NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 vs NVIDIA Tesla M2090 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records a single direct comparison between these two cards, and it is a decisive one. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 scores 15,707 points against the Tesla M2090's 13,075 points. That is a 20.1% advantage for the GTX 770, a substantial margin that places the two cards in different performance tiers despite both being end-of-life products from NVIDIA. The GTX 770 wins the only head-to-head benchmark recorded, giving it a 1-0 record in direct competition.

Looking at the broader benchmark picture, the GTX 770's average score across all recorded tests is 14,747 points, which includes results from Geekbench Metal (9,369), OpenCL (15,707), and Vulkan (19,166). The Tesla M2090's average is 13,075 points, derived solely from its OpenCL result. The gap in average scores is 1,672 points, or roughly 12.8% in favor of the GTX 770. The OpenCL-specific delta is even larger at 20.1%, suggesting the GTX 770's advantage may be more pronounced in compute workloads than in the overall average suggests.

The percentile rankings reinforce this separation. The GTX 770 sits at the 57th percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the Tesla M2090 ranks at the 53rd percentile. A four-percentile-point gap is meaningful but not enormous, indicating both cards occupy similar territory in the broader GPU landscape. The GTX 770's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT (0.4% ahead), NVIDIA Quadro M2000 (1.5% ahead), GeForce GTX 660 Ti (2.1% behind), and AMD Radeon Pro 560X (2.2% behind). The Tesla M2090's nearest rivals are the GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (0.7% ahead), GeForce GTX 950 (0.9% behind), RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (1.0% ahead), and AMD Radeon RX 580 (1.1% ahead). The GTX 770 competes with a slightly faster peer group, while the Tesla M2090's rivals cluster within a narrower 2% band.

What is curious is the nature of the Tesla M2090's single benchmark result. It only has an OpenCL score, no Metal or Vulkan results recorded. This is consistent with a compute-focused accelerator that never shipped with display outputs and was never intended for graphics workloads. The GTX 770, by contrast, has three different API benchmark results, reflecting its role as a consumer graphics card. The absence of Vulkan support on the Tesla M2090 (the database lists no Vulkan API version) further limits its benchmark footprint.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 in raw compute performance. Its 20.1% OpenCL lead over the Tesla M2090 is the only direct benchmark comparison available, and it is a substantial one. The GTX 770 also holds a higher average benchmark score (14,747 vs 13,075) and a higher percentile ranking (57th vs 53rd). For any workload measured by Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 770 is the stronger choice.

However, the Tesla M2090 is not without its own arguments. It offers 6 GB of memory compared to the GTX 770's 2 GB, which could matter for datasets that exceed the smaller card's capacity. The Tesla M2090 also has a wider 384-bit memory bus versus the GTX 770's 256-bit bus, though the GTX 770's faster GDDR5 memory at 7 Gbps effective delivers higher bandwidth (224.4 GB/s vs 177.4 GB/s). The Tesla M2090's larger frame buffer is its primary advantage, but the GTX 770 wins on memory throughput.

The GTX 770 is the pick for anyone prioritizing compute performance per the recorded benchmarks. The Tesla M2090 makes sense only in scenarios where 6 GB of memory is a hard requirement and the performance deficit is acceptable. The GTX 770's 28 nm process node versus the Tesla's 40 nm node also suggests better efficiency per transistor, though both cards have identical power connector requirements (1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin) and similar TDPs (230 W vs 250 W). The GTX 770's higher transistor density (12.0M per mm² vs 5.8M per mm²) points to a more modern design.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 770 wins in every benchmark category where both cards have recorded results. Its OpenCL score of 15,707 versus 13,075 is the standout victory, a 20.1% margin. The GTX 770 also offers features the Tesla M2090 lacks entirely: display outputs (2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2), Vulkan API support (version 1.2.175), and a boost clock of 1085 MHz. The Tesla M2090 has no display outputs and no Vulkan support, making it unsuitable for any graphics or display workload.

The Tesla M2090 wins on memory capacity and bus width. Its 6 GB frame buffer is three times the GTX 770's 2 GB, and its 384-bit bus is 50% wider. For workloads that are memory-capacity-bound rather than bandwidth-bound, the Tesla M2090 could hold an advantage, though the recorded benchmarks do not directly test this scenario. The Tesla M2090 also has more ROPs (48 vs 32), which could theoretically improve fill-rate-bound operations, but its pixel rate of 20.83 GPixel/s is actually lower than the GTX 770's 34.72 GPixel/s due to the latter's much higher clock speeds.

The GTX 770 wins decisively in texture throughput: 138.9 GTexel/s versus 41.66 GTexel/s, a 3.3x advantage. Its FP32 compute of 3.333 TFLOPS versus 1,332.2 GFLOPS (roughly 1.33 TFLOPS) is a 2.5x advantage. These are massive differences that dwarf the memory capacity advantage of the Tesla M2090.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 has an average benchmark score of 14,747 points, while the Tesla M2090 averages 13,075 points, a difference of 1,672 points in favor of the GTX 770.

