AMD Radeon 740M vs NVIDIA Tesla K20c Comparison

The NVIDIA Tesla K20c and AMD Radeon 740M occupy different corners of the GPU world: one is a legacy compute accelerator, the other a modern integrated graphics processor. Benchmark data shows a clear split in capabilities. In the single shared test, Geekbench OpenCL, the Tesla K20c scores 11,479 against the Radeon 740M’s 10,172, a 12.8% advantage for the NVIDIA card. However, the Radeon 740M’s average benchmark score across all tests is 12,870, boosted by a strong Vulkan result of 15,568, while the Tesla only has the one OpenCL score. This puts the AMD part in the 53rd percentile of all GPUs, two points higher than the Tesla’s 51st, indicating that the newer chip holds its own despite losing the specific OpenCL matchup.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is Geekbench OpenCL, and it favors the NVIDIA Tesla K20c decisively. The Tesla scores 11,479, while the Radeon 740M manages 10,172, giving the NVIDIA part a 12.8% lead. This is a substantial margin for a compute-oriented workload, reflecting the Tesla’s dedicated design for parallel processing. The Radeon 740M’s Vulkan score of 15,568, however, shows it excels in a different API environment, outperforming its own OpenCL result by over 53%. Since there is no Vulkan score for the Tesla, the data suggests the AMD part is better suited for modern graphics APIs, while the NVIDIA card remains competitive in legacy compute benchmarks.

Looking at rival comparisons, the Tesla K20c sits within 1.9% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M (11,261) and 0.4% of the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M (11,528), indicating that its performance is closely matched to those mid-range parts. The Radeon 740M, by contrast, is nearly tied with the AMD Radeon RX 580 (12,928), trailing by only 0.4%, and leads the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 (12,830) by 0.3%. These deltas show that the Radeon 740M’s average performance is competitive with discrete GPUs from earlier generations, while the Tesla’s single-score profile places it in a similar tier but with less versatility.

The wins tally is 1-0 in favor of the Tesla K20c based on the head-to-head benchmark, but that metric is misleading. The Radeon 740M has two benchmark entries, and its higher average score across both tests (12,870) versus the Tesla’s lone 11,479 indicates that the AMD part delivers more consistent performance across different workloads. The data does not support the Tesla as the overall winner; rather, it wins the specific OpenCL test, while the Radeon wins the broader performance picture.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is generational. The NVIDIA Tesla K20c uses the GK110 chip on the Kepler architecture, built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 7,080 million transistors into a 561 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.6 million per square millimeter. In contrast, the AMD Radeon 740M uses the Phoenix2 chip on RDNA 3.0, fabricated on a 4 nm process, also at TSMC. This chip contains 20,900 million transistors on a much smaller 137 mm² die, achieving a density of 152.6 million per square millimeter—over 12 times higher. The manufacturing advantage is stark: the Radeon fits nearly three times more transistors into less than a quarter of the silicon area.

Core configurations differ wildly. The Tesla K20c has 2,496 shading units, 208 texture mapping units, and 40 ROPs. The Radeon 740M has just 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, and 8 ROPs. Despite having only about 10% of the shading units, the Radeon reaches 2.867 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the Tesla achieves 3.524 TFLOPS. The higher clock speeds on the Radeon—boost up to 2800 MHz versus no listed boost for the Tesla—help close the gap. The Radeon also supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio (2.867 TFLOPS), a feature the Tesla lacks entirely, making the AMD part more flexible for mixed-precision workloads.

Memory systems are fundamentally different. The Tesla K20c has 5 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 320-bit bus, delivering 208.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon 740M uses system shared memory, with bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This means the AMD part’s performance scales with the host system’s RAM, while the Tesla has fixed, dedicated bandwidth. The Tesla’s memory clock is 1300 MHz (5.2 Gbps effective), while the Radeon’s memory clock is simply "System Shared." In terms of features, the Radeon 740M includes 4 ray tracing cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the Tesla only reaches DirectX 12 (11_0). The Radeon also supports Vulkan 1.4 versus the Tesla’s 1.2.175, and runs on PCIe 4.0 x8 versus the Tesla’s PCIe 2.0 x16.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in OpenCL?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla K20c scores 11,479 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 12.8% higher than the AMD Radeon 740M’s 10,172. This is the only direct benchmark comparison between the two.

Q: Does the Radeon 740M outperform the Tesla K20c in any test?

A: Yes. The Radeon 740M achieves a Geekbench Vulkan score of 15,568, which is significantly higher than its own OpenCL score and higher than the Tesla’s OpenCL result. The Tesla has no Vulkan score listed, so the AMD part wins in that API.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each GPU?

A: The Tesla K20c has an average benchmark score of 11,479, based on its single OpenCL result. The Radeon 740M has an average of 12,870 across its OpenCL and Vulkan scores, placing it in the 53rd percentile versus the Tesla’s 51st.

Q: How do these GPUs compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The Tesla K20c is within 1.9% of the GeForce GTX 780M and 0.4% of the Radeon Pro 5500M. The Radeon 740M trails the Radeon RX 580 by 0.4% and leads the GeForce GTX 590 by 0.3%, showing it trades blows with older discrete cards.

Q: What are the power requirements for each?

