AMD Radeon RX 570X vs NVIDIA Tesla K10 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a striking disparity between these two GPUs. In the sole head-to-head comparison available, the Geekbench OpenCL test, the AMD Radeon RX 570X delivers a score of 38,939, while the NVIDIA Tesla K10 manages only 14,029. This represents a delta of -64% from the AMD card's perspective, meaning the RX 570X outperforms the Tesla K10 by a massive margin of 177% in this compute workload. The AMD card's score is not merely a marginal victory; it is a categorical dominance that defines the entire comparison.

Examining the nearest rival data reinforces this hierarchy. The Tesla K10's average benchmark score sits at 14,029, placing it within a tightly contested cluster. It trails the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 (14,150) by a razor-thin -0.9%, and it edges out the AMD Radeon RX 570X (13,871) by just 1.1% when averaging across all benchmarks. However, this aggregate figure is misleading, as it is skewed by the RX 570X's additional benchmark results. The Tesla K10's singular Geekbench score of 14,029 is its only data point, while the RX 570X's average is diluted by its much lower Passmark scores.

The RX 570X's own rival list reveals a similar clustering. Its average score of 13,871 is within 0.4% of the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile (13,821) and the AMD Radeon 660M (13,812), and it is 0.9% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT (13,745). This places the RX 570X in a competitive mid-range tier, far removed from the performance ceiling of its own OpenCL result. The delta between the two cards in the head-to-head test is so large that it completely overshadows the narrow percentage differences seen in their respective rival clusters.

The data shows that while both cards occupy the same 55th percentile among all GPUs, the nature of their performance is fundamentally different. The Tesla K10 is a consistent, if modest, performer in its single tested metric. The RX 570X, by contrast, exhibits a massive spike in OpenCL compute performance, suggesting a specialized strength that its other benchmarks do not reflect. For any application relying on OpenCL compute, the RX 570X is not just the better choice; it is in a different performance class entirely.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two cards is generational and profound. The NVIDIA Tesla K10 is built on the Kepler architecture, using the GK104 chip, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. In contrast, the AMD Radeon RX 570X employs the GCN 4.0 architecture with the Polaris 20 chip, manufactured on a more advanced 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. This process node difference is a key driver of efficiency, with the AMD card achieving a transistor density of 24.6M / mm² versus the Tesla K10's 12.0M / mm².

The transistor counts tell a story of design philosophy. The Tesla K10 packs 3,540 million transistors onto a 294 mm² die, while the RX 570X crams 5,700 million transistors into a smaller 232 mm² package. This density advantage allows the AMD card to field a substantially larger compute array. The RX 570X features 2,048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 raster operation units (ROPs). The Tesla K10, by comparison, has 1,536 shading units, the same 128 TMUs, and an identical 32 ROPs. This gives the AMD card a 33% advantage in shading unit count.

Memory configurations also differ significantly. The Tesla K10 comes with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 160.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 570X doubles the capacity to 8 GB on the same 256-bit bus, and with a memory clock of 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective), it achieves 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The AMD card's 40% bandwidth advantage is complemented by its higher base clock of 1168 MHz and boost clock of 1244 MHz, whereas the Tesla K10's clock data is not specified in the pack beyond its memory clock of 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective).

The compute throughput figures highlight the scale of the AMD card's advantage. The RX 570X delivers 5.095 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and an equal 5.095 TFLOPS of FP16 (1:1 ratio). The Tesla K10 manages only 2.289 TFLOPS of FP32 and has no listed FP16 capability. Pixel and texture rates follow suit: the RX 570X achieves 39.81 GPixel/s and 159.2 GTexel/s, while the Tesla K10 trails at 23.84 GPixel/s and 95.36 GTexel/s. The AMD card is roughly 67% faster in fillrate metrics.

Feature support also favors the newer AMD card. The RX 570X supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, while the Tesla K10 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175. Both support OpenGL 4.6. The RX 570X also provides display outputs (1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a), whereas the Tesla K10 has no display outputs, reflecting its compute-focused design. Power requirements reflect the efficiency gains: the RX 570X has a 150 W TDP with a single 6-pin connector, while the Tesla K10 draws 225 W and requires both a 6-pin and an 8-pin connector.

