NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 SUPER Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 SUPER represent two distinct eras of GPU design, separated by over a decade of architectural evolution. The data shows a stark contrast: the GT 640 is an end-of-life entry-level card from the Kepler generation, while the RTX 5070 SUPER is an active, high-end Blackwell 2.0 part. Benchmark results indicate that while the GT 640 achieves a higher average score in its available tests, this is a matter of differing benchmark suites and workload types, not a sign of superior performance. The RTX 5070 SUPER, despite its lower percentile rank, is built for modern, demanding tasks that the older card cannot handle.

FAQ

Q: How does the average benchmark score of the GT 640 compare to that of the RTX 5070 SUPER?

A: The GT 640 has an average benchmark score of 3210, while the RTX 5070 SUPER has an average score of 2690. This makes the GT 640 appear roughly 19% higher in this specific metric, but this is due to the different tests each card was subjected to, not a direct performance comparison.

Q: What is the performance percentile of each card relative to all other GPUs?

A: The GT 640 sits at the 20th percentile, meaning it performs better than 20% of all GPUs. The RTX 5070 SUPER is at the 18th percentile, placing it just below the GT 640 in this ranking. This indicates that neither card is a top-tier performer in the current database, though for vastly different reasons.

Q: Which card has a higher memory bandwidth, and by how much?

A: The RTX 5070 SUPER has significantly higher memory bandwidth. It boasts 672.0 GB/s compared to the GT 640's 28.51 GB/s, representing a massive 23.6x advantage for the newer card.

Q: What are the transistor counts for each GPU, and what does this suggest?

A: The GT 640 uses 1,270 million transistors on a 28 nm process, while the RTX 5070 SUPER uses 31,100 million transistors on a 5 nm process. The RTX 5070 SUPER has roughly 24.5 times more transistors, indicating a far more complex and capable processor.

Q: Does the RTX 5070 SUPER support hardware ray tracing or tensor cores?

A: Yes, the RTX 5070 SUPER is equipped with 50 RT cores and 200 tensor cores, which are essential for modern ray-traced graphics and AI-driven features. The GT 640 has no such hardware, as it predates these technologies.

Q: Which card has a larger memory capacity and what type of memory does it use?

A: The RTX 5070 SUPER has 18 GB of GDDR7 memory, whereas the GT 640 has 2 GB of DDR3 memory. The newer card offers both a larger capacity and a much faster memory type.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is vast. The GT 640 is built on the Kepler architecture, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC with 1,270 million transistors on a die size of 118 mm². This results in a transistor density of 10.8M / mm². In contrast, the RTX 5070 SUPER is based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, also from TSMC but on a much more advanced 5 nm node. It contains 31,100 million transistors within a 263 mm² die, achieving a density of 118.3M / mm². This represents a dramatic leap in manufacturing complexity and efficiency.

The fundamental feature sets are even more divergent. The GT 640 is a pure rasterization GPU with 384 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. It has no RT cores or tensor cores, meaning it cannot accelerate ray tracing or AI workloads. The RTX 5070 SUPER, however, is a modern compute monster with 6400 shading units, 200 TMUs, and 80 ROPs. Crucially, it also integrates 50 RT cores for real-time ray tracing and 200 tensor cores for AI processing, making it a far more versatile and future-proof piece of hardware.

The memory subsystems are from different generations entirely. The GT 640 uses 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 28.51 GB/s. The RTX 5070 SUPER uses 18 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus, providing a bandwidth of 672.0 GB/s. This massive disparity in bandwidth directly impacts performance in memory-intensive tasks like high-resolution texturing and compute workloads. The RTX 5070 SUPER also supports PCIe 5.0 x16, while the GT 640 is limited to PCIe 3.0 x16.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Direct comparison is complicated because the FACT PACK shows no shared benchmark tests between the two GPUs. The GT 640 was evaluated on Geekbench tests (Metal, OpenCL, Vulkan), while the RTX 5070 SUPER has only one benchmark result: 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, with a score of 2690. This makes a direct numerical comparison impossible, but the data from their nearest rivals provides context.

The GT 640's average score of 3210 places it 0.9% ahead of the Intel Arc Pro B60 (3182) and 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro P1000 (3163). It is 2.3% behind the NVIDIA GeForce 920M (3287) and 3.2% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M (3316). This shows the GT 640 is competitive within its very low-performance tier, matching other legacy or entry-level parts.

