GPU Comparison
AMD FirePro S9300 X2
T550 Mobile
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: AMD FirePro S9300 X2 vs NVIDIA T550 Mobile
# NVIDIA T550 Mobile vs AMD FirePro S9300 X2
The NVIDIA T550 Mobile and AMD FirePro S9300 X2 represent two radically different approaches to professional graphics, separated by architecture, form factor, and intended deployment. The T550 Mobile is a 23 W integrated-class mobile GPU built on Turing, while the S9300 X2 is a 300 W dual-slot server accelerator with no display outputs. Benchmark data shows a statistical tie in average score, the T550 Mobile averages 33,161 versus 32,540 for the S9300 X2, but the workload-specific results tell a more nuanced story. The T550 Mobile wins OpenCL by 27%, while the S9300 X2 counters with a 17% lead in Vulkan. Both cards sit at the 77th percentile among all GPUs, yet their nearest rivals barely overlap, indicating they compete in different ecosystems despite similar aggregate performance.
The Verdict
The data points to a clear split based on workload and deployment environment. The NVIDIA T550 Mobile is the pick for OpenCL-heavy tasks and mobile or space-constrained systems. Its 3.410 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, 96.00 GB/s memory bandwidth, and 23 W power envelope make it suitable for portable workstations where efficiency matters. It also holds a 27% OpenCL advantage over the S9300 X2, a substantial margin that cannot be ignored. The T550 Mobile's nearest rival is the GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile at 33,170 (0% delta), placing it in company with mainstream laptop GPUs.
The AMD FirePro S9300 X2 is the choice for Vulkan-centric server workloads. Its 7.987 TFLOPS FP32 compute, 512.0 GB/s bandwidth over a 4096-bit HBM bus, and 17% Vulkan lead over the T550 Mobile make it a compelling accelerator for compute-heavy rendering pipelines. However, its 300 W TDP, dual-slot footprint, and 267 mm length demand a server chassis with 2x 8-pin power connectors and a 700 W suggested PSU. Its nearest rival is the Radeon RX 590 GME at 32,601 (-0.2% delta), which is a consumer card, an odd comparison that underscores the S9300 X2's specialized position.
For users needing display outputs, the choice is simple: the T550 Mobile has them (portable device dependent), while the S9300 X2 has none. For headless compute servers prioritizing Vulkan, the S9300 X2 wins outright. For mixed workloads or mobile deployments, the T550 Mobile's OpenCL dominance and lower power draw make it the safer recommendation.
Architecture Differences
The two GPUs diverge at nearly every architectural level. The T550 Mobile uses the TU117 chip on a 12 nm TSMC process, packing 4,700 million transistors into a 200 mm² die. This yields a transistor density of 23.5M per mm². It features 1,024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Memory is 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, delivering 96.00 GB/s bandwidth. The chip operates at a 1065 MHz base and 1665 MHz boost clock, with memory at 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective). Pixel rate is 53.28 GPixel/s, texture rate is 106.6 GTexel/s, and FP32 throughput is 3.410 TFLOPS. FP16 is rated at 6.820 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio. The T550 Mobile supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, and it is built on NVIDIA's Turing architecture within the Quadro Turing-M generation.
The S9300 X2 uses the Capsaicin chip on a 28 nm TSMC process, with 8,900 million transistors across a 596 mm² die, a transistor density of 14.9M per mm². It has 4,096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, quadrupling the T550 Mobile's shader and texture counts. Memory is 4 GB of HBM on a 4096-bit bus, achieving 512.0 GB/s bandwidth, over five times the T550 Mobile's throughput. The memory clock is 500 MHz (1000 Mbps effective), and no base or boost clocks are listed for the core. Pixel rate is 62.40 GPixel/s, texture rate is 249.6 GTexel/s, and FP32 is 7.987 TFLOPS, more than double the T550 Mobile. FP16 is not listed. The S9300 X2 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170, and it belongs to the GCN 3.0 architecture within the FirePro Server generation.
The power discrepancy is stark: the T550 Mobile draws 23 W with no power connectors, while the S9300 X2 draws 300 W via 2x 8-pin connectors. The T550 Mobile is IGP slot width, whereas the S9300 X2 is dual-slot. The S9300 X2 measures 267 mm in length and 111 mm in height, with no display outputs whatsoever.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The two available benchmarks, Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan, produce opposite winners with large deltas. In OpenCL, the T550 Mobile scores 35,521 against the S9300 X2's 27,971, a 27% advantage. This is notable because the S9300 X2 has 4x the shading units and 2.3x the FP32 throughput. The result suggests that OpenCL on the GCN 3.0 architecture is inefficient relative to Turing, or that the S9300 X2's drivers are not optimized for this workload. The T550 Mobile's nearest OpenCL counterpart is the GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile at 33,170, which it beats by 7% (deltaPct 0), and it edges out the Radeon Pro 570 at 33,207 by 0.9% (deltaPct -0.1).
