NVIDIA CMP 40HX vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D Comparison

The NVIDIA CMP 40HX and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D represent two entirely different eras of GPU design, with the former built for a short-lived mining boom and the latter a current-generation flagship. The data shows a stark contrast in raw performance, with the RTX 5090 D dominating every shared benchmark, yet the CMP 40HX holds a surprising edge in the aggregate scoring system. This analysis breaks down the benchmark results, architectural differences, and practical use cases for both cards based strictly on the provided data.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are unequivocal in favor of the RTX 5090 D. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the RTX 5090 D scores 375,966 against the CMP 40HX's 93,395. This represents a delta of -75.2% from the perspective of the CMP 40HX, meaning the RTX 5090 D is roughly four times faster in this compute-heavy workload. The Geekbench Vulkan test tells a similar story, with the RTX 5090 D scoring 376,915 versus the CMP 40HX's 77,879, a delta of -79.3%. These are not marginal gains; they are generational leaps in raw throughput.

However, the aggregate benchmark picture complicates the narrative. The CMP 40HX has an average benchmark score of 85,637, which is higher than the RTX 5090 D's average of 84,241. This is a critical nuance. While the RTX 5090 D wins every head-to-head test, the CMP 40HX's average is buoyed by its two included Geekbench results, which are much closer to the RTX 5090 D's scores than the delta percentages suggest. In fact, the nearest rivals list for the CMP 40HX includes the RTX 5090 D with a delta of just 1.7% in favor of the CMP 40HX. From the RTX 5090 D's perspective, its nearest rival is the RTX 5090 (delta -0.1%), and it is only 1.6% behind the CMP 40HX in average score. This means that when you look at the average of all benchmark runs, the two cards are effectively in the same performance tier, despite the massive gap in the individual Geekbench tests.

The discrepancy suggests that the CMP 40HX's benchmark profile is narrow, but consistent, while the RTX 5090 D has a wider range of scores across its many tests (including PassMark tests where it scores 44,065 in G3D and 28,396 in GPU Compute). The RTX 5090 D's PassMark DirectX 9 score of 434 and DirectX 11 score of 371 are notably low compared to its Geekbench results, which drags its average down. The CMP 40HX, with only two Geekbench results, does not suffer from this variance. For a builder looking at the bottom line, the data shows that the RTX 5090 D is the clear winner in any single modern workload, but the CMP 40HX's average score indicates it is not a slouch in compute tasks.

Architecture Differences

The architectural chasm between these two GPUs is vast. The CMP 40HX is built on the Turing architecture using a 12 nm TSMC process, while the RTX 5090 D uses the Blackwell 2.0 architecture on a 5 nm TSMC node. This process shrink is directly reflected in the transistor counts: the CMP 40HX has 10,800 million transistors on a 445 mm² die, while the RTX 5090 D packs 92,200 million transistors onto a 750 mm² die. The transistor density tells the story of manufacturing sophistication, with the RTX 5090 D hitting 122.9M transistors per mm² versus the CMP 40HX's 24.3M per mm².

Core configurations are equally divergent. The CMP 40HX features 2,304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, with 36 RT cores and 288 tensor cores. The RTX 5090 D, by comparison, has 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, along with 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores. This is nearly a tenfold increase in shading units and a significant boost in every other processing block. Clock speeds also favor the newer card: the RTX 5090 D boosts to 2407 MHz versus the CMP 40HX's 1650 MHz. Memory is a another major split, with the CMP 40HX using 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus (448.0 GB/s bandwidth), while the RTX 5090 D uses 32 GB of GDDR7 on a 512-bit bus, delivering 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth.

The feature sets also reflect their intended purposes. The CMP 40HX has no display outputs, which is a hallmark of a mining card, while the RTX 5090 D has 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b. The bus interface is another indicator: the CMP 40HX uses PCIe 1.0 x4, which is a severe bottleneck for modern systems, whereas the RTX 5090 D uses PCIe 5.0 x16. The CMP 40HX is also a smaller card at 229 mm in length, versus the RTX 5090 D's 304 mm. Both cards are dual-slot, but the power delivery is different: the CMP 40HX uses a single 8-pin connector with a 185 W TDP, while the RTX 5090 D requires a 16-pin connector and has a 575 W TDP. The suggested PSU for the CMP 40HX is 450 W, while the RTX 5090 D needs a 950 W unit.

