AMD Radeon RX 6700 vs NVIDIA RTX A5000 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data shows a clean sweep: the NVIDIA RTX A5000 wins all 10 head-to-head benchmark comparisons against the AMD Radeon RX 6700. This is not a close contest at any measured workload. The largest margins appear in compute-heavy and modern API tests, while legacy DirectX 9 performance is nearly identical.

For synthetic ray tracing and next-generation rendering, the RTX A5000 leads the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test by 87.8%, scoring 3783 versus 2014. This suggests a substantial advantage in workloads that stress dedicated ray tracing hardware and modern DirectX 12 Ultimate features. The gap is so large that the RX 6700 would need roughly 88% more performance to match it.

In compute-oriented tasks, the RTX A5000 dominates. Geekbench OpenCL shows a 61.4% lead (157905 versus 97841), and Passmark GPU Compute shows a 51.2% lead (12455 versus 8240). Vulkan performance follows the same pattern: the RTX A5000 scores 137828 against 83974, a 64.1% advantage. These results point to a clear separation in raw throughput, which matters for rendering, simulation, and other professional workloads.

The RTX A5000 also wins in conventional rasterization benchmarks. Passmark G3D shows a 19.1% lead (22541 versus 18931). DirectX 11 performance is 12.7% higher (187 versus 166), and DirectX 12 performance is 22.5% higher (87 versus 71). DirectX 10 shows a 33% lead (153 versus 115). Even the 2D performance, often a minor differentiator, favors the RTX A5000 by 10.3% (1032 versus 936).

The only near-tie is DirectX 9, where the RTX A5000 scores 251 and the RX 6700 scores 250, a 0.4% difference that is effectively a statistical draw. For older games or legacy applications running on DirectX 9, either card would deliver similar results. This is the sole area where the RX 6700 approaches parity.

The Verdict

The data points to two different buyers. The NVIDIA RTX A5000 is the clear choice for anyone prioritizing absolute performance, particularly in compute-heavy tasks, modern DirectX 12 workloads, and ray tracing. Its 78th percentile ranking among all GPUs, combined with an average benchmark score of 33622, places it in solid upper-tier territory. The RX 6700, at the 75th percentile with an average score of 30433, sits only slightly lower in overall ranking, but the head-to-head margins tell a more decisive story.

For professional or high-end workstation use, the RTX A5000's 61.4% OpenCL lead and 51.2% GPU compute advantage make it the stronger candidate. Its 87.8% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 suggests it is better prepared for future rendering pipelines. The 24 GB memory capacity, combined with 768.0 GB/s bandwidth, gives it a clear edge for large datasets, though that is covered in the specification section below.

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 remains a viable option for users who do not need the RTX A5000's extreme compute throughput. Its DirectX 9 performance is essentially identical, and its 19.1% deficit in Passmark G3D means it still handles standard rasterization reasonably well. However, the data does not show any benchmark where the RX 6700 wins, so its appeal rests on other factors such as lower power draw (175 W versus 230 W) and smaller physical footprint, not on performance superiority.

The verdict is straightforward: choose the RTX A5000 for maximum performance and future-proofing in demanding workloads, or choose the RX 6700 if the workload is modest and the efficiency difference matters more. The recorded benchmarks do not support any other conclusion.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test delivers the largest single margin. The RTX A5000 scores 3783, the RX 6700 scores 2014, and the delta is 87.8%. This test stresses modern DirectX 12 Ultimate features, and the gap likely reflects the RTX A5000's 64 RT cores and 256 tensor cores versus the RX 6700's 36 RT cores and no tensor cores. The result is a dramatic separation in next-generation rendering capability.

Geekbench Vulkan shows a 64.1% lead (137828 versus 83974). Vulkan is widely used in both games and compute applications, so this margin indicates a strong overall advantage in cross-platform graphics. The RTX A5000's higher shading unit count, 8192 versus 2304, contributes to this result.

Geekbench OpenCL is similarly lopsided: 157905 versus 97841, a 61.4% difference. OpenCL is common in scientific computing and video editing, so this result reinforces the RTX A5000's suitability for professional compute tasks. Passmark GPU Compute shows a 51.2% lead (12455 versus 8240), confirming the pattern across different compute benchmarking methodologies.

In DirectX 10, the RTX A5000 leads by 33% (153 versus 115). This is a legacy API, but the margin suggests the RTX A5000's architecture handles older feature levels with more headroom. DirectX 12 shows a 22.5% lead (87 versus 71), and DirectX 11 shows a 12.7% lead (187 versus 166). These are smaller but consistent advantages.

Passmark G3D, a general 3D graphics score, gives the RTX A5000 a 19.1% lead (22541 versus 18931). This is the most representative overall rasterization result, and it confirms that the RTX A5000 is faster in standard rendering workloads, though not by the dramatic margins seen in compute or ray tracing tests.

