AMD Radeon RX 570 vs NVIDIA A2 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records only two shared benchmark tests between the NVIDIA A2 and the AMD Radeon RX 570, and the results split exactly one win apiece. In Geekbench OpenCL, the NVIDIA A2 scores 35,357 against the RX 570's 32,084, a 10.2% advantage. That is a meaningful lead in a compute-oriented workload, and it places the A2 ahead of its nearest rival, the NVIDIA T1000 8 GB, by 0.4% (34,561 vs. 34,690 average), while the RX 570's OpenCL result sits below that same rival. In Geekbench Vulkan, the situation reverses sharply. The RX 570 posts 42,752, which is 20.4% higher than the A2's 34,023. This is a substantial gap, and it pushes the RX 570 above its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, whose average score is 28,874 (a 0.4% delta in the RX 570's favor). The A2's Vulkan score, by contrast, is only about 1% above the NVIDIA TITAN V's average of 34,355.

Looking at the broader benchmark averages, the A2 holds a clear overall edge. Its average benchmark score is 34,690, while the RX 570 averages 28,766. That difference is roughly 20.6%, and it aligns with the percentile rankings: the A2 sits in the 79th percentile of all GPUs, while the RX 570 sits in the 74th. The A2's nearest rivals cluster tightly around it, with the T1000 8 GB at 34,561 (0.4% delta), the HD 7970 at 34,541 (0.4%), the TITAN V at 34,355 (1%), and the RTX A1000 at 34,207 (1.4%). The RX 570's nearest rivals are similarly close, including the RX 6800M at 28,874 (-0.4%), the R9 M295X at 28,580 (0.7%), the RX 470 at 28,996 (-0.8%), and the Quadro RTX 8000 at 28,421 (1.2%). The data shows that while the RX 570 wins decisively in Vulkan, the A2's higher average and percentile suggest it is the more consistent performer across the recorded test suite.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The NVIDIA A2 uses the GA107 chip, built on Ampere architecture, fabricated on Samsung's 8 nm process. It packs 8,700 million transistors into a 200 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 43.5 million per square millimeter. The AMD Radeon RX 570 uses the Polaris 20 chip, based on GCN 4.0 architecture, on GlobalFoundries' 14 nm process. It has 5,700 million transistors on a larger 232 mm² die, resulting in a lower density of 24.6 million per square millimeter. The A2's newer node and denser design explain how it achieves comparable or better performance in some tests despite having fewer shading units.

The A2 features 1,280 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units. It also includes 10 ray tracing cores and 40 tensor cores, reflecting its workstation-oriented Ampere design. The RX 570 has 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, but it lacks dedicated ray tracing and tensor cores entirely. Despite having more shading units and TMUs, the RX 570's older GCN architecture and lower clocks (1,168 MHz base, 1,244 MHz boost vs. the A2's 1,440 MHz base and 1,770 MHz boost) limit its throughput in certain workloads. The A2's pixel rate is 56.64 GPixel/s versus 39.81 GPixel/s for the RX 570, but the RX 570 counters with a much higher texture rate of 159.2 GTexel/s compared to the A2's 70.80 GTexel/s.

Memory configurations differ significantly. The A2 has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 200.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 570 has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, providing 224.0 GB/s. The RX 570's wider bus gives it slightly more bandwidth despite the older memory type, but the A2's four times larger capacity is a major advantage for datasets that exceed 4 GB. The A2 also has a higher memory clock of 1,563 MHz (12.5 Gbps effective) versus the RX 570's 1,750 MHz (7 Gbps effective). The A2 supports PCIe 4.0 x8, while the RX 570 uses PCIe 3.0 x16. Power requirements differ drastically: the A2 is rated at 60 W TDP with no power connectors and a suggested 250 W PSU, while the RX 570 draws 150 W, needs a single 6-pin connector, and recommends a 450 W PSU. The A2 is single-slot with no display outputs, whereas the RX 570 is dual-slot with 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. API support also differs, with the A2 offering DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the RX 570 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA A2 has an average benchmark score of 34,690, which is about 20.6% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 570's average of 28,766. The A2 also ranks in the 79th percentile of all GPUs, versus the RX 570's 74th percentile.

Q: Does the RX 570 beat the A2 in any benchmark?

A: Yes, in Geekbench Vulkan the RX 570 scores 42,752, which is 20.4% higher than the A2's 34,023. This is the RX 570's single win in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: What makes the A2 more suitable for compute workloads?

