NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile vs NVIDIA RTX A6000 Comparison

The NVIDIA RTX A6000 and NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile are both Ampere-generation workstation parts, but they occupy opposite ends of the hardware spectrum. The A6000 is a 300 W, dual-slot desktop card built for maximum throughput, while the A500 Mobile is a 30 W IGP-class chip for portable workstations. Benchmark data shows the A6000 leads by a wide margin in every available test, yet the A500 Mobile’s efficiency and compact footprint make it a distinct option. Below is a detailed breakdown based solely on the provided fact pack.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA RTX A6000 has an average benchmark score of 44,075, while the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile scores 39,568. The A6000 leads by roughly 11.4% in overall average performance.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in raw compute performance?

A: The RTX A6000 delivers 38.71 TFLOPS of FP32 and FP16 (1:1) performance. The RTX A500 Mobile delivers 6.296 TFLOPS of FP32 and FP16 (1:1). This makes the A6000 over six times faster in theoretical compute throughput.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The RTX A6000 has 48 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, yielding 768.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX A500 Mobile has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, providing 96.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The A6000 has 12 times the capacity and 8 times the bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor count?

A: The RTX A6000 uses the GA102 chip with 28,300 million transistors on a 628 mm² die. The RTX A500 Mobile uses the GA107S chip with 8,700 million transistors on a 200 mm² die. The A6000 has over three times the transistor count.

Q: Are both GPUs based on the same architecture?

A: Yes, both are based on the Ampere architecture, manufactured on an 8 nm process at Samsung. They also share the same API support: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each GPU?

A: The RTX A6000’s closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile, with a delta of 0.9% above it. The RTX A500 Mobile’s closest rival is the AMD Radeon Pro 575, with a delta of 0% (identical average score).

Where Each One Wins

The RTX A6000 wins decisively in both head-to-head benchmarks available. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 193,937 versus 41,263 for the A500 Mobile, a 370% advantage. In Geekbench Vulkan, the A6000 scores 164,462 versus 37,873, a 334.2% lead. These are the only two shared tests, so the A6000 wins both.

There are no benchmark categories where the RTX A500 Mobile beats the A6000. However, the A500 Mobile’s strengths lie outside raw scores. Its 30 W TDP versus the A6000’s 300 W TDP allows for deployment in portable devices, as indicated by its "Portable Device Dependent" display outputs and IGP slot width. The A6000 requires an 8-pin EPS power connector and a 700 W suggested PSU, while the A500 Mobile needs no power connectors and has no suggested PSU. For tasks that prioritize mobility and low power draw over absolute performance, the A500 Mobile is the only viable choice.

The A6000 also wins on memory capacity and bandwidth, which matters for large datasets. The A500 Mobile’s 4 GB frame buffer is a fraction of the A6000’s 48 GB, making the latter suitable for massive models. In contrast, the A500 Mobile’s smaller footprint (no listed dimensions versus the A6000’s 267 mm length) suits compact chassis.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs share the Ampere architecture and 8 nm Samsung process node, but their chips are fundamentally different. The RTX A6000 uses the GA102 chip, a 628 mm² die with 28,300 million transistors. The RTX A500 Mobile uses the GA107S chip, a 200 mm² die with 8,700 million transistors. Transistor density is nearly identical: 45.1M per mm² for the A6000 versus 43.5M per mm² for the A500 Mobile.

The A6000 has 10,752 shading units, 336 TMUs, and 112 ROPs. It also has 84 RT cores and 336 tensor cores. The A500 Mobile has 2,048 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with 16 RT cores and 64 tensor cores. The A6000 has roughly 5.25 times more shading units, 5.25 times more TMUs, 3.5 times more ROPs, 5.25 times more RT cores, and 5.25 times more tensor cores.

Pixel and texture rates reflect this gap. The A6000 hits 201.6 GPixel/s and 604.8 GTexel/s, while the A500 Mobile manages 49.18 GPixel/s and 98.37 GTexel/s. Clock speeds differ as well: the A6000 runs at a base of 1410 MHz and boosts to 1800 MHz, whereas the A500 Mobile runs at 832 MHz base and 1537 MHz boost. Both support the same API set, indicating comparable feature levels for DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The memory subsystems diverge sharply. The A6000 uses a 384-bit bus with 16 Gbps effective GDDR6, while the A500 Mobile uses a 64-bit bus with 12 Gbps effective GDDR6. This drives the massive bandwidth difference: 768.0 GB/s versus 96.00 GB/s.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA RTX A6000 | NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile |

