AMD Radeon R9 370X vs NVIDIA Tesla K40c Comparison

The NVIDIA Tesla K40c and AMD Radeon R9 370X occupy very different corners of the GPU landscape, despite both being 28 nm designs from the same foundry. The Tesla K40c is a compute-oriented accelerator with no display outputs, aimed at scientific and professional workloads, while the Radeon R9 370X is a consumer graphics card with full display connectivity. Their recorded benchmark data shows a clear split: the AMD card dominates the single OpenCL test they share, while the NVIDIA card sits in a higher performance percentile overall. This analysis breaks down what each card does best, where the data places them relative to their peers, and who should choose which based solely on the numbers.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon R9 370X wins the only direct head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database. In Geekbench OpenCL, the R9 370X scores 25,893, while the Tesla K40c scores 17,468. That is a 32.5% advantage for the AMD card, a substantial margin in raw compute throughput. The R9 370X also offers three separate benchmark results across different APIs: OpenCL at 25,893, Metal at 12,676, and Vulkan at 9,018. This breadth of API support means it can be evaluated across multiple software environments, and its OpenCL score is its strongest showing.

The Tesla K40c, by contrast, has only a single recorded benchmark result: Geekbench OpenCL at 17,468. That score places it in the 61st percentile among all GPUs in the database, which is higher than the R9 370X’s 58th percentile. So while the Tesla loses the direct comparison, its overall standing relative to the entire GPU field is slightly better. The K40c’s nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Radeon Pro 460 (average score 17,509, a 0.2% difference), the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (17,551, 0.5% ahead), the AMD Radeon 780M (17,588, 0.7% ahead), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (17,639, 1% ahead). These are all very close scores, meaning the K40c sits in a tight cluster where small performance differences separate cards. The data shows the K40c is competitive with modern integrated and entry-level discrete GPUs, despite its age.

The R9 370X’s nearest rivals tell a different story. Its average benchmark score across all tests is 15,862, which is lower than its OpenCL score because the Metal and Vulkan results drag the average down. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (average 15,852, a 0.1% difference), the AMD Radeon RX 9060 (16,014, 1% ahead), the AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (15,679, 1.2% behind), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16,129, 1.7% ahead). This places the R9 370X in a cluster of much newer cards, though it trails most of them slightly. The R9 370X’s OpenCL score is its clear strength, while its Vulkan and Metal numbers are far lower, indicating that its compute performance is inconsistent across APIs.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward verdict for most users. If the workload is OpenCL-based and the choice is strictly between these two cards, the AMD Radeon R9 370X is the stronger performer. Its 25,893 OpenCL score beats the Tesla K40c’s 17,468 by 32.5%, a decisive margin that cannot be ignored. The R9 370X also has the advantage of being a consumer card with display outputs, so it can be used in a standard desktop system without additional hardware. Its 2 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256-bit bus are modest by modern standards, but for the recorded benchmark, it delivers.

The Tesla K40c, however, is not without merit. Its 61st percentile ranking versus the R9 370X’s 58th percentile shows that, across the entire database, the K40c holds a slightly better position. The K40c also offers 12 GB of GDDR5 memory, a 384-bit bus, and 288.4 GB/s of bandwidth, all of which are far larger than the R9 370X’s 2 GB, 256-bit bus, and 179.2 GB/s. For workloads that require large memory capacity rather than raw compute speed, the K40c is the better fit. Its memory subsystem is substantially more capable, and its 48 ROPs and 240 TMUs exceed the R9 370X’s 32 ROPs and 80 TMUs, which can matter for certain rendering tasks.

Who should pick which? A user running OpenCL compute workloads that fit within 2 GB of memory should choose the R9 370X, as its benchmark score is significantly higher. A user who needs large memory capacity, such as for datasets exceeding 2 GB, or who values the higher overall percentile ranking, should choose the Tesla K40c. The K40c also has a much higher launch MSRP of 7,699 USD, reflecting its professional positioning, while the R9 370X launched at 199 USD. But the database does not assess value, so the choice must rest on performance and features alone.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison in the database is Geekbench OpenCL. The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 25,893, and the NVIDIA Tesla K40c scores 17,468. The delta is 32.5% in favor of the AMD card. This is a large gap, and it defines the head-to-head narrative. The R9 370X achieves this score with 1,280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, running at a base clock of 980 MHz and a boost clock of 1,030 MHz. Its FP32 throughput is 2.637 TFLOPS. The Tesla K40c, with 2,880 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, runs at a base clock of 745 MHz and a boost clock of 876 MHz, delivering 5.046 TFLOPS of FP32. Yet despite having nearly double the shading units and almost double the FP32 throughput, the K40c scores far lower in this specific OpenCL test.

