AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo vs NVIDIA Quadro GP100 Comparison

The Verdict

The data positions these two workstation cards as members of different performance tiers. The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo is the clear performance leader in the recorded benchmark, while the NVIDIA Quadro GP100 occupies a lower tier despite its own architectural strengths. The average benchmark score for the AMD card is 135,774, which places it in the 96th percentile of all GPUs in the database. The NVIDIA card averages 87,445, which places it in the 93rd percentile.

For users who need maximum compute throughput, particularly in OpenCL workloads, the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo is the obvious pick. It holds a 42.2% lead over the Quadro GP100 in the single recorded head-to-head benchmark. The AMD card also offers nearly double the memory capacity at 32 GB versus 16 GB, which matters for large dataset manipulation. The NVIDIA Quadro GP100, however, is the more power-conscious choice. Its 235 W TDP is substantially lower than the AMD card's 400 W, and it requires a less demanding power supply at 550 W versus 800 W. The GP100 also uses a standard PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, making it compatible with a wider range of workstation motherboards, whereas the AMD card uses Apple MPX, a proprietary interface.

The recorded data suggests that users working within Apple's Mac Pro ecosystem and needing top-tier compute performance should select the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo. Users requiring a more conventional dual-slot card with lower power demands and broader hardware compatibility should consider the NVIDIA Quadro GP100, accepting its lower compute performance.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different architectural generations and design philosophies. The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo uses the Navi 21 chip built on RDNA 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC. The NVIDIA Quadro GP100 uses the GP100 chip built on the older Pascal architecture, fabricated on a 16 nm process, also at TSMC. The process node difference is significant, with the AMD card packing 26,800 million transistors into a 520 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 51.5 million per square millimeter. The NVIDIA card contains 15,300 million transistors on a larger 610 mm² die, yielding a much lower density of 25.1 million per square millimeter.

The AMD card is built for modern graphics workloads with 60 ray tracing cores, a feature the NVIDIA card lacks entirely. The AMD card also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the NVIDIA card is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3. Both cards support OpenGL 4.6. The AMD card's RDNA 2.0 architecture is a gaming-derived design adapted for professional work, while the NVIDIA Pascal architecture was designed for compute-heavy workloads with a focus on high-bandwidth memory.

Memory architecture differs substantially. The AMD card uses 32 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA card uses 16 GB of HBM2 memory on a massive 4096-bit bus, delivering 732.2 GB/s of bandwidth. Despite having half the capacity, the NVIDIA card provides 43% more memory bandwidth, a hallmark of HBM2's wide-bus design.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo has an average benchmark score of 135,774, which is 55.3% higher than the NVIDIA Quadro GP100's average score of 87,445.

Q: What is the performance difference in OpenCL workloads?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo scores 124,335, while the NVIDIA Quadro GP100 scores 87,445. The AMD card leads by 42.2%.

Q: Which card offers more memory capacity?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo offers 32 GB of GDDR6 memory, double the 16 GB of HBM2 memory found on the NVIDIA Quadro GP100.

Q: How do the power requirements compare?

A: The AMD card has a 400 W TDP and requires an 800 W power supply, while the NVIDIA card has a 235 W TDP and requires a 550 W power supply.

Q: Does the AMD card support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo includes 60 ray tracing cores as part of its RDNA 2.0 architecture. The NVIDIA Quadro GP100 has no ray tracing cores.

Q: Which card has a higher memory bandwidth despite lower capacity?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro GP100 delivers 732.2 GB/s of bandwidth over its 4096-bit HBM2 bus, which exceeds the AMD card's 512.0 GB/s over its 256-bit GDDR6 bus.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every major specification category. The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo uses a 7 nm process, while the NVIDIA Quadro GP100 uses a 16 nm process. Transistor counts are 26,800 million versus 15,300 million, with die sizes of 520 mm² versus 610 mm². The AMD card has a higher base clock of 1800 MHz and boost clock of 1967 MHz, compared to 1304 MHz and 1443 MHz on the NVIDIA card. Memory clock speeds differ dramatically: the AMD card runs at 2000 MHz with 16 Gbps effective speed, while the NVIDIA card runs at 715 MHz with 1430 Mbps effective speed.

