AMD Radeon RX 6800M vs NVIDIA RTX A5000 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a comprehensive sweep for the NVIDIA RTX A5000 across all ten shared benchmark tests, with the AMD Radeon RX 6800M failing to secure a single win. The largest margin comes in PassMark GPU Compute, where the A5000 scores 12,455 against 5,032 for the RX 6800M, a delta of 147.5%. That is more than double the compute output, a gap that speaks directly to the A5000's workstation-oriented design.

The second-largest advantage appears in PassMark G2D, a 2D graphics test, where the A5000 posts 1,032 versus 538. The 91.8% delta here is notable because 2D performance is often assumed to be a level playing field; the data does not support that assumption. In GeekBench OpenCL, the A5000 reaches 157,905 versus 87,621, an 80.2% lead, reinforcing the compute-heavy nature of the NVIDIA part.

In DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 legacy tests, the A5000 leads by 70.7% (251 vs 147) and 51.5% (153 vs 101) respectively. These older API results are interesting because they suggest the A5000's architecture retains strong performance even in workloads that do not leverage modern features. The DirectX 11 test shows a 47.2% delta (187 vs 127), while DirectX 12 shows a narrower but still decisive 33.8% gap (87 vs 65). The DirectX 12 result is the smallest delta in the entire comparison, yet it still favors the A5000 by a third.

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, a modern ray-traced workload, gives the A5000 a 69% advantage (3,783 vs 2,238). This aligns with the RT core presence in the NVIDIA chip. GeekBench Vulkan shows a 45.4% lead (137,828 vs 94,766), and PassMark G3D rounds out the set with a 70% delta (22,541 vs 13,261). Across the board, the A5000's smallest win is 33.8%, and its average benchmark score sits at 33,622 compared to 28,874 for the RX 6800M. The overall percentile ranking also favors NVIDIA: the A5000 sits at the 78th percentile among all GPUs, while the RX 6800M sits at the 74th.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The NVIDIA RTX A5000 uses the GA102 chip on an 8 nm Samsung process, packing 28,300 million transistors onto a 628 mm² die. The AMD Radeon RX 6800M uses the Navi 22 chip on a 7 nm TSMC process, with 17,200 million transistors on a 335 mm² die. The transistor density tells an interesting story: AMD achieves 51.3 million transistors per square millimeter, while NVIDIA manages 45.1 million. The smaller, denser AMD die is a mobile-first design, while the larger NVIDIA die targets workstation throughput.

Core counts diverge sharply. The A5000 has 8,192 shading units, 256 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units. The RX 6800M has 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The A5000 also carries 64 RT cores and 256 tensor cores, while the RX 6800M has 40 RT cores and no tensor cores at all. That absence of tensor cores is a structural differentiator: tensor cores accelerate AI and deep learning workloads, a category where the AMD part simply has no hardware equivalent.

Clock speeds tell the opposite story. The RX 6800M runs at a base of 2,116 MHz and boosts to 2,390 MHz, with a game clock of 2,300 MHz. The A5000 runs at a base of 1,170 MHz and boosts to 1,695 MHz. Despite the lower clocks, the A5000's sheer width of execution units produces far higher throughput: FP32 reaches 27.77 TFLOPS on the A5000 versus 12.24 TFLOPS on the RX 6800M. Interestingly, FP16 performance inverts the ratio: the RX 6800M hits 24.47 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio) while the A5000 matches its FP32 at 27.77 TFLOPS (1:1). The AMD part's 2:1 FP16 rate is a mobile efficiency trick, but the A5000's 1:1 rate means no penalty for FP16 workloads.

Memory configurations are equally divergent. The A5000 offers 24 GB of GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus, yielding 768.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 6800M offers 12 GB on a 192-bit bus, yielding 384.0 GB/s. Both use 16 Gbps effective memory speed. Pixel rate favors the A5000 at 162.7 GPixel/s versus 153.0 GPixel/s, and texture rate also favors NVIDIA at 433.9 GTexel/s versus 382.4 GTexel/s.

Power and physical design reflect their intended environments. The A5000 carries a 230 W TDP, uses a dual-slot cooler, requires a single 8-pin power connector, and suggests a 550 W power supply. The RX 6800M has a 145 W TDP, is classified as an IGP (integrated graphics processor for mobile), requires no power connectors, and lists no suggested PSU. The A5000 measures 267 mm in length and 112 mm in height; the RX 6800M has no recorded dimensions. Display outputs also differ: the A5000 provides four DisplayPort 1.4a connections, while the RX 6800M's outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent."

The Verdict

The data points to a clear hierarchy. The NVIDIA RTX A5000 wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, with deltas ranging from 33.8% to 147.5%. Its average benchmark score of 33,622 places it at the 78th percentile of all GPUs. The AMD Radeon RX 6800M averages 28,874 and sits at the 74th percentile. For any workload represented in these tests, the A5000 is the stronger part.

The RX 6800M is not without merit, but its merits lie in different domains. Its 145 W TDP versus 230 W, its IGP form factor, and its lack of power connectors make it a mobile solution. The A5000 is a dual-slot desktop workstation card. The recorded benchmark data does not include power efficiency tests, so any efficiency comparison would be speculative. What the data does show is raw performance, and there the A5000 dominates.

