AMD Radeon PRO W6400 vs NVIDIA Tesla M60 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 is the stronger performer in both recorded tests. It wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 35,027 against the NVIDIA Tesla M60's 29,506, a decisive 18.7% advantage, and it extends that lead in the Vulkan test, scoring 39,286 versus 31,473, a 24.8% margin. The Tesla M60 does not win a single head-to-head benchmark in the database.

For users prioritizing raw compute performance in modern API workloads, the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 is the clear choice. Its average benchmark score of 37,157 places it in the 80th percentile of all GPUs, while the NVIDIA Tesla M60 averages 30,490, sitting in the 75th percentile. The data also shows the AMD card sits within 1.3% of the average score of an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, a notable comparison given the architectural gulf between them. The Tesla M60, by contrast, is effectively tied with the NVIDIA CMP 70HX (0% delta) and only 1.8% ahead of the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti.

The choice hinges on workload. The Radeon PRO W6400 delivers higher raw scores and superior per-watt characteristics on paper. The Tesla M60 offers double the memory capacity (8 GB versus 4 GB) and a wider 256-bit memory bus, which may matter for specific datasets, but its benchmark results do not translate that hardware into a performance win. The verdict from the recorded data is straightforward: the AMD card wins on measured performance, while the NVIDIA card is only preferable when its larger memory pool is an absolute requirement.

Architecture Differences

The two cards represent fundamentally different design philosophies separated by several generations. The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 uses the Navi 24 chip built on RDNA 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC. The NVIDIA Tesla M60 uses the GM204 chip based on Maxwell 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 28 nm process, also at TSMC. This process gap is stark: 6 nm versus 28 nm. The transistor counts are similar, 5,400 million for AMD and 5,200 million for NVIDIA, but the die sizes differ enormously, 107 mm² for the Radeon PRO W6400 versus 398 mm² for the Tesla M60. The resulting transistor density tells the story: 50.5M per mm² for the AMD card versus 13.1M per mm² for the NVIDIA card.

The AMD card integrates 12 ray tracing cores, a feature entirely absent from the Tesla M60, which lists no RT cores. The Radeon PRO W6400 also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (feature level 12_2), while the Tesla M60 is limited to DirectX 12 (feature level 12_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4. The AMD card ships with 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units, while the Tesla M60 has 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. Despite fewer execution units, the AMD card achieves comparable or better pixel rates (74.27 GPixel/s versus 75.39 GPixel/s) and a lower texture rate (111.4 GTexel/s versus 150.8 GTexel/s).

Clock speeds differ dramatically. The AMD card runs at a base of 2039 MHz and boosts to 2321 MHz. The Tesla M60 has a base clock of 557 MHz and a boost of 1178 MHz. This clock advantage helps the Radeon PRO W6400 post its higher benchmark scores despite having fewer cores. The AMD card's FP32 throughput is 3.565 TFLOPS, while the Tesla M60 reaches 4.825 TFLOPS, yet the AMD card still wins in real-world API benchmarks, suggesting architectural efficiency matters more than raw theoretical throughput.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data shows two clear wins for the AMD Radeon PRO W6400. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the AMD card scores 35,027 against the Tesla M60's 29,506, a delta of 18.7%. In the Geekbench Vulkan test, the AMD card scores 39,286 against 31,473, a delta of 24.8%. The Vulkan margin is notably larger than the OpenCL margin, indicating the RDNA 2.0 architecture has a particular advantage in modern low-level APIs.

Context from the nearest rivals strengthens the interpretation. The AMD card's average score of 37,157 places it just 0.9% behind the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56, 1.3% behind the NVIDIA Tesla P4, and 1.3% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, while running 1.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X. The Tesla M60's average of 30,490 is a dead tie with the NVIDIA CMP 70HX, 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6700, 1.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6800, and 1.8% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti. These deltas show the AMD card competes near the level of a GeForce RTX 4070, while the Tesla M60 hangs around the performance class of a Radeon RX 6700.

