AMD Radeon Pro W5700 vs AMD Radeon RX 6700S Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clear split between the two AMD Radeon parts, with the Pro W5700 taking 6 of the 10 shared benchmark wins and the RX 6700S taking 4. The most decisive victory belongs to the Pro W5700 in Geekbench Metal, where it scores 89,557 against 72,864, a 22.9% advantage. That is a substantial gap in Apple's Metal API, suggesting the workstation card holds a notable edge in that specific compute environment.

The RX 6700S counters with its own dominant result in Passmark DirectX 11, scoring 134 versus 104, a 22.4% lead. This is the largest margin in favor of the mobile part, and it indicates that the RX 6700S is far stronger in legacy DirectX 11 workloads. The Pro W5700 also wins in Passmark DirectX 9 by 15.4% (225 vs 195), but the RX 6700S takes DirectX 12 by 6.9% (58 vs 54), showing a generational shift in API efficiency.

In Geekbench OpenCL, the Pro W5700 leads by 5.1% (74,613 vs 70,965), while in Geekbench Vulkan the RX 6700S flips the script, winning by 7.1% (76,150 vs 70,706). The Vulkan result is particularly interesting because it shows the RDNA 2.0 part outperforming the older RDNA 1.0 card in a modern cross-platform API, despite the Pro W5700's higher raw compute throughput.

The Passmark G3D score favors the RX 6700S by 3.6% (15,066 vs 14,520), a modest but consistent win in overall 3D graphics performance. The Pro W5700 responds in Passmark GPU Compute with an 8.4% lead (6,495 vs 5,990), reinforcing its strength in compute-oriented tasks. The two cards are nearly tied in Passmark DirectX 10, with the Pro W5700 ahead by just 1.1% (88 vs 87), and the Pro W5700 also wins Passmark G2D by 21.7% (899 vs 739), which is a large margin for 2D desktop and image processing workloads.

Looking at the broader context, the Pro W5700 sits at the 71st percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 25,726. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile at 25,740, a delta of only -0.1%, meaning the Pro W5700 effectively trades blows with that flagship mobile GPU. The RX 6700S, by contrast, lands at the 67th percentile with an average score of 22,154, and its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 5700 at 22,170, a delta of -0.1%. The 3,572-point gap in average scores between the two cards in this comparison is significant, but it is not the whole story: the RX 6700S wins in the tests that matter most for gaming-style workloads.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different generations of AMD's RDNA architecture. The Pro W5700 is built on RDNA 1.0, using the Navi 10 chip, while the RX 6700S uses RDNA 2.0 with the Navi 23 chip. Both are fabricated on TSMC's 7 nm process, but that is where the process similarities end. The Pro W5700 packs 10,300 million transistors on a 251 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 41.0 million per square millimeter. The RX 6700S has more transistors, 11,060 million, on a smaller 237 mm² die, resulting in a higher density of 46.7 million per square millimeter. This density advantage for the RX 6700S suggests a more efficient layout, which is consistent with its much lower power draw.

The Pro W5700 has a wider memory bus at 256 bit, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth from 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. The RX 6700S has the same 8 GB capacity and memory type, but its bus is halved to 128 bit, cutting bandwidth to 224.0 GB/s. That is a 50% reduction in memory bandwidth, which is a critical difference for high-resolution texture streaming and compute workloads that are bandwidth-bound.

In terms of compute units, the Pro W5700 has 2,304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operation units. The RX 6700S has fewer shading units at 1,792 and fewer TMUs at 112, but it also has 64 ROPs. The RX 6700S compensates with higher clock speeds: a base of 1700 MHz, boost of 2000 MHz, and a game clock of 1890 MHz, versus the Pro W5700's 1400 MHz base and 1880 MHz boost. The higher clocks allow the RX 6700S to reach a pixel rate of 128.0 GPixel/s, slightly ahead of the Pro W5700's 120.3 GPixel/s, even though the Pro W5700 has a higher texture rate of 270.7 GTexel/s versus 224.0 GTexel/s.

The RX 6700S also brings 28 ray tracing cores, a feature completely absent from the Pro W5700, which has no RT cores listed. This is a major architectural leap: RDNA 2.0 added dedicated hardware for ray tracing, and the RX 6700S is a DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) part, while the Pro W5700 only supports DirectX 12 (12_1). The RX 6700S also has a game clock, which the Pro W5700 lacks, indicating that the mobile part is tuned for sustained gaming performance rather than workstation compute.

Power consumption tells a stark story. The Pro W5700 has a TDP of 205 W, requires a dual-slot cooler with 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin power connectors, and suggests a 550 W PSU. The RX 6700S, by contrast, is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with a TDP of just 80 W, no power connectors, and no suggested PSU. This makes the RX 6700S suitable for thin-and-light laptops, while the Pro W5700 is a full-size desktop card measuring 267 mm in length.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute throughput?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W5700 has higher raw compute with 8.663 TFLOPS FP32 and 17.33 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1), compared to the RX 6700S's 7.168 TFLOPS FP32 and 14.34 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1). The Pro W5700 also wins the Passmark GPU Compute benchmark by 8.4%.

Q: Why does the RX 6700S win in DirectX 11 despite having fewer shading units?

A: The RX 6700S has significantly higher clock speeds (1700 MHz base, 2000 MHz boost) and a newer RDNA 2.0 architecture. In Passmark DirectX 11, it scores 134 versus 104, a 22.4% lead, suggesting that the architectural improvements in RDNA 2.0 more than compensate for the 512 fewer shading units.

Q: Does the RX 6700S support ray tracing?

