AMD Radeon 780M vs NVIDIA Tesla K80 Comparison

The NVIDIA Tesla K80 and AMD Radeon 780M represent two radically different approaches to graphics processing, separated by nearly a decade of architectural evolution. The data reveals a fascinating split: these two GPUs are nearly identical in one legacy benchmark, yet diverge dramatically in another. The Tesla K80, a dual-GPU compute monster from the Kepler era, still holds its own in raw OpenCL compute, while the Radeon 780M, a modern integrated graphics processor, absolutely dominates in Vulkan performance. The benchmark results show a statistical tie in Geekbench OpenCL, with the Tesla K80 scoring 18620 against the Radeon 780M's 18602, a margin of just 0.1%. However, in Geekbench Vulkan, the Radeon 780M posts a score of 33683, which is 43.3% higher than the Tesla K80's 19111, a massive gap that illustrates the generational leap in graphics API efficiency.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head comparison is a study in contrasts. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the NVIDIA Tesla K80 edges out the AMD Radeon 780M by the narrowest possible margin, scoring 18620 versus 18602. This 0.1% difference is essentially a statistical dead heat, indicating that for compute workloads that rely on raw FP32 throughput and memory bandwidth, the older architecture can still compete. The Tesla K80 achieves this with a massive 2496 shading units, 208 texture mapping units, and 48 raster operation pipelines, all running at a modest boost clock of 824 MHz. Its FP32 performance is rated at 4.113 TFLOPS, and it has a dedicated 12 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 240.6 GB/s of bandwidth. These specifications allow the aging card to match a modern integrated GPU in this specific workload, despite its 28 nm process node and 300 W TDP.

The Vulkan benchmark tells a completely different story. The AMD Radeon 780M scores 33683, which is a staggering 76.2% higher than the Tesla K80's 19111. The deltaPct of -43.3% (from the perspective of the Tesla K80) underscores how completely the Radeon 780M outperforms its rival in this modern graphics API. This is where the architectural advantages of RDNA 3.0 become undeniable. The Radeon 780M features 12 dedicated ray tracing cores, support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), and a Vulkan version of 1.4, compared to the Tesla K80's older DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.175. The Radeon 780M also runs at a much higher boost clock of 2900 MHz, which, combined with its 768 shading units, allows it to achieve 8.909 TFLOPS of FP32 performance—more than double the Tesla K80's compute throughput. The pixel rate of 92.80 GPixel/s for the Radeon 780M further emphasizes its advantage in graphics-heavy tasks, outpacing the Tesla K80's 42.85 GPixel/s by a factor of 2.2.

When viewing these results through the lens of their respective nearest rivals, the context becomes even clearer. The Tesla K80's average benchmark score of 18866 places it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, with its closest competitor being the NVIDIA Quadro K6000, which scores 19030 (a delta of -0.9%). The Radeon 780M, with an average score of 17588, sits in the 61st percentile, and its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon Pro 560 at 17551 (a delta of 0.2%). The fact that the Tesla K80 has a higher average score and percentile than the Radeon 780M, despite losing so badly in Vulkan, suggests that the OpenCL result is heavily weighted in the average, or that other workloads favor the older card's raw compute capabilities. The data implies that for compute-intensive tasks using OpenCL, the Tesla K80 remains a viable option, but for any modern graphics or gaming workload, the Radeon 780M is overwhelmingly superior.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla K80 wins by a razor-thin margin, scoring 18620 compared to the AMD Radeon 780M's 18602, a difference of just 0.1%.

Q: How much faster is the AMD Radeon 780M in Vulkan performance?

A: The Radeon 780M scores 33683 in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 43.3% higher than the Tesla K80's score of 19111.

Q: What are the FP32 compute capabilities of each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon 780M delivers 8.909 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which is more than double the NVIDIA Tesla K80's 4.113 TFLOPS.

Q: How do their overall benchmark percentiles compare?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla K80 sits in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs with an average benchmark score of 18866, while the AMD Radeon 780M is in the 61st percentile with an average score of 17588.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla K80 has 2496 shading units, compared to the AMD Radeon 780M's 768 shading units, a difference of 1728 units.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla K80 has 12 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus with 240.6 GB/s bandwidth, while the AMD Radeon 780M uses System Shared memory with bandwidth that is System Dependent.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA Tesla K80 is the clear winner in scenarios that leverage its massive parallel compute resources and dedicated memory pool. Its victory in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark, albeit by a narrow 0.1% margin, indicates that it can hold its own in compute workloads that are not dependent on modern graphics API features. The 12 GB of GDDR5 memory with 240.6 GB/s of bandwidth is a significant advantage for tasks that require large datasets to be resident on the GPU, such as scientific computing, data analysis, or machine learning inference. The Tesla K80's 2496 shading units and 208 texture mapping units provide substantial raw throughput for parallel processing tasks. Additionally, its 48 ROPs and 42.85 GPixel/s pixel rate suggest it can handle certain rendering tasks, though not with the efficiency of newer architectures. The dual-slot design with a 1x 8-pin power connector and 300 W TDP indicates it was designed for server racks or high-end workstations where power is not a primary concern.

