AMD Radeon R9 M295X vs NVIDIA Tesla M60 Comparison

# NVIDIA Tesla M60 vs AMD Radeon R9 M295X

The NVIDIA Tesla M60 and AMD Radeon R9 M295X are two end-of-life graphics products from different worlds: one is a dual-slot server accelerator with no display outputs, the other is a mobile MXM module designed for portable workstations. Both share a 28 nm TSMC process node and 256-bit memory buses, but their benchmark results, feature sets, and intended use cases diverge sharply. The Tesla M60 holds a clear performance lead in the shared OpenCL and Vulkan tests, while the R9 M295X counters with a strong Metal showing and a more flexible form factor. The data below breaks down exactly where each card stands, using only the measured scores and specifications from the fact pack.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

In the two benchmarks where both cards were tested, the NVIDIA Tesla M60 wins decisively. In Geekbench OpenCL, the M60 scores 29,506 against the R9 M295X’s 22,858 — a 29.1% advantage. That is not a marginal gap; it is a substantial lead that places the Tesla firmly ahead in compute-heavy workloads that rely on OpenCL. The Vulkan result is closer but still favors NVIDIA: the M60 scores 31,473 versus 29,091 for the AMD part, an 8.2% delta. While the Vulkan gap is smaller, it still shows the Tesla M60 delivering higher raw throughput in cross-platform GPU compute tasks.

The average benchmark score tells a similar story. The Tesla M60 averages 30,490 across its two tests, while the R9 M295X averages 28,580 across three tests. That puts the M60 about 6.7% higher on average, though the AMD card’s average includes a Metal result that the NVIDIA part cannot match — the R9 M295X scores 33,790 in Geekbench Metal, which is its best showing and higher than either of the M60’s scores. The M60’s percentile ranking is 75 versus 74 for the R9 M295X, meaning both cards sit in the same general tier of the GPU population, but the Tesla edges ahead in overall standing.

Looking at the nearest rivals provides context for these numbers. The Tesla M60’s average score of 30,490 is essentially tied with the NVIDIA CMP 70HX (30,476, 0% delta) and the AMD Radeon RX 6700 (30,433, 0.2% delta), while slightly ahead of the RX 6800 (30,095, 1.3%) and the RTX 3070 Ti (29,945, 1.8%). The R9 M295X’s 28,580 average sits just below the AMD Radeon RX 470 (28,996, -1.4%) and RX 6800M (28,874, -1%), and just above the Quadro RTX 8000 (28,421, 0.6%) and RX 570 (28,766, -0.6%). In short, the Tesla M60 performs like a mid-range desktop GPU from a few generations ago, while the R9 M295X lands in the same neighborhood as older mainstream cards.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split between these two GPUs is fundamental. The Tesla M60 uses NVIDIA’s Maxwell 2.0 architecture on the GM204 chip, while the R9 M295X relies on AMD’s GCN 3.0 architecture with the Amethyst chip. Both are built on a 28 nm process at TSMC, but the transistor counts differ slightly: the M60 packs 5,200 million transistors on a 398 mm² die, while the R9 M295X has 5,000 million transistors on a smaller 366 mm² die. That gives the AMD chip a marginally higher transistor density of 13.7M per mm² versus 13.1M for the NVIDIA part, but the M60’s larger die and higher transistor budget do not translate into a clock advantage.

Clock speeds tell a more nuanced story. The Tesla M60 has a base clock of 557 MHz and a boost clock of 1,178 MHz, while the R9 M295X has no listed base or boost clocks in the fact pack. The memory clocks are nearly identical: 1,253 MHz (5 Gbps effective) for the M60 and 1,250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) for the AMD card. Memory bandwidth is also a wash — the M60 offers 160.4 GB/s versus 160.0 GB/s for the R9 M295X, both over a 256-bit bus. The real differences lie elsewhere.

The R9 M295X has a significant advantage in FP16 throughput, offering 2.961 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio to FP32, while the Tesla M60 has no listed FP16 capability. However, the M60 dominates in raw pixel and texture rates: 75.39 GPixel/s versus 23.14 GPixel/s, and 150.8 GTexel/s versus 92.54 GTexel/s. This stems from the M60’s 64 ROPs versus just 32 on the AMD card, despite both having 2048 shading units and 128 TMUs. The FP32 compute figures also favor NVIDIA heavily: 4.825 TFLOPS for the M60 versus 2.961 TFLOPS for the R9 M295X — a 63% advantage.

Feature support differs as well. The Tesla M60 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the R9 M295X supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The NVIDIA card also has a higher Vulkan version, which may matter for newer compute applications. The R9 M295X compensates with a Metal benchmark score, reflecting its intended use in Apple-centric portable systems, whereas the M60 has no display outputs at all — it is a pure compute accelerator.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the data, the NVIDIA Tesla M60 is the faster card in cross-platform compute. It wins both head-to-head benchmarks, delivers 29.1% higher OpenCL scores and 8.2% higher Vulkan scores, and offers nearly double the FP32 throughput. If the workload is OpenCL or Vulkan-based and the system can accommodate a 300 W dual-slot card with a single 8-pin power connector, the M60 is the clear choice. Its 8 GB of GDDR5 memory also doubles the R9 M295X’s 4 GB, which matters for large datasets.

