NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB vs NVIDIA Tesla K40m Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB and the NVIDIA Tesla K40m represent two very different eras of GPU design, and the benchmark data reflects that gap clearly. The GTX 1060 holds a decisive lead in the only shared benchmark, the Geekbench OpenCL test, scoring 32,322 against the Tesla K40m’s 19,885—a 62.5% advantage. This places the GTX 1060 in the 67th percentile of all GPUs, while the Tesla K40m sits at the 65th percentile. The verdict is straightforward: for any compute workload captured by these benchmarks, the GTX 1060 is the superior choice. The Tesla K40m’s only practical advantage lies in its 12 GB memory capacity, which may appeal to specific large-data tasks, but its raw performance is significantly lower, and it lacks any display outputs, making it unsuitable for standard desktop use.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner for general-purpose compute: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB. Its OpenCL score of 32,322 is not just higher; it is dramatically so, beating the Tesla K40m by 62.5%. This margin is not a marginal improvement but a generational leap. The GTX 1060 also has a higher average benchmark score of 21,856 across all tests, compared to the Tesla K40m’s 19,885, reinforcing its overall performance advantage.

The NVIDIA Tesla K40m should only be considered by users who specifically need its 12 GB of GDDR5 memory. The GTX 1060 offers only 6 GB. However, the K40m’s memory advantage comes with significant compromises. It has no display outputs, a lower clock speed, and its architecture is older. The benchmark results show that in the OpenCL test, the K40m is far behind, making it a poor choice for tasks that rely on raw compute throughput rather than sheer memory capacity.

For a user building a system today, the GTX 1060 is the rational choice. It provides a functional display interface, modern API support, and superior performance in the measured benchmarks. The Tesla K40m, despite its larger memory pool, is a compute-only relic that is outperformed by a consumer card from three years later. The data does not support choosing the K40m unless the specific workload requires more than 6 GB of VRAM and can tolerate its lower compute performance.

Architecture Differences

The architectural chasm between these two GPUs is vast, rooted in different process nodes and design philosophies. The GTX 1060 is built on the Pascal architecture using a 16 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 200 mm² and 4,400 million transistors. In contrast, the Tesla K40m uses the older Kepler architecture on a 28 nm process, also from TSMC, but with a much larger die of 561 mm² and 7,080 million transistors. This explains the transistor density difference: the GTX 1060 packs 22.0 million transistors per mm², while the K40m manages only 12.6 million per mm².

The clock speeds tell a similar story of efficiency. The GTX 1060 runs at a base clock of 1506 MHz and a boost clock of 1709 MHz, while the Tesla K40m operates at a much lower 745 MHz base and 876 MHz boost. This massive clock advantage is a primary reason for the GTX 1060’s performance lead. The K40m does have more raw compute units—2,880 shading units and 240 texture mapping units (TMUs) versus the GTX 1060’s 1,280 shading units and 80 TMUs—but the GTX 1060 compensates with higher clocks and a more efficient architecture. Both have 48 ROPs.

Memory configurations also differ significantly. The GTX 1060 uses 6 GB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus, delivering 192.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Tesla K40m offers 12 GB of GDDR5 on a wider 384-bit bus, achieving 288.4 GB/s. This gives the K40m a bandwidth advantage, which is its one clear architectural win. In terms of API support, the GTX 1060 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the K40m supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The GTX 1060 also features a 16 nm process which allows for a much lower TDP of 120 W, compared to the K40m’s 245 W.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark data, the GTX 1060 wins in the compute arena. The only head-to-head benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, shows the GTX 1060 with a 62.5% lead. This suggests that for general-purpose GPU computing, OpenCL workloads, and any task that relies on raw floating-point performance, the GTX 1060 is the clear victor. Its higher clock speeds and modern architecture make it more responsive to compute tasks that are not memory-bound.

The Tesla K40m’s potential win condition is in memory capacity and bandwidth. With 12 GB of VRAM and 288.4 GB/s of bandwidth, it is theoretically better suited for workloads that require large datasets to be held in memory, such as certain machine learning inference or scientific simulations with large matrices. However, the benchmark data does not include a test that specifically isolates this advantage. The K40m also has a higher FP32 throughput of 5.046 TFLOPS compared to the GTX 1060’s 4.375 TFLOPS, which could suggest it wins in raw FP32 compute if clocks were equal. But the GTX 1060’s 62.5% benchmark lead indicates that real-world performance does not favor the K40m, likely due to the massive clock speed deficit.