A: The A2's Ampere architecture includes 40 tensor cores and 10 ray tracing cores, which the RX 570 lacks entirely. Combined with its 10.2% lead in Geekbench OpenCL, the data indicates stronger general compute performance despite the RX 570 having more shading units (2,048 vs. 1,280).

Q: How do their memory capacities compare?

A: The A2 has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, while the RX 570 has only 4 GB of GDDR5. The RX 570 does have slightly higher bandwidth (224.0 GB/s vs. 200.1 GB/s) due to its 256-bit bus, but the A2's capacity is four times larger.

Q: Which card has lower power requirements?

A: The A2 is rated at 60 W TDP with no power connectors and a suggested 250 W PSU. The RX 570 draws 150 W, requires a single 6-pin power connector, and suggests a 450 W PSU. The A2 is also single-slot, while the RX 570 is dual-slot.

Q: Can the RX 570 output video?

A: Yes, the RX 570 has 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. The A2 has no display outputs, meaning it is designed purely for compute or server use without direct display connectivity.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split in intended use. The NVIDIA A2 is the better choice for compute-focused environments where memory capacity and efficiency matter. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory dwarfs the RX 570's 4 GB, and its 60 W TDP with no power connectors makes it far easier to deploy in dense servers or workstations. The A2's 10.2% lead in OpenCL reinforces this, as does its 79th percentile ranking and higher average score of 34,690. For users running large models, datasets, or compute workloads that exceed 4 GB, the RX 570 is not an option at all.

The AMD Radeon RX 570, however, is the clear winner for graphics-oriented tasks. Its 20.4% advantage in Vulkan shows it handles modern graphics APIs more effectively, and its display outputs make it a functional card for a desktop system. The RX 570 also has a higher texture rate (159.2 GTexel/s vs. 70.80 GTexel/s) and more shading units, which help in rasterization-heavy workloads. The 150 W TDP and dual-slot design are acceptable for a standard desktop build. The RX 570's nearest rival, the RX 6800M, sits only 0.4% below it in average score, indicating it is competitive within its own generation, but the A2's overall average is still higher.

Specification Differences

The key specification differences are as follows. The A2 uses an 8 nm process with 8,700 million transistors on a 200 mm² die; the RX 570 uses a 14 nm process with 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die. The A2 has 1,280 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, plus 10 RT cores and 40 tensor cores; the RX 570 has 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with no RT or tensor cores. Clock speeds differ: the A2 runs at 1,440 MHz base and 1,770 MHz boost, while the RX 570 runs at 1,168 MHz base and 1,244 MHz boost. Memory is 16 GB GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus for the A2, versus 4 GB GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus for the RX 570. Bandwidth is 200.1 GB/s for the A2 and 224.0 GB/s for the RX 570. The A2 has a 60 W TDP, no power connectors, and a 250 W suggested PSU; the RX 570 has a 150 W TDP, one 6-pin connector, and a 450 W suggested PSU. The A2 is single-slot with no display outputs, while the RX 570 is dual-slot with DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort outputs. The A2 uses PCIe 4.0 x8 and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4; the RX 570 uses PCIe 3.0 x16 and supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3. The RX 570 has a recorded length of 241 mm (9.5 inches); the A2's dimensions are not recorded in the database.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA A2 wins in compute density and capacity. Its 16 GB memory buffer allows it to handle workloads that would exceed the RX 570's 4 GB limit, and its 10.2% OpenCL advantage shows it processes general compute tasks faster. The A2 also wins decisively on power efficiency: 60 W versus 150 W TDP, no power connector needed, and a suggested PSU of 250 W versus 450 W. For server racks, multi-GPU nodes, or any environment where space and power are constrained, the A2 is the practical pick. Its single-slot design and lack of display outputs reinforce that it belongs in a compute or virtualized environment, not on a desktop.

The AMD Radeon RX 570 wins in graphics throughput and connectivity. Its 20.4% Vulkan lead demonstrates superior performance in modern graphics APIs, which matters for gaming or GPU-accelerated rendering. The RX 570's higher texture rate (159.2 GTexel/s vs. 70.80 GTexel/s) and greater shading unit count (2,048 vs. 1,280) give it an edge in traditional rasterization work. The presence of display outputs means it can drive monitors directly, something the A2 cannot do. For a desktop user who needs a functional graphics card with a standard power connector and dual-slot cooling, the RX 570 is the appropriate choice. Its 4 GB memory is a limitation, but for graphics workloads that fit within that budget, the RX 570 outperforms the A2 in the recorded Vulkan test. The data shows a trade-off: the A2 for compute-oriented, headless deployments, the RX 570 for graphics-facing systems.