AMD Radeon PRO W7500 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 Comparison

The AMD Radeon PRO W7500 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 are separated by over a decade of GPU architecture evolution, and the benchmark data reflects that chasm. In the single available head-to-head test, the W7500 delivers a decisive victory, but the comparison is more nuanced than a simple score difference when you consider the context of each card's era and purpose.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only common benchmark between the two cards is Geekbench OpenCL, and the results are lopsided. The AMD Radeon PRO W7500 scores 58213, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 scores 15283. This gives the W7500 a commanding 280.9% performance advantage in compute workloads. To put that in perspective, the W7500's score is nearly four times higher, indicating that modern compute-heavy tasks will run far smoother on the newer card.

Looking at the broader benchmark landscape, the W7500's average benchmark score is 16415, which places it in the 59th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell at 16408 (0% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT at 16361 (0.3% faster). This suggests the W7500 sits in a competitive mid-to-upper tier for overall performance, punchy enough for professional workloads but not at the absolute flagship level.

The GTX 580, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 15283, placing it in the 58th percentile. Its nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 at 15290 (0% delta) and the AMD Radeon 680M at 15270 (0.1% faster), are notably more modern parts. The fact that a decade-old card still lands in the 58th percentile speaks to its historical significance, but its single benchmark score is the only data point available. It also lacks scores for Vulkan, DirectX 10/11/12, and compute tests that the W7500 has, making a full comparison impossible.

The W7500 also shows strength in individual DirectX tests: it scores 125 in Passmark DirectX 11, 65 in DirectX 10, and 46 in DirectX 12. Its Passmark G3D score is 13368, with a G2D score of 1174 and a GPU compute score of 5910. These numbers paint a picture of a well-rounded GPU capable of handling modern graphics APIs and compute tasks. The GTX 580 has no comparable data, so any analysis of its legacy gaming performance must remain qualitative.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon PRO W7500 leads with an average score of 16415 compared to the GTX 580's 15283. This represents a significant overall performance gap, with the W7500 landing in the 59th percentile versus the 58th for the GTX 580.

Q: How much faster is the W7500 in the only shared test?

A: In Geekbench OpenCL, the W7500 scores 58213 against the GTX 580's 15283, a 280.9% improvement. This is the only head-to-head benchmark available, and it shows the W7500 is nearly four times quicker in this compute-focused workload.

Q: What are the closest competitors for each card based on average score?

A: The W7500's nearest rival is the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell at 16408 (0% delta), followed by the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT at 16361 (0.3% faster). For the GTX 580, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 sits at 15290 (0% delta), with the AMD Radeon 680M at 15270 (0.1% faster).

Q: Does the GTX 580 support modern graphics APIs?

A: The GTX 580 lists DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but it has no Vulkan support listed. The W7500, by contrast, supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, making it far more future-proof for current software.

Q: Which card has more shading units?

A: The AMD Radeon PRO W7500 features 1792 shading units, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 has 512. This is a 3.5x difference in raw shader count, explaining much of the W7500's compute advantage.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The W7500 comes with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 256.0 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 580 has 1536 MB (1.5 GB) of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus, providing 192.4 GB/s bandwidth. Despite the narrower bus, the W7500's faster memory technology gives it higher overall bandwidth.

Architecture Differences

The two cards represent opposite ends of GPU design philosophy. The AMD Radeon PRO W7500 uses the RDNA 3.0 architecture on a 6 nm process from TSMC, packing 13,300 million transistors into a 204 mm² die. This translates to a transistor density of 65.2M / mm², a figure that highlights the efficiency of modern manufacturing. The GTX 580, based on Fermi 2.0 architecture, uses a 40 nm process and contains only 3,000 million transistors on a massive 520 mm² die, giving it a density of just 5.8M / mm².