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

| Chip | GA102 | GA107S |

| Transistors | 28,300 million | 8,700 million |

| Die Size | 628 mm² | 200 mm² |

| Base Clock | 1410 MHz | 832 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1800 MHz | 1537 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective) | 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 48 GB | 4 GB |

| Memory Bus Width | 384 bit | 64 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 768.0 GB/s | 96.00 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 10752 | 2048 |

| TMUs | 336 | 64 |

| ROPs | 112 | 32 |

| RT Cores | 84 | 16 |

| Tensor Cores | 336 | 64 |

| Pixel Rate | 201.6 GPixel/s | 49.18 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 604.8 GTexel/s | 98.37 GTexel/s |

| FP32 / FP16 | 38.71 TFLOPS | 6.296 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 300 W | 30 W |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | IGP |

| Power Connectors | 8-pin EPS | None |

| Suggested PSU | 700 W | null |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x8 |

| Display Outputs | 4x DisplayPort 1.4a | Portable Device Dependent |

| Dimensions | 267 mm (length), 112 mm (height) | null |

| Release Date | 2020-10-04 | 2022-03-21 |

| Launch MSRP | 4,649 USD | null |

The A6000 is larger, faster, and more power-hungry. The A500 Mobile is compact, low-power, and lacks a dedicated power connector. Both are end-of-life products, with the A6000 coming from Workstation Ampere (Ax000) generation and the A500 Mobile from Ampere-MW (Ax000).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only shared benchmarks are Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan. In OpenCL, the RTX A6000 scores 193,937 versus the RTX A500 Mobile’s 41,263. This is a delta of 370% in favor of the A6000. In Vulkan, the A6000 scores 164,462 versus 37,873, a delta of 334.2%. The A6000 wins both tests by a landslide.

The A6000’s average benchmark score of 44,075 places it at the 84th percentile of all GPUs. The A500 Mobile’s average score of 39,568 places it at the 82nd percentile. Despite the huge gap in head-to-head tests, the percentile difference is only 2 points, suggesting that the A500 Mobile still outperforms many other GPUs in the broader database.

The A6000’s nearest rivals include the GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile (0.9% higher average score), the RTX 4070 Ti (1.6% lower), and the Quadro M6000 (1.8% higher). The A500 Mobile’s nearest rivals are all AMD workstation parts: the Radeon Pro 575 (0% delta), the Radeon Pro 575X (1.2% higher), the Radeon Pro WX 7100 (1.2% lower), and the Radeon Pro 580 (1.9% lower). This shows the A500 Mobile is competitive within its mobile workstation class, while the A6000 trades blows with high-end desktop and mobile gaming GPUs.

In terms of benchmark coverage, the A6000 has scores for Passmark DirectX 10, 11, 12, and 9, plus G2D, G3D, and GPU compute tests. The A500 Mobile lacks these Passmark scores entirely, meaning the comparison relies solely on Geekbench results. The A6000’s Passmark G3D score is 22,577, and its GPU compute score is 14,110, but no such data exists for the A500 Mobile.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the NVIDIA RTX A6000 is the superior performer in every measured metric. It wins both head-to-head benchmarks by over 300%, has 12 times the memory capacity, 8 times the bandwidth, and 6 times the FP32 throughput. For workloads that demand maximum compute, large frame buffers, or high-bandwidth data movement, the A6000 is the clear choice. Its 84th percentile ranking among all GPUs underscores its high-end positioning.

The RTX A500 Mobile, however, serves a different purpose. Its 30 W TDP, IGP form factor, and lack of power connectors make it suitable for thin-and-light mobile workstations. With an 82nd percentile ranking, it still outperforms most GPUs, and its nearest rivals are AMD Radeon Pro parts with nearly identical average scores. For users who need basic workstation acceleration in a portable package, the A500 Mobile is adequate. The A6000’s launch MSRP was 4,649 USD, while the A500 Mobile has no listed MSRP, reflecting its role as an OEM component.

Choose the RTX A6000 if you require raw power, high memory capacity, or sustained throughput. Choose the RTX A500 Mobile if you prioritize low power consumption, compact size, and portability, accepting a significant performance trade-off. The A6000’s end-of-life status and the A500 Mobile’s end-of-life status mean both are legacy products, but the A6000 remains a workstation workhorse, while the A500 Mobile is a niche efficiency option.