NVIDIA PG506-232 vs NVIDIA RTX 4500 Ada Generation Comparison

The NVIDIA PG506-232 and NVIDIA RTX 4500 Ada Generation represent two very different answers to the question of professional compute. The data shows a clear split: the PG506-232, an Ampere-era server part, dominates in raw OpenCL throughput, while the RTX 4500 Ada Generation, a workstation card built on Ada Lovelace, counters with modern features and a more balanced profile. Benchmark results indicate that choosing between them depends entirely on whether raw compute or feature parity matters more for the workload.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is Geekbench OpenCL, and it is a decisive victory for the PG506-232. The PG506-232 scores 225,124, while the RTX 4500 Ada Generation trails at 160,786. That is a 40% delta in favor of the older Ampere card. This is not a marginal win; it is a substantial gap that places the PG506-232 in a different performance tier for OpenCL compute tasks.

To contextualize the PG506-232's score, its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon PRO W7900D at 219,827 (2.4% behind) and the NVIDIA A100 PCIe 80 GB at 207,124 (8.7% behind). The PG506-232 sits above both, with the NVIDIA L20 being the only card in its vicinity that beats it, scoring 251,147 (a -10.4% delta for the PG506-232). This places the PG506-232 in the 99th percentile of all GPUs, a position that reflects its strength in compute-heavy applications.

The RTX 4500 Ada Generation's score of 160,786 puts it at the 97th percentile, which is still strong, but its nearest rivals tell a different story. It is nearly tied with the NVIDIA RTX A5500 (165,217, a 0.5% delta) and the AMD Radeon PRO W7800 (164,894, a 0.7% delta). The AMD Radeon Pro W6900X is 1.5% ahead, and the NVIDIA A100 PCIe 40 GB is 2.2% behind. The RTX 4500 Ada Generation's performance is competitive within its own peer group, but that group is simply slower than the PG506-232's group. The 40% advantage for the PG506-232 is not a subtle edge; it is a dominant one in this specific metric.

Architecture Differences

The architectural chasm between these two cards is immense. The PG506-232 is built on the GA100 chip using the Ampere architecture, fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC. The RTX 4500 Ada Generation uses the AD103 chip with the Ada Lovelace architecture, also made by TSMC, but on a more advanced 5 nm node. This process shrink allows for a much higher transistor density: the RTX 4500 Ada Generation packs 121.1 million transistors per square millimeter versus 65.6 million on the PG506-232. However, the PG506-232 has more total transistors (54,200 million) and a much larger die (826 mm²) compared to the RTX 4500 Ada Generation's 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die.

The compute configuration is radically different. The RTX 4500 Ada Generation has 7,680 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 80 ROPs, while the PG506-232 has 3,584 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. The RTX 4500 Ada Generation also features 60 RT cores and 240 tensor cores, whereas the PG506-232 has no RT cores listed and only 224 tensor cores. This means the RTX 4500 Ada Generation is designed for real-time ray tracing and graphics workloads, while the PG506-232 is a pure compute accelerator.

Memory subsystems are equally divergent. The PG506-232 uses 24 GB of HBM2 on a 3072-bit bus, delivering 933.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 4500 Ada Generation uses 24 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, providing 432.0 GB/s. The PG506-232's bandwidth advantage is massive, which likely explains its OpenCL lead. Clock speeds also favor the RTX 4500 Ada Generation: base clock of 2070 MHz and boost of 2580 MHz versus 930 MHz and 1440 MHz for the PG506-232, but the PG506-232 compensates with its wider bus and memory type.

FAQ

Q: Which card has higher raw compute performance in OpenCL?

A: The NVIDIA PG506-232 is significantly ahead, scoring 225,124 versus 160,786 for the RTX 4500 Ada Generation, a 40% difference in the Geekbench OpenCL test.

Q: Does the RTX 4500 Ada Generation have any advantages in terms of graphics features?

A: Yes. The RTX 4500 Ada Generation supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the PG506-232 has no listed API support for these. It also has 60 RT cores and 4x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, whereas the PG506-232 has no display outputs.

Q: How do their memory configurations compare?

A: Both have 24 GB of memory, but the PG506-232 uses HBM2 with a 3072-bit bus and 933.1 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 4500 Ada Generation uses GDDR6 with a 192-bit bus and 432.0 GB/s bandwidth, less than half the bandwidth.

Q: What are the power requirements?