The W7500's architectural advantages extend to its feature set. It includes 28 ray tracing cores, a capability entirely absent from the GTX 580, which has no RT cores listed. The W7500 also supports a broader API set, including DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 580 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) with no Vulkan support. This means the W7500 can handle modern ray-traced workloads and Vulkan-based titles, whereas the GTX 580 is restricted to older DirectX paths.

Compute capabilities also diverge sharply. The W7500 delivers 12.19 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 24.37 TFLOPS of FP16 (2:1 ratio). The GTX 580 offers just 1.581 TFLOPS of FP32 and has no FP16 support listed. In practical terms, the W7500 can process machine learning and scientific workloads far more effectively, while the GTX 580 is limited to basic compute tasks.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets reveal stark contrasts in almost every category. The W7500 has a base clock of 1500 MHz and a boost clock of 1700 MHz, while the GTX 580 has no base or boost clock listed. Memory speeds also differ: the W7500 runs at 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective), while the GTX 580 runs at 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective). The W7500's memory bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s outpaces the GTX 580's 192.4 GB/s, despite the latter's wider 384-bit bus.

Texture and pixel rates tell a similar story. The W7500 achieves 190.4 GTexel/s and 108.8 GPixel/s, while the GTX 580 manages 49.41 GTexel/s and 24.70 GPixel/s. This represents roughly a 4x advantage for the W7500 in both metrics. The W7500 also has more TMUs (112 vs 64) and ROPs (64 vs 48).

Power and physical design are also worlds apart. The W7500 has a TDP of just 70 W and requires no power connectors, fitting into a single-slot design that measures 216 mm in length. The GTX 580 consumes 244 W, needs a 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin power connection, and spans a dual-slot, 267 mm footprint. The suggested PSU for the W7500 is 250 W, while the GTX 580 recommends 550 W. The W7500 also uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface and offers 4x DisplayPort 2.1 outputs, while the GTX 580 uses PCIe 2.0 x16 and provides only 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a.

The Verdict

The data makes the choice straightforward for any modern workload. The AMD Radeon PRO W7500 is the superior card in every measurable way: it is faster in the only shared benchmark (280.9% ahead), has a higher average score (16415 vs 15283), supports modern APIs like Vulkan and DirectX 12 Ultimate, and does so while consuming 174 W less power. The GTX 580 is an end-of-life product with a launch MSRP of 499 USD, whereas the W7500 had a launch MSRP of 429 USD — the only price-related facts in the data.

The GTX 580's only claim to relevance is its 58th percentile standing, which is remarkably close to the W7500's 59th percentile. This suggests that in legacy DirectX 11 titles or basic compute tasks, the older card might still hold its own. However, the lack of Vulkan support, absence of ray tracing, and dramatically lower compute performance make it unsuited for anything beyond casual or retro use. The W7500 is the clear pick for professionals needing reliable, efficient, and modern performance.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon PRO W7500 wins in nearly every scenario the data covers. Its 8 GB GDDR6 memory and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth make it suitable for modern professional applications that require large textures or datasets. The 12.19 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 28 RT cores enable compute-heavy tasks like rendering, simulation, and machine learning inference. Its 70 W TDP and single-slot design also make it viable for compact or multi-GPU workstation builds where power and space are constraints. The 4x DisplayPort 2.1 outputs support high-resolution, high-refresh-rate multi-monitor setups, a clear advantage for productivity.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 has no benchmark wins in the data, but its historical position suggests a niche. Its 1536 MB memory and 384-bit bus were once formidable for high-bandwidth tasks, and its 49.41 GTexel/s texture rate could handle early DirectX 11 games. For enthusiasts running legacy software or building a period-correct system, the GTX 580's 1.581 TFLOPS FP32 might suffice. However, with no Vulkan support and only DirectX 12 (11_0), it cannot run modern titles effectively. The GTX 580's 24.70 GPixel/s pixel rate is a fraction of the W7500's, so even older games will run better on the modern card. In short, the W7500 wins on capability, efficiency, and longevity; the GTX 580 wins only on nostalgia.