NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost vs NVIDIA Tesla M10 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a clear split between these two NVIDIA cards, with each taking one decisive victory in the recorded tests. In the Geekbench OpenCL workload, the Tesla M10 posts a score of 10,318 against 9,302 for the GTX 650 Ti Boost, a margin of 10.9% that puts the Tesla firmly ahead in compute-oriented rendering tasks. That OpenCL result aligns with the Tesla's positioning as an accelerator, where raw throughput and sustained execution matter more than interactive responsiveness.

The Geekbench Vulkan test flips the outcome. Here the GTX 650 Ti Boost scores 10,041, while the Tesla M10 manages 9,130, giving the GeForce card a 9.1% advantage. This is a notable result because Vulkan is a low-level graphics API that rewards architectural efficiency and driver maturity at the gaming and real-time visualization level. The GTX 650 Ti Boost, built for consumer graphics, wins where the workload resembles game rendering rather than general compute.

Looking at average benchmark scores across all recorded tests, the Tesla M10 comes out ahead with 9,724 points versus 8,067 for the GTX 650 Ti Boost, a gap of roughly 20.5%. That overall average, however, is influenced by the fact that the Tesla has only two recorded benchmark entries while the GTX 650 Ti Boost has three, including a Metal test where the GeForce card scores 4,858. The Metal score drags down the GeForce's average, which explains why the per-test head-to-head results are closer than the aggregate numbers suggest.

In terms of percentile ranking against all GPUs in the database, the Tesla M10 sits at the 47th percentile, while the GTX 650 Ti Boost rests at the 42nd. The nearest rivals for the Tesla M10 include the NVIDIA Tesla C2070 with an average score of 9,716 (0.1% behind), the GeForce GTX 1070 at 9,780 (0.6% ahead), and the Quadro P4000 at 9,665 (0.6% behind). The GTX 650 Ti Boost's closest competitors are the NVIDIA GRID K2 at 8,080 (0.2% ahead), the GTX 650 Ti at 8,053 (0.2% behind), and the GeForce GTX 880M at 8,040 (0.3% behind). These reference points show both cards sitting in the middle of the GPU performance distribution, with the Tesla slightly higher overall but the GeForce capable of beating it in specific API workloads.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different NVIDIA generations and use different chip designs. The Tesla M10 is built on the Maxwell architecture using the GM107 chip, while the GTX 650 Ti Boost uses the Kepler architecture with the GK106 chip. Both are manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC, so the process technology is identical, but the underlying designs diverge significantly.

The Tesla M10 packs 1,870 million transistors onto a 148 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 12.6 million per square millimeter. The GTX 650 Ti Boost contains more transistors overall at 2,540 million, but spreads them across a larger 221 mm² die, giving it a lower density of 11.5 million per square millimeter. This means the Maxwell design in the Tesla achieves higher transistor density despite having fewer total transistors, a sign of the architectural efficiency gains Maxwell introduced over Kepler.

Memory configurations differ substantially. The Tesla M10 carries 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 83.20 GB/s. The GTX 650 Ti Boost has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a wider 192-bit bus, which produces higher bandwidth at 144.2 GB/s. The Tesla's memory clock runs at 1300 MHz with 5.2 Gbps effective transfer, while the GeForce runs at 1502 MHz with 6 Gbps effective. So the GeForce has a bandwidth advantage of roughly 73%, while the Tesla has a 4x capacity advantage, a trade-off that reflects their intended workloads: the Tesla needs large memory pools for data-heavy compute tasks, while the GeForce prioritizes faster data movement for frame rendering.

Shader and texture resources also differ. The Tesla M10 has 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output units. The GTX 650 Ti Boost has more of each: 768 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. Despite having fewer execution resources, the Tesla achieves a higher pixel rate at 20.90 GPixel/s versus 16.51 GPixel/s, thanks to its higher boost clock of 1306 MHz compared to 1032 MHz. The texture rate tells a different story: the GeForce reaches 66.05 GTexel/s while the Tesla manages 52.24 GTexel/s. In FP32 compute, the Tesla posts 1.672 TFLOPS against 1.585 TFLOPS for the GeForce, a modest 5.5% advantage.

