NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX vs NVIDIA Quadro K5100M Comparison

The Verdict

The NVIDIA Quadro K5100M and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX are both Kepler-generation mobile GPUs built on the same GK104 chip, but the benchmark data separates them clearly. The K5100M wins both recorded head-to-head tests, with a 35.6% advantage in Geekbench Metal and a 9.8% advantage in Geekbench OpenCL. Its average benchmark score of 10043 places it at the 48th percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 675MX sits at 10043 versus 8427, which translates to the 43rd percentile. The K5100M is the stronger part in raw compute and graphics workloads, and the data supports choosing it when maximum performance is the priority. The GTX 675MX remains a functional option for lighter loads, but its lower shading unit count, lower texture rate, and lower FP32 throughput make it the weaker choice in every measured category.

For users deciding between these two, the Quadro K5100M is the clear pick for compute-heavy tasks, particularly OpenCL workloads where it leads by nearly 10%. It also dominates in Metal performance, which matters for applications that leverage Apple's graphics API layer. The GTX 675MX, with only 960 shading units and 80 TMUs compared to the K5100M's 1536 shading units and 128 TMUs, is better suited for users who do not need maximum throughput and who prioritize compatibility or availability over raw numbers. Neither card offers a launch MSRP in the database, so cost-based comparisons are not possible from the recorded data.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs share the same fundamental architecture: they use the GK104 chip, belong to the Kepler generation, and are manufactured on TSMC's 28 nm process. Transistor counts are identical at 3,540 million, and die size matches at 294 mm², resulting in the same transistor density of 12.0 million transistors per square millimeter. The memory subsystem is also similar in several respects: both use GDDR5 memory with a 256-bit bus and deliver 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth, and both run memory at 900 MHz with 3.6 Gbps effective data rate.

The differences begin with the shading array. The Quadro K5100M contains 1536 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GeForce GTX 675MX contains only 960 shading units and 80 texture mapping units, though it also has 32 ROPs. This configuration difference directly explains the performance gap: the K5100M has 60% more shading units and 60% more TMUs than the GTX 675MX. Consequently, the K5100M achieves a pixel rate of 24.67 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 98.69 GTexel/s, while the GTX 675MX reaches only 13.08 GPixel/s and 52.32 GTexel/s. FP32 compute throughput follows the same pattern, with the K5100M delivering 2.369 TFLOPS against the GTX 675MX's 1,255.7 GFLOPS.

Clock behavior also differs. The K5100M lists a base clock of 771 MHz and a boost clock of 771 MHz, meaning it runs at a fixed frequency. The GTX 675MX has no recorded base or boost clock values in the database, so its dynamic clock range cannot be quantified here. Both cards have a TDP of 100 W, use an MXM Module slot width, require no additional power connectors, and connect via an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface. Display outputs are listed as portable device dependent for both, and both support DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175.

Memory capacity is another differentiator. The K5100M ships with 8 GB of GDDR5, while the GTX 675MX has 2 GB. At equal bandwidth, the larger frame buffer on the K5100M provides more headroom for large datasets and high-resolution textures, which is a meaningful advantage in professional visualization and compute workloads. The GTX 675MX's smaller memory pool may become a limitation in memory-intensive scenarios, even though its bandwidth is identical.

The product positioning also differs. The K5100M belongs to the Quadro Kepler-M (Kx100M) generation and is listed as the successor to Quadro Fermi-M, with Quadro Maxwell-M as its successor. It was released on July 22, 2013. The GTX 675MX belongs to the GeForce 600M generation, succeeds GeForce 500M, and is followed by GeForce 700M. It was released on September 30, 2012. Both are marked as end-of-life products.

Where Each One Wins

The Quadro K5100M wins in every benchmark category recorded in the database. In Geekbench Metal, it scores 8315 against the GTX 675MX's 6131, a 35.6% advantage. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 11771 against 10723, a 9.8% advantage. These results indicate that the K5100M is the superior choice for both Metal-accelerated graphics and OpenCL compute workloads. The K5100M's wins extend across both tests, giving it a 2-0 record in head-to-head comparisons.

The K5100M's advantage is most pronounced in the Metal test, where the delta is more than three times larger than in OpenCL. This suggests that the K5100M's higher shading unit count and texture throughput translate especially well to Metal's API-level parallelism. For users running Metal-based applications, the K5100M offers a substantial performance cushion. In OpenCL, the K5100M still leads, but the margin is narrower, indicating that the GTX 675MX can keep up more closely in compute tasks that scale differently across the hardware.

For the GTX 675MX, the database shows no benchmark wins against the K5100M. Its strengths are relative to its own peer group rather than against this particular rival. Its average score of 8427 places it near the AMD Radeon 880M, which scores 8436, and the NVIDIA GeForce MX330, which scores 8458. In those comparisons, the GTX 675MX trails by only 0.1% and 0.4% respectively. It also sits close to the AMD Radeon HD 8870M at 8462, again trailing by 0.4%, while leading the AMD Radeon R9 M375X by 1.2%. This indicates that the GTX 675MX is competitive within its own performance tier, even though it cannot match the K5100M.

