GPU Comparison

The data is unambiguous: the NVIDIA Quadro P2000 is the substantially faster and more modern GPU, outperforming the GeForce GTX 580M by a wide margin in the only shared benchmark. The GTX 580M, while a capable product of its era, is outclassed in nearly every measurable specification and feature comparison.

The Verdict

The NVIDIA Quadro P2000 is the clear choice for nearly any workload based on the benchmark data. In the head-to-head Geekbench OpenCL test, the Quadro P2000 scores 20,125, which is a decisive 215% improvement over the GTX 580M’s 6,389. The GTX 580M is not competitive in this comparison; it is an end-of-life mobile part from 2011, while the P2000 is a newer, more efficient, and more capable desktop workstation card.

The GTX 580M’s only potential advantage is its historical context, but even its core architectural features are outdated. The data shows the Quadro P2000 wins all head-to-head benchmarks (1 win versus 0). For any user seeking performance, the Quadro P2000 is the only logical pick. The GTX 580M would only be relevant for someone specifically needing a legacy MXM module for an older laptop, as its bus interface is MXM-B (3.0) and its display outputs are "Portable Device Dependent," whereas the P2000 is a standard PCIe 3.0 x16 card with 4x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent distinct generations of NVIDIA design. The GTX 580M is built on the Fermi 2.0 architecture with the GF114 chip, manufactured on a 40 nm process at TSMC. In contrast, the Quadro P2000 utilizes the Pascal architecture with the GP106 chip, produced on a much more advanced 16 nm process, also at TSMC. This process shrink is fundamental to the performance gap.

The transistor counts highlight the generational leap. The GTX 580M has 1,950 million transistors on a 332 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 5.9M / mm². The Quadro P2000 packs 4,400 million transistors onto a smaller 200 mm² die, achieving a far higher density of 22.0M / mm². This means the P2000 has more than double the transistors in a smaller physical space, allowing for significantly more compute resources.

The core configurations differ drastically. The GTX 580M features 384 shading units, 64 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 raster operation pipelines (ROPs). The Quadro P2000 offers 1,024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 40 ROPs. This massive increase in shading units is a primary driver of the P2000’s superior compute performance. Furthermore, the P2000 features a base clock of 1076 MHz and a boost clock of 1480 MHz, whereas the GTX 580M's base and boost clocks are not listed in the data, though its memory clock is 750 MHz (3 Gbps effective), compared to the P2000's 1752 MHz (7 Gbps effective).

The memory subsystems also tell a story of progress. The GTX 580M uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 96.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The Quadro P2000 uses 5 GB of GDDR5 on a 160-bit bus but achieves a higher 140.2 GB/s bandwidth thanks to its faster memory clock. The P2000 also supports newer API features, including DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 580M is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and has no Vulkan support listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the result is a landslide. The Quadro P2000 scores 20,125, while the GTX 580M scores 6,389. This represents a 68.3% deficit for the GTX 580M, meaning the P2000 is more than three times faster in this compute-heavy workload. This single data point is a strong indicator of the overall performance disparity.

The GTX 580M’s score of 6,389 places it in the 37th percentile of all GPUs, with its nearest rivals including the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 SE (also scoring 6,389) and the AMD Radeon Pro WX 4100 (scoring 6,330, a 0.9% difference). The Quadro P2000’s OpenCL score of 20,125 is not its average, however; its average benchmark score is 6,049, which puts it in the 35th percentile. This average is dragged down by other tests like Passmark scores (e.g., 34 in DirectX 10, 47 in DirectX 11, 28 in DirectX 12), but the OpenCL result shows its raw compute potential.

In the head-to-head, the P2000 wins the only test. There are no benchmark categories where the GTX 580M wins. The data indicates the P2000 is superior in raw compute, and its other benchmarks (like a Passmark G3D score of 6,956 and a GPU compute score of 2,933) reinforce its position as a competent performer. The GTX 580M has no such extra benchmark data, making the comparison one-sided.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in compute workloads?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro P2000 is significantly faster. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, it scores 20,125 compared to the GTX 580M’s 6,389, a performance advantage of 68.3%.

Q: What are the main architectural differences?

A: The GTX 580M uses the older Fermi 2.0 architecture on a 40 nm process, while the Quadro P2000 uses the newer Pascal architecture on a 16 nm process. The P2000 also has 1,024 shading units versus 384 on the GTX 580M.

Q: How much memory does each card have?

A: The GTX 580M has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the Quadro P2000 has 5 GB of GDDR5 memory. The P2000 also has higher memory bandwidth at 140.2 GB/s compared to the GTX 580M’s 96.00 GB/s.

Q: Which card is more power-efficient?

A: The Quadro P2000 has a lower TDP of 75 W compared to the GTX 580M’s 100 W, despite being significantly more powerful. The P2000 also uses a smaller 200 mm² die with a more advanced 16 nm process.

Q: What are the differences in display outputs?

A: The Quadro P2000 features 4x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, making it suitable for multi-monitor professional setups. The GTX 580M’s display outputs are "Portable Device Dependent," meaning they rely on the host laptop.

Q: What is the API support difference?

A: The Quadro P2000 supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4. The GTX 580M is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and has no listed Vulkan support.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the available data, the NVIDIA Quadro P2000 wins in every applicable category. Its advantages are comprehensive:

• Compute Performance: The P2000’s OpenCL score of 20,125 dwarfs the GTX 580M’s 6,389, making it the clear winner for any GPU-accelerated compute task.
• Memory Capacity and Bandwidth: With 5 GB of VRAM and 140.2 GB/s of bandwidth, the P2000 can handle larger datasets and more complex textures than the GTX 580M’s 2 GB and 96.00 GB/s.
• Feature Set: The P2000 supports newer APIs (DirectX 12_1, Vulkan 1.4) and has a modern PCIe 3.0 x16 interface and 4x DisplayPort outputs, making it a more flexible and future-proof option.
• Efficiency: The P2000 delivers superior performance while consuming less power (75 W TDP versus 100 W).

The GTX 580M has no benchmark wins. Its only niche is its form factor as an MXM module, which is intended for specific laptop upgrades. For anyone building or upgrading a desktop workstation, the Quadro P2000 is the definitive choice, supported by every piece of data in this comparison.

Specification Differences

Here are the key specifications where the two GPUs differ:

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580M | NVIDIA Quadro P2000 |

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

| Architecture | Fermi 2.0 | Pascal |

| Process Node | 40 nm | 16 nm |

| Transistors | 1,950 million | 4,400 million |

| Die Size | 332 mm² | 200 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 5.9M / mm² | 22.0M / mm² |

| Base Clock | N/A | 1076 MHz |

| Boost Clock | N/A | 1480 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 750 MHz (3 Gbps effective) | 1752 MHz (7 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 5 GB |

| Memory Bus | 256 bit | 160 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 96.00 GB/s | 140.2 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 384 | 1024 |

| ROPs | 32 | 40 |

| Pixel Rate | 9.920 GPixel/s | 59.20 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 39.68 GTexel/s | 94.72 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 952.3 GFLOPS | 3.031 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 100 W | 75 W |

| Slot Width | MXM Module | Single-slot |

| Suggested PSU | N/A | 250 W |

| Bus Interface | MXM-B (3.0) | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 4x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| DirectX Support | 12 (11_0) | 12 (12_1) |

| Vulkan Support | N/A | 1.4 |

| Dimensions | N/A | 196 mm (7.7 inches) length, 111 mm (4.4 inches) height |

| Release Date | 2011-06-27 | 2017-02-05 |

| Generation | GeForce 500M | Quadro Pascal (Px000) |