AMD Radeon Pro W5700X vs NVIDIA Tesla M40 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clear, though not overwhelming, victory for the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X across the two shared benchmark tests. In the geekbench_opencl test, the AMD card scores 43,810 against the NVIDIA Tesla M40's 39,192, a lead of 11.8%. This is the more substantial win of the two, indicating a significant advantage in general-purpose compute workloads that rely on OpenCL. The margin is enough to place the W5700X firmly ahead, and it aligns with the average benchmark score difference: the AMD card averages 54,828 across all its recorded tests, while the Tesla M40 averages 41,897.

The second shared test, geekbench_vulkan, is much closer. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 45,246, while the NVIDIA Tesla M40 scores 44,602, a narrow delta of just 1.4%. This suggests that in Vulkan-based workloads, the two cards perform at a nearly equivalent level, with the AMD card holding only a slight edge. Despite the small margin, the AMD card still claims the win, giving it a 2-0 record in head-to-head comparisons. The Tesla M40 fails to secure a single victory in these tests.

Interpreting the broader context, the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X sits in the 87th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the Tesla M40 sits in the 83rd percentile. This 4-point gap in percentile ranking reflects the average score difference. The AMD card's nearest rivals, such as the AMD Radeon 8060S, are only 1.7% ahead, indicating that the W5700X is competitive with much newer hardware. The Tesla M40's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA Tesla M40 24 GB, which is only 0.5% behind, showing that the 12 GB version is nearly identical in performance to its higher-capacity sibling. The data indicates that while the Tesla M40 is not a weak performer, it is clearly outclassed by the W5700X in raw compute throughput, especially in OpenCL.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X has an average benchmark score of 54,828, which is significantly higher than the NVIDIA Tesla M40's average of 41,897.

Q: How much faster is the AMD card in OpenCL?

A: In the geekbench_opencl test, the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 43,810 compared to the Tesla M40's 39,192, making it 11.8% faster.

Q: Is the NVIDIA Tesla M40 competitive in Vulkan?

A: Yes, the Tesla M40 scores 44,602 in geekbench_vulkan, which is only 1.4% behind the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X's 45,246. The margin is very small.

Q: Do both cards support the same DirectX version?

A: Yes, both the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X and the NVIDIA Tesla M40 support DirectX 12 (12_1) and OpenGL 4.6.

Q: Which card has a higher percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is in the 87th percentile, while the NVIDIA Tesla M40 is in the 83rd percentile.

Q: Does the Tesla M40 have a higher transistor count than the W5700X?

A: No, the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X has 10,300 million transistors, while the NVIDIA Tesla M40 has 8,000 million.

Architecture Differences

The two cards represent fundamentally different eras of GPU design. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is built on the Navi 10 chip using the RDNA 1.0 architecture, fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC. This allows for a die size of 251 mm² and a transistor density of 41.0 million per mm². In contrast, the NVIDIA Tesla M40 uses the GM200 chip with the Maxwell 2.0 architecture, built on a much older 28 nm process, also at TSMC. This results in a larger die size of 601 mm² but a much lower transistor density of 13.3 million per mm².

The memory subsystems are also different. The W5700X uses 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Tesla M40 uses 12 GB of GDDR5 memory on a wider 384-bit bus, but its bandwidth is lower at 288.4 GB/s. The newer memory technology and higher clock speed of the W5700X's memory (1750 MHz, 14 Gbps effective) versus the M40's (1502 MHz, 6 Gbps effective) explain the bandwidth advantage.

Compute resources differ in configuration. The W5700X has 2,560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 raster output units. The Tesla M40 has more shading units at 3,072, along with 192 TMUs and 96 ROPs. Despite having fewer units, the W5700X achieves higher pixel and texture rates: 130.6 GPixel/s and 326.4 GTexel/s, versus the M40's 106.8 GPixel/s and 213.5 GTexel/s. This is due to the much higher boost clock of the W5700X at 2040 MHz versus the M40's 1112 MHz.