The RTX 5070 SUPER's score of 2690 puts it in a different performance bracket relative to its own rivals. It is 1% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro K1100M (2664), 1.1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 (2662), 1.1% ahead of the Intel Arc Pro B50 (2660), and 1.7% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 440 (2645). The similarity in these scores is striking, suggesting that the RTX 5070 SUPER's single benchmark result may not reflect its true gaming or compute potential, or that this particular test is not favorable to it. The data simply does not support a claim of dominance in a head-to-head comparison, as the wins are not recorded in the headToHeadBenchmarks field.

Specification Differences

The specification differences are extensive and define the performance gap. The process node differs significantly: the GT 640 is on 28 nm, while the RTX 5070 SUPER is on 5 nm. The latter has a much larger die (263 mm² vs 118 mm²) and a vastly higher transistor count (31,100 million vs 1,270 million).

Clock speeds also differ, with the RTX 5070 SUPER having a base clock of 2325 MHz and a boost clock of 2512 MHz, while the GT 640 has no listed base or boost clock. The memory configuration is entirely different, as noted above. The RTX 5070 SUPER uses GDDR7 with a 192-bit bus, while the GT 640 uses DDR3 with a 128-bit bus.

Compute capabilities are dramatically higher on the newer card. The RTX 5070 SUPER delivers 32.15 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 32.15 TFLOPS of FP16 performance (1:1 ratio). The GT 640 provides only 692.7 GFLOPS of FP32 and no FP16 capability. The RTX 5070 SUPER also has dedicated RT and tensor cores, which the GT 640 completely lacks. Power requirements and physical attributes also differ: the RTX 5070 SUPER has a TDP of 275 W and is a dual-slot card with a 16-pin connector, while the GT 640 has a 65 W TDP and is a single-slot card with no power connector. The display outputs are modernized on the RTX 5070 SUPER, featuring HDMI 2.1b and DisplayPort 2.1b, compared to the older HDMI 1.4a and DisplayPort 1.2 on the GT 640.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the data, the GT 640 wins in the narrow metric of average benchmark score, primarily because its Geekbench tests (OpenCL score of 3736, Vulkan score of 3809) produce higher numbers than the RTX 5070 SUPER's single 3DMark result. It also has a higher percentile rank (20th vs 18th) and a lower power draw (65 W vs 275 W), making it a suitable candidate for legacy systems or basic display output where maximum compute power is not required. Its smaller 145 mm length and single-slot design also make it easier to fit in compact cases.

The RTX 5070 SUPER wins in every meaningful technical specification. It offers a massive advantage in memory bandwidth (672.0 GB/s vs 28.51 GB/s), memory capacity (18 GB vs 2 GB), and raw compute throughput (32.15 TFLOPS vs 692.7 GFLOPS). The inclusion of RT and tensor cores makes it the only one of the two capable of modern gaming features like ray tracing and DLSS. Its support for PCIe 5.0 and newer display outputs (HDMI 2.1b, DisplayPort 2.1b) ensures compatibility with current and future hardware. The data clearly indicates that the RTX 5070 SUPER is the superior card for any demanding workload.

The Verdict

The choice between these two GPUs is not a decision based on performance parity; it is a decision based on era and application. The data shows that the GT 640 is a relic of the early 2010s, with a 20th percentile ranking and benchmark scores that place it alongside other low-end legacy cards like the GeForce 920M and GT 730M. Its strengths lie solely in its low power consumption and small physical footprint.

The RTX 5070 SUPER, despite its lower average benchmark score and 18th percentile rank, is unequivocally the more powerful and capable GPU. Its architectural advantages are immense, from the 5 nm process and 31,100 million transistors to the 18 GB of GDDR7 memory and 32.15 TFLOPS of compute power. The presence of RT and tensor cores alone makes it the only viable option for modern gaming or professional 3D rendering.

For any user building a new system or upgrading for contemporary software, the RTX 5070 SUPER is the only logical choice. The GT 640 should be considered only for retro computing, basic 2D display tasks, or as a placeholder in a system where power draw is the absolute priority. The benchmark data, while not directly comparable, does not change the conclusion: the RTX 5070 SUPER is a modern, high-performance part, while the GT 640 is a historical artifact. The verdict is clear: the RTX 5070 SUPER is the definitive winner for anyone needing actual graphics processing capability.