AMD Radeon Pro W5700X vs AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 Comparison

The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X and the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 represent two distinct eras of AMD graphics architecture, and the benchmark data reflects a clear split in their respective strengths. The W5700X, built on RDNA 1.0, and the Vega 64, built on GCN 5.0, offer contrasting profiles that cater to different workloads. The data shows a 1-2 split in head-to-head wins, with the newer card taking a decisive victory in one API while the older card dominates the other two by significant margins.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in the Geekbench Metal test, where the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 75,427 against the RX Vega 64's 68,750. This represents a 9.7% advantage for the W5700X, making it the only benchmark where the newer card emerges victorious. This win is notable because Metal is the primary graphics API on Apple platforms, and the W5700X is designed specifically for the Mac Pro's MPX module format. The data suggests that in Apple's ecosystem, the RDNA 1.0 architecture provides a tangible performance uplift over the older GCN design.

However, the situation reverses dramatically in the other two benchmarks. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RX Vega 64 scores 62,552 against the W5700X's 43,810, a 30% deficit for the newer card. The Vulkan test shows an even wider gap, with the Vega 64 scoring 67,032 versus the W5700X's 45,246, representing a 32.5% disadvantage. These are substantial margins, not incremental differences. The Vega 64's raw compute throughput, which is higher on paper, appears to translate into real-world advantages in these cross-platform APIs.

The average benchmark scores tell a similar story. The W5700X averages 54,828 across all tests, while the Vega 64 averages 50,001. That is a 9.7% overall advantage for the W5700X, but this figure is heavily skewed by the Metal result. Looking at the percentile rankings, the W5700X sits in the 87th percentile of all GPUs, while the Vega 64 is in the 86th percentile. Despite the Vega 64's wins in OpenCL and Vulkan, the W5700X edges it out in the overall standing, though both are closely matched in the broader GPU landscape.

The nearest rival data provides additional context. The W5700X's average score of 54,828 places it within 1.1% of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 (54,247) and RTX 4080 SUPER (54,209), and it trails the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB (55,698) by 1.6%. The Vega 64's average of 50,001 is nearly identical to the RTX 5070 Ti (49,957) at 0.1% delta, and it outperforms the Intel Arc A550M (49,737) by 0.5%. These comparisons show that while the two cards are from different generations, their standings among their respective peers are remarkably similar.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two cards is profound. The W5700X uses the Navi 10 chip on TSMC's 7 nm process, while the Vega 64 uses the Vega 10 chip on GlobalFoundries' 14 nm process. This process difference is significant: the 7 nm node allows for a die size of 251 mm² with 10,300 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 41.0 million per mm². The 14 nm Vega 10 die is nearly twice as large at 495 mm², but packs 12,500 million transistors, resulting in a lower density of 25.3 million per mm². The W5700X achieves more transistors per area, a direct benefit of the newer fabrication process.

The core configurations also differ substantially. The Vega 64 has 4,096 shading units and 256 texture mapping units, while the W5700X has 2,560 shading units and 160 TMUs. Both have 64 raster operation units. Despite having fewer shading units, the W5700X achieves a higher pixel rate of 130.6 GPixel/s versus the Vega 64's 98.94 GPixel/s, thanks to its higher boost clock of 2040 MHz compared to 1546 MHz. However, the Vega 64's higher texture rate of 395.8 GTexel/s beats the W5700X's 326.4 GTexel/s, and its FP32 performance of 12.66 TFLOPS exceeds the W5700X's 10.44 TFLOPS.

Memory architecture is another major divergence. The W5700X uses 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Vega 64 uses 8 GB of HBM2 on a 2048-bit bus, achieving 483.8 GB/s. The Vega 64's exotic HBM2 memory provides higher bandwidth despite having half the capacity. Clock speeds also differ: the W5700X has a base clock of 1243 MHz and boost of 2040 MHz, while the Vega 64's base is 1247 MHz with a boost of just 1546 MHz. The memory clocks are 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) for the W5700X and 945 MHz (1890 Mbps effective) for the Vega 64.