A: Yes. The RX 6700S has 28 ray tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the Pro W5700 has no RT cores and is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1). This is a fundamental architectural difference between the RDNA 1.0 and RDNA 2.0 generations.

Q: How do their memory systems compare?

A: Both have 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, but the Pro W5700 uses a 256-bit bus for 448.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the RX 6700S uses a 128-bit bus for 224.0 GB/s. The Pro W5700 has exactly double the memory bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU is more power-efficient?

A: The RX 6700S has a TDP of 80 W and requires no power connectors, while the Pro W5700 has a TDP of 205 W and needs both a 6-pin and an 8-pin connector. Despite the lower power draw, the RX 6700S wins the Passmark G3D benchmark by 3.6%, showing far better performance per watt.

Q: What is the overall benchmark score difference?

A: The Pro W5700 has an average benchmark score of 25,726 across all recorded tests, placing it at the 71st percentile. The RX 6700S averages 22,154, at the 67th percentile. The Pro W5700 leads by roughly 16% in average score.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every core specification. The Pro W5700 uses the Navi 10 chip with RDNA 1.0 architecture, while the RX 6700S uses Navi 23 with RDNA 2.0. The Pro W5700 has 10,300 million transistors on a 251 mm² die; the RX 6700S has 11,060 million on 237 mm². Clock speeds favor the RX 6700S: base 1700 MHz vs 1400 MHz, boost 2000 MHz vs 1880 MHz, and the RX 6700S adds a game clock of 1890 MHz that the Pro W5700 lacks.

Memory bandwidth is the Pro W5700's clear advantage: 448.0 GB/s vs 224.0 GB/s, due to the 256-bit vs 128-bit bus. The RX 6700S has fewer shading units (1,792 vs 2,304) and TMUs (112 vs 144), but matches the Pro W5700 at 64 ROPs. The RX 6700S has 28 RT cores, while the Pro W5700 has none. The RX 6700S also has a higher pixel rate (128.0 GPixel/s vs 120.3 GPixel/s), but a lower texture rate (224.0 GTexel/s vs 270.7 GTexel/s). FP32 and FP16 throughput are both higher on the Pro W5700.

Power and physical specifications are dramatically different. The Pro W5700 is a dual-slot, 267 mm long desktop card with a 205 W TDP and 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin connectors. The RX 6700S is an IGP with an 80 W TDP and no power connectors. The Pro W5700 uses PCIe 4.0 x16, while the RX 6700S uses PCIe 4.0 x8. Display outputs also differ: the Pro W5700 has 5x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a and 1x USB Type-C, while the RX 6700S has portable device dependent outputs. The Pro W5700 was released on 2019-11-18 with a launch MSRP of 799 USD, and the RX 6700S came later on 2022-01-03.

The Verdict

The data points to two different tools for two different jobs. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700 is the compute and workstation specialist. It wins in Geekbench Metal by 22.9%, Geekbench OpenCL by 5.1%, Passmark DirectX 9 by 15.4%, Passmark G2D by 21.7%, and Passmark GPU Compute by 8.4%. It has double the memory bandwidth, higher FP32 and FP16 throughput, and a full 256-bit bus. Its average benchmark score of 25,726 places it at the 71st percentile, just 0.1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Mobile. For professional applications that rely on OpenCL, Metal, or compute shaders, the Pro W5700 is the clear choice, provided the 205 W power draw is acceptable.

The AMD Radeon RX 6700S is the gaming-oriented mobile part. It wins in Geekbench Vulkan by 7.1%, Passmark DirectX 11 by 22.4%, Passmark DirectX 12 by 6.9%, and Passmark G3D by 3.6%. It has ray tracing hardware, DirectX 12 Ultimate support, and a dramatically lower 80 W TDP. Its average score of 22,154 places it at the 67th percentile, and it trades blows with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile, which is only 1.3% ahead. The RX 6700S offers a far better performance-per-watt profile, winning the overall 3D graphics benchmark while consuming less than half the power.

The Pro W5700's higher average score (25,726 vs 22,154) is largely driven by its compute and 2D wins, but the RX 6700S wins in the tests that gamers care about. Users requiring maximum compute throughput, high memory bandwidth, and workstation display outputs should choose the Pro W5700. Users prioritizing gaming performance, modern API support, ray tracing, and power efficiency should choose the RX 6700S. The RX 6700S is also the only option for mobile or compact systems, given its IGP form factor.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Radeon Pro W5700 wins in:

• Workstation compute: Geekbench Metal (22.9% lead), Geekbench OpenCL (5.1% lead), Passmark GPU Compute (8.4% lead)
• Legacy graphics APIs: Passmark DirectX 9 (15.4% lead), Passmark DirectX 10 (1.1% lead)
• 2D and desktop workloads: Passmark G2D (21.7% lead)
• Memory bandwidth: 448.0 GB/s vs 224.0 GB/s, which benefits texture-heavy professional rendering
• Raw compute throughput: 8.663 TFLOPS FP32 vs 7.168 TFLOPS FP32
• Average benchmark score: 25,726 vs 22,154, at the 71st percentile

AMD Radeon RX 6700S wins in:

• Modern graphics APIs: Geekbench Vulkan (7.1% lead), Passmark DirectX 12 (6.9% lead)
• DirectX 11 performance: 22.4% lead in Passmark DirectX 11
• Overall 3D graphics: Passmark G3D (3.6% lead)
• Ray tracing: 28 dedicated RT cores vs none
• API feature level: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) vs DirectX 12 (12_1)
• Power efficiency: 80 W TDP vs 205 W TDP, with no power connectors required
• Clock speeds: 2000 MHz boost vs 1880 MHz boost
• Transistor density: 46.7M / mm² vs 41.0M / mm²