NVIDIA A10M vs NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation Comparison

# Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single available benchmark comparison between the NVIDIA A10M and the NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation is the Geekbench OpenCL test. The data shows a clear, though not overwhelming, victory for the RTX 4000 Ada Generation. It scores 146,593 points against the A10M’s 135,230 points. This translates to a delta of -7.8% for the A10M, meaning the RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 7.8% faster in this specific compute workload.

This 7.8% margin is significant when viewed in the context of their broader competitive positioning. The average benchmark score for both cards is nearly identical—135,230 for the A10M and 135,218 for the RTX 4000 Ada Generation—placing them both in the 97th percentile of all GPUs. However, the OpenCL result shows the Ada card pulling ahead in raw compute throughput. In the nearest rival rankings, both cards sit within 0.6% of the AMD Radeon RX 9070 GRE (134,417 points) and 1.2% of the AMD Radeon PRO W6800 (133,588 points), but the RTX 4000 Ada Generation’s OpenCL lead over the A10M is more than ten times larger than its lead over the AMD cards.

The RTX 4000 Ada Generation also has a second benchmark result, a Geekbench Vulkan score of 123,842, for which the A10M has no corresponding data point. This absence of a direct Vulkan comparison means the analysis must rely on the OpenCL result as the primary head-to-head compute indicator. The wins tally reflects this: the RTX 4000 Ada Generation secures 1 win, while the A10M secures 0.

It is notably the deltaPct of 0 between the two cards in their respective nearestRivals lists is based on their average scores, not the specific OpenCL test. The average scores are within 12 points of each other (135,230 vs 135,218), a negligible difference that underscores how closely matched these two products are on aggregate. Yet the OpenCL subtest reveals a more pronounced performance separation, suggesting that the Ada architecture’s higher clock speeds and newer design yield measurable gains in certain compute scenarios.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is generational and profound. The A10M is built on the Ampere architecture, specifically the GA102 chip, fabricated on Samsung’s 8 nm process node. The RTX 4000 Ada Generation uses the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD104 chip, manufactured by TSMC on a 5 nm process. This node shrink is reflected in the transistor density: the A10M packs 28,300 million transistors across a 628 mm² die, yielding 45.1M transistors per mm², while the RTX 4000 Ada Generation crams 35,800 million transistors into a much smaller 294 mm² die, achieving 121.8M transistors per mm²—nearly 2.7 times the density.

Despite the A10M’s larger physical die, it features fewer transistors overall. The RTX 4000 Ada Generation’s higher transistor count on a smaller die enables its superior performance-per-watt profile. The A10M has a TDP of 150 W, while the RTX 4000 Ada Generation consumes just 130 W, despite delivering higher clock speeds and better OpenCL performance. This efficiency advantage is a direct consequence of the 5 nm process and the Ada Lovelace architecture’s design improvements.

Core configurations differ substantially. The A10M carries 7,168 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, 80 ROPs, 56 RT cores, and 224 tensor cores. The RTX 4000 Ada Generation has fewer of each: 6,144 shading units, 192 TMUs, 64 ROPs, 48 RT cores, and 192 tensor cores. Yet the Ada card posts higher raw throughput figures. Its FP32 compute is 26.73 TFLOPS versus the A10M’s 23.44 TFLOPS—a 14% advantage. Texture rate tells a similar story: 417.6 GTexel/s for the Ada card versus 366.2 GTexel/s for the A10M. Pixel rates are nearly equivalent, with the RTX 4000 Ada Generation at 139.2 GPixel/s and the A10M at 130.8 GPixel/s.

Clock speeds explain part of this performance inversion. The A10M runs at a 975 MHz base and 1635 MHz boost, while the RTX 4000 Ada Generation operates at 1500 MHz base and 2175 MHz boost. The Ada card’s higher boost clock—540 MHz above the A10M’s—more than compensates for its reduced core count. Memory clocks also differ: the A10M runs at 1563 MHz with 12.5 Gbps effective speed, while the RTX 4000 Ada Generation runs at 2250 MHz with 18 Gbps effective.

The memory subsystems are configured differently despite both having 20 GB of GDDR6. The A10M uses a 320-bit bus width, yielding 500.2 GB/s of bandwidth, while the RTX 4000 Ada Generation uses a narrower 160-bit bus, producing 360.0 GB/s. This is a notable trade-off: the Ada card gives up 28% of memory bandwidth but compensates with faster compute and higher clocks. The A10M’s wider bus suggests a design optimized for memory-bound workloads, whereas the Ada card leans on compute efficiency.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA A10M has an average benchmark score of 135,230, while the NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation has an average score of 135,218. The difference is 12 points, representing a deltaPct of 0, meaning they are statistically tied on aggregate.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 4000 Ada Generation in OpenCL compute?

A: The RTX 4000 Ada Generation scores 146,593 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the A10M scores 135,230. This makes the Ada card 7.8% faster in that specific test.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same APIs?

A: Yes, both the A10M and the RTX 4000 Ada Generation support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The RTX 4000 Ada Generation also has a Vulkan benchmark score of 123,842, which the A10M lacks.