The W5700X also supports FP16 compute at 20.89 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), while the Tesla M40 has no recorded FP16 capability. The FP32 performance of the W5700X is 10.44 TFLOPS, compared to the M40's 6.832 TFLOPS. Neither card features ray tracing cores or tensor cores.

Specification Differences

The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X and NVIDIA Tesla M40 differ across nearly every major specification category. The W5700X has a process node of 7 nm, while the M40 uses 28 nm. The transistor count is 10,300 million for AMD versus 8,000 million for NVIDIA. The die size is 251 mm² for AMD versus 601 mm² for NVIDIA.

Clock speeds differ significantly: the W5700X has a base clock of 1243 MHz and a boost clock of 2040 MHz, while the M40 has a base clock of 948 MHz and a boost clock of 1112 MHz. Memory configurations are different: 16 GB GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus for AMD versus 12 GB GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus for NVIDIA. Memory bandwidth is 448.0 GB/s versus 288.4 GB/s.

Compute unit counts vary: 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs for AMD versus 3,072 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 96 ROPs for NVIDIA. Pixel rate is 130.6 GPixel/s versus 106.8 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 326.4 GTexel/s versus 213.5 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 10.44 TFLOPS versus 6.832 TFLOPS. The W5700X has FP16 performance of 20.89 TFLOPS, while the M40 has none recorded.

Power and physical specifications also differ. The W5700X has a TDP of 205 W and a suggested PSU of 550 W, while the M40 has a TDP of 250 W and a suggested PSU of 600 W. The W5700X is a quad-slot card with an Apple MPX bus interface, while the M40 is a dual-slot card with a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface. The W5700X has display outputs (1x HDMI 2.0b and 4x Thunderbolt), while the M40 has no outputs. The W5700X is 305 mm long, while the M40 is 267 mm long. The W5700X uses no listed power connectors, while the M40 uses an 8-pin EPS connector.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is the clear winner in compute-heavy applications, particularly those that leverage OpenCL. Its 11.8% lead in geekbench_opencl demonstrates a solid advantage in tasks like rendering, simulation, and data processing that utilize this API. The card also has a substantial edge in raw FP32 throughput, with 10.44 TFLOPS versus 6.832 TFLOPS, making it better suited for scientific computing and machine learning inference workloads that rely on single-precision math. Its support for FP16 at 20.89 TFLOPS gives it an additional edge in workloads that can use reduced precision, such as certain AI applications and image processing pipelines.

The NVIDIA Tesla M40, despite losing both head-to-head tests, has its own niche. Its Vulkan score of 44,602 is only 1.4% behind the W5700X, meaning for Vulkan-based gaming or compute workloads, the difference is negligible. The M40 also has more shading units (3,072 versus 2,560) and more ROPs (96 versus 64), which could theoretically benefit certain rasterization-heavy tasks, though the recorded benchmarks do not show this translating into a win. The M40's dual-slot form factor and PCIe 3.0 x16 interface make it easier to install in standard PC cases, whereas the W5700X requires the Apple MPX interface, limiting its compatibility to specific Apple systems.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the AMD Radeon Pro W5700X is the superior performer. It wins both head-to-head benchmarks, has a higher average score (54,828 versus 41,897), and sits in a higher percentile (87th versus 83rd). Its advantages in memory bandwidth, clock speed, and FP32/FP16 compute make it the better choice for anyone prioritizing raw compute performance, especially in OpenCL-based workflows.

The NVIDIA Tesla M40 is a viable option for Vulkan-specific workloads, where the performance gap is minimal. It also offers a more conventional form factor and bus interface, which may be a practical consideration for system integration. However, its older architecture, lower memory bandwidth, and lack of FP16 support put it at a clear disadvantage in most compute scenarios.

For users who need maximum performance across a range of compute APIs, the W5700X is the obvious pick. For those working in Vulkan-only environments or requiring a standard PCIe card with no display outputs, the Tesla M40 remains a competent, if older, choice. The data does not support any scenario where the M40 outperforms the W5700X overall, but its narrow Vulkan margin shows it is not obsolete.