The biggest single win for the AMD card is the Vulkan test, where its 24.8% margin over the Tesla M60 is its largest recorded advantage. The OpenCL test, while still a win, shows a smaller 18.7% gap. No benchmark in the database favors the Tesla M60.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every specification field. The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 uses GDDR6 memory with 4 GB capacity, a 64-bit bus, and 128.0 GB/s bandwidth. The NVIDIA Tesla M60 uses GDDR5 memory with 8 GB capacity, a 256-bit bus, and 160.4 GB/s bandwidth. The NVIDIA card has a higher theoretical bandwidth but loses on measured performance.

Power requirements diverge sharply. The AMD card has a TDP of 50 W, requires no power connectors, and suggests a 250 W power supply. The NVIDIA card has a TDP of 300 W, requires one 8-pin connector, and suggests a 700 W power supply. The AMD card is single-slot; the NVIDIA card is dual-slot. The Tesla M60 measures 267 mm (10.5 inches) in length, while the Radeon PRO W6400 has no recorded length.

Bus interfaces also differ. The AMD card uses PCIe 4.0 x4, while the NVIDIA card uses PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs are another differentiator: the AMD card provides two DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, while the Tesla M60 has no display outputs at all, reflecting its server-oriented design. Release dates are far apart, with the Tesla M60 released on 2015-08-29 and the Radeon PRO W6400 on 2022-01-18. Both are end-of-life products. The Tesla M60's predecessor is Tesla Kepler and its successor is Tesla Pascal, while the AMD card's predecessor is Radeon Pro Vega.

The AMD card supports FP16 at 7.130 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, while the Tesla M60 has no recorded FP16 capability. Both cards support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4, but their DirectX support differs as noted.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 has an average benchmark score of 37,157, placing it in the 80th percentile of all GPUs. The NVIDIA Tesla M60 averages 30,490, placing it in the 75th percentile.

Q: How large is the performance gap in the Vulkan benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 scores 39,286 in the Geekbench Vulkan test, while the NVIDIA Tesla M60 scores 31,473. This gives the AMD card a 24.8% advantage, its largest recorded margin over the Tesla M60.

Q: Does the Tesla M60 have any benchmark win over the Radeon PRO W6400?

A: No. The database records two head-to-head benchmarks, Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 wins both. The Tesla M60 has zero wins in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: What memory configuration does each card use?

A: The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 has 4 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit bus with 128.0 GB/s bandwidth. The NVIDIA Tesla M60 has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus with 160.4 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which card requires more power?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla M60 has a 300 W TDP and requires a 700 W suggested power supply plus one 8-pin power connector. The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 has a 50 W TDP, requires no power connectors, and suggests a 250 W power supply.

Q: Can the Tesla M60 output display signals?

A: No. The NVIDIA Tesla M60 has no display outputs. The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 provides two DisplayPort 1.4a outputs.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon PRO W6400 wins in every measured benchmark category. Its advantages are most pronounced in Vulkan workloads, where it leads by 24.8%, and it also leads OpenCL by 18.7%. The card's architecture is significantly more modern, with RDNA 2.0 on a 6 nm process, ray tracing support, and DirectX 12 Ultimate compliance. Its 50 W TDP makes it suitable for systems with minimal power delivery, and its single-slot design with no power connectors simplifies installation. The two DisplayPort 1.4a outputs allow direct display connection, a feature absent from the Tesla M60.

The NVIDIA Tesla M60 wins in memory capacity and bus width. It offers 8 GB of GDDR5 memory versus 4 GB of GDDR6, and its 256-bit bus provides a theoretical bandwidth of 160.4 GB/s versus 128.0 GB/s. This could be relevant for workloads that require larger memory footprints, though the recorded benchmarks do not reflect any performance benefit from this configuration. The Tesla M60 also has a higher FP32 throughput at 4.825 TFLOPS versus 3.565 TFLOPS, and a higher texture rate at 150.8 GTexel/s versus 111.4 GTexel/s, yet these theoretical advantages do not translate into benchmark wins.

For practical use cases, the data supports the AMD card for any workload measured by OpenCL or Vulkan performance. The Tesla M60's only defensible use case is a scenario where 8 GB of memory is mandatory and the lower benchmark scores are acceptable. The AMD card's end-of-life status and the Tesla M60's end-of-life status mean neither has a future upgrade path, but the AMD card's superior measured performance and dramatically lower power footprint make it the stronger recommendation from the database records.