NVIDIA GeForce GT 740M vs NVIDIA Quadro K2100M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clear, consistent advantage for the NVIDIA Quadro K2100M across the two shared benchmark tests. In the Geekbench OpenCL workload, the Quadro K2100M records a score of 4587, while the GeForce GT 740M reaches 3974. This translates to a 15.4% lead for the Quadro part. The gap widens considerably in the Geekbench Vulkan test, where the Quadro K2100M scores 4343 against the GeForce GT 740M's 3459, a 25.6% advantage. Out of the two head-to-head comparisons, the Quadro K2100M wins both, securing a 2-0 victory in the win tally.

Placing these results in the broader context of the database, the Quadro K2100M's average benchmark score of 4151 places it at the 25th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival in the database is the AMD Radeon R5 M330, which has an average score of 4170, a difference of -0.4% relative to the Quadro. It is also within 1% of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, which scores 4193, and it sits 1.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB (4093). This positioning suggests that while the Quadro K2100M is not a high-flyer in absolute terms, its performance is tightly clustered with a diverse set of other mobile and entry-level desktop parts.

The GeForce GT 740M, by contrast, has a lower average benchmark score of 3717, placing it at the 22nd percentile of all GPUs. Its closest rival is the NVIDIA Quadro 3000M, with an identical average score of 3718 (a delta of 0%). It is also nearly level with the NVIDIA GeForce 825M (3694, 0.6% faster) and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 635M (3740, 0.6% slower). The 740M's performance is therefore representative of a specific performance tier, but it is decisively behind the Quadro K2100M in both shared tests. The data indicates that the Quadro K2100M is not just marginally faster; it is substantially ahead, particularly in the Vulkan API, where its lead is more than double the margin seen in OpenCL.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the choice between these two GPUs is unambiguous. The NVIDIA Quadro K2100M is the superior performer in every recorded head-to-head comparison. Its 15.4% lead in OpenCL and 25.6% lead in Vulkan are significant margins that would translate into tangible differences in compute-heavy workloads and modern graphics APIs. For any application that can leverage the Vulkan API, the Quadro K2100M offers a particularly pronounced advantage.

The GeForce GT 740M, while a competent part in its own right as evidenced by its proximity to the Quadro 3000M in the database, is simply outclassed by the Quadro K2100M. The data does not show a single scenario where the 740M comes out ahead. Therefore, users seeking maximum compute performance from these two options should select the Quadro K2100M. The 740M would only be the logical pick if its specific feature set or power profile (detailed below) were the primary concern, as its raw performance is consistently lower.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs are built on NVIDIA's Kepler architecture, but they are distinct implementations. The Quadro K2100M uses the GK106S chip, which is part of the "Quadro Kepler-M (Kx100M)" generation. The GeForce GT 740M uses the GK208 chip, belonging to the "GeForce 700M" generation and is classified as "Kepler 2.0". This difference in chip designation is reflected in the fundamental hardware resources.

The GK106S chip in the Quadro K2100M is a substantially larger and more complex design. It contains 2,540 million transistors on a die size of 221 mm², resulting in a transistor density of 11.5 million per mm². The GK208 in the GeForce GT 740M is far smaller, with 1,020 million transistors on an 87 mm² die, giving it a slightly higher density of 11.7 million per mm². This means the Quadro's silicon is roughly two and a half times larger, providing more room for compute resources.

This hardware disparity is directly visible in the core counts. The Quadro K2100M is equipped with 576 shading units, 48 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 16 raster operation pipelines (ROPs). The GeForce GT 740M has fewer of each: 384 shading units, 32 TMUs, and only 8 ROPs. The Quadro's advantage in shading units and TMUs is a primary driver of its higher compute scores. The ROP count difference is also notable, as it affects fill-rate and pixel processing capabilities.

Both chips are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The recorded data shows the pixel rate of the GT 740M is 8.264 GPixel/s, which is marginally higher than the Quadro K2100M's 8.004 GPixel/s. Similarly, the GT 740M has a texture rate of 33.06 GTexel/s, slightly exceeding the Quadro's 32.02 GTexel/s. These small wins for the 740M are a result of its higher clock speeds (detailed below) despite having fewer ROPs and TMUs. However, these minor fill-rate advantages do not overcome the Quadro's substantial lead in raw compute (FP32) and memory bandwidth.

Specification Differences

The most significant differences between the two GPUs lie in their memory subsystems, clock speeds, and power requirements.

The Quadro K2100M uses 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing a memory bandwidth of 48.13 GB/s. In contrast, the GeForce GT 740M uses 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, resulting in a much lower bandwidth of just 14.40 GB/s. This is a threefold difference in bandwidth and is likely a major contributor to the Quadro's superior performance in bandwidth-sensitive workloads. The memory clock rates also reflect this: the Quadro's memory runs at 752 MHz (3 Gbps effective), while the 740M's memory runs at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective). The effective data rate is significantly higher on the Quadro due to the GDDR5 vs DDR3 difference.

Clock speeds are where the GeForce GT 740M holds an advantage. The 740M has a base clock of 980 MHz and a boost clock of 1033 MHz. The Quadro K2100M is locked at a flat 667 MHz for both base and boost. This higher clock speed on the 740M helps it achieve competitive pixel and texture rates, but it cannot compensate for the Quadro's larger core and faster memory.

In terms of power, the Quadro K2100M has a TDP of 55 W, while the GeForce GT 740M is rated at 33 W. The 740M is the more power-efficient part per watt of performance, but the Quadro uses more power to deliver its higher performance. Both are MXM modules with no power connectors, and their display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent". The bus interface differs: the Quadro K2100M uses MXM-A (3.0), while the GeForce GT 740M uses PCIe 3.0 x8.

The feature set is largely similar. Both support DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. Neither has RT or Tensor cores. The production status for both is listed as "End-of-life". The release dates are close, with the GeForce GT 740M released on 2013-06-19 and the Quadro K2100M on 2013-07-22. The Quadro K2100M succeeds the Quadro Fermi-M and precedes the Quadro Maxwell-M, while the GeForce GT 740M succeeds the GeForce 600M and precedes the GeForce 800M.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro K2100M is faster, scoring 4587 compared to the GeForce GT 740M's 3974. This represents a 15.4% performance advantage for the Quadro.

Q: What is the performance difference in the Geekbench Vulkan test?

A: The Quadro K2100M leads by a larger margin in Vulkan, scoring 4343 against the GeForce GT 740M's 3459. This is a 25.6% difference in favor of the Quadro.

Q: Do the two GPUs have the same amount of memory?

A: Yes, both the Quadro K2100M and the GeForce GT 740M are equipped with 2 GB of memory. However, the Quadro uses faster GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, while the 740M uses DDR3 on a 64-bit bus.

Q: How does the memory bandwidth of the two cards compare?

A: The Quadro K2100M has a memory bandwidth of 48.13 GB/s, which is significantly higher than the GeForce GT 740M's 14.40 GB/s.

Q: Which GPU has a higher clock speed?

A: The GeForce GT 740M has higher clock speeds, with a base clock of 980 MHz and a boost clock of 1033 MHz. The Quadro K2100M operates at a lower, fixed clock of 667 MHz for both base and boost.

Q: What is the power consumption difference between the two?

A: The Quadro K2100M has a TDP of 55 W, while the GeForce GT 740M has a lower TDP of 33 W. The 740M is the more power-efficient option.