Clock speeds themselves favor the Tesla at base and boost: 1033 MHz base and 1306 MHz boost versus 980 MHz base and 1032 MHz boost for the GeForce. Power consumption strongly favors the GTX 650 Ti Boost, which draws 134 W against the Tesla's 225 W, and the GeForce requires only a 300 W suggested PSU with a single 6-pin connector, while the Tesla asks for a 550 W PSU and one 8-pin connector.

API support is nearly identical for DirectX (both at 12 with 11_0 feature level) and OpenGL (both 4.6). The Vulkan versions differ, with the Tesla supporting Vulkan 1.4 and the GeForce supporting Vulkan 1.2.175. Display outputs are a major differentiator: the Tesla M10 has no display outputs at all, while the GTX 650 Ti Boost offers 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2. Physical dimensions also differ, with the Tesla measuring 267 mm (10.5 inches in length, making it a dual-slot card, while the GeForce is shorter at 241 mm (9.5 inches). The Tesla was released on 2016-05-17, belonging to the Tesla Maxwell generation (Mxx series, succeeding Tesla Kepler and preceding Tesla Pascal. The GTX 650 Ti Boost launched earlier on 2013-03-25, belongs to the GeForce 600 generation, and sits between GeForce 500 and GeForce 700 in its product line.

FAQ

Q: Which card wins in OpenCL compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla M10 wins the OpenCL benchmark with a score of 10,318 versus 9,302 for the GTX 650 Ti Boost, a 10.9% advantage. This is the Tesla's strongest recorded win and reflects its compute-oriented design.

Q: Which card performs better in Vulkan?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost wins the Vulkan benchmark with 10,041 points against 9,130 for the Tesla M10, a 9.1% margin. This is the GeForce's only head-to-head win but a clear one.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Tesla M10 has an average benchmark score of 9,724, while the GTX 650 Ti Boost averages 8,067. The Tesla also ranks higher at the 47th percentile of all GPUs versus 42nd for the GeForce.

Q: Why does the Tesla M10 have so much more memory?

A: The Tesla M10 ships with 8 GB of GDDR5, four times the 2 GB found on the GTX 650 Ti Boost. Its narrower 128-bit bus limits bandwidth to 83.20 GB/s, versus 144.2 GB/s for the GeForce, but the larger memory pool suits data-heavy workloads typical of the Tesla line.

Q: Do both cards support the same graphics APIs?

A: Both support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. The Tesla M10 supports Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 650 Ti Boost supports Vulkan 1.2.175. Neither card has tensor or RT cores.

Q: Which card has higher clock speeds even though it has fewer shading units?

A: The Tesla M10 has 640 shading units compared to 768 for the GTX 650 Ti Boost, but it runs at a higher boost clock of 1306 MHz and base clock of 1033 MHz. The GeForce runs at 980 MHz base and 1032 MHz boost.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The Tesla M10 draws 225 W with a 1x 8-pin connector and requires a 550 W suggested PSU. The GTX 650 Ti Boost draws 134 W with a 1x 6-pin connector and requires a 300 W suggested PSU.

Q: Can the Tesla M10 connect to displays?

A: No, the Tesla M10 has no display outputs. It is a compute accelerator only. The GTX 650 Ti Boost has 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2 outputs.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the GTX 650 Ti Boost?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost launched with an MSRP of 169 USD. The database records no launch MSRP for the Tesla M10.

Q: Which card has a higher texture rate?

A: The GTX 650 Ti Boost achieves 66.05 GTexel/s texture rate, while the Tesla M10 achieves 52.24 GTexel/s. The Tesla M10 wins pixel rate at 20.90 GPixel/s versus 16.51 GPixel/s for the GeForce.

Q: Which chip architecture does each card use?

A: The Tesla M10 uses the GM107 chip built on Maxwell architecture, while the GTX 650 Ti Boost uses the GK106 chip on Kepler architecture. Both use TSMC 28 nm process nodes.

**Q: What is the transistor count difference between them?

A: The Tesla M10 contains 1,870 million transistors on a 148 mm² die, while the GTX 650 Ti Boost contains 2,540 million transistors on a 221 mm² die. The Tesla has a higher transistor density at 12.6M per mm² versus 11.5M per mm².

Q: When was each card released and what is their production status?