The AMD card has 3840 shading units, 240 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units. The NVIDIA card has 3584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units. The AMD card includes 60 ray tracing cores, while the NVIDIA card has none. Neither card includes tensor cores. Pixel fill rates are 188.8 GPixel/s for AMD versus 138.5 GPixel/s for NVIDIA. Texture fill rates are 472.1 GTexel/s for AMD versus 323.2 GTexel/s for NVIDIA. FP32 compute is 15.11 TFLOPS for AMD versus 10.34 TFLOPS for NVIDIA, and FP16 compute is 30.21 TFLOPS versus 20.69 TFLOPS, both at a 2:1 ratio.

The AMD card has a 400 W TDP and is a quad-slot card, while the NVIDIA card has a 235 W TDP and is a dual-slot card. The AMD card uses an Apple MPX bus interface, while the NVIDIA card uses PCIe 3.0 x16. Power connectors differ: the AMD card has none listed, while the NVIDIA card uses a single 8-pin connector. Display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.1 and 4x Thunderbolt on the AMD card, versus 1x DVI and 4x DisplayPort 1.4a on the NVIDIA card. The AMD card is 267 mm long and 120 mm high, while the NVIDIA card is 267 mm long and 111 mm high. The AMD card launched on August 2, 2021, while the NVIDIA card launched on September 30, 2016.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only recorded head-to-head benchmark is Geekbench OpenCL, and the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo wins decisively. The AMD card scores 124,335, while the NVIDIA Quadro GP100 scores 87,445, a delta of 42.2%. This is a substantial gap that reflects the generational difference between RDNA 2.0 and Pascal.

The AMD card also holds a commanding lead in the database's average benchmark score comparison. Its average of 135,774 is 55.3% higher than the NVIDIA card's 87,445. The AMD card's nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Radeon PRO W6800 at 135,396 (0.3% behind), the NVIDIA A10M at 135,230 (0.4% behind), and the NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation at 135,218 (0.4% behind). The AMD Radeon PRO V620 sits slightly ahead at 136,472, a 0.5% advantage over the W6800X Duo. This clustering indicates the AMD card is competitive within a tight performance band at the top of its tier.

The NVIDIA Quadro GP100's nearest rivals tell a different story. The AMD Radeon PRO W7600 scores 87,108, just 0.4% behind. The NVIDIA CMP 40HX scores 85,637, trailing by 2.1%. Two NVIDIA cards sit ahead of the GP100: the RTX A4500 Mobile at 91,134 (4% ahead) and the RTX A4500 at 91,671 (4.6% ahead). This places the GP100 near the bottom of its immediate performance cluster, while the AMD card sits near the top of its cluster.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo wins in compute performance, memory capacity, and modern feature support. Its 42.2% OpenCL lead over the NVIDIA Quadro GP100 is the headline result. The 32 GB of GDDR6 memory doubles the NVIDIA card's capacity, which is critical for large simulation datasets, high-resolution textures, or multi-application workflows. The 60 ray tracing cores provide hardware acceleration for rendering workloads that support ray tracing, a feature entirely absent from the Pascal-based GP100. The AMD card also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4, ensuring compatibility with the latest graphics APIs.

The NVIDIA Quadro GP100 wins in memory bandwidth, power efficiency, and physical compatibility. Its 732.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth is 43% higher than the AMD card's 512.0 GB/s, which can benefit bandwidth-bound compute tasks even with less capacity. The 235 W TDP is 165 W lower than the AMD card's 400 W, and the 550 W suggested power supply is 250 W less demanding. The GP100 is a dual-slot card using standard PCIe 3.0 x16, making it compatible with conventional workstation chassis and motherboards, whereas the AMD card's quad-slot design and Apple MPX interface limit it to Apple Mac Pro systems. The GP100's 16 GB of HBM2 memory, while smaller, still offers substantial capacity for many professional workloads.

The data ultimately shows a clear performance hierarchy. The AMD card is the faster, more modern, and more capable compute device. The NVIDIA card is the more efficient, more portable, and more broadly compatible option. Users in Apple environments with demanding compute needs should choose the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo. Users in standard PC workstations with power constraints or bandwidth-sensitive workloads should evaluate the NVIDIA Quadro GP100 despite its older architecture and lower overall scores.