Users who need maximum compute throughput, ray tracing performance, or legacy API support should choose the NVIDIA RTX A5000. Users who require a mobile GPU with lower power draw and no external power connections should consider the RX 6800M, but they should expect a significant performance gap. The A5000's 24 GB memory also doubles the RX 6800M's 12 GB, a factor for large datasets. The verdict from the database is unambiguous: the A5000 is the superior performer in every measured category.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification field. The process node differs: A5000 uses 8 nm Samsung, RX 6800M uses 7 nm TSMC. Transistor counts differ: 28,300 million versus 17,200 million. Die size differs: 628 mm² versus 335 mm². Transistor density differs: 45.1M per mm² versus 51.3M per mm².

Clock speeds differ substantially. The A5000 has a base of 1,170 MHz and boost of 1,695 MHz. The RX 6800M has a base of 2,116 MHz, boost of 2,390 MHz, and a game clock of 2,300 MHz. Memory speed is identical at 16 Gbps effective, but memory size differs: 24 GB versus 12 GB. Bus width differs: 384-bit versus 192-bit. Bandwidth differs: 768.0 GB/s versus 384.0 GB/s.

Compute units differ: 8,192 shading units versus 2,560, 256 TMUs versus 160, 96 ROPs versus 64. RT cores differ: 64 versus 40. Tensor cores exist only on the A5000 (256); the RX 6800M has none. Pixel rate differs: 162.7 GPixel/s versus 153.0 GPixel/s. Texture rate differs: 433.9 GTexel/s versus 382.4 GTexel/s. FP32 differs: 27.77 TFLOPS versus 12.24 TFLOPS. FP16 differs in ratio and output: the A5000 hits 27.77 TFLOPS (1:1), the RX 6800M hits 24.47 TFLOPS (2:1).

TDP differs: 230 W versus 145 W. Slot width differs: dual-slot versus IGP. Power connectors differ: 1x 8-pin versus none. Suggested PSU is 550 W for the A5000, not specified for the RX 6800M. Display outputs differ: 4x DisplayPort 1.4a versus portable-device-dependent. Dimensions are recorded only for the A5000 (267 mm length, 112 mm height). Release dates differ: the A5000 launched on 2021-04-11, the RX 6800M on 2021-05-30. Both are end-of-life. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The A5000's predecessor is Quadro Turing and successor is Workstation Ada; the RX 6800M's predecessor is Polaris Mobile and it has no recorded successor.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test?

A: The NVIDIA RTX A5000 scores 3,783 against 2,238 for the AMD Radeon RX 6800M, a delta of 69%.

Q: How large is the compute performance gap between the two?

A: In PassMark GPU Compute, the A5000 scores 12,455 versus 5,032, a delta of 147.5%. In GeekBench OpenCL, the gap is 80.2% (157,905 vs 87,621).

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The A5000 has 24 GB of GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus with 768.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 6800M has 12 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus with 384.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Does the RX 6800M have tensor cores?

A: No. The RX 6800M has 40 RT cores but no tensor cores. The A5000 has 64 RT cores and 256 tensor cores.

Q: What are the power requirements of each?

A: The A5000 has a 230 W TDP, requires a single 8-pin power connector, and suggests a 550 W PSU. The RX 6800M has a 145 W TDP, requires no power connectors, and lists no suggested PSU.

Q: What is the smallest performance gap between them?

A: The smallest delta is in the PassMark DirectX 12 test, where the A5000 leads by 33.8% (87 vs 65).

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA RTX A5000 wins in every benchmark category recorded in the database. That includes modern ray-traced workloads (3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 69% lead), compute-heavy tasks (PassMark GPU Compute, 147.5% lead), legacy APIs (DirectX 9 at 70.7%, DirectX 10 at 51.5%), and 2D performance (PassMark G2D at 91.8%). The A5000 also leads in GeekBench OpenCL (80.2%) and GeekBench Vulkan (45.4%). For any measured workload, the A5000 is the recommended choice.

The AMD Radeon RX 6800M wins in no benchmark categories, but it has structural advantages outside the benchmark suite. Its 145 W TDP is lower than the A5000's 230 W. It is classified as an IGP, meaning it is designed for mobile integration, while the A5000 is a dual-slot desktop card. The RX 6800M requires no power connectors, making it suitable for systems without discrete power wiring. Its smaller die (335 mm²) and lower transistor count (17,200 million) suggest a more efficient manufacturing footprint, though the database does not include efficiency measurements.

For raw performance, the choice is the A5000. For mobile deployment with lower power draw, the RX 6800M is the only option of the two, as the A5000's physical dimensions and power requirements preclude laptop integration. The A5000's 24 GB memory also makes it better suited for large datasets, while the RX 6800M's 12 GB may suffice for lighter workloads. The data is one-sided, but the use cases are not identical: the A5000 targets workstation desktops, the RX 6800M targets gaming laptops. Within their respective domains, the A5000 clearly dominates on performance, while the RX 6800M offers a mobile form factor that the A5000 cannot match.