AMD Radeon RX 580 vs NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm Comparison

The benchmark data presents a clear hierarchy: the AMD Radeon RX 580 decisively outperforms the NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm in the available compute tests, despite the Tesla card's larger physical die and transistor count. The RX 580 wins both head-to-head benchmarks by substantial margins, establishing it as the more capable GPU for the workloads measured. This analysis breaks down those results, explains the architectural reasons, and provides guidance on which card suits which use case based strictly on the provided facts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data for direct comparison is limited to two tests, but the outcomes are unambiguous. In the Geekbench Metal benchmark, the AMD Radeon RX 580 scores 45235, while the NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm scores 8035. This results in a staggering 463% advantage for the RX 580. This is not a marginal victory; it is a landslide that indicates a generational leap in compute performance for the Metal API.

The second benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, shows a similar, albeit less extreme, trend. The RX 580 achieves a score of 37453 compared to the Tesla K20Xm’s 17215. The RX 580’s lead here is 117.6%. While the absolute gap is narrower than in the Metal test, the RX 580 still delivers more than double the OpenCL performance of the older Tesla card. These two results show that the RX 580 dominates across different compute frameworks, not just one optimized for its own vendor.

Looking at the broader context, these scores align with the cards' overall average benchmark scores. The RX 580’s average score is 12928, and the Tesla K20Xm’s is 12625. This puts the RX 580 slightly ahead by about 2.4% in its average, though the head-to-head deltas are far more dramatic. The overall percentiles are close, with the RX 580 at the 53rd percentile and the Tesla at the 52nd, but the specific compute tests show the RX 580 is in a different class when those APIs are used.

The data suggests that the Tesla K20Xm, despite its high launch MSRP, is severely outmatched in these particular synthetic benchmarks. The RX 580’s wins are not just statistical flukes; they are consistent and massive, indicating a fundamental performance advantage in compute tasks. The winsA count of 2 and winsB count of 0 in the head-to-head data confirms a clean sweep for the newer AMD card.

The Verdict

The verdict from the data is straightforward: choose the AMD Radeon RX 580 if your workload involves the Metal or OpenCL APIs. Its benchmark victories are decisive, with leads of 463% and 117.6% respectively. The RX 580 is not just faster; it is in a completely different performance tier for these tasks. The numbers show a clear and consistent performance advantage that cannot be ignored.

The NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm is not a viable option for these workloads. It loses both available benchmarks by wide margins. Its higher launch MSRP of 7,699 USD does not translate into better performance in these tests. In fact, the RX 580, with a launch MSRP of 229 USD, massively outperforms it. While the Tesla card has a higher transistor count and a wider memory bus, the benchmark results show that these specifications do not lead to better compute performance in Geekbench.

For any user running Geekbench Metal or OpenCL, the RX 580 is the only logical choice. The data shows that the Tesla K20Xm is a legacy product that has been surpassed by newer architecture. The RX 580 delivers better performance, supports a newer DirectX version (12_0 vs 11_0), and is a more modern and capable part overall. The verdict is that the RX 580 is the superior GPU in every measurable way presented in this data.

Architecture Differences

The performance gap is rooted in significant architectural differences. The AMD Radeon RX 580 is built on the GCN 4.0 architecture and uses a 14 nm process node from GlobalFoundries. In contrast, the NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm uses the older Kepler architecture and is fabricated on a 28 nm process from TSMC. The newer, smaller process node is a major factor in the RX 580's efficiency and performance.

The Tesla K20Xm has a larger die size of 561 mm² and a higher transistor count of 7,080 million, compared to the RX 580's 232 mm² die and 5,700 million transistors. However, the RX 580 has a significantly higher transistor density of 24.6M / mm², versus the K20Xm's 12.6M / mm². This shows the AMD chip packs its transistors more efficiently, contributing to its better performance per unit of silicon.

