AMD FirePro W7000

This is a hardware analyst writing for a benchmark database website.

The AMD FirePro W7000 is an end-of-life professional workstation graphics card built on the GCN 1.0 architecture, featuring the Pitcairn chip manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. With a launch MSRP of 899 USD, this single-slot card targets a specific segment of the workstation market, and the data shows its benchmark performance remains competitive against several newer and older Radeon offerings.

Benchmark Performance

The FirePro W7000's primary benchmark result comes from the Geekbench OpenCL test, where it achieves a score of 17790 points. This places the card at the 60th percentile among all GPUs in the database, indicating that it outperforms a majority of graphics cards tested while sitting below the top-tier performers. The average benchmark score of 17790 confirms this is a consistent result across multiple runs.

Examining the nearest rivals reveals a tightly clustered competitive field. The closest competitor is the AMD Radeon RX 7600M XT, which scores 17888 points, putting the FirePro W7000 just 0.5% behind. This margin is remarkably small—effectively a statistical tie in real-world terms, suggesting that despite the FirePro's age, its compute capabilities remain relevant to modern mobile GPUs.

Against the AMD Radeon HD 7790, the FirePro W7000 takes a narrow lead of 0.7%, scoring 17790 versus 17666. This is a notable result given that the HD 7790 is a desktop consumer card, demonstrating that the workstation-oriented FirePro architecture extracts comparable performance from the same underlying GCN design. The advantage grows slightly against the AMD Radeon Pro 460, where the W7000 leads by 1.2%, and extends further to a 1.7% margin over the AMD Radeon Pro 560. These small but consistent deltas show the FirePro W7000 holds its own against a range of professional and consumer GPUs.

The data suggests that the FirePro W7000's compute performance, as measured by OpenCL, has aged gracefully. The 2.432 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power and the 76.00 GTexel/s texture rate contribute to a balanced profile that keeps the card competitive in synthetic benchmarks. However, the 30.40 GPixel/s pixel rate indicates that raw pixel throughput is less impressive by modern standards, which may impact performance in rasterization-heavy workloads.

Memory Subsystem

The FirePro W7000 comes equipped with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, which was a generous allocation for its 2012 release period. The memory operates at 1200 MHz, translating to a 4.8 Gbps effective data rate across a 256-bit bus interface. This configuration yields a total memory bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s, a figure that remains adequate for professional workloads at high resolutions.

For high-resolution rendering and large dataset processing, the combination of 4 GB capacity and 153.6 GB/s bandwidth provides a meaningful advantage over cards with smaller memory pools or narrower buses. The 256-bit bus width ensures that the memory controller can feed the 1280 shading units efficiently, reducing potential bottlenecks in memory-intensive tasks. While 4 GB may seem modest compared to contemporary workstation cards, the data shows this capacity was well-matched to the card's compute capabilities when released.

The memory subsystem's effectiveness is reflected in the benchmark scores. The tight performance margins between the FirePro W7000 and its rivals suggest that memory bandwidth is not a limiting factor in the OpenCL workloads tested. The 153.6 GB/s figure allows the GPU to maintain throughput on large data sets, which is critical for professional applications that process high-resolution textures or scientific datasets.

How It Compares

AMD Radeon RX 7600M XT: The FirePro W7000 trails this modern mobile GPU by a mere 0.5%, with scores of 17790 and 17888 respectively. This near-parity is striking given the generational gap and architectural differences, though the RX 7600M XT's higher power envelope and newer process node likely give it efficiency advantages that the benchmark does not capture.

AMD Radeon HD 7790: The FirePro W7000 leads by 0.7%, scoring 17790 against 17666. Both cards share the GCN architecture and similar chip designs, but the workstation variant edges ahead, likely due to optimized drivers and a more robust memory subsystem for professional workloads.

AMD Radeon Pro 460: A 1.2% advantage for the FirePro W7000 is observed, with scores of 17790 versus 17575. The Pro 460 is a mobile workstation card, and the desktop FirePro's higher power limit and dedicated cooling allow it to sustain performance more effectively in prolonged compute tasks.

AMD Radeon Pro 560: The FirePro W7000 extends its lead to 1.7% over the Pro 560, which scores 17497. This is the largest margin among its nearest rivals, suggesting that the older card's superior memory bandwidth and shading unit count provide a tangible, if modest, performance advantage.

FAQ

Q: What is the FirePro W7000's score in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The card achieves a score of 17790 points in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark.

Q: How does the FirePro W7000 compare to the AMD Radeon HD 7790?

A: The FirePro W7000 leads the HD 7790 by 0.7%, scoring 17790 versus 17666.

Q: What is the memory configuration of this card?

A: It features 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s and an effective memory clock of 4.8 Gbps.

Q: What power supply is recommended for this GPU?

A: The suggested PSU rating is 450 W, with a single 6-pin power connector required.

Q: Which API versions are supported by the FirePro W7000?

A: It supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Q: What is the card's transistor count and die size?

A: The Pitcairn chip contains 2,800 million transistors on a 212 mm² die, manufactured on a 28 nm process.

Who Should Consider It

The benchmark data positions the FirePro W7000 as a capable option for specific professional use cases, particularly those where OpenCL compute performance is prioritized. The 60th percentile ranking and the narrow margins against newer rivals suggest that users running compute-heavy applications at 1080p or 1440p resolutions will find adequate performance for many tasks. The 4 GB VRAM allocation, while not massive by modern standards, handles most professional workloads at these resolutions without immediate memory pressure.

For 4K workloads, the 153.6 GB/s memory bandwidth and 2.432 TFLOPS compute power provide a foundation for basic 4K rendering, though users should temper expectations for complex scenes or multi-layer compositions. The card's 30.40 GPixel/s pixel rate indicates that it is better suited to compute tasks than to high-refresh-rate gaming or pixel-dense rendering. The 1280 shading units and 80 TMUs deliver balanced throughput that excels in simulation, rendering, and scientific computing applications that leverage OpenCL acceleration.

Users working with legacy professional software that relies on OpenGL 4.6 support will find the FirePro W7000 fully compatible, and the Vulkan 1.2.170 support ensures modern compute APIs are accessible. The 4x DisplayPort 1.2 outputs enable multi-monitor setups, which is valuable for professionals who require extensive display real estate for data analysis or design work. However, given the end-of-life production status, this card is best suited for users who need a proven, stable workstation GPU for established workflows rather than those seeking high-end features.

Power and Cooling

The FirePro W7000 carries a TDP of 150 W, which is modest for a professional workstation card of its era. This power draw is managed through a single 6-pin power connector, and the recommended PSU rating is 450 W, allowing integration into a wide range of workstation systems without requiring a high-capacity power supply. The single-slot cooling design measures 242 mm in length (9.5 inches) and 111 mm in height (4.4 inches), making it compatible with most standard workstation chassis while maintaining a slim profile that leaves room for additional expansion cards.

The 150 W TDP is notably efficient for the performance level demonstrated in the benchmark data. The card's thermal design allows it to sustain its 2.432 TFLOPS compute output without excessive heat generation, which is critical for long-running professional workloads. The single-slot form factor means that cooling is achieved through a blower-style design that exhausts heat outside the chassis, a preferred configuration for multi-GPU workstation builds where internal airflow is constrained. The 450 W PSU recommendation provides sufficient headroom for the card's peak power consumption while leaving capacity for other system components such as CPUs, storage drives, and additional peripherals.