A: The Tesla K20c has a 225 W TDP, requires a 550 W suggested PSU, and uses 1x 6-pin plus 1x 8-pin power connectors. The Radeon 740M has a 45 W TDP, needs no power connectors, and has no suggested PSU listed, since it is an integrated GPU.

Q: Which GPU has better API support?

A: The Radeon 740M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the Tesla K20c supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175. The AMD part is more modern in this regard, though both support OpenGL 4.6.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear choice based on use case. The NVIDIA Tesla K20c is a compute-oriented accelerator with a 12.8% lead in OpenCL, making it the better option for legacy compute workloads that rely on that API. It also has dedicated memory with 208.0 GB/s bandwidth, ensuring consistent performance without depending on system RAM. However, it is end-of-life, has no display outputs, and draws 225 W, requiring a dual-slot cooler and external power. The AMD Radeon 740M, by contrast, is an active, integrated GPU with a 45 W TDP, no power connectors, and motherboard-dependent outputs. Its average benchmark score is 12.1% higher than the Tesla’s, driven by a Vulkan score that the NVIDIA card cannot match. For general graphics, modern API support, and energy efficiency, the Radeon 740M is the superior choice. For raw OpenCL compute in a workstation setting, the Tesla K20c still holds an edge, but its age and power draw make it a niche pick.

Specification Differences

• Process Node: NVIDIA Tesla K20c uses 28 nm; AMD Radeon 740M uses 4 nm.
• Transistors: Tesla K20c has 7,080 million; Radeon 740M has 20,900 million.
• Die Size: Tesla K20c is 561 mm²; Radeon 740M is 137 mm².
• Transistor Density: Tesla K20c has 12.6M / mm²; Radeon 740M has 152.6M / mm².
• Base Clock: Tesla K20c has none listed; Radeon 740M has 800 MHz.
• Boost Clock: Tesla K20c has none listed; Radeon 740M has 2800 MHz.
• Memory Size: Tesla K20c has 5 GB GDDR5; Radeon 740M uses System Shared.
• Memory Bus Width: Tesla K20c has 320 bit; Radeon 740M is System Shared.
• Memory Bandwidth: Tesla K20c has 208.0 GB/s; Radeon 740M is System Dependent.
• Shading Units: Tesla K20c has 2496; Radeon 740M has 256.
• TMUs: Tesla K20c has 208; Radeon 740M has 16.
• ROPs: Tesla K20c has 40; Radeon 740M has 8.
• RT Cores: Tesla K20c has none; Radeon 740M has 4.
• Pixel Rate: Tesla K20c is 36.71 GPixel/s; Radeon 740M is 22.40 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: Tesla K20c is 146.8 GTexel/s; Radeon 740M is 44.80 GTexel/s.
• FP32 Performance: Tesla K20c is 3.524 TFLOPS; Radeon 740M is 2.867 TFLOPS.
• FP16 Performance: Tesla K20c has none; Radeon 740M is 2.867 TFLOPS (1:1).
• TDP: Tesla K20c is 225 W; Radeon 740M is 45 W.
• Slot Width: Tesla K20c is Dual-slot; Radeon 740M is IGP.
• Power Connectors: Tesla K20c uses 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin; Radeon 740M has None.
• Suggested PSU: Tesla K20c is 550 W; Radeon 740M has none listed.
• Bus Interface: Tesla K20c is PCIe 2.0 x16; Radeon 740M is PCIe 4.0 x8.
• Display Outputs: Tesla K20c has No outputs; Radeon 740M is Motherboard Dependent.
• DirectX Support: Tesla K20c is 12 (11_0); Radeon 740M is 12 Ultimate (12_2).
• Vulkan Support: Tesla K20c is 1.2.175; Radeon 740M is 1.4.
• Production Status: Tesla K20c is End-of-life; Radeon 740M is Active.
• Release Date: Tesla K20c is 2012-11-11; Radeon 740M is 2024-01-30.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA Tesla K20c wins in OpenCL compute workloads, specifically Geekbench OpenCL, where its 11,479 score beats the Radeon 740M’s 10,172 by 12.8%. It also has higher pixel rate (36.71 GPixel/s vs 22.40), higher texture rate (146.8 GTexel/s vs 44.80), and higher FP32 throughput (3.524 TFLOPS vs 2.867). Its dedicated 5 GB GDDR5 memory with 208.0 GB/s bandwidth gives it an edge in scenarios where system memory bandwidth is a bottleneck. For legacy compute tasks, scientific simulations, or any workload that relies on OpenCL, the Tesla is the stronger performer.

The AMD Radeon 740M wins in overall average benchmark score, with 12,870 versus the Tesla’s 11,479, thanks to its Vulkan score of 15,568. It has ray tracing cores, supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, and offers FP16 performance at 2.867 TFLOPS, none of which the Tesla can match. Its lower TDP (45 W vs 225 W), lack of power connectors, and integrated form factor make it the only choice for thin-and-light laptops or low-power systems. It also has a higher transistor density (152.6M / mm² vs 12.6M), a newer 4 nm process, and a much smaller die (137 mm² vs 561 mm²), making it far more efficient per square millimeter. For modern gaming, Vulkan-based applications, and any workload that benefits from ray tracing, the Radeon 740M is the clear winner. The data also shows it is competitive with discrete GPUs like the Radeon RX 580, while the Tesla’s performance is more aligned with older mid-range parts.