A: The Tesla M10 was released on 2016-05-17 and is end-of-life with the Tesla Kepler as predecessor and Tesla Pascal as successor. The GTX 650 Ti Boost was released on 2013-03-25, is end-of-life, with GeForce 500 as predecessor and GeForce 700 as successor.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two cards:

• Architecture: Maxwell (Tesla M10) vs Kepler (GTX 650 Ti Boost)
• Chip: GM107 vs GK106
• Generation: Tesla Maxwell (Mxx) vs GeForce 600
• Transistors: 1,870 million vs 2,540 million
• Die Size: 148 mm² vs 221 mm²
• Transistor Density: 12.6M / mm² vs 11.5M / mm²
• Base Clock: 1033 MHz vs 980 MHz
• Boost Clock: 1306 MHz vs 1032 MHz
• Memory Speed: 1300 MHz (5.2 Gbps effective) vs 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective)
• Memory Size: 8 GB vs 2 GB
• Memory Bus Width: 128 bit vs 192 bit
• Memory Bandwidth: 83.20 GB/s vs 144.2 GB/s
• Shading Units: 640 vs 768
• TMUs: 40 vs 64
• ROPs: 16 vs 24
• Pixel Rate: 20.90 GPixel/s vs 16.51 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: 52.24 GTexel/s vs 66.05 GTexel/s
• FP32: 1.672 TFLOPS vs 1.585 TFLOPS
• TDP: 225 W vs 134 W
• Power Connectors: 1x 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin
• Suggested PSU: 550 W vs 300 W
• Display Outputs: No outputs vs 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2
• Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.2.175
• Dimensions: 267 mm (10.5 inches) vs 241 mm (9.5 inches)
• Release Date: 2016-05-17 vs 2013-03-25
• Predecessor: Tesla Kepler vs GeForce 500
• Successor: Tesla Pascal vs GeForce 700
• Launch MSRP: None recorded vs 169 USD
• Geekbench OpenCL: 10318 vs 9302
• Geekbench Vulkan: 9130 vs 10041
• Geekbench Metal: Not recorded vs 4858
• Average Benchmark Score: 9724 vs 8067
• Percentile: 47 vs 42

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward split decision. For compute-heavy workloads measured through OpenCL, the Tesla M10 is the stronger card, delivering a 10.9% advantage over the GTX 650 Ti Boost and carrying 8 GB of memory versus 2 GB. Its higher FP32 throughput (1.672 TFLOPS versus 1.585 TFLOPS), better pixel rate, and higher clock speeds make it the choice for tasks that stress raw computational throughput and need large memory capacity.

For Vulkan-based workloads and any task that requires display output, the GTX 650 Ti Boost is the clear winner. It beats the Tesla by 9.1% in Vulkan, offers 144.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth versus 83.20 GB/s, and includes display connectors, making it usable in interactive environments. Its lower power draw of 134 W versus 225 W and lower PSU requirement of 300 W versus 550 W also make it far easier to integrate into a standard desktop system.

The overall average benchmark score favors the Tesla M10 at 9,724 versus 8,067, and the Tesla ranks at the 47th percentile of all GPUs versus 42nd for the GeForce. But that aggregate picture hides the fact that the Tesla's average comes from only two benchmark entries, while the GeForce's includes a Metal score of 4,858 that pulls its average down. In the tests where both cards were measured head-to-head, each won one: Tesla in OpenCL, GeForce in Vulkan.

Where Each One Wins

The Tesla M10 wins in scenarios that demand large memory capacity and sustained compute throughput. Its 8 GB frame buffer supports datasets that would overflow the GTX 650 Ti Boost's 2 GB allocation. Its 20.90 GPixel/s pixel rate and 1.672 TFLOPS FP32 performance give it an edge in compute-oriented rendering and general-purpose GPU workloads. The 10.9% OpenCL lead confirms this strength.

The GTX 650 Ti Boost wins in scenarios that require display connectivity, lower power consumption, and Vulkan performance. Its 9.1% Vulkan advantage, 144.2 GB/s bandwidth, and 66.05 GTexel/s texture rate make it the better fit for real-time graphics and gaming-style workloads. Its 134 W TDP and 300 W PSU requirement allow installation in systems where the Tesla's 225 W draw and 550 W PSU recommendation would be prohibitive. The presence of DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort outputs means it can drive monitors directly, something the Tesla cannot do at all.

Users needing a card for a server rack focused on compute acceleration should favor the Tesla M10. Users building a desktop system for gaming, especially with Vulkan titles, should pick the GTX 650 Ti Boost. The two cards occupy different niches and the benchmark results reflect those roles accurately.