AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a complete sweep for the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 across all three shared benchmark tests. The most dramatic gap appears in the Geekbench Metal workload, where the AMD card scores 29,003 against the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost's 4,858. That translates to a 497% advantage, a massive margin that reflects both architectural maturity and the AMD card's larger resource pool. In practical terms, the WX 5100 delivers nearly six times the Metal performance of the older NVIDIA part.

The OpenCL results tell a similar story, though the gap narrows somewhat. The AMD card posts 24,217 points, while the GTX 650 Ti Boost manages 9,302. The delta here is 160.3%, meaning the WX 5100 is roughly 2.6 times faster in compute workloads. This is not a close contest; the AMD card's lead is substantial enough that any OpenCL-based application would show a clear preference for the newer architecture.

Vulkan performance follows the same pattern. The WX 5100 scores 26,909, against 10,041 for the GTX 650 Ti Boost, a 168% advantage. Across all three API-level tests, the AMD card wins by a factor of at least 1.6, and in the case of Metal, by nearly 6 times. The head-to-head tally is 3 wins for AMD, 0 for NVIDIA.

Looking at the broader average benchmark scores, the WX 5100 sits at 8,863, while the GTX 650 Ti Boost averages 8,067. That is a 9.9% overall gap, smaller than the individual test deltas suggest because the NVIDIA card only has three recorded benchmarks, while the AMD card has ten. The AMD card's percentile ranking is 44, just two points higher than the NVIDIA card's 42, indicating both sit in the mid-range of the database's GPU population.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 is built on the Ellesmere chip using GCN 4.0 architecture, manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 5,700 million transistors into a 232 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 24.6 million per square millimeter. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost uses the GK106 chip with Kepler architecture, built on TSMC's 28 nm process. Its 2,540 million transistors occupy a 221 mm² die, giving a density of 11.5 million per square millimeter. The AMD part has more than double the transistor count and roughly double the density, which explains its significant compute advantages.

The compute resources differ sharply. The WX 5100 has 1,792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 650 Ti Boost has 768 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. The AMD card leads in every category, with more than twice the shader count and nearly double the texture units. Pixel throughput reflects this: 34.75 GPixel/s for AMD versus 16.51 GPixel/s for NVIDIA. Texture rate is 121.6 GTexel/s versus 66.05 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 3.892 TFLOPS against 1.585 TFLOPS, a 145% advantage for the AMD part.

Clock speeds tell a different story. The GTX 650 Ti Boost runs at 980 MHz base and 1032 MHz boost, notably higher than the WX 5100's 713 MHz base and 1086 MHz boost. The AMD card's boost clock is actually higher than NVIDIA's, but its base clock is much lower. Memory clocks also favor NVIDIA: 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) versus 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective). However, the AMD card compensates with a 256-bit bus versus 192-bit, delivering 160.0 GB/s bandwidth against 144.2 GB/s.

Memory capacity is a clear differentiator. The WX 5100 has 8 GB of GDDR5, while the GTX 650 Ti Boost has 2 GB. For modern workloads, especially compute or large textures, this is a decisive factor. The AMD card also supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio with FP32, while the NVIDIA card has no FP16 support recorded. API support favors AMD as well: DirectX 12 (12_0) versus 12 (11_0), Vulkan 1.3 versus 1.2.175, and both support OpenGL 4.6.

Power characteristics diverge significantly. The WX 5100 has a TDP of 75 W with no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 250 W. The GTX 650 Ti Boost draws 134 W, requires a 6-pin connector, and needs a 300 W PSU. The AMD card is nearly twice as power-efficient per watt of performance, though it does require a single-slot cooler versus NVIDIA's dual-slot design. Physical dimensions also differ: the WX 5100 is 173 mm (6.8 inches) long and 112 mm (4.4 inches) tall, while the GTX 650 Ti Boost is 241 mm (9.5 inches) long.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 averages 8,863 points across all recorded tests, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost averages 8,067. The AMD card also holds a 44th percentile ranking versus 42nd for NVIDIA.

Q: How much faster is the AMD card in Metal performance?

A: The WX 5100 scores 29,003 in Geekbench Metal, which is 497% higher than the GTX 650 Ti Boost's 4,858. This is the largest single-test gap between the two cards.

Q: Does the NVIDIA card have any power advantage?

A: No. The GTX 650 Ti Boost has a 134 W TDP and requires a 6-pin power connector, while the WX 5100 has a 75 W TDP and needs no external power connectors. The AMD card also suggests a 250 W PSU versus NVIDIA's 300 W.

Q: What memory capacity does each card offer?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 160.0 GB/s bandwidth. The NVIDIA card has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus, with 144.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which card has higher clock speeds?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost runs at 980 MHz base and 1032 MHz boost, while the WX 5100 runs at 713 MHz base and 1086 MHz boost. NVIDIA's base clock is higher, but AMD's boost clock is higher.

