AMD Radeon Pro W5700

The AMD Radeon Pro W5700 is a professional workstation graphics card built on the 7 nm Navi 10 chip, utilizing the RDNA 1.0 architecture. It offers 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, and its benchmark data places it squarely in the mid-range tier of the current GPU landscape, with a percentile rank of 67 among all GPUs.

Benchmark Performance

The Radeon Pro W5700's average benchmark score of 24131 positions it in a tightly contested performance bracket. The data shows a near-dead heat with its closest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630, which scores 24233; the W5700 trails by a marginal -0.4%, a difference well within run-to-run variance. This effectively means the two cards are performance equals in general compute and graphics workloads, despite their vastly different market positioning.

Against the AMD Radeon RX 6800S, the W5700 holds a slight edge, posting a score 0.7% higher than the rival's 23964. This is a narrow victory, but it illustrates that the workstation card can hold its own against a newer mobile gaming part in raw aggregate benchmarks. The margin is small enough to be considered negligible in real-world terms, yet it statistically favors the W5700.

The picture changes slightly when comparing to the AMD FirePro W8000, which achieves an average score of 24518. Here, the W5700 is 1.6% behind, a deficit that is more consistent but still modest. Similarly, against the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000, which also scores 24519, the W5700 trails by the same 1.6%. This indicates that while the W5700 is competitive, it sits at the lower edge of this performance cluster, with the older FirePro and the professional Quadro part holding a slight but measurable advantage.

Delving into specific API tests, the W5700's strengths and weaknesses become apparent. In Geekbench Metal, the card achieves an impressive 82327, showcasing robust performance in Apple's graphics API. Its OpenCL score of 69718 is also strong, while the Vulkan result of 66881 is slightly lower but still solid. These results suggest the card is well-optimized for compute-heavy professional workloads. In Passmark tests, the card scores 14520 in G3D, but its DirectX 12 score is notably low at 54, indicating that its performance in this modern gaming API is not a primary focus. The DirectX 11 score of 104 and DirectX 10 score of 88 are also modest, while the legacy DirectX 9 score of 225 is comparatively higher, and the G2D score of 899 points to solid 2D desktop performance.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Radeon Pro W5700 does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as it is built on the RDNA 1.0 architecture, which predates AMD's hardware-accelerated ray tracing implementation. Consequently, the card has no specific ray tracing acceleration hardware, and its ray tracing capabilities are limited to software-based approaches, if any are supported by the application. For workloads requiring dedicated tensor core acceleration, such as certain AI inference tasks, this card is not equipped.

In terms of API support, the card is modern and versatile. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1), which is the latest version of Microsoft's graphics API, along with OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4. This comprehensive API coverage ensures compatibility with a wide range of professional and creative software. The display output configuration includes five mini-DisplayPort 1.4a connectors and one USB Type-C port, providing extensive multi-monitor support. The card is a dual-slot design, requiring a 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin power connector, with a suggested power supply of 550 W.

Who Should Consider It

Given its benchmark profile, the Radeon Pro W5700 is best suited for professionals whose workloads favor compute performance over gaming-specific features. The strong Geekbench Metal and OpenCL scores suggest it is a capable choice for tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific computing that leverage these APIs. The 8 GB of GDDR6 memory is sufficient for moderate-sized datasets and textures, though not for the most demanding 4K texture-heavy projects.

For users working primarily in DirectX 12 applications, the data indicates this is not the optimal card, given its low score of 54 in that specific test. However, for those using OpenGL or Vulkan-based software, the W5700 provides a more balanced experience. The card is also a viable option for multi-display professional setups, thanks to its five mini-DisplayPort outputs.

In terms of resolution and settings, the benchmark results imply the card is suitable for 1080p and perhaps 1440p professional work in non-DirectX 12 titles. It is not designed for high-refresh-rate 4K gaming or demanding DirectX 12 game engines. The W5700 is an end-of-life product, released in November 2019, so it is a legacy option for those seeking a workstation card with solid compute fundamentals rather than cutting-edge gaming performance.

FAQ

Q: How does the Radeon Pro W5700 compare to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630?

A: The two cards are effectively tied in average benchmark score. The GTX 1630 scores 24233, while the W5700 scores 24131, resulting in a negligible 0.4% difference in favor of the GTX 1630.

Q: Does the Radeon Pro W5700 support hardware ray tracing?

A: No. The card is based on the RDNA 1.0 architecture and has no dedicated ray tracing cores, so it does not offer hardware-accelerated ray tracing.

Q: What is the memory configuration of the Radeon Pro W5700?

A: It features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 256-bit bus width, providing a memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Radeon Pro W5700?

A: The launch MSRP is 799 USD.

Q: Which APIs are supported by the Radeon Pro W5700?

A: The card supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: Is the Radeon Pro W5700 still in production?

A: No, the production status is listed as end-of-life, and its release date was November 18, 2019.

How It Compares

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630: The W5700 and GTX 1630 are benchmark twins. The GTX 1630 averages 24233, just 0.4% higher than the W5700's 24131. This is a statistical tie, meaning for general compute tasks, neither card offers a meaningful performance advantage over the other, despite their different architectures and target markets.

AMD Radeon RX 6800S: The W5700 edges out this mobile gaming GPU by a 0.7% margin in average score (24131 vs 23964). The victory is slim, but it demonstrates that the older workstation card can slightly outperform a much newer, power-efficient mobile part in aggregate benchmarks, likely due to its higher sustained clock speeds and dedicated workstation drivers.

AMD FirePro W8000: The older FirePro W8000 holds a 1.6% lead over the W5700, with an average score of 24518. This result is surprising given the generational gap, but it indicates that the FirePro's architecture is exceptionally well-optimized for certain professional compute workloads, allowing it to remain competitive against the newer Navi-based card.

NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000: The Quadro RTX 5000 also outscores the W5700 by 1.6%, averaging 24519. While the performance difference is small, the Quadro RTX 5000 includes dedicated ray tracing and tensor cores, which the W5700 lacks. This makes the Quadro a more feature-rich option for professionals needing those specific hardware accelerations, though the raw compute performance is nearly identical.