The memory subsystems also differ. The RX 580 uses 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, achieving a bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s. The Tesla K20Xm has 6 GB of GDDR5 on a wider 384-bit bus, but its bandwidth is slightly lower at 249.6 GB/s. The AMD card's higher effective memory clock of 8 Gbps (vs. 5.2 Gbps on the Tesla) compensates for the narrower bus.

Compute capabilities show a stark contrast. The RX 580 features 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, while the K20Xm has 2688 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. Despite having fewer units, the RX 580 achieves much higher throughput figures: 6.175 TFLOPS FP32 vs 3.935 TFLOPS for the Tesla. The RX 580 also supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio, whereas the K20Xm has no FP16 support listed. The RX 580's pixel rate of 42.88 GPixel/s and texture rate of 193.0 GTexel/s also exceed the K20Xm's 40.99 GPixel/s and **164.0 GTexel/s`.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in Geekbench Metal?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 is significantly faster, scoring 45235 compared to the NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm's 8035, a 463% difference.

Q: How do the two cards compare in OpenCL performance?

A: The RX 580 also wins this test, achieving a score of 37453 versus the K20Xm's 17215, which is a 117.6% advantage.

Q: What are the process node differences?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 is built on a 14 nm process, while the NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm uses a larger 28 nm process.

Q: Which card has a higher launch MSRP?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm has a much higher launch MSRP of 7,699 USD compared to the AMD Radeon RX 580's launch MSRP of 229 USD.

Q: Does the Tesla K20Xm have more memory bandwidth?

A: No, the RX 580 has slightly higher bandwidth at 256.0 GB/s compared to the K20Xm's 249.6 GB/s, despite the Tesla's wider 384-bit bus.

Q: What is the TDP and power connector requirement for each?

A: The RX 580 has a TDP of 185 W and uses a 1x 8-pin connector. The Tesla K20Xm has a TDP of 235 W and its power connector details are not listed.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data unequivocally shows the AMD Radeon RX 580 winning in all tested areas. Its primary wins are in the compute benchmarks, where it delivers 463% better performance in Metal and 117.6% better in OpenCL. This makes it the clear winner for any application that relies on these APIs for general-purpose GPU computing, such as rendering, simulation, or machine learning tasks.

The RX 580 also wins in practical terms of connectivity and output. It has 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, whereas the Tesla K20Xm has No outputs. This means the RX 580 can be used as a standard display adapter, while the Tesla card is strictly for compute-only environments. The RX 580 also supports a newer DirectX version (12 (12_0)) compared to the Tesla's 12 (11_0).

For the NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm, there are no benchmark wins in the provided data. Its only potential advantages are in raw specifications that do not translate to performance in these tests, such as its higher shading unit count (2688 vs 2304) and larger die. However, these do not help it in the Geekbench tests. Its higher launch MSRP of 7,699 USD is a significant deterrent, especially given its inferior performance. The data suggests the K20Xm is a legacy compute card that is outclassed by the much newer and more efficient RX 580.

Specification Differences

This section lists the key specifications where the two GPUs differ, based on the FACT PACK data.

| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 580 | NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Chip | Polaris 20 | GK110 |

| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | Kepler |

| 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 |

| Base Clock | 1257 MHz | Not listed |

| Boost Clock | 1340 MHz | Not listed |

| Memory Speed | 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective) | 1300 MHz (5.2 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 6 GB |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 384 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 256.0 GB/s | 249.6 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2304 | 2688 |

| TMUs | 144 | 224 |

| ROPs | 32 | 48 |

| Pixel Rate | 42.88 GPixel/s | 40.99 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 193.0 GTexel/s | 164.0 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 6.175 TFLOPS | 3.935 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 6.175 TFLOPS (1:1) | Not listed |

| TDP | 185 W | 235 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | Not listed |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 550 W |

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

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

| Vulkan Support | 1.3 | 1.2.175 |

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

| Release Date | 2017-04-17 | 2012-11-11 |

| Launch MSRP | 229 USD | 7,699 USD |

| Successor | Vega | Tesla Maxwell |