Q: Are both cards still in production?

A: No. Both are listed as end-of-life. The WX 5100 was released in November 2016, and the GTX 650 Ti Boost was released in March 2013.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every specification category. The WX 5100 uses a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries with 5,700 million transistors, while the GTX 650 Ti Boost uses 28 nm at TSMC with 2,540 million transistors. Die sizes are similar at 232 mm² versus 221 mm², but transistor density is 24.6M per mm² versus 11.5M per mm².

Compute resources: 1,792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 32 ROPs for AMD; 768 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 24 ROPs for NVIDIA. Pixel rate is 34.75 GPixel/s versus 16.51 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 121.6 GTexel/s versus 66.05 GTexel/s. FP32 is 3.892 TFLOPS versus 1.585 TFLOPS. FP16 is 3.892 TFLOPS for AMD, with no FP16 support recorded for NVIDIA.

Clocks: 713 MHz base and 1086 MHz boost for AMD; 980 MHz base and 1032 MHz boost for NVIDIA. Memory clock is 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) versus 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective). Memory bus is 256-bit versus 192-bit. Bandwidth is 160.0 GB/s versus 144.2 GB/s. Memory capacity is 8 GB versus 2 GB.

Power: 75 W TDP, no connectors, 250 W suggested PSU for AMD; 134 W TDP, 1x 6-pin connector, 300 W suggested PSU for NVIDIA. Slot width is single-slot versus dual-slot. Display outputs are 4x DisplayPort 1.4a versus 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2. Dimensions are 173 mm by 112 mm versus 241 mm length.

API support: DirectX 12 (12_0) versus 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6 for both, Vulkan 1.3 versus 1.2.175. Release dates are November 2016 versus March 2013. The AMD card has a launch MSRP of 499 USD, and the NVIDIA card has a launch MSRP of 169 USD.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 wins every recorded benchmark category. In Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan tests, it leads by margins ranging from 160.3% to 497%. The compute advantage is overwhelming, driven by more shaders, higher FP32 throughput, and FP16 support. The 8 GB memory capacity and 256-bit bus make it suitable for workloads that require large datasets or high-resolution textures. Its lower power draw and single-slot design also make it easier to integrate into dense systems.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost has no benchmark wins in the recorded data. Its higher base clock (980 MHz versus 713 MHz) might suggest better responsiveness in some legacy applications, but no test confirms this. The card's 2 GB memory and 192-bit bus limit its utility in modern workloads. However, its 241 mm length and dual-slot cooler suggest it was designed for traditional desktop cases with ample space, and its 6-pin power connector implies it may be compatible with older power supplies that lack modern connectors.

For users prioritizing compute performance, API compatibility, or memory capacity, the AMD card is the clear choice. For those constrained by power supply wattage or seeking a card that runs cooler due to lower TDP, the WX 5100 also wins. The only areas where NVIDIA might hold interest are historical compatibility with older software or systems that lack DisplayPort-only output options, as the GTX 650 Ti Boost offers DVI and HDMI outputs.

The Verdict

The data points to a decisive recommendation: choose the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 unless there is a specific reason to avoid it. The benchmark scores are unambiguous. The AMD card is 497% faster in Metal, 160.3% faster in OpenCL, and 168% faster in Vulkan. Its average score of 8,863 surpasses the GTX 650 Ti Boost's 8,067, and its percentile ranking is higher at 44 versus 42.

The architectural advantages compound the performance gap. The 14 nm process with 5,700 million transistors gives the WX 5100 a fundamental resource advantage over the 28 nm GK106 chip. The 8 GB memory capacity alone makes the AMD card viable for workloads the NVIDIA card cannot handle. The 75 W TDP with no power connectors simplifies installation compared to the 134 W NVIDIA card that requires a 6-pin connector.

The GTX 650 Ti Boost is not without merit in historical context. Its higher base clock and lower launch MSRP of 169 USD suggest it targeted a different market segment at release. But in the recorded benchmark data, it does not win a single test. Its 42nd percentile ranking places it just below the AMD card, and its nearest rivals include the GTX 650 Ti (0.2% delta) and GTX 880M (0.3% delta), indicating it sits firmly in mid-range territory.

For a user choosing between these two cards today, the WX 5100 wins on every measurable axis. It offers more memory, more bandwidth, higher compute throughput, better API support, and lower power consumption. The only reason to select the GTX 650 Ti Boost would be specific legacy software compatibility or a system that cannot support the AMD card's DisplayPort-only outputs. Otherwise, the benchmark results speak clearly: the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 is the superior card by a wide margin.