NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 vs NVIDIA Quadro M2000 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 and NVIDIA Quadro M2000 represent two very different eras and purposes in graphics hardware. The GTX 580 is a high-power Fermi-based flagship from 2010, while the Quadro M2000 is a low-power Maxwell-based professional card from 2016. The benchmark data shows a close contest in raw compute, but the specifications and feature sets tell a story of divergent design goals. In the single head-to-head benchmark available, the GTX 580 edges out the M2000 in Geekbench OpenCL with a score of 15283 against 14588, a delta of 4.8%. This places the GTX 580 near the performance of an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, which scores 15290, and slightly ahead of an AMD Radeon 680M at 15270. The M2000, with an average score of 14532, sits just behind an AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT, which scores 14692.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is Geekbench OpenCL, and it is a narrow win for the older GTX 580. The GTX 580 scores 15283, while the Quadro M2000 scores 14588, giving the GTX 580 a 4.8% advantage. This is a modest margin, but it puts the two cards in essentially the same performance tier for this compute workload. To contextualize, the GTX 580’s score is within 0.1% of the RTX 2060 (15290) and 0.7% of the RX 7600 (15171), meaning it is competitive with much newer mainstream cards in this specific test. The M2000’s OpenCL score of 14588 is 0.9% ahead of a GeForce GTX 965M (14404) and 1.1% ahead of a GeForce GTX TITAN (14373), showing it performs above some older high-end parts in raw compute.

However, the M2000 has an additional data point that the GTX 580 lacks: a Geekbench Vulkan score of 14475. This is a significant differentiator because the GTX 580 has no Vulkan score listed and its API support for Vulkan is listed as null, while the M2000 explicitly supports Vulkan 1.4. While the OpenCL scores are close, the Vulkan result for the M2000 indicates it can leverage a modern graphics API that the GTX 580 cannot. In terms of overall percentile rank, the GTX 580 sits at the 58th percentile of all GPUs, while the M2000 sits at the 56th percentile. This track with the OpenCL results, but the M2000’s Vulkan capability suggests it may have better forward-looking software compatibility despite the lower raw OpenCL score.

The wins are split unevenly: the GTX 580 wins the single OpenCL benchmark, giving it one win, while the M2000 has zero wins in head-to-head tests. Yet, this does not tell the full story. The M2000’s higher average score across two benchmarks (14532) versus the GTX 580’s single score (15283) shows that the M2000 is more consistent across different test types, even if it loses the one shared test. The delta of 4.8% in OpenCL is small enough that real-world differences would be negligible for many tasks, but the architectural gap means they excel in different areas.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 580 wins in pure compute throughput based on the OpenCL benchmark, but its advantage is narrow. It has a higher pixel rate of 24.70 GPixel/s compared to the M2000’s 37.22 GPixel/s, meaning the M2000 is actually faster at filling pixels. The GTX 580 also has a higher texture rate of 49.41 GTexel/s versus the M2000’s 55.82 GTexel/s, again favoring the M2000 in texture-heavy workloads. Despite losing the OpenCL test, the M2000 wins in raw pixel and texture throughput, which suggests it may be better suited for tasks like CAD viewport rendering or 2D/3D visualization where geometry and texture fill rates matter more than general compute.

The GTX 580’s win in OpenCL is likely driven by its memory subsystem. It has a 384-bit memory bus with 192.4 GB/s of bandwidth, while the M2000 has a 128-bit bus with 105.8 GB/s. This gives the GTX 580 nearly double the memory bandwidth, which can be a decisive factor in compute kernels that are memory-bound. The M2000 compensates with a significantly larger 4 GB frame buffer versus the GTX 580’s 1536 MB, allowing it to handle larger datasets without spilling to system memory. For professional workloads like large 3D scenes or high-resolution textures, the M2000’s extra memory is a clear advantage, even if its raw compute score is lower.

In terms of power efficiency, the M2000 is the clear winner. It has a TDP of 75 W with no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the GTX 580 draws 244 W, requires a 6-pin and 8-pin connector, and needs a 550 W PSU. The M2000 also runs in a single-slot form factor at 201 mm, while the GTX 580 is a dual-slot card at 267 mm. This makes the M2000 far easier to deploy in dense workstation environments or small form factor systems. The M2000 also supports PCIe 3.0 x16, while the GTX 580 is limited to PCIe 2.0 x16, which can affect data transfer speeds with the host system.

Architecture Differences

The GTX 580 is built on the GF110 chip using the Fermi 2.0 architecture, manufactured on a 40 nm process at TSMC. It packs 3,000 million transistors on a 520 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 5.8M per mm². The M2000 uses the GM206 chip with the Maxwell 2.0 architecture, on a 28 nm process, also at TSMC, with 2,940 million transistors on a much smaller 228 mm² die, achieving a density of 12.9M per mm². This means the M2000 is significantly more efficient in terms of transistor packing, which contributes to its lower power draw.

The GTX 580 has 512 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, while the M2000 has 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Despite having more shading units, the M2000’s lower clock speeds (base 796 MHz, boost 1163 MHz) compared to the GTX 580’s reference clocks (with memory at 1002 MHz, but core clocks not listed) result in a lower FP32 throughput of 1.786 TFLOPS versus the GTX 580’s 1.581 TFLOPS. The M2000 actually has a higher FP32 rating, but the GTX 580 wins in OpenCL due to its memory bandwidth advantage.