The Verdict

The data makes a clear case for the AMD Radeon RX 570X as the superior performer in this pairing. Its 38,939 OpenCL score versus the Tesla K10's 14,029 is not a close contest; it is a 177% advantage. The RX 570X also wins on every architectural metric: more shading units, more transistors, higher density, faster memory, higher clock speeds, and superior compute throughput. It achieves this while consuming 75 W less power and requiring a smaller power supply (450 W suggested versus 550 W).

The Tesla K10's sole advantage lies in its launch MSRP of 5,099 USD, which is a historical data point from its 2012 release, not a reflection of current value. The RX 570X, released in 2018, has no listed launch MSRP in the pack, so no price comparison can be made. In terms of raw performance, the RX 570X is the clear winner. The only scenario where the Tesla K10 might be considered is if a system specifically requires a dual-slot, compute-only card with no display outputs and is constrained by a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, but even then, the performance deficit is overwhelming.

For any workload that leverages OpenCL compute, the RX 570X is the only rational choice. Its benchmark score is not merely better; it is transformative, suggesting a capability that the Tesla K10 cannot approach. The Tesla K10 remains an end-of-life product from the Tesla Kepler generation, while the RX 570X, though also end-of-life, represents a much more recent and capable design.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher OpenCL benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 570X scores 38,939 on Geekbench OpenCL, while the NVIDIA Tesla K10 scores 14,029. The RX 570X is 177% faster in this test.

Q: How do the two cards compare in memory capacity and bandwidth?

A: The RX 570X has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the Tesla K10 has 4 GB of GDDR5 with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD card offers double the capacity and 40% more bandwidth.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The RX 570X has a 150 W TDP and requires a single 6-pin power connector with a suggested 450 W PSU. The Tesla K10 has a 225 W TDP, needs a 6-pin and 8-pin connector, and suggests a 550 W PSU.

Q: Which card has more shading units?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 570X has 2,048 shading units, compared to the NVIDIA Tesla K10's 1,536 shading units. This gives the AMD card a 33% advantage in this metric.

Q: What DirectX and Vulkan versions do the cards support?

A: The RX 570X supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, while the Tesla K10 supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Q: What are the manufacturing process nodes for each GPU?

A: The RX 570X uses a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, while the Tesla K10 uses a 28 nm process at TSMC. The AMD card achieves a transistor density of 24.6M / mm² versus 12.0M / mm² for the NVIDIA card.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 570X wins decisively in every measurable category from the data. In the single head-to-head benchmark, it dominates with a 38,939 score versus 14,029. In compute throughput, it offers 5.095 TFLOPS of FP32 and FP16 performance, compared to the Tesla K10's 2.289 TFLOPS of FP32 only. Its pixel rate of 39.81 GPixel/s and texture rate of 159.2 GTexel/s outpace the Tesla K10's 23.84 GPixel/s and 95.36 GTexel/s, respectively. The RX 570X also wins on memory, with 8 GB capacity and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 4 GB and 160.0 GB/s.

The Tesla K10's wins are limited to a single aggregate metric. Its average benchmark score of 14,029 is 1.1% higher than the RX 570X's average of 13,871, but this is an artifact of the RX 570X's additional Passmark scores (750 for G2D and 1,923 for G3D) dragging down its average. In the actual OpenCL test that matters for compute, the Tesla K10 loses by 64%. The Tesla K10 also has a higher transistor count per die area in terms of absolute die size (294 mm² versus 232 mm²), but this is not a performance advantage. Its launch MSRP of 5,099 USD is the only other distinguishing positive, but as a historical figure, it has no bearing on current performance comparisons.

For practical use cases, the RX 570X is the clear choice for OpenCL compute workloads, gaming (given its display outputs and DirectX 12_0 support), and any application where power efficiency is prioritized. The Tesla K10 is strictly a legacy compute card with no display outputs, suitable only for systems that require its specific dual-slot, no-output form factor and can tolerate its 225 W power draw. The benchmark data shows no scenario where the Tesla K10 offers a performance advantage over the RX 570X.