Users who require maximum compute throughput, larger memory capacity, or higher texture and pixel rates should choose the K5100M. Users who need a 100 W MXM module with 2 GB of memory and are willing to accept lower performance may find the GTX 675MX adequate for less demanding tasks. The data does not support any scenario where the GTX 675MX outperforms the K5100M in the recorded benchmarks.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro K5100M has an average benchmark score of 10043, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675MX has an average score of 8427. The K5100M also ranks at the 48th percentile of all GPUs, compared to the 43rd percentile for the GTX 675MX.

Q: How much faster is the K5100M in Geekbench Metal?

A: The K5100M scores 8315 in Geekbench Metal, while the GTX 675MX scores 6131. This gives the K5100M a 35.6% advantage in that test.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference between these two GPUs?

A: The K5100M has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the GTX 675MX has 2 GB. Both use a 256-bit memory bus and deliver 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Do these GPUs share the same chip and manufacturing process?

A: Yes, both use the GK104 chip, are based on the Kepler architecture, and are manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process. Both have 3,540 million transistors and a die size of 294 mm².

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The K5100M has 1536 shading units, while the GTX 675MX has 960. The K5100M also has 128 TMUs versus 80 TMUs on the GTX 675MX, while both have 32 ROPs.

Q: What API support do both GPUs offer?

A: Both GPUs support DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. They also both have a TDP of 100 W and use an MXM Module slot width.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results from the database show a decisive win for the Quadro K5100M across both recorded tests. In Geekbench Metal, the K5100M scores 8315 against 6131 for the GTX 675MX, a delta of 35.6%. This is the largest performance gap between the two cards in any measured workload. The Metal test likely benefits from the K5100M's higher shading unit count and its correspondingly higher pixel rate of 24.67 GPixel/s, which is nearly double the GTX 675MX's 13.08 GPixel/s. The K5100M also has a texture rate of 98.69 GTexel/s, which is 88.7% higher than the GTX 675MX's 52.32 GTexel/s. These architectural advantages translate directly into a substantial Metal performance lead.

In Geekbench OpenCL, the K5100M scores 11771 against 10723 for the GTX 675MX, a delta of 9.8%. While still a clear win, the margin is smaller than in Metal, which suggests that OpenCL workloads do not fully saturate the K5100M's additional shading resources. The FP32 compute throughput difference tells a similar story at the specification level: the K5100M delivers 2.369 TFLOPS, which is 88.7% higher than the GTX 675MX's 1,255.7 GFLOPS. Despite this large theoretical advantage, the actual OpenCL benchmark gap is only 9.8%, indicating that the workload may be constrained by factors other than raw compute throughput, such as memory bandwidth, which is identical at 115.2 GB/s for both cards.

The K5100M's 8 GB memory capacity likely plays a role in its consistent wins, especially if the OpenCL test involves large data sets that exceed the GTX 675MX's 2 GB frame buffer. The GTX 675MX may be forced to swap data more frequently, reducing its effective throughput. The K5100M's fixed clock of 771 MHz also ensures stable performance, whereas the GTX 675MX has no recorded clock data, so its operating frequency could vary depending on thermal and power conditions. Both cards share the same 100 W TDP, so power limits are not a differentiator in the recorded data.

The K5100M's nearest rivals in the database further contextualize its performance. It sits just 0.3% behind the AMD Radeon R9 M375, which scores 10070, and 0.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 5300M, which scores 10013. It also leads the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 870M by 0.8% and the NVIDIA Quadro 6000 by 2%. These small deltas indicate that the K5100M is well positioned within its performance tier, trading places with comparable GPUs within a narrow band.

The GTX 675MX, by contrast, sits in a lower tier. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon 880M, scores 8436, just 0.1% ahead of the GTX 675MX's 8427. The NVIDIA GeForce MX330 scores 8458, which is 0.4% ahead, and the AMD Radeon HD 8870M scores 8462, also 0.4% ahead. The GTX 675MX leads the AMD Radeon R9 M375X by 1.2%, with that card scoring 8325. This grouping shows that the GTX 675MX is competitive among entry-level mobile GPUs but occupies a different performance class entirely from the K5100M.

The overall result is unambiguous: the K5100M wins both head-to-head benchmarks, records a higher average score, ranks higher in the global percentile distribution, and offers superior raw specifications in shading units, TMUs, pixel rate, texture rate, FP32 compute, and memory capacity. The GTX 675MX shares the same GK104 chip, 28 nm process, memory bandwidth, and API support, but it is configured with fewer resources and delivers measurably lower performance in every recorded test. For any workload represented by these benchmarks, the K5100M is the stronger GPU.