For a user, the GTX 1060 is a better all-rounder. It has display outputs (1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a) and can be used as a standard desktop GPU. The Tesla K40m has no display outputs, making it a headless compute card only. The data suggests that the GTX 1060 is the better choice for anyone who needs a functional GPU for both compute and display tasks.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the shared OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB is significantly faster, scoring 32,322 compared to the Tesla K40m’s 19,885, a 62.5% difference.

Q: Does the Tesla K40m have more memory than the GTX 1060?

A: Yes, the Tesla K40m has 12 GB of GDDR5 memory, double the 6 GB found on the GTX 1060. It also has higher memory bandwidth at 288.4 GB/s versus 192.2 GB/s.

Q: Can the Tesla K40m be used with a standard monitor?

A: No, the Tesla K40m has no display outputs, making it a compute-only card. The GTX 1060 includes 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in terms of power consumption?

A: The GTX 1060 has a TDP of 120 W, while the Tesla K40m has a much higher TDP of 245 W. The GTX 1060 also suggests a 300 W power supply, while the K40m recommends a 550 W unit.

Q: Which GPU has a higher FP32 floating-point performance?

A: The Tesla K40m has a higher theoretical FP32 throughput of 5.046 TFLOPS, while the GTX 1060 delivers 4.375 TFLOPS. However, the GTX 1060’s real-world benchmark score is much higher.

Q: What are the release dates of these two GPUs?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB was released on 2016-07-18, while the NVIDIA Tesla K40m was released earlier on 2013-11-21.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the results are lopsided. The GTX 1060 scores 32,322, while the Tesla K40m manages 19,885. The delta is 62.5% in favor of the GTX 1060. This is a massive margin that cannot be ignored. To put it in context, the GTX 1060’s average benchmark score of 21,856 places it just 1% below an NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (21,629) and 1.3% below an AMD Radeon RX 6700S (22,154). In contrast, the Tesla K40m’s average score of 19,885 is only 0.1% above an AMD FirePro W7000 (19,905) and 0.6% above an AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT (19,765). This shows that the GTX 1060 sits in a higher performance tier than the K40m.

The GTX 1060’s score of 32,322 is not just a win; it is a dominant performance that highlights the efficiency of the Pascal architecture. The K40m, with its higher FP32 theoretical peak of 5.046 TFLOPS, fails to translate that into a benchmark win, likely due to its lower clock speeds and older architecture. The data suggests that the GTX 1060 is more effective at converting its compute resources into actual performance. The K40m’s only consolation is its memory bandwidth, but the OpenCL benchmark shows that this does not compensate for its other deficiencies.

Specification Differences

The following table highlights the key specifications where the two GPUs differ, based on the FACT PACK data:

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB | NVIDIA Tesla K40m |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Pascal | Kepler |

| Process Node | 16 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 4,400 million | 7,080 million |

| Die Size | 200 mm² | 561 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 22.0M / mm² | 12.6M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1506 MHz | 745 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1709 MHz | 876 MHz |

| Memory Size | 6 GB | 12 GB |

| Memory Bus Width | 192 bit | 384 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 192.2 GB/s | 288.4 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1280 | 2880 |

| TMUs | 80 | 240 |

| Pixel Rate | 82.03 GPixel/s | 52.56 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 136.7 GTexel/s | 210.2 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 4.375 TFLOPS | 5.046 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 68.36 GFLOPS (1:64) | null |

| TDP | 120 W | 245 W |

| Suggested PSU | 300 W | 550 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | null |

| Display Outputs | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | No outputs |

| DirectX Support | 12 (12_1) | 12 (11_1) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.2.175 |

| Length | 250 mm (9.8 inches) | 267 mm (10.5 inches) |

| Launch MSRP | 299 USD | 7,699 USD |

| Release Date | 2016-07-18 | 2013-11-21 |

The GTX 1060 is a more modern, efficient chip with higher clocks and a smaller die. The Tesla K40m offers more memory and a wider bus but is larger, slower, and more power-hungry. The launch MSRP of the Tesla K40m was significantly higher, but the GTX 1060’s performance in the shared benchmark makes it the better buy on a performance basis.