The physical and power characteristics are starkly different. The W5700X is a quad-slot card with an Apple MPX bus interface, measuring 305 mm in length, and has a TDP of 205 W with a suggested PSU of 550 W. The Vega 64 is a dual-slot card on PCIe 3.0 x16, measuring 280 mm by 111 mm by 40 mm, with a TDP of 295 W and a suggested PSU of 600 W. The W5700X uses 1x HDMI 2.0b and 4x Thunderbolt outputs, while the Vega 64 uses 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The W5700X supports Vulkan 1.4, whereas the Vega 64 supports Vulkan 1.3.

FAQ

Q: Which card wins in the Geekbench Metal benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X wins decisively, scoring 75,427 against the RX Vega 64's 68,750, a 9.7% advantage.

Q: How much faster is the RX Vega 64 in OpenCL?

A: The RX Vega 64 scores 62,552 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 30% higher than the W5700X's 43,810.

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

A: The W5700X has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the Vega 64 has 8 GB of HBM2 on a 2048-bit bus with 483.8 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock?

A: The W5700X has a much higher boost clock at 2040 MHz, compared to the Vega 64's 1546 MHz.

Q: What are the TDP requirements for each card?

A: The W5700X has a 205 W TDP and suggests a 550 W PSU, while the Vega 64 has a 295 W TDP and suggests a 600 W PSU.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The W5700X has an average benchmark score of 54,828, which is 9.7% higher than the Vega 64's 50,001.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every core specification. The process node is 7 nm for the W5700X and 14 nm for the Vega 64. The W5700X has a die size of 251 mm² with 10,300 million transistors, while the Vega 64 has a 495 mm² die with 12,500 million transistors. Transistor density is 41.0M per mm² for the W5700X and 25.3M per mm² for the Vega 64. Shading units are 2,560 versus 4,096, and TMUs are 160 versus 256, with both having 64 ROPs. The base clocks are nearly identical (1243 MHz vs 1247 MHz), but the boost clocks diverge sharply at 2040 MHz versus 1546 MHz.

Memory specifications differ completely: the W5700X uses 16 GB GDDR6 with a 256-bit bus and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the Vega 64 uses 8 GB HBM2 with a 2048-bit bus and 483.8 GB/s bandwidth. Pixel rates are 130.6 GPixel/s versus 98.94 GPixel/s, while texture rates are 326.4 GTexel/s versus 395.8 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 10.44 TFLOPS versus 12.66 TFLOPS, and FP16 is 20.89 TFLOPS versus 25.33 TFLOPS. The TDP is 205 W versus 295 W, and the slot width is quad-slot versus dual-slot. The bus interface is Apple MPX versus PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.0b and 4x Thunderbolt versus 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. Vulkan support is 1.4 versus 1.3. Dimensions are 305 mm length versus 280 mm by 111 mm by 40 mm.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear choice based on workload. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is the superior card for Metal-based applications, as evidenced by its 9.7% lead in Geekbench Metal. Its lower TDP of 205 W, higher boost clock of 2040 MHz, and double the memory capacity of 16 GB make it a more efficient and capable option for Apple ecosystem users. The quad-slot design and Apple MPX interface indicate it is purpose-built for Mac Pro systems, and its 87th percentile ranking slightly edges out the Vega 64's 86th percentile.

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 64, however, is the clear winner for OpenCL and Vulkan workloads, with 30% and 32.5% advantages respectively. Its higher FP32 throughput of 12.66 TFLOPS and greater bandwidth of 483.8 GB/s give it a raw compute edge that translates directly to these cross-platform APIs. Despite being an older card with a higher 295 W TDP, it remains competitive, sitting within 0.1% of the RTX 5070 Ti in average score.

For users prioritizing Apple-centric performance and efficiency, the W5700X is the data-backed choice. For those running OpenCL or Vulkan applications where raw throughput matters, the Vega 64 offers substantial performance advantages. The W5700X has a higher average benchmark score overall, but the Vega 64's wins in two of three tests show that "better" depends entirely on the target API.