The GTX 580 supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but has no Vulkan support listed. The M2000 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. This is a critical difference for modern software. The M2000’s display outputs are 4x DisplayPort 1.2, while the GTX 580 has 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a. The M2000 is designed for professional multi-monitor setups with its four DisplayPort outputs, while the GTX 580 is aimed at consumer gaming with its DVI and HDMI options. The M2000’s release date is 2016-04-07, while the GTX 580 is from 2010-11-08, showing a six-year gap in design philosophy.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in OpenCL compute?

A: The GTX 580 wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 15283 versus the M2000’s 14588, a 4.8% advantage. This places the GTX 580 slightly ahead of the RTX 2060 (15290) and RX 7600 (15171).

Q: Does the Quadro M2000 have any benchmark advantage over the GTX 580?

A: The M2000 has a Geekbench Vulkan score of 14475, which the GTX 580 does not have because it lacks Vulkan support. The M2000 also has a higher pixel rate (37.22 GPixel/s) and texture rate (55.82 GTexel/s) than the GTX 580.

Q: Why does the GTX 580 win OpenCL despite having a lower FP32 rating?

A: The GTX 580 has a 384-bit memory bus with 192.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the M2000 has a 128-bit bus with 105.8 GB/s. This double bandwidth likely helps the GTX 580 in memory-bound compute tasks, despite the M2000’s higher FP32 of 1.786 TFLOPS.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The M2000 has 4 GB of GDDR5, while the GTX 580 has 1536 MB. The M2000’s larger frame buffer is better for handling large datasets or high-resolution textures.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The M2000 has a TDP of 75 W, requires no power connectors, and suggests a 250 W PSU. The GTX 580 has a TDP of 244 W, needs a 6-pin and 8-pin connector, and suggests a 550 W PSU.

Q: Which card has better modern API support?

A: The M2000 supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 580 only supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and has no Vulkan support listed. This makes the M2000 more compatible with newer software.

The Verdict

The data indicates that the GTX 580 is the better choice for raw compute performance, as proven by its 4.8% OpenCL lead over the M2000 and its competitive position against much newer cards like the RTX 2060. If you need maximum throughput in a legacy compute workload and have the power budget, the GTX 580 is the stronger performer. However, the M2000 is the superior option for professional environments that prioritize efficiency, modern API support, and memory capacity. Its 75 W TDP, single-slot design, and 4 GB frame buffer make it far easier to integrate into workstations, while its Vulkan 1.4 support ensures compatibility with current graphics stacks.

For a PC builder focused on gaming or general compute, the GTX 580’s memory bandwidth advantage and higher OpenCL score make it the more capable card in raw speed. For a workstation user running CAD, visualization, or multi-display setups, the M2000’s four DisplayPort outputs, lower power draw, and larger memory are decisive factors. The M2000 also offers a higher pixel rate and texture rate, which could be beneficial for viewport rendering. Ultimately, the GTX 580 wins on pure performance per the benchmark, but the M2000 wins on efficiency and feature set. Choose the GTX 580 if you have the power and space, and choose the M2000 if you need a modern, low-profile professional solution.

Specification Differences

• Process Node: GTX 580 is 40 nm; M2000 is 28 nm.
• Die Size: GTX 580 is 520 mm²; M2000 is 228 mm².
• Transistor Density: GTX 580 is 5.8M / mm²; M2000 is 12.9M / mm².
• Core Clocks: GTX 580 has no base/boost listed; M2000 has base 796 MHz and boost 1163 MHz.
• Memory Size: GTX 580 has 1536 MB; M2000 has 4 GB.
• Memory Bus Width: GTX 580 is 384 bit; M2000 is 128 bit.
• Memory Bandwidth: GTX 580 is 192.4 GB/s; M2000 is 105.8 GB/s.
• Shading Units: GTX 580 has 512; M2000 has 768.
• TMUs: GTX 580 has 64; M2000 has 48.
• ROPs: GTX 580 has 48; M2000 has 32.
• Pixel Rate: GTX 580 is 24.70 GPixel/s; M2000 is 37.22 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: GTX 580 is 49.41 GTexel/s; M2000 is 55.82 GTexel/s.
• FP32: GTX 580 is 1.581 TFLOPS; M2000 is 1.786 TFLOPS.
• TDP: GTX 580 is 244 W; M2000 is 75 W.
• Slot Width: GTX 580 is Dual-slot; M2000 is Single-slot.
• Power Connectors: GTX 580 has 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin; M2000 has None.
• Suggested PSU: GTX 580 is 550 W; M2000 is 250 W.
• Bus Interface: GTX 580 is PCIe 2.0 x16; M2000 is PCIe 3.0 x16.
• Display Outputs: GTX 580 has 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a; M2000 has 4x DisplayPort 1.2.
• DirectX Support: GTX 580 is 12 (11_0); M2000 is 12 (12_1).
• Vulkan Support: GTX 580 is null; M2000 is 1.4.
• Length: GTX 580 is 267 mm; M2000 is 201 mm.
• Release Date: GTX 580 is 2010-11-08; M2000 is 2016-04-07.
• Launch MSRP: GTX 580 is 499 USD; M2000 is not listed.