The reason likely lies in the different architectures and driver optimizations, but the database does not provide per-test breakdowns beyond the scores. The K40c’s higher theoretical compute (5.046 TFLOPS versus 2.637 TFLOPS) does not translate to a higher OpenCL score, which suggests that the R9 370X’s GCN 1.0 architecture is more efficient at executing the specific OpenCL workload used in this benchmark. The R9 370X also has a higher transistor density (13.2M per mm² versus 12.6M per mm²), though its total transistor count is much lower at 2,800 million versus 7,080 million.

Looking at the nearest rivals for context, the K40c’s OpenCL score of 17,468 is only 0.2% behind the AMD Radeon Pro 460, 0.5% behind the Pro 560, 0.7% behind the Radeon 780M, and 1% behind the GeForce RTX 4060. These are all much newer products, so the K40c is remarkably close to them in this test. The R9 370X’s OpenCL score of 25,893 is not directly compared to its nearest rivals in the head-to-head, but its average score of 15,862 places it near the RX 7700, RX 9060, Pro W5500, and RTX 3060 Ti. The R9 370X’s OpenCL result is far above its average, while its Metal score of 12,676 and Vulkan score of 9,018 are much lower, pulling the average down.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher OpenCL benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 25,893 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the NVIDIA Tesla K40c scores 17,468. The AMD card leads by 32.5%.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in overall percentile ranking?

A: The Tesla K40c is in the 61st percentile among all GPUs, while the Radeon R9 370X is in the 58th percentile. The K40c has a slightly better overall standing.

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

A: The Tesla K40c has an average benchmark score of 17,468 (based on its single OpenCL result). The Radeon R9 370X has an average score of 15,862 across its OpenCL, Metal, and Vulkan results.

Q: Which card has more memory and bandwidth?

A: The Tesla K40c has 12 GB of GDDR5 memory with a 384-bit bus and 288.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Radeon R9 370X has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory with a 256-bit bus and 179.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each card in the database?

A: For the Tesla K40c, the nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon Pro 460 (0.2% difference), AMD Radeon Pro 560 (0.5%), AMD Radeon 780M (0.7%), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (1%). For the Radeon R9 370X, the nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (0.1%), AMD Radeon RX 9060 (1%), AMD Radeon Pro W5500 (1.2%), and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (1.7%).

Q: Which card supports more graphics APIs?

A: The Radeon R9 370X has recorded benchmark results for OpenCL, Metal, and Vulkan. The Tesla K40c has only a recorded OpenCL result, though both cards list DirectX 12 support (the K40c at 11_0 and the R9 370X at 11_1) and OpenGL 4.6.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations. The NVIDIA Tesla K40c is built on the Kepler architecture, using the GK180 chip, and belongs to the Tesla Kepler (Kxx) generation. The AMD Radeon R9 370X uses the GCN 1.0 architecture, based on the Trinidad chip, and is part of the Pirate Islands (R9 300) generation. Both are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the K40c has a much larger die at 561 mm², while the R9 370X has a die of 212 mm². The transistor counts differ accordingly: the K40c has 7,080 million transistors, while the R9 370X has 2,800 million. The transistor density is slightly higher on the R9 370X at 13.2M per mm², versus 12.6M per mm² for the K40c.

Memory configurations diverge sharply. The K40c offers 12 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus, producing 288.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The R9 370X offers 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, producing 179.2 GB/s. The K40c’s memory clock is 1,502 MHz (6 Gbps effective), while the R9 370X runs at 1,400 MHz (5.6 Gbps effective). The K40c’s larger memory pool and wider bus make it suited for capacity-heavy tasks, while the R9 370X’s smaller memory is a limiting factor for modern workloads.

Compute resources also differ. The K40c has 2,880 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 52.56 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 210.2 GTexel/s. Its FP32 throughput is 5.046 TFLOPS. The R9 370X has 1,280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, with a pixel rate of 32.96 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 82.40 GTexel/s. Its FP32 throughput is 2.637 TFLOPS. The K40c’s higher theoretical numbers are notable, but the benchmark data shows they do not guarantee higher real-world OpenCL performance.

Power and physical specifications also differ. The K40c has a TDP of 245 W, requires a 550 W suggested PSU, and uses a 1x 6-pin plus 1x 8-pin power connector. It is dual-slot and measures 267 mm (10.5 inches) in length. The R9 370X has a TDP of 180 W, a 450 W suggested PSU, and uses 2x 6-pin connectors. It is also dual-slot but shorter at 221 mm (8.7 inches) and includes a height of 111 mm (4.4 inches). The K40c has no display outputs, while the R9 370X offers 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2. Both use PCIe 3.0 x16 interfaces.

API support shows minor differences. The K40c lists DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The R9 370X lists DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The R9 370X has a slightly higher DirectX feature level, while the K40c has a marginally newer Vulkan version. The R9 370X also has recorded Metal and Vulkan benchmark scores, which the K40c lacks, indicating that the AMD card has broader API coverage in the database. The production status for both is end-of-life, with the K40c released on 2013-10-07 and the R9 370X on 2015-08-26.