The 2D benchmark shows a 10.3% lead (1032 versus 936), a minor but consistent edge. DirectX 9 is the only near-parity result: 251 versus 250, a 0.4% difference. For legacy software that relies on DirectX 9, the two cards are effectively interchangeable.

FAQ

Q: Which card performs better in ray tracing workloads?

A: The NVIDIA RTX A5000 leads the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test by 87.8% (3783 versus 2014). This benchmark exercises ray tracing and DirectX 12 Ultimate features, so the RTX A5000 has a substantial advantage in this area.

Q: How do the two cards compare in compute performance?

A: The RTX A5000 leads Geekbench OpenCL by 61.4% (157905 versus 97841) and Passmark GPU Compute by 51.2% (12455 versus 8240). These results indicate a major compute throughput advantage for the RTX A5000.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the AMD Radeon RX 6700 wins?

A: No. The recorded data shows the RTX A5000 winning all 10 head-to-head benchmarks. The closest result is DirectX 9, where the RTX A5000 scores 251 and the RX 6700 scores 250, a 0.4% difference.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The RTX A5000 has an average benchmark score of 33622, while the RX 6700 has an average score of 30433. The RTX A5000 also ranks at the 78th percentile among all GPUs, compared to the RX 6700's 75th percentile.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The RTX A5000 has a TDP of 230 W, while the RX 6700 has a TDP of 175 W. The RX 6700 also suggests a 450 W power supply, whereas the RTX A5000 suggests 550 W.

Q: Which card is better for DirectX 9 era software?

A: The two cards are essentially tied in DirectX 9 performance, with scores of 251 (RTX A5000) and 250 (RX 6700). For legacy DirectX 9 applications, the choice does not materially affect performance.

Architecture Differences

The NVIDIA RTX A5000 uses the GA102 chip built on Ampere architecture, fabricated by Samsung on an 8 nm process. It contains 28,300 million transistors on a 628 mm² die, with a transistor density of 45.1M per mm². The AMD Radeon RX 6700 uses the Navi 22 chip on RDNA 2.0 architecture, fabricated by TSMC on a 7 nm process. It contains 17,200 million transistors on a 335 mm² die, with a higher transistor density of 51.3M per mm².

The RTX A5000 has 8192 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. It includes 64 RT cores and 256 tensor cores. The RX 6700 has 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, with 36 RT cores and no tensor cores. This structural difference explains the performance gap in compute and ray tracing workloads.

Clock speeds differ significantly. The RTX A5000 runs at a base of 1170 MHz and boosts to 1695 MHz. The RX 6700 runs at a base of 1941 MHz, with a game clock of 2174 MHz and a boost of 2450 MHz. Despite the RX 6700's higher clocks, the RTX A5000's larger shader count and tensor core array deliver superior throughput.

The RTX A5000 supports FP32 and FP16 at 1:1 ratio, both at 27.77 TFLOPS. The RX 6700 has FP32 at 11.29 TFLOPS and FP16 at 22.58 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio. This means the RTX A5000 offers more than double the FP32 throughput and does not rely on rate conversion for FP16.

Both cards support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The RTX A5000 is designated as Workstation Ampere generation, while the RX 6700 belongs to the Radeon RX 6000 series under Navi II. Both are end-of-life products.

Specification Differences

Memory capacity is a major differentiator. The RTX A5000 has 24 GB of GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus, delivering 768.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 6700 has 10 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus, delivering 320.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX A5000 offers more than double the memory and bandwidth.

Pixel rate favors the RTX A5000 at 162.7 GPixel/s versus 156.8 GPixel/s for the RX 6700, a 3.8% difference. Texture rate also favors the RTX A5000 at 433.9 GTexel/s versus 352.8 GTexel/s, a 23% difference.

Power consumption differs notably. The RTX A5000 has a TDP of 230 W and suggests a 550 W power supply. The RX 6700 has a TDP of 175 W and suggests a 450 W power supply. Both use a single 8-pin power connector and are dual-slot cards.

Physical dimensions are similar. Both are 267 mm (10.5 inches) long. The RTX A5000 is 112 mm (4.4 inches) tall, while the RX 6700 is 110 mm (4.3 inches) tall and 40 mm (1.6 inches) wide.

Display outputs differ. The RTX A5000 provides 4x DisplayPort 1.4a. The RX 6700 provides 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. Both use PCIe 4.0 x16 bus interface.

The RTX A5000 uses an 8 nm Samsung process, while the RX 6700 uses a 7 nm TSMC process. The RTX A5000 has a larger die (628 mm² versus 335 mm²) and more transistors (28,300 million versus 17,200 million), but lower transistor density (45.1M per mm² versus 51.3M per mm²).