AMD Radeon Pro W6800X vs NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only directly comparable benchmark in the data is Geekbench OpenCL, and it is a near-perfect tie. The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X scores 124,498, while the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile scores 124,287. The AMD card wins by a razor-thin margin of 0.2%. In raw numbers, that is a difference of just 211 points—a margin that could easily be reversed by driver version, thermal state, or run-to-run variance. The data shows no meaningful performance separation between the two in OpenCL compute workloads.

However, the broader benchmark picture tells a different story. The AMD card's average benchmark score across all tests is 160,671, placing it in the 97th percentile of all GPUs. The NVIDIA mobile part averages 113,944, which lands in the 94th percentile. That is a gap of roughly 41% in average score—a substantial difference that reflects the AMD card's extra benchmark coverage (it has a Geekbench Metal result in addition to OpenCL) and its overall compute throughput.

Looking at the nearest-rival data reinforces the split. The W6800X sits within 3.3% of desktop workstation cards like the NVIDIA RTX A5500 (165,217 average) and the NVIDIA RTX 4500 Ada Generation (166,094). It is only 1.1% behind the NVIDIA A100 PCIe 40 GB. The RTX A5500 Mobile, by contrast, ranks alongside the NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB (114,395) and the AMD Radeon PRO W7900 (110,725). The mobile card is actually 2.9% ahead of the PRO W7900, but it trails the RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation by 2.7% and the NVIDIA GB10 by 2.9%.

The Geekbench Metal score for the W6800X is 196,844—a figure the RTX A5500 Mobile cannot contest, since it has no Metal result in the data. The mobile NVIDIA card does have a Geekbench Vulkan score of 103,601, which the AMD card lacks. This asymmetry in benchmark coverage means the average score comparison favors the AMD card, but the single shared test shows they are functionally equivalent in OpenCL.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X has an average benchmark score of 160,671, versus 113,944 for the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile. That is a difference of approximately 41% in favor of the AMD card.

Q: Is the AMD card faster in OpenCL?

A: Marginally. The W6800X scores 124,498 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the RTX A5500 Mobile scores 124,287. The delta is 0.2%—essentially a statistical tie, though the AMD card is recorded as the winner.

Q: How does each card rank against its nearest competitors?

A: The W6800X is 1.1% behind the NVIDIA A100 PCIe 40 GB, 2.6% behind the AMD Radeon PRO W7800, 2.8% behind the NVIDIA RTX A5500, and 3.3% behind the NVIDIA RTX 4500 Ada Generation. The RTX A5500 Mobile is 0.4% behind the Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB, 2.7% behind the RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation, 2.9% behind the NVIDIA GB10, and 2.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO W7900.

Q: Does the NVIDIA card have tensor cores?

A: Yes. The RTX A5500 Mobile has 232 tensor cores. The AMD W6800X has no tensor cores listed in the data.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The AMD W6800X has 32 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, while the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile has 16 GB of GDDR6 on the same 256-bit bus. Both have 512.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD W6800X boosts to 2087 MHz, compared to 1500 MHz for the RTX A5500 Mobile. The base clocks are 1800 MHz for AMD and 975 MHz for NVIDIA.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X uses the Navi 21 chip built on TSMC's 7 nm process, packing 26,800 million transistors into a 520 mm² die. The transistor density works out to 51.5 million per square millimeter. The NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile uses the GA103 chip on Samsung's 8 nm process, with 22,000 million transistors on a 496 mm² die—a density of 44.4 million per square millimeter. The AMD chip is both larger and denser, though the NVIDIA part is newer, having launched on 2022-03-21 versus 2021-08-02 for the AMD card.

Architecturally, the W6800X is RDNA 2.0, while the RTX A5500 Mobile is Ampere. The AMD card has 3840 shading units, 240 texture mapping units, and 96 ROPs. It also has 60 ray tracing cores. The NVIDIA card has 7424 shading units, 232 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, with 58 RT cores and 232 tensor cores. The shading unit count heavily favors NVIDIA—nearly double—but the AMD card compensates with significantly higher clocks. The W6800X runs at a base of 1800 MHz and boosts to 2087 MHz, whereas the RTX A5500 Mobile starts at 975 MHz and boosts to just 1500 MHz.

The memory subsystems are identical in bus width and bandwidth—both 256-bit and 512.0 GB/s—but the AMD card has 32 GB versus 16 GB for NVIDIA. Both use GDDR6 memory rated at 2000 MHz with 16 Gbps effective speed.

Feature-wise, the NVIDIA card includes tensor cores, which the AMD card lacks entirely. This matters for AI and deep learning workloads that leverage tensor core acceleration. Both cards support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so API support is a wash.

