AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition vs NVIDIA Tesla P40 Comparison

AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition and NVIDIA Tesla P40 are both end-of-life workstation accelerators, but they target very different workloads. The AMD card, built on the GCN 5.0 architecture with a Vega 10 chip, is a compute and visualization hybrid with display outputs, while the NVIDIA Tesla P40, based on the Pascal architecture with a GP102 chip, is a pure compute accelerator with no video outputs. Benchmark data shows the AMD Vega Frontier Edition holds a clear performance edge in the two common tests, but the Tesla P40 counters with a larger memory pool and different power characteristics. The sections below break down the head-to-head results, use-case strengths, and architectural differences between these two professional-grade cards.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark data covers two compute-oriented tests: Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan. In both, the AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition emerges victorious, though the margin varies significantly by API.

In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition scores 76111 against the NVIDIA Tesla P40's 62017. That represents a 22.7% advantage for the AMD card, which is a substantial lead in a compute-heavy workload. This large delta suggests the Vega Frontier Edition's architecture is notably better suited to OpenCL compute tasks, likely due to its higher FP32 throughput of 13.11 TFLOPS versus the Tesla P40's 11.76 TFLOPS. The AMD card also benefits from a wider 2048-bit memory bus and HBM2 memory, which provides 483.8 GB/s of bandwidth compared to the Tesla P40's 347.1 GB/s over a 384-bit GDDR5 interface.

The Geekbench Vulkan test shows a closer contest. The AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition scores 71937, while the NVIDIA Tesla P40 scores 68172. The delta is just 5.5% in AMD's favor. This narrower margin indicates that in Vulkan workloads, the Tesla P40's Pascal architecture is more competitive, though still trailing. The AMD card's higher shading unit count (4096 vs 3840) and texture units (256 vs 240) likely contribute to its edge, but the Tesla P40's higher pixel rate (147.0 GPixel/s vs 102.4 GPixel/s) shows it has some advantages in specific rendering paths.

Overall, the AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition wins both head-to-head benchmarks, giving it a 2-0 record in this comparison. Its average benchmark score across all tests is 73370, placing it in the 91st percentile of all GPUs. The NVIDIA Tesla P40 averages 65095, putting it in the 89th percentile. The AMD card's nearest rival is the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64 with an average score of 72379 (a 1.4% delta), while the NVIDIA TITAN X Pascal sits at 72098 (1.8% behind). The Tesla P40's closest competitor is the AMD Radeon VII at 66004, which actually scores 1.4% higher than the Tesla P40, indicating the P40 is slightly below that particular rival.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results paint a clear picture: the AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition wins in both tested APIs, which suggests it is the stronger general-purpose compute card. Its 22.7% lead in OpenCL is particularly decisive, making it the clear choice for OpenCL-based compute workloads such as scientific simulations, data processing, or any application that leverages that API. The 5.5% Vulkan lead, while smaller, still gives AMD the edge in Vulkan compute or rendering tasks. With a 16 GB HBM2 frame buffer and 483.8 GB/s bandwidth, the Vega Frontier Edition is well-suited for large datasets that fit within its memory capacity.

The NVIDIA Tesla P40, despite losing both benchmarks, has its own strengths. Its 24 GB GDDR5 memory is 50% larger than the AMD card's 16 GB, which is a significant advantage for workloads that require massive memory pools, such as deep learning inference with large models or big-data analytics. The Tesla P40 also has a lower TDP of 250 W versus the AMD card's 300 W, and it requires a simpler power setup with a single 8-pin EPS connector versus the Vega's dual 8-pin. The Tesla P40's higher pixel rate of 147.0 GPixel/s compared to the AMD's 102.4 GPixel/s suggests it may handle certain rasterization-heavy tasks more efficiently, even though its overall compute scores are lower.

For users prioritizing raw compute performance in OpenCL or Vulkan, the AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition is the statistical winner. For those needing maximum memory capacity or lower power draw in a compute-only environment without display outputs, the NVIDIA Tesla P40 holds appeal. The Tesla P40's lack of display outputs makes it a server-only card, while the Vega Frontier Edition's HDMI 2.0b and three DisplayPort 1.4a outputs allow it to double as a workstation visualization card.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition has an average benchmark score of 73370, while the NVIDIA Tesla P40 averages 65095. This places the AMD card in the 91st percentile of all GPUs and the Tesla P40 in the 89th percentile.

Q: How much faster is the AMD card in OpenCL compute?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition scores 76111 versus the NVIDIA Tesla P40's 62017, giving AMD a 22.7% performance advantage.