The AMD Radeon 780M wins decisively in any scenario that involves modern graphics APIs, particularly Vulkan. Its 43.3% lead in the Geekbench Vulkan benchmark reflects the efficiency of the RDNA 3.0 architecture and its support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4. The 12 ray tracing cores make it suitable for games that use hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a feature the Tesla K80 lacks entirely. The Radeon 780M's higher clock speeds—800 MHz base and 2900 MHz boost—combined with its 8.909 TFLOPS FP32 performance, make it far more responsive for real-time graphics. Its 92.80 GPixel/s pixel rate is more than double that of the Tesla K80, which translates to better fill rates in gaming and graphical applications. As an IGP with a 15 W TDP, it is also the only viable option for thin-and-light laptops or compact desktops where power consumption and physical space are at a premium. The Radeon 780M's status as an integrated processor means it shares system memory, which is a limitation for bandwidth but a benefit for cost and simplicity.

Specification Differences

The specification sheet reveals a generational chasm between these two products. The NVIDIA Tesla K80 is built on a 28 nm process node at TSMC, using the GK210 chip with the Kepler 2.0 architecture. In contrast, the AMD Radeon 780M uses a 4 nm process node at the same foundry, with the Phoenix chip and RDNA 3.0 architecture. The transistor counts are drastically different: the Tesla K80 packs 7,100 million transistors on a 561 mm² die, yielding a density of 12.7M transistors per mm², while the Radeon 780M integrates 25,390 million transistors on a much smaller 178 mm² die, resulting in a density of 142.6M transistors per mm². This 11.2x difference in transistor density highlights the miniaturization advances over the decade between releases.

Clock speeds are another major differentiator. The Tesla K80 runs at a 562 MHz base clock with an 824 MHz boost, while the Radeon 780M operates at 800 MHz base and a 2900 MHz boost—a 3.5x higher boost clock. Memory configurations are fundamentally different: the Tesla K80 has a dedicated 12 GB of GDDR5 with a 384-bit bus and 240.6 GB/s bandwidth, whereas the Radeon 780M relies on System Shared memory with a System Dependent bandwidth. The power profiles are extreme opposites: the Tesla K80 draws 300 W TDP with a dual-slot cooler and a 1x 8-pin power connector, while the Radeon 780M sips just 15 W and is an IGP with no power connectors. The bus interface also differs, with the Tesla K80 using PCIe 3.0 x16 and the Radeon 780M using PCIe 4.0 x8.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between Kepler 2.0 and RDNA 3.0 is stark. The NVIDIA Tesla K80's Kepler architecture is a compute-first design from 2014, with no support for hardware ray tracing or tensor cores. Its API support is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.175, which explains its poor performance in modern Vulkan workloads. The Tesla K80 has 2496 shading units, 208 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, but these are organized in a way that prioritizes FP32 compute over graphics features. It has no RT cores and no FP16 support listed, making it less flexible for mixed-precision workloads.

The AMD Radeon 780M's RDNA 3.0 architecture is a modern graphics-first design that includes 12 dedicated ray tracing cores, enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a feature entirely absent from the Tesla K80. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, providing access to the latest graphics features. The Radeon 780M has 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, but its higher clocks—2900 MHz boost versus 824 MHz—allow it to achieve 8.909 TFLOPS FP32, more than double the Tesla K80's 4.113 TFLOPS. The Radeon 780M also has FP16 performance rated at 8.909 TFLOPS (1:1), which the Tesla K80 lacks. The transistor density difference—142.6M / mm² versus 12.7M / mm²—reflects the shift to a 4 nm process, enabling more features and higher clock speeds in a smaller footprint. The Radeon 780M's 92.80 GPixel/s pixel rate and 139.2 GTexel/s texture rate further demonstrate its architectural efficiency, with the pixel rate being 2.2x higher than the Tesla K80's 42.85 GPixel/s.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture for different use cases. The NVIDIA Tesla K80 is the choice for compute workloads that benefit from its 12 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory and 240.6 GB/s bandwidth, particularly in OpenCL environments where it matched the Radeon 780M with a 0.1% margin. Its 63rd percentile ranking and average score of 18866, which is 7.3% higher than the Radeon 780M's 17588, suggest that in aggregate compute performance, the older card still holds an edge. The Tesla K80's 2496 shading units and 208 TMUs provide substantial parallel processing capability, making it suitable for tasks like scientific simulation or data processing where memory capacity is critical. However, its 300 W TDP and dual-slot form factor limit it to desktop workstations or servers.

The AMD Radeon 780M is the definitive winner for modern graphics and gaming. Its 43.3% lead in Geekbench Vulkan is a decisive advantage that cannot be overlooked. The 12 RT cores, DirectX 12 Ultimate support, and Vulkan 1.4 compatibility make it future-proof for upcoming titles. The 8.909 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 92.80 GPixel/s pixel rate ensure smooth frame rates in demanding scenarios. As an IGP with a 15 W TDP, it is also incredibly power-efficient and requires no additional power connectors, making it ideal for laptops or mini-PCs. The Radeon 780M's active production status, compared to the Tesla K80's end-of-life status, means it will continue to receive driver optimizations and support. For anyone building a new system or upgrading an existing one for gaming or general graphics work, the Radeon 780M is the rational choice. The Tesla K80 remains a niche product for legacy compute tasks, but the benchmark results indicate that its era has passed.