Q: What is the performance difference in the only head-to-head benchmark?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GTX 770 scores 15,707 versus the Tesla M2090's 13,075, giving the GTX 770 a 20.1% lead.

Q: Does the Tesla M2090 have any advantage in memory specifications?

A: Yes, the Tesla M2090 has 6 GB of memory versus 2 GB on the GTX 770, and a 384-bit memory bus versus 256-bit. However, the GTX 770 has higher memory bandwidth at 224.4 GB/s compared to 177.4 GB/s.

Q: Which card supports Vulkan?

A: The GTX 770 supports Vulkan 1.2.175. The Tesla M2090 has no Vulkan support recorded in the database.

Q: How do the two cards compare in FP32 compute performance?

A: The GTX 770 delivers 3.333 TFLOPS, while the Tesla M2090 delivers 1,332.2 GFLOPS, making the GTX 770 approximately 2.5 times faster in FP32 compute.

Q: What are the process nodes for each card?

A: The GTX 770 uses a 28 nm process at TSMC, while the Tesla M2090 uses a 40 nm process, also at TSMC.

Architecture Differences

The GTX 770 is built on the Kepler architecture with the GK104 chip, while the Tesla M2090 uses the Fermi 2.0 architecture with the GF110 chip. This is a generational leap: Kepler was designed to improve compute efficiency and clock scaling over Fermi. The GK104 chip packs 3,540 million transistors into a 294 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.0M per mm². The GF110 chip contains 3,000 million transistors across a much larger 520 mm² die, giving a density of only 5.8M per mm². The smaller, denser Kepler design is a direct consequence of the 28 nm process versus 40 nm.

The shading unit counts differ dramatically: the GTX 770 has 1,536 shading units, while the Tesla M2090 has 512. The GTX 770 also has 128 texture mapping units versus 64, and 32 ROPs versus 48. Despite having fewer ROPs, the GTX 770 achieves a higher pixel rate (34.72 GPixel/s vs 20.83 GPixel/s) because of its much higher clock speeds: 1046 MHz base and 1085 MHz boost versus no recorded base or boost clocks on the Tesla M2090. The Tesla's memory clock is 924 MHz (3.7 Gbps effective), while the GTX 770's memory runs at 1753 MHz (7 Gbps effective).

The GTX 770 is a PCIe 3.0 x16 card, while the Tesla M2090 uses PCIe 2.0 x16. The GTX 770 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The Tesla M2090 also lists DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but no Vulkan support. Both cards are dual-slot designs with identical power connector requirements (1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin), though the GTX 770 has a slightly lower TDP at 230 W versus 250 W.

The Tesla M2090 has no display outputs, reflecting its role as a compute accelerator for servers and workstations. The GTX 770 includes 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, making it a fully functional consumer graphics card.

Specification Differences

| Specification | GTX 770 | Tesla M2090 |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Kepler | Fermi 2.0 |

| Chip | GK104 | GF110 |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |

| Transistors | 3,540 million | 3,000 million |

| Die Size | 294 mm² | 520 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.0M / mm² | 5.8M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1046 MHz | Not recorded |

| Boost Clock | 1085 MHz | Not recorded |

| Memory Clock | 1753 MHz (7 Gbps effective) | 924 MHz (3.7 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 6 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 384 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 224.4 GB/s | 177.4 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1536 | 512 |

| TMUs | 128 | 64 |

| ROPs | 32 | 48 |

| Pixel Rate | 34.72 GPixel/s | 20.83 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 138.9 GTexel/s | 41.66 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 3.333 TFLOPS | 1,332.2 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 230 W | 250 W |

| Suggested PSU | 550 W | 600 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 | No outputs |

| Vulkan Support | 1.2.175 | Not supported |

| Length | 267 mm (10.5 inches) | 248 mm (9.8 inches) |

| Height | 111 mm (4.4 inches) | Not recorded |

| Width | 38 mm (1.5 inches) | Not recorded |

| Release Date | 2013-05-29 | 2011-07-24 |

| Predecessor | GeForce 600 | Tesla |

| Successor | GeForce 900 | Tesla Kepler |

| Launch MSRP | 399 USD | Not recorded |

The specification table highlights the stark generational divide. The GTX 770 is smaller, denser, faster, and more feature-rich, while the Tesla M2090 offers only memory capacity and ROP count as advantages. The GTX 770's release date is nearly two years later, and its successor (GeForce 900) and predecessor (GeForce 600) show a clear consumer product lineage, whereas the Tesla M2090 sits in the Tesla compute family with Tesla and Tesla Kepler as its bookends.