A: The PG506-232 has a TDP of 165 W and a suggested PSU of 450 W, using an 8-pin EPS connector. The RTX 4500 Ada Generation has a higher TDP of 210 W and a suggested PSU of 550 W, but requires no power connectors.

Q: Which card is newer and still in production?

A: The RTX 4500 Ada Generation was released on 2023-08-08 and is marked as Active. The PG506-232 was released on 2021-04-11 and is End-of-life.

Q: How do their transistor densities compare?

A: The RTX 4500 Ada Generation has a much higher density at 121.1M transistors per mm², compared to the PG506-232's 65.6M per mm², despite the PG506-232 having more total transistors.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA PG506-232 | NVIDIA RTX 4500 Ada Generation |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Ampere | Ada Lovelace |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 5 nm |

| Transistors | 54,200 million | 45,900 million |

| Die Size | 826 mm² | 379 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 65.6M / mm² | 121.1M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 930 MHz | 2070 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1440 MHz | 2580 MHz |

| Memory Type | HBM2 | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus Width | 3072 bit | 192 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 933.1 GB/s | 432.0 GB/s |

| Memory Clock | 1215 MHz (2.4 Gbps effective) | 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) |

| Shading Units | 3584 | 7680 |

| TMUs | 224 | 240 |

| ROPs | 96 | 80 |

| RT Cores | None | 60 |

| Tensor Cores | 224 | 240 |

| Pixel Rate | 138.2 GPixel/s | 206.4 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 322.6 GTexel/s | 619.2 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 10.32 TFLOPS | 39.63 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 10.32 TFLOPS (1:1) | 39.63 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 165 W | 210 W |

| Power Connectors | 8-pin EPS | None |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 550 W |

| Display Outputs | No outputs | 4x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| DirectX | None | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |

| OpenGL | None | 4.6 |

| Vulkan | None | 1.4 |

| Length | 267 mm (10.5 inches) | 245 mm (9.6 inches) |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2021-04-11 | 2023-08-08 |

Where Each One Wins

The PG506-232 wins decisively in raw compute throughput as measured by OpenCL. Its 40% lead in this test is backed by a memory subsystem that delivers more than double the bandwidth (933.1 GB/s versus 432.0 GB/s). The data suggests this card is optimized for memory-bound compute tasks, such as large dataset processing or scientific simulations, where its HBM2 memory and 3072-bit bus provide a clear advantage. Its 99th percentile ranking among all GPUs reinforces this position as a top-tier compute performer.

The RTX 4500 Ada Generation wins in every other category that matters for a workstation. It has more than double the shading units (7,680 versus 3,584), significantly higher FP32 throughput (39.63 TFLOPS versus 10.32 TFLOPS), and supports modern graphics APIs including DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. It also includes 60 RT cores for hardware-accelerated ray tracing, something the PG506-232 lacks entirely. The RTX 4500 Ada Generation has display outputs (4x DisplayPort 1.4a), making it usable as a visual workstation card, whereas the PG506-232 has no outputs. Its higher pixel rate (206.4 GPixel/s versus 138.2 GPixel/s) and texture rate (619.2 GTexel/s versus 322.6 GTexel/s) further emphasize its graphics-oriented design.

The Verdict

The benchmark data paints a clear picture: the NVIDIA PG506-232 is the superior choice for pure compute workloads where OpenCL performance is the primary metric. Its 40% lead in the head-to-head test, combined with 933.1 GB/s of memory bandwidth, makes it the obvious pick for server environments or compute clusters that do not require display output. The fact that it ranks in the 99th percentile of all GPUs, while the RTX 4500 Ada Generation sits at the 97th, reinforces this conclusion. For tasks like deep learning inference or scientific computing where raw throughput is king, the PG506-232's end-of-life status is a minor concern compared to its substantial performance edge.

The NVIDIA RTX 4500 Ada Generation is the better choice for a workstation that needs to do more than just compute. Its support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, along with 60 RT cores, makes it a capable graphics card for rendering and visualization. The 4x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs allow direct connection to monitors, which the PG506-232 cannot do. Its higher FP32 throughput (39.63 TFLOPS) also suggests better performance in single-precision floating-point tasks, even if OpenCL scores do not reflect it. With a more advanced 5 nm process and active production status, it is a forward-looking investment. The data indicates that users needing a flexible, graphics-capable workstation accelerator should choose the RTX 4500 Ada Generation, while those prioritizing raw compute power should select the PG506-232.