NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data contains one direct head-to-head comparison between these two GPUs, using the Geekbench OpenCL workload. In that test, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 scores 12,830, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M scores 12,769. The GTX 590 wins by a margin of 0.5%. This is a narrow victory, indicating that the two cards are nearly identical in raw compute performance under this particular benchmark.

Looking at the broader database context, the GTX 590's average benchmark score is 12,830, which places it at the 52nd percentile among all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 455 at 12,831 (a 0% difference), the AMD FirePro W5100 at 12,847 (0.1% slower), the AMD Radeon 740M at 12,870 (0.3% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 at 12,773 (0.4% faster). The GTX 590 essentially trades blows with these cards, sitting in a tight cluster where no single competitor holds a decisive edge.

The GTX 780M, by contrast, has a lower average benchmark score of 11,261, which drops it to the 50th percentile. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3200 at 11,228 (0.3% faster), the AMD FirePro W4300 at 11,225 (0.3% faster), and two NVIDIA workstation parts, the RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Max-Q and RTX PRO 6000D Blackwell Max-Q, both at 11,088 (1.6% faster). The GTX 780M is therefore slightly ahead of its immediate peers, but its average score is dragged down by its other benchmark results.

The GTX 780M also has results in two additional workloads. In Geekbench Metal, it scores 8,319, and in Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 12,696. The OpenCL score of 12,769 is the highest of the three, while the Vulkan score trails by 0.6% and the Metal score is significantly lower, reflecting API-specific performance characteristics. The GTX 590, however, only has a single recorded OpenCL score, so no cross-API comparison is possible from the data.

When comparing the two directly, the GTX 590 leads in the only shared benchmark by a very small amount. The win count stands at 1 for the GTX 590 and 0 for the GTX 780M. This suggests that, for OpenCL compute tasks, the two GPUs are effectively equivalent, with the GTX 590 holding a marginal edge that would likely be imperceptible in real-world usage.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the only head-to-head benchmark in the database?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with a score of 12,830, compared to the GTX 780M's 12,769. The margin is 0.5%.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The GTX 590 has an average benchmark score of 12,830, while the GTX 780M averages 11,261. The GTX 590 sits at the 52nd percentile, and the GTX 780M sits at the 50th percentile.

Q: What is the closest rival to the GTX 590 according to the database?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 455 has an average score of 12,831, which is a 0% difference from the GTX 590's 12,830. The AMD FirePro W5100 is also close at 12,847, just 0.1% behind.

Q: Does the GTX 780M have any benchmark advantages over the GTX 590?

A: The data does not show any. The GTX 780M wins zero head-to-head benchmarks, while the GTX 590 wins one. The GTX 780M's additional scores in Metal (8,319) and Vulkan (12,696) have no counterpart from the GTX 590.

Q: What is the GTX 780M's closest rival in the database?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro WX 3200 has an average score of 11,228, which is 0.3% faster than the GTX 780M's 11,261. The AMD FirePro W4300 is also 0.3% faster at 11,225.

Q: How does the GTX 590 compare to the GTX 670?

A: The GTX 670 has an average score of 12,773, which is 0.4% faster than the GTX 590's 12,830. This puts the GTX 670 slightly ahead among the GTX 590's nearest rivals.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear picture for users choosing between these two NVIDIA parts. The GTX 590 is the stronger card in the only direct comparison, winning the Geekbench OpenCL test by 0.5%. Its average score of 12,830 is also notably higher than the GTX 780M's 11,261, a gap of roughly 14% in favor of the older card. The GTX 590 also holds a higher percentile ranking (52nd versus 50th), indicating that it outpaces a larger share of the GPU population.

However, the GTX 780M is not without justification. It has three recorded benchmarks, demonstrating broader API support, including a Vulkan score of 12,696 that is within 1% of the GTX 590's OpenCL result. For users who prioritize Vulkan workloads, the GTX 780M may be the more versatile option, even if its raw OpenCL performance is slightly lower. The GTX 780M also carries a substantially lower TDP of 122 W versus 365 W, which is a critical consideration for system builders and laptop users, though the database does not provide direct performance-per-watt measurements.

For pure compute performance, the GTX 590 is the winner. For users who need a mobile form factor or lower power draw, the GTX 780M is the practical choice, but the benchmark data favors the GTX 590 in every recorded head-to-head metric.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every core specification. The GTX 590 is built on a 40 nm process with 3,000 million transistors on a 520 mm² die, while the GTX 780M uses a 28 nm process with 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. The transistor density reflects this: the GTX 590 has 5.8M transistors per mm², while the GTX 780M has 12.0M per mm².