Q: What are the transistor density differences between the two chips?

A: The A10M’s GA102 chip has a transistor density of 45.1M per mm², while the RTX 4000 Ada Generation’s AD104 chip has a density of 121.8M per mm². The Ada chip is over 2.7 times denser.

Q: Which card has the lower power draw?

A: The RTX 4000 Ada Generation has a TDP of 130 W, while the A10M has a TDP of 150 W. The Ada card also recommends a 300 W PSU versus the A10M’s 450 W recommendation.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of each card?

A: The A10M has a 320-bit memory bus delivering 500.2 GB/s, while the RTX 4000 Ada Generation has a 160-bit bus delivering 360.0 GB/s. Both have 20 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Specification Differences

• Chip: A10M uses GA102; RTX 4000 Ada Generation uses AD104.
• Architecture: A10M is Ampere; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is Ada Lovelace.
• Generation: A10M is Server Ampere (Axx); RTX 4000 Ada Generation is Workstation Ada (x000A).
• Process Node: A10M is 8 nm; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 5 nm.
• Foundry: A10M is Samsung; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is TSMC.
• Transistors: A10M has 28,300 million; RTX 4000 Ada Generation has 35,800 million.
• Die Size: A10M is 628 mm²; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 294 mm².
• Transistor Density: A10M is 45.1M / mm²; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 121.8M / mm².
• Base Clock: A10M is 975 MHz; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 1500 MHz.
• Boost Clock: A10M is 1635 MHz; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 2175 MHz.
• Memory Clock: A10M is 1563 MHz (12.5 Gbps effective); RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective).
• Memory Bus Width: A10M is 320 bit; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 160 bit.
• Memory Bandwidth: A10M is 500.2 GB/s; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 360.0 GB/s.
• Shading Units: A10M has 7168; RTX 4000 Ada Generation has 6144.
• TMUs: A10M has 224; RTX 4000 Ada Generation has 192.
• ROPs: A10M has 80; RTX 4000 Ada Generation has 64.
• RT Cores: A10M has 56; RTX 4000 Ada Generation has 48.
• Tensor Cores: A10M has 224; RTX 4000 Ada Generation has 192.
• Pixel Rate: A10M is 130.8 GPixel/s; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 139.2 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: A10M is 366.2 GTexel/s; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 417.6 GTexel/s.
• FP32 Compute: A10M is 23.44 TFLOPS; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 26.73 TFLOPS.
• FP16 Compute: A10M is 23.44 TFLOPS (1:1); RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 26.73 TFLOPS (1:1).
• TDP: A10M is 150 W; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 130 W.
• Power Connectors: A10M uses 8-pin EPS; RTX 4000 Ada Generation uses 1x 16-pin.
• Suggested PSU: A10M is 450 W; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 300 W.
• Display Outputs: A10M has no outputs; RTX 4000 Ada Generation has 4x DisplayPort 1.4a.
• Dimensions (Length): A10M is 267 mm (10.5 inches); RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 245 mm (9.6 inches).
• Production Status: A10M is End-of-life; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is Active.
• Release Date: A10M has none listed; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is 2023-08-08.
• Predecessor: A10M is Tesla Turing; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is Workstation Ampere.
• Successor: A10M is Server Ada; RTX 4000 Ada Generation is Blackwell PRO W.
• Benchmark Results: A10M has 1 OpenCL score; RTX 4000 Ada Generation has 1 OpenCL and 1 Vulkan score.

The Verdict

The data paints a nuanced picture. On average benchmark scores, the two cards are indistinguishable—135,230 versus 135,218—both sitting in the 97th percentile of all GPUs. However, the head-to-head OpenCL test reveals a 7.8% advantage for the RTX 4000 Ada Generation, which is the only direct comparison available. This makes the Ada card the clear choice for users prioritizing raw compute performance in OpenCL workloads.

The RTX 4000 Ada Generation also offers superior efficiency. It delivers 26.73 TFLOPS of FP32 performance while consuming only 130 W, compared to the A10M’s 23.44 TFLOPS at 150 W. This 17% performance-per-watt improvement is substantial for dense server environments or workstation setups where thermal and power budgets are tight. The Ada card’s 5 nm TSMC process, higher clock speeds (2175 MHz boost versus 1635 MHz), and smaller footprint (245 mm length versus 267 mm) reinforce its modern design credentials.

However, the A10M is not without merit. Its 320-bit memory bus delivers 500.2 GB/s of bandwidth—39% more than the RTX 4000 Ada Generation’s 360.0 GB/s. For workloads that are memory-bandwidth-bound rather than compute-bound, this wider bus could prove advantageous. The A10M’s larger core count (7,168 shading units versus 6,144) and higher ROP count (80 versus 64) may also benefit specific rendering or rasterization tasks, even if the aggregate compute scores favor the Ada card.

The production statuses are telling. The A10M is listed as end-of-life, while the RTX 4000 Ada Generation is active and has a confirmed release date of 2023-08-08. For new deployments, the Ada card is the forward-looking option, with an established successor path (Blackwell PRO W) and an