However, the R9 M295X is not without merit. It has a 250 W TDP, no external power connectors, and an MXM form factor that fits portable devices — something the Tesla M60 cannot do with its dual-slot design and 267 mm length. The AMD card also posts a higher Metal score (33,790) than any benchmark the M60 achieved, indicating strong performance in Metal-based environments. For a mobile workstation or a system that relies on Apple’s Metal API, the R9 M295X is the only viable option between these two.

The verdict is situational. For server racks, compute clusters, or any OpenCL/Vulkan-heavy workload where power and space are available, the Tesla M60 wins outright. For portable systems, Metal-based workflows, or any configuration that cannot supply 300 W and a dual-slot footprint, the R9 M295X is the practical pick despite its lower raw compute numbers.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in OpenCL?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla M60 scores 29,506 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 29.1% higher than the AMD Radeon R9 M295X’s 22,858.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon R9 M295X beat the Tesla M60 in any benchmark?

A: Yes, the R9 M295X scores 33,790 in Geekbench Metal, which is higher than any score the Tesla M60 achieved (its best is 31,473 in Vulkan). However, the M60 has no Metal benchmark listed, so the comparison is not direct.

Q: How much memory does each card have?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla M60 has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the AMD Radeon R9 M295X has 4 GB of GDDR5. Both use a 256-bit bus, and memory bandwidth is nearly identical at 160.4 GB/s versus 160.0 GB/s.

Q: What are the power requirements?

A: The Tesla M60 has a 300 W TDP and requires a single 8-pin power connector with a 700 W suggested PSU. The R9 M295X has a 250 W TDP and uses no external power connectors, drawing power through its MXM interface.

Q: Can the Tesla M60 output to a display?

A: No, the Tesla M60 has no display outputs. The R9 M295X’s display outputs are described as “Portable Device Dependent,” meaning it can drive displays but only through the host laptop or mobile system.

Q: Which card supports a newer Vulkan version?

A: The Tesla M60 supports Vulkan 1.4, while the R9 M295X supports Vulkan 1.2.170. The NVIDIA card also supports DirectX 12 (12_1) versus DirectX 12 (12_0) for the AMD part.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA Tesla M60 wins in every scenario that demands raw compute throughput. Its FP32 performance of 4.825 TFLOPS crushes the R9 M295X’s 2.961 TFLOPS, and its pixel rate of 75.39 GPixel/s is more than three times the AMD card’s 23.14 GPixel/s. The M60 also leads in texture rate (150.8 GTexel/s versus 92.54 GTexel/s) and has double the ROPs (64 versus 32). For OpenCL workloads, the 29.1% score advantage is decisive. For Vulkan, the 8.2% edge is smaller but still a win. The M60’s 8 GB memory buffer also gives it a capacity advantage for large compute jobs, and its higher Vulkan version (1.4 versus 1.2.170) suggests better support for newer API features.

The AMD Radeon R9 M295X wins in portability and power efficiency. Its 250 W TDP is lower than the M60’s 300 W, and it needs no external power connectors, making it suitable for MXM-based mobile systems. The 366 mm² die is smaller than the M60’s 398 mm², and the card’s 5,000 million transistors are slightly fewer, yet it still delivers competitive average benchmark scores. The R9 M295X’s Metal score of 33,790 is its standout result, indicating strong performance in Apple ecosystem applications. It also offers FP16 capability at 2.961 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio, which the M60 lacks entirely. For any system that cannot physically accommodate a 267 mm dual-slot card, the R9 M295X is the only choice.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every specification category except process node, memory type, and bus width. The Tesla M60 uses a 28 nm process at TSMC with 5,200 million transistors on a 398 mm² die, while the R9 M295X also uses 28 nm TSMC but with 5,000 million transistors on a 366 mm² die. The M60 has a base clock of 557 MHz and a boost clock of 1,178 MHz; the R9 M295X has no listed clocks. Memory clocks are nearly identical (1,253 MHz versus 1,250 MHz, both 5 Gbps effective), and bandwidth is 160.4 GB/s versus 160.0 GB/s. The M60 has 8 GB of GDDR5, the R9 M295X has 4 GB. Both have 2048 shading units and 128 TMUs, but the M60 has 64 ROPs versus 32. Pixel rate is 75.39 GPixel/s versus 23.14 GPixel/s, texture rate is 150.8 GTexel/s versus 92.54 GTexel/s, and FP32 is 4.825 TFLOPS versus 2.961 TFLOPS. The M60 has no FP16 listing, while the R9 M295X offers 2.961 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio. TDP is 300 W versus 250 W, slot width is dual-slot versus MXM module, power connectors are 1x 8-pin versus none, and bus interface is PCIe 3.0 x16 versus MXM-B (3.0). Display outputs are “No outputs” versus “Portable Device Dependent.” The M60 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4; the R9 M295X supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The M60 measures 267 mm (10.5 inches) in length; the R9 M295X has no listed dimensions.