Memory configurations diverge significantly. The GTX 590 has 1,536 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 164.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 780M has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 160.0 GB/s. Despite the smaller bus, the GTX 780M's larger capacity and slightly lower bandwidth make it better suited for large datasets.

The compute units also differ. The GTX 590 has 512 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 48 raster output units. The GTX 780M has 1,536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. This results in different fill rates: the GTX 590 achieves 19.46 GPixel/s and 38.91 GTexel/s, while the GTX 780M reaches 25.50 GPixel/s and 102.0 GTexel/s. The FP32 performance is also different, with the GTX 590 at 1,244.2 GFLOPS and the GTX 780M at 2.448 TFLOPS.

Clock speeds are another point of difference. The GTX 590 has no recorded base or boost clock, but its memory runs at 854 MHz (3.4 Gbps effective). The GTX 780M has a base clock of 771 MHz, a boost clock of 797 MHz, and memory at 1,250 MHz (5 Gbps effective).

Power and physical specifications set the cards apart further. The GTX 590 has a TDP of 365 W, is dual-slot, requires 2x 8-pin power connectors, and has a suggested PSU of 750 W. It measures 279 mm in length, 111 mm in height, and 40 mm in width. The GTX 780M has a TDP of 122 W, uses an MXM Module form factor, requires no power connectors, and has no recorded dimensions or suggested PSU.

The bus interface differs as well: the GTX 590 uses PCIe 2.0 x16, while the GTX 780M uses MXM-B (3.0). Display outputs also vary, with the GTX 590 offering 3x DVI and 1x mini-DisplayPort, while the GTX 780M is described as "Portable Device Dependent."

Architecture Differences

The GTX 590 is based on the GF110 chip using the Fermi 2.0 architecture, part of the GeForce 500 generation. The GTX 780M uses the GK104 chip with the Kepler architecture, part of the GeForce 700M generation. Both are manufactured by TSMC, but the GTX 590 uses a 40 nm node while the GTX 780M uses a 28 nm node.

The transistor counts and die sizes reflect the architectural leap. The GTX 590's Fermi 2.0 design packs 3,000 million transistors into 520 mm², while the GTX 780M's Kepler design fits 3,540 million transistors into 294 mm². The Kepler architecture is more efficient in density, with 12.0M transistors per mm² versus 5.8M for Fermi 2.0.

In terms of features, the GTX 590 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and has no recorded Vulkan support. The GTX 780M also supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but adds Vulkan 1.2.175 support, which is a notable difference for modern API compatibility.

Neither card has ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as these features were not part of either architecture. The GTX 590 has no recorded FP16 performance, and the GTX 780M also lacks FP16 data in the database.

The GTX 590's predecessor is the GeForce 400 series, and its successor is the GeForce 600 series. The GTX 780M's predecessor is the GeForce 600M series, and its successor is the GeForce 800M series. Both cards are marked as end-of-life in production status.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 590 wins in raw compute performance. It leads the only head-to-head benchmark, the Geekbench OpenCL test, by 0.5%. Its average score of 12,830 is 14% higher than the GTX 780M's 11,261, and its 52nd percentile ranking is above the GTX 780M's 50th. For users running OpenCL workloads, the GTX 590 is the stronger performer.

The GTX 590 also wins on memory bandwidth, with 164.0 GB/s versus 160.0 GB/s, and on ROP count, with 48 versus 32. Its larger 384-bit bus may benefit high-bandwidth applications, though the GTX 780M's higher FP32 throughput (2.448 TFLOPS versus 1,244.2 GFLOPS) suggests that compute-heavy tasks could favor the newer card in scenarios not covered by the recorded benchmarks.

The GTX 780M wins on efficiency and portability. Its TDP of 122 W is less than a third of the GTX 590's 365 W, making it suitable for laptops and compact systems. It also has 4 GB of memory versus 1,536 MB, which is a major advantage for modern games and large datasets. The GTX 780M adds Vulkan support, which the GTX 590 lacks, and its texture rate of 102.0 GTexel/s is more than double the GTX 590's 38.91 GTexel/s.

In practical terms, the GTX 590 is the choice for desktop users prioritizing OpenCL performance and memory bandwidth, provided they can accommodate its power draw and dual-slot size. The GTX 780M is the choice for mobile users or those needing more memory and modern API support, accepting a slight performance deficit in the recorded benchmark. The data does not indicate a clear overall winner; it depends on the use case.