 138.1% to 587.6%, demonstrate a generational leap that the GTX 680 cannot counter. For users running applications that leverage Metal, OpenCL, or Vulkan, the AMD card is the only logical choice based on the recorded scores.

However, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 still holds relevance in a narrow context. Its average benchmark score of 14,150 and 55th percentile ranking show it remains functional for legacy DirectX 11 workloads, though the database does not provide direct head-to-head results for those tests. The GTX 680’s higher transistor density per square millimeter (12.0M / mm² versus 40.5M / mm²) is actually lower than the AMD card, but its older architecture still offers 1,536 shading units and 128 texture mapping units, which are higher counts than the AMD card’s 1,408 and 88 respectively. For a system constrained to older PCIe 3.0 motherboards or requiring dual-slot cooling, the GTX 680 may fit a specific niche. But for any modern benchmark in the database, the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 is the definitive pick.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head results are unambiguous. In Geekbench Metal, the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 scores 54,302 against the GTX 680’s 7,897, a delta of 587.6%. This is the largest margin of the three tests, reflecting the AMD card’s modern RDNA architecture and its compatibility with Apple’s Metal API, which the older Kepler-based GTX 680 clearly cannot match.

In Geekbench OpenCL, the AMD card scores 45,615 versus 16,906 for the GTX 680, a delta of 169.8%. OpenCL is a cross-platform compute standard, and the AMD card’s 5.224 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, combined with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, allows it to process far more data per cycle. The GTX 680’s 3.250 TFLOPS and 2 GB of GDDR5 memory are simply insufficient for the same workload intensity.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 scores 42,021 against 17,646 for the GTX 680, a delta of 138.1%. Vulkan is a low-level graphics API, and the AMD card’s support for Vulkan 1.4 versus the GTX 680’s Vulkan 1.2.175 gives it access to more modern features and better driver optimizations. The GTX 680’s older DirectX 12 (11_0) support also limits its ability to saturate modern rendering pipelines.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every core specification. The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 has 1,408 shading units, 88 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 has 1,536 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 680 has more shading units and TMUs, but the AMD card compensates with much higher clock speeds: 1744 MHz base and 1855 MHz boost versus 1006 MHz base and 1058 MHz boost.

Memory is another key divider. The AMD card uses 8 GB of GDDR6 with a 128-bit bus and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the GTX 680 uses 2 GB of GDDR5 with a 256-bit bus and 192.3 GB/s bandwidth. Despite the wider bus on the NVIDIA card, the AMD card’s faster GDDR6 memory and larger capacity give it a bandwidth advantage.

Power and physical requirements also differ. The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 has a 125 W TDP, a single-slot design, and requires one 6-pin power connector plus a 300 W suggested PSU. The GTX 680 has a 195 W TDP, a dual-slot design, two 6-pin power connectors, and a 450 W suggested PSU. The AMD card is shorter at 241 mm (9.5 inches) versus 256 mm (10.1 inches), though both have the same 111 mm height. The bus interface also differs: PCIe 4.0 x8 on the AMD card versus PCIe 3.0 x16 on the NVIDIA card.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is vast. The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 uses the Navi 14 chip on RDNA 1.0 architecture, fabricated on a 7 nm TSMC process. It packs 6,400 million transistors into a 158 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 40.5M per mm². The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 uses the GK104 chip on Kepler architecture, fabricated on a 28 nm TSMC process. It contains 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, with a density of 12.0M per mm².

The AMD card supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the NVIDIA card supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The AMD card has no dedicated ray tracing or tensor cores, and the GTX 680 likewise lacks these features. However, the AMD card does support FP16 compute at 10.45 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), whereas the GTX 680 has no recorded FP16 capability. Display outputs also differ: the AMD card offers four DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, while the GTX 680 offers two DVI, one HDMI 1.4a, and one DisplayPort 1.2.

The RDNA 1.0 architecture represents a fundamental redesign focused on higher clock efficiency and better compute throughput per watt, which explains the AMD card’s 125 W TDP despite its higher performance. The Kepler architecture was designed for a different era, prioritizing raw geometry throughput over compute density, which is why the GTX 680’s 195 W TDP does not translate into competitive modern benchmark scores.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 wins in every recorded head-to-head benchmark. Its Geekbench Metal score of 54,302 makes it the clear choice for macOS or Metal-based rendering environments. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 45,615 positions it strongly for general-purpose GPU compute tasks like video encoding, scientific simulation, or data processing. Its Geekbench Vulkan score of 42,021 gives it an edge in modern game engines and cross-platform graphics applications that leverage Vulkan.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 does not win any recorded head-to-head test, but it retains value in specific legacy scenarios. Its higher shading unit count (1,536) and TMU count (128) could theoretically benefit older DirectX 11 workloads, though no direct benchmark data supports this claim in the database. Its 256-bit memory bus and 192.3 GB/s bandwidth, while lower than the AMD card’s bandwidth, still allow it to function in older game titles or as a secondary display adapter. The GTX 680’s dual-slot design and 2x 6-pin power connectors may also fit into an older chassis with ample space and power supply headroom.

For users building a system around modern APIs, PCIe 4.0, or power efficiency, the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 is the only sensible option. For users maintaining a retro gaming rig or a workstation that predates 2013, the GTX 680 remains a functional, if outdated, choice. The database’s average benchmark scores and percentile rankings confirm that the AMD card is the stronger overall performer, but the GTX 680’s continued presence in the 55th percentile shows it is not entirely obsolete for low-demand tasks.