Where Each One Wins

Looking strictly at the data, the RTX 5090 D wins in every measurable performance category. It is faster in OpenCL and Vulkan compute, it has more memory, more bandwidth, and higher clock speeds. The RTX 5090 D is the clear choice for any application that leverages raw compute power, such as 3D rendering, scientific simulation, or high-end gaming at extreme resolutions. Its 32 GB of GDDR7 memory is essential for workloads that exceed the 8 GB frame buffer of the CMP 40HX, and its PCIe 5.0 interface ensures it can feed data to the GPU without stalling.

The CMP 40HX, however, has a specific niche where it shows a relative advantage: aggregate benchmark scores. Its average benchmark score of 85,637 is higher than the RTX 5090 D's 84,241, and its percentile rank of 94 (versus the RTX 5090 D's 94) is identical. This means that in a database of all GPUs, the CMP 40HX is considered to be in the same performance tier as the RTX 5090 D, despite losing the head-to-head tests. The CMP 40HX also has a lower TDP of 185 W, which is a significant advantage for a system with limited power delivery. For a builder who needs a compute card for a secondary machine or a specific task that is not memory-intensive, the CMP 40HX offers a competitive average score without the power draw of the RTX 5090 D.

Another area where the CMP 40HX wins is physical compatibility. At 229 mm in length and 35 mm in width, it will fit into cases that cannot accommodate the RTX 5090 D's 304 mm length and 48 mm width. The CMP 40HX also only requires a single 8-pin power connector, which is more common in older power supplies than the 16-pin connector required by the RTX 5090 D. The data does not show a performance win for the CMP 40HX in any specific test, but the aggregate score and power efficiency make it a viable option for compute tasks that are not bound by memory capacity or bandwidth.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA CMP 40HX has an average benchmark score of 85,637, which is higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D's average of 84,241.

Q: How far ahead is the RTX 5090 D in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The RTX 5090 D scores 375,966 in Geekbench OpenCL, while the CMP 40HX scores 93,395, resulting in a delta of -75.2% from the CMP 40HX's perspective.

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

A: The CMP 40HX has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, while the RTX 5090 D has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory.

Q: Does the CMP 40HX have any display outputs?

A: No, the CMP 40HX has no display outputs, whereas the RTX 5090 D has 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b.

Q: What is the process node for each GPU?

A: The CMP 40HX uses a 12 nm TSMC process, while the RTX 5090 D uses a 5 nm TSMC process.

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock?

A: The RTX 5090 D has a boost clock of 2407 MHz, compared to the CMP 40HX's boost clock of 1650 MHz.

The Verdict

The choice between these two cards is clear for most users. The RTX 5090 D is the superior product for any workload that requires maximum performance, large memory capacity, or modern features like display outputs and PCIe 5.0 connectivity. It wins the head-to-head benchmarks by a massive margin, and its 32 GB of memory is a necessity for high-end content creation or AI workloads. The data shows that the RTX 5090 D is the only option for a primary GPU in a high-performance system.

The CMP 40HX, however, has a narrow but real place in a builder's toolkit. Its higher average benchmark score (85,637 vs 84,241) and identical percentile rank (94) are notable, suggesting that for certain compute tasks, it performs on par with the RTX 5090 D. Its lower TDP of 185 W and smaller physical footprint make it an excellent choice for a secondary compute card or for a system with power constraints. If the task at hand does not require more than 8 GB of memory, the CMP 40HX can deliver competitive average performance at a fraction of the power draw. The data does not support the CMP 40HX as a gaming card, given its lack of display outputs, but as a dedicated compute accelerator, it remains a relevant option.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA CMP 40HX | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 D |

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

| Architecture | Turing | Blackwell 2.0 |

| Process Node | 12 nm | 5 nm |

| Transistors | 10,800 million | 92,200 million |

| Die Size | 445 mm² | 750 mm² |

| Base Clock | 1470 MHz | 2017 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1650 MHz | 2407 MHz |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 32 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR7 |

| Memory Bus | 256 bit | 512 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 448.0 GB/s | 1.79 TB/s |

| Shading Units | 2304 | 21760 |

| TMUs | 144 | 680 |

| ROPs | 64 | 176 |

| RT Cores | 36 | 170 |

| Tensor Cores | 288 | 680 |

| FP32 Performance | 7.603 TFLOPS | 104.8 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 185 W | 575 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | 1x 16-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 950 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 1.0 x4 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | No outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1b, 3x DisplayPort 2.1b |

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

| Length | 229 mm | 304 mm |

| Release Date | 2021-02-24 | 2025-01-29 |

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