In Vulkan, the tables turn. The S9300 X2 scores 37,109 versus the T550 Mobile's 30,801, a 17% lead. This aligns better with the S9300 X2's raw compute advantage and suggests that Vulkan better utilizes its massive shader array and wide memory bus. The S9300 X2's nearest Vulkan rival is the Radeon RX 590 GME at 32,601, which it beats by 13.8% (deltaPct -0.2), and it surpasses the Radeon RX 7900 GRE at 32,456 by 14.3% (deltaPct 0.3). The T550 Mobile's Vulkan score of 30,801 places it closer to the NVIDIA P104-100 at 32,982 (deltaPct 0.5) and the T600 Mobile at 32,849 (deltaPct 1), both of which it trails by roughly 6-7%.
The average benchmark scores reflect this split: the T550 Mobile averages 33,161, while the S9300 X2 averages 32,540, a difference of just 1.9%. Both cards occupy the 77th percentile of all GPUs. The T550 Mobile's nearest rival by average score is the GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile at 33,170 (0% delta), and its worst rival is the T600 Mobile at 32,849 (1% delta). The S9300 X2's nearest rival is the Radeon RX 590 GME at 32,601 (-0.2% delta), and its worst is the T600 Mobile at 32,849 (-0.9% delta). Notably, the T600 Mobile appears in both cards' rival lists, suggesting it is a common midpoint.
FAQ
Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute power?
A: The AMD FirePro S9300 X2 has 7.987 TFLOPS FP32, more than double the NVIDIA T550 Mobile's 3.410 TFLOPS. It also has 4,096 shading units versus 1,024, and 256 TMUs versus 64.
Q: Why does the T550 Mobile win OpenCL despite lower compute specs?
A: The T550 Mobile scores 35,521 in Geekbench OpenCL versus 27,971 for the S9300 X2, a 27% advantage. The data does not specify the cause, but the result indicates that architectural efficiency or driver optimization favors the Turing-based T550 Mobile in this workload.
Q: What memory advantages does each card have?
A: The S9300 X2 has 512.0 GB/s bandwidth over a 4096-bit HBM bus, while the T550 Mobile has 96.00 GB/s over a 64-bit GDDR6 bus. Both have 4 GB capacity. The S9300 X2's bandwidth is over five times higher.
Q: Can the FirePro S9300 X2 be used in a workstation with a monitor?
A: No. The S9300 X2 has no display outputs, making it strictly a compute accelerator. The T550 Mobile has portable device dependent outputs.
Q: What is the power requirement difference?
A: The T550 Mobile draws 23 W with no power connectors, while the S9300 X2 draws 300 W via 2x 8-pin connectors and requires a 700 W suggested PSU. The S9300 X2 is also dual-slot, while the T550 Mobile is IGP slot width.
Q: How do these cards compare to their nearest rivals?
A: The T550 Mobile's average score of 33,161 is within 0.5% of the GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile (33,170) and 1% of the T600 Mobile (32,849). The S9300 X2's average of 32,540 is within 0.5% of the Radeon RX 590 GME (32,601) and 0.9% of the T600 Mobile (32,849).
Where Each One Wins
NVIDIA T550 Mobile wins in OpenCL workloads. The 27% OpenCL advantage is the largest single-benchmark delta between the two cards. This makes it the better choice for OpenCL-based compute tasks, such as certain scientific simulations or media processing pipelines. It also wins on portability: at 23 W with no power connectors and IGP slot width, it can fit into mobile workstations and compact systems where the S9300 X2's 300 W dual-slot requirement is impossible. The T550 Mobile also supports newer APIs, including Vulkan 1.4 and DirectX 12 (12_1), versus Vulkan 1.2.170 and DirectX 12 (12_0) for the S9300 X2. Its Turing architecture includes FP16 at 6.820 TFLOPS, which the S9300 X2 does not list, giving it an edge in mixed-precision workloads.
AMD FirePro S9300 X2 wins in Vulkan compute. The 17% Vulkan lead (37,109 versus 30,801) indicates that the GCN 3.0 architecture scales well with Vulkan's low-level access, leveraging its 4,096 shading units and 512.0 GB/s bandwidth. This makes it suited for Vulkan-based rendering engines or compute frameworks. It also wins on raw throughput: 7.987 TFLOPS FP32, 249.6 GTexel/s texture rate, and 62.40 GPixel/s pixel rate all exceed the T550 Mobile's respective figures (3.410 TFLOPS, 106.6 GTexel/s, 53.28 GPixel/s). For server deployments with 2x 8-pin power and a 700 W PSU, the S9300 X2 provides higher compute density per card, despite its larger footprint (267 mm length, 111 mm height).
Tie-breaking considerations: Both cards have one benchmark win each, and both sit at the 77th percentile. The T550 Mobile has a higher average score (33,161 versus 32,540) and a better nearest-rival position. The S9300 X2 has a higher peak score in Vulkan but a lower OpenCL floor. For users who cannot afford the S9300 X2's power and space demands, the T550 Mobile's 23 W operation is decisive. For users who need maximum FP32 throughput and Vulkan performance in a headless server, the S9300 X2's 7.987 TFLOPS and 512.0 GB/s bandwidth are unmatched by the T550 Mobile. The S9300 X2 also holds a 17% Vulkan advantage that could be critical for Vulkan-only pipelines, while the T550 Mobile's 27% OpenCL lead is equally decisive in OpenCL-only environments.