The physical form factors could not be more different. The AMD W6800X is a quad-slot card, 267 mm long and 120 mm tall, using an Apple MPX power connector and bus interface. It draws 200 W and requires a 550 W power supply. The NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile is a mobile part with no slot width, no dimensions listed, no power connectors, and no suggested PSU—it is designed to be integrated into a laptop chassis and runs at 165 W.

Display outputs also differ sharply. The AMD card offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 4x Thunderbolt. The NVIDIA card's outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," meaning they vary by the laptop manufacturer's implementation.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split based on use case and form factor. The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X is the stronger overall performer, with a higher average benchmark score (160,671 vs. 113,944), a higher percentile rank (97th vs. 94th), and double the memory capacity at 32 GB. It also has a massive boost clock advantage (2087 MHz vs. 1500 MHz) and a large lead in texture fill rate (500.9 GTexel/s vs. 348.0 GTexel/s) and pixel rate (200.4 GPixel/s vs. 144.0 GPixel/s). For compute-heavy workloads in a desktop Mac Pro environment, the W6800X is the clear choice.

However, the RTX A5500 Mobile is not without its own advantages. It has nearly double the shading units (7424 vs. 3840), includes 232 tensor cores for AI acceleration, and draws less power at 165 W versus 200 W. It also has a higher FP32 throughput of 22.27 TFLOPS versus 16.03 TFLOPS for the AMD card. If the workload is FP32-heavy or relies on tensor cores, the NVIDIA part has a theoretical edge despite its lower average benchmark score.

The shared OpenCL benchmark shows the two are effectively tied at 124,498 vs. 124,287. In that specific workload, neither card dominates. The deciding factors are memory capacity, form factor, and the presence of tensor cores.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon Pro W6800X | NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile |

|---|---|---|

| Process Node | 7 nm (TSMC) | 8 nm (Samsung) |

| Transistors | 26,800 million | 22,000 million |

| Die Size | 520 mm² | 496 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 51.5M / mm² | 44.4M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1800 MHz | 975 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2087 MHz | 1500 MHz |

| Memory Size | 32 GB GDDR6 | 16 GB GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus | 256 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 512.0 GB/s | 512.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 3840 | 7424 |

| TMUs | 240 | 232 |

| ROPs | 96 | 96 |

| RT Cores | 60 | 58 |

| Tensor Cores | None | 232 |

| Pixel Rate | 200.4 GPixel/s | 144.0 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 500.9 GTexel/s | 348.0 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 16.03 TFLOPS | 22.27 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 32.06 TFLOPS (2:1) | 22.27 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 200 W | 165 W |

| Slot Width | Quad-slot | None (mobile) |

| Power Connectors | Apple MPX | None |

| Bus Interface | Apple MPX | PCIe 4.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1, 4x Thunderbolt | Portable Device Dependent |

| Release Date | 2021-08-02 | 2022-03-21 |

| Launch MSRP | 2,799 USD | Not disclosed |

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro W6800X wins on raw memory capacity. With 32 GB versus 16 GB, it can handle larger datasets, bigger textures, and more demanding multi-application workflows without spilling to system memory. It also wins decisively on clock speeds—a 1800 MHz base and 2087 MHz boost dwarf the NVIDIA card's 975 MHz base and 1500 MHz boost. This translates directly into higher pixel and texture rates: 200.4 GPixel/s and 500.9 GTexel/s versus 144.0 GPixel/s and 348.0 GTexel/s. For rasterization-heavy tasks in a desktop workstation, the AMD card is the stronger choice.

The NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile wins on compute throughput and AI features. Its 22.27 TFLOPS of FP32 performance exceeds the AMD card's 16.03 TFLOPS by a wide margin. The 232 tensor cores are a decisive advantage for any machine learning or inference workload that can use them. The NVIDIA card also has more shading units (7424 vs. 3840), which helps in shader-bound scenarios. Its lower TDP of 165 W makes it suitable for laptop integration, whereas the AMD card is a quad-slot desktop monster.

In the only head-to-head test, Geekbench OpenCL, the AMD card wins by 0.2%. That is not a meaningful victory—it is a tie in practical terms. The real differentiation comes down to environment: the AMD card is built for a Mac Pro chassis with Apple MPX power and Thunderbolt outputs, while the NVIDIA card is designed to be embedded in a portable workstation. If you need 32 GB of VRAM and Thunderbolt connectivity, the W6800X is the answer. If you need tensor cores and FP32 throughput in a mobile form factor, the RTX A5500 Mobile is the answer.