AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP vs NVIDIA Tesla K20m Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits cleanly in favor of the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP. Across the two shared tests, the RX 580 2048SP wins both, giving it a 2-0 record over the NVIDIA Tesla K20m. There is no workload category in the recorded measurements where the Tesla K20m comes out ahead. That said, the two cards occupy different design philosophies, so the practical takeaway depends on what you are doing with them.

The RX 580 2048SP is the clear choice for anyone running general-purpose compute or graphics workloads that hit OpenCL and Vulkan APIs. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 29668 against the Tesla K20m's 16241, a lead of 82.7%. In Geekbench Vulkan, the margin is 76.3%, with scores of 38666 and 21936 respectively. These are not close calls. The AMD card is essentially twice as fast in OpenCL and more than 75% faster in Vulkan. For a builder assembling a system for gaming, content creation, or any modern compute task that uses these APIs, the RX 580 2048SP is the only sensible option from this pairing.

The Tesla K20m, by contrast, has no benchmark win to point to in this dataset. Its role in a modern system is largely historical. It sits at the 64th percentile among all GPUs, while the RX 580 2048SP sits at the 68th percentile. The average benchmark score tells a similar story: the RX 580 2048SP averages 23061 across its three recorded tests, while the Tesla K20m averages 19089 across its two. That places the AMD card roughly 21% higher on average, even before accounting for the fact that the RX 580 also has a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 result (849) that the Tesla has no equivalent for.

The practical advice here is straightforward. If you need a working accelerator for modern software, the RX 580 2048SP wins on every measured axis. If you are specifically building a retro or archival system around Kepler-era Tesla hardware, the K20m is the card you would pick, but the data does not support choosing it for performance reasons.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different foundries, different process nodes, and different design generations. The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP uses the Polaris 20 chip built on GlobalFoundries' 14 nm process, with a die size of 232 mm² and 5,700 million transistors. That works out to a transistor density of 24.6 million transistors per square millimeter. It belongs to the Polaris (RX 500) generation and uses the GCN 4.0 architecture, with Arctic Islands as its predecessor and Vega as its successor.

The NVIDIA Tesla K20m is built on the GK110 chip at TSMC's 28 nm node. The die is substantially larger at 561 mm², and it packs 7,080 million transistors, which gives a lower density of 12.6 million transistors per square millimeter. It is part of the Tesla Kepler (Kxx) generation, using the Kepler architecture, with Tesla Fermi before it and Tesla Maxwell after it.

The process node difference is significant. The 14 nm Polaris die is less than half the physical size of the 28 nm GK110 die, yet it delivers higher performance in the shared benchmarks. That is a direct result of the newer manufacturing process and the architectural efficiency of GCN 4.0 versus Kepler. The RX 580 2048SP also has a more modern API feature set. It supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The Tesla K20m supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The Vulkan version difference alone can matter for compatibility with newer software.

The memory subsystems also differ. The RX 580 2048SP has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, with memory clocked at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective) and bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s. The Tesla K20m has 5 GB of GDDR5 on a wider 320-bit bus, but memory runs at 1300 MHz (5.2 Gbps effective), yielding 208.0 GB/s of bandwidth. So the Tesla has more capacity but less bandwidth. The AMD card compensates with a narrower but faster bus.

Compute resources favor the Tesla on paper for raw shader count. The K20m has 2496 shading units, 208 texture mapping units, and 40 ROPs. The RX 580 2048SP has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Yet the AMD card still wins in FP32 throughput, delivering 5.259 TFLOPS versus the Tesla's 3.524 TFLOPS. The RX 580 also supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio (5.259 TFLOPS), while the Tesla K20m has no recorded FP16 capability. Pixel and texture rates follow the same trend: the RX 580 hits 41.09 GPixel/s and 164.4 GTexel/s, while the Tesla manages 36.71 GPixel/s and 146.8 GTexel/s.

Physical and power differences are notable. The RX 580 2048SP draws 150 W and requires a single 8-pin power connector with a 450 W suggested PSU. The Tesla K20m draws 225 W and needs both a 6-pin and an 8-pin connector, with a 550 W suggested PSU. Both are dual-slot cards. The RX 580 is shorter at 241 mm (9.5 inches) versus the Tesla's 267 mm (10.5 inches). The RX 580 has display outputs (1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a), while the Tesla K20m has no display outputs at all.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data contains two shared tests, and the AMD card wins both by wide margins. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RX 580 2048SP scores 29668 against the Tesla K20m's 16241. That is a delta of 82.7% in favor of AMD. In practical terms, the RX 580 delivers nearly double the OpenCL compute throughput. This matters for any workload that uses OpenCL for general-purpose GPU compute, such as physics simulations, image processing, or certain rendering tasks.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the RX 580 2048SP scores 38666 against 21936 for the Tesla K20m, a delta of 76.3%. Vulkan is a modern cross-platform graphics and compute API, and the RX 580 not only supports a newer version of it (1.3 versus 1.2.175), it also executes it far faster. The margin here is large enough that the Tesla K20m is not competitive in any Vulkan-based application.