Q: Does the NVIDIA Tesla P40 win any benchmark in this comparison?

A: No. Based on the head-to-head data, the AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition wins both the Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan tests. The Tesla P40 has zero wins in this comparison.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference between the two cards?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla P40 has 24 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition has 16 GB of HBM2 memory. The Tesla P40 offers 50% more capacity, but the AMD card provides higher bandwidth at 483.8 GB/s versus 347.1 GB/s.

Q: Which card has display outputs?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition includes 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. The NVIDIA Tesla P40 has no display outputs, making it a compute-only accelerator.

Q: How does the Tesla P40 compare to its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon VII?

A: The AMD Radeon VII has an average score of 66004, which is 1.4% higher than the Tesla P40's 65095. This means the Tesla P40 slightly trails that particular rival in average performance.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every core specification. The AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition uses a Vega 10 chip with 12,500 million transistors on a 495 mm² die, fabricated on a 14 nm process by GlobalFoundries. The NVIDIA Tesla P40 uses a GP102 chip with 11,800 million transistors on a 471 mm² die, fabricated on a 16 nm process by TSMC. Transistor density is nearly identical, at 25.3M / mm² for AMD and 25.1M / mm² for NVIDIA.

Clock speeds differ notably. The AMD card has a base clock of 1382 MHz and a boost clock of 1600 MHz, while the Tesla P40 runs at 1303 MHz base and 1531 MHz boost. Memory clocks also diverge: the AMD card's HBM2 runs at 945 MHz (1890 Mbps effective), while the Tesla P40's GDDR5 runs at 1808 MHz (7.2 Gbps effective).

Compute resources favor AMD in most counts. The Vega Frontier Edition has 4096 shading units, 256 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, versus the Tesla P40's 3840 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. Pixel rate favors NVIDIA (147.0 GPixel/s vs 102.4 GPixel/s), while texture rate favors AMD (409.6 GTexel/s vs 367.4 GTexel/s). FP32 performance is 13.11 TFLOPS on AMD versus 11.76 TFLOPS on NVIDIA. FP16 performance is starkly different: AMD delivers 26.21 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), while NVIDIA manages only 183.7 GFLOPS (1:64 ratio).

Power and physical specifications also differ. The AMD card has a 300 W TDP and requires 2x 8-pin power connectors with a 700 W suggested PSU. The Tesla P40 has a 250 W TDP, uses a single 8-pin EPS connector, and suggests a 600 W PSU. Both are dual-slot cards with identical dimensions of 267 mm length and 111 mm height. The AMD card supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3; the Tesla P40 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Release dates are separated by about nine months: the Vega Frontier Edition launched June 26, 2017, while the Tesla P40 launched September 12, 2016.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these cards is fundamental. AMD's Vega Frontier Edition is built on GCN 5.0 architecture, which is a mature compute-oriented design that emphasizes raw throughput and memory bandwidth. The NVIDIA Tesla P40 uses the Pascal architecture, which was designed for efficient compute and was a precursor to modern NVIDIA architectures.

The process nodes differ: AMD uses a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, while NVIDIA uses a 16 nm process at TSMC. This gives AMD a slight manufacturing advantage in terms of process maturity, though both are now older nodes. The memory architectures are completely different: AMD employs HBM2 with a 2048-bit bus, which enables its high 483.8 GB/s bandwidth, while NVIDIA uses GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus, resulting in 347.1 GB/s. This memory design choice has a direct impact on compute performance, as evidenced by the AMD card's 22.7% OpenCL lead.

The FP16 capability is a major architectural differentiator. AMD's Vega architecture supports FP16 at a 2:1 ratio relative to FP32, delivering 26.21 TFLOPS. NVIDIA's Pascal architecture has severely limited FP16 support at a 1:64 ratio, yielding only 183.7 GFLOPS. This makes the AMD card dramatically better suited for workloads that leverage FP16 precision, such as certain AI inference or graphics tasks. Neither card has dedicated RT cores or tensor cores, as both predate those NVIDIA additions.

In terms of features, the AMD card includes display outputs (HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 1.4a), making it a hybrid compute-visualization product. The Tesla P40 has no outputs, reflecting its server-focused design. The Vega Frontier Edition is part of the Radeon Pro Vega generation with a predecessor of Radeon Pro Polaris and a successor of Radeon Pro Navi. The Tesla P40 belongs to the Tesla Pascal generation, following Tesla Maxwell and preceding Tesla Volta. Both cards are end-of-life, but their architectural differences explain why the AMD card leads in compute benchmarks while the Tesla P40 offers more memory capacity.