The RX 580 2048SP also has a third benchmark result in the database that the Tesla K20m does not share: 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, where it scores 849. There is no equivalent result for the Tesla, so no direct comparison is possible, but the inclusion of a DX12 test is itself informative. The RX 580 supports DirectX 12 at feature level 12_0, while the Tesla K20m only reaches 11_0. Modern games and benchmarks increasingly require DX12, and the Tesla simply does not have the feature set to participate.

Looking at the broader context, the RX 580 2048SP's average benchmark score of 23061 places it just 0.2% ahead of the Intel Arc B580 (23021) and 0.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (22895). It trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 by 0.5% and the NVIDIA P106-100 by 0.8%. The Tesla K20m, with an average of 19089, sits 0.2% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (19049), 0.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6600 (19036), and 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 (19030). It trails the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 by 0.4%. These rival comparisons show that the RX 580 2048SP is competing in a much faster performance tier, roughly 21% higher average score, than the Tesla K20m.

The Verdict

The data points to one conclusion: the AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP is the superior card for any modern workload. It wins both shared benchmarks by margins of 76% or more, has a higher average benchmark score, sits at a higher percentile among all GPUs, supports newer API versions, consumes less power, and includes display outputs. The Tesla K20m cannot match it in any measured category.

Who should pick the RX 580 2048SP? Anyone building a system for gaming, general compute, or mixed-use workloads. It delivers 5.259 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, supports DirectX 12 (12_0), Vulkan 1.3, and OpenGL 4.6, and has modern display connectivity. Its 150 W power draw and single 8-pin connector make it easier to integrate into a standard desktop build than the Tesla's 225 W requirement with dual connectors. The 4 GB of GDDR5 memory is modest by modern standards, but the 224.0 GB/s bandwidth keeps it competitive for 1080p-class workloads.

Who should pick the Tesla K20m? Only someone with a specific need for Kepler-era Tesla hardware, perhaps for legacy software compatibility or archival purposes. The card has 5 GB of memory, which is more than the RX 580, and its 2496 shading units outnumber the AMD card's 2048. But those advantages do not translate into benchmark wins. The K20m is slower in every shared test, supports an older DirectX feature level, has no display outputs, and draws 75 W more power. Its launch MSRP was 3,199 USD, but that historical price does not change what the performance data shows today.

For a practical builder, the choice is obvious. The RX 580 2048SP is faster, cooler, more compatible, and more power-efficient. The Tesla K20m is a museum piece.

FAQ

Q: Which card wins in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP scores 29668, versus 16241 for the NVIDIA Tesla K20m, a lead of 82.7%.

Q: How does the Tesla K20m compare in Vulkan performance?

A: The RX 580 2048SP scores 38666 in Geekbench Vulkan, while the Tesla K20m scores 21936. The AMD card leads by 76.3%.

Q: What are the memory sizes and types?

A: The RX 580 2048SP has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 224.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Tesla K20m has 5 GB of GDDR5 on a 320-bit bus with 208.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which card supports newer APIs?

A: The RX 580 2048SP supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The Tesla K20m supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175.

Q: Do both cards have display outputs?

A: No. The RX 580 2048SP has 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The Tesla K20m has no display outputs.

Q: Which card draws less power?

A: The RX 580 2048SP has a 150 W TDP and uses a single 8-pin connector with a 450 W suggested PSU. The Tesla K20m has a 225 W TDP and needs a 6-pin plus 8-pin connector with a 550 W suggested PSU.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 580 2048SP | NVIDIA Tesla K20m |

|---|---|---|

| Chip | Polaris 20 | GK110 |

| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | Kepler |

| Generation | Polaris (RX 500) | Tesla Kepler (Kxx) |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 28 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | TSMC |

| Transistors | 5,700 million | 7,080 million |

| Die Size | 232 mm² | 561 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 24.6M / mm² | 12.6M / mm² |

| Memory Size | 4 GB | 5 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus | 256 bit | 320 bit |

| Memory Clock | 1750 MHz, 7 Gbps effective | 1300 MHz, 5.2 Gbps effective |

| Memory Bandwidth | 224.0 GB/s | 208.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2048 | 2496 |

| TMUs | 128 | 208 |

| ROPs | 32 | 40 |

| FP32 | 5.259 TFLOPS | 3.524 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 5.259 TFLOPS (1:1) | Not specified |

| Pixel Rate | 41.09 GPixel/s | 36.71 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 164.4 GTexel/s | 146.8 GTexel/s |

| TDP | 150 W | 225 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 550 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | No outputs |

| DirectX | 12 (12_0) | 12 (11_0) |

| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |

| Vulkan | 1.3 | 1.2.175 |

| Length | 241 mm (9.5 inches) | 267 mm (10.5 inches) |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | Dual-slot |

| Release Date | 2018-10-14 | 2013-01-04 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | End-of-life |