NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M vs NVIDIA Quadro K4000 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the Geekbench Metal benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro K4000 wins Geekbench Metal with a score of 4166, beating the GTX 770M’s 3448 by 17.2%. This is notable because the Quadro trails in raw compute specs but leads in this specific API test.

Q: Which GPU wins the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M wins Geekbench OpenCL with a score of 8552, outperforming the Quadro K4000’s 6816 by 25.5%. This is the GTX 770M’s single biggest head-to-head victory.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in overall average benchmark score?

A: They are nearly identical. The GTX 770M averages 6000 across all tests, while the Quadro K4000 averages 5982. The GTX 770M ranks in the 35th percentile of all GPUs, and the Quadro K4000 sits just behind in the 34th percentile.

Q: Do both GPUs use the same chip and manufacturing process?

A: Yes. Both are built on NVIDIA’s Kepler architecture using the GK106 chip, fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process. Both have 2,540 million transistors and a die size of 221 mm², giving them identical transistor densities of 11.5M per mm².

Q: What are the memory specifications for each card?

A: Both cards feature 3 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 192-bit bus. However, the Quadro K4000 runs its memory at 1404 MHz (5.6 Gbps effective) for a bandwidth of 134.8 GB/s, while the GTX 770M runs at 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective) for a bandwidth of 96.19 GB/s.

Q: Which GPU has higher shading unit and texture unit counts?

A: The GTX 770M has 960 shading units and 80 texture mapping units (TMUs), compared to the Quadro K4000’s 768 shading units and 64 TMUs. Both cards have 24 ROPs.

Architecture Differences

Both the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M and the NVIDIA Quadro K4000 are built on the same fundamental architecture: Kepler, using the GK106 chip from TSMC’s 28 nm process. The transistor count is identical at 2,540 million, and the die size is the same at 221 mm². This means the underlying silicon is shared, but NVIDIA has configured the two products differently for their respective markets.

The GTX 770M is a GeForce 700M-series part, engineered for high-performance mobile gaming. It comes with 960 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 24 ROPs. Its base clock is 706 MHz with a boost clock of 797 MHz. The memory runs at 1002 MHz with 4 Gbps effective data rate, delivering 96.19 GB/s of bandwidth across a 192-bit bus. The card is a 75 W MXM module with no power connectors, making it a drop-in solution for laptops.

The Quadro K4000, by contrast, is a desktop workstation card from the Quadro Kepler Kx000 generation. It has fewer execution resources: 768 shading units, 64 TMUs, and the same 24 ROPs. Its clock speeds are not listed in the specification data, but its memory runs at 1404 MHz with 5.6 Gbps effective, achieving a higher bandwidth of 134.8 GB/s. The card is a single-slot design with a 241 mm length and 111 mm height, requiring one 6-pin power connector and a 250 W suggested power supply. It uses a PCIe 2.0 x16 interface, whereas the GTX 770M uses MXM-B (3.0).

Both cards support DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. Neither has ray tracing or tensor cores. The GTX 770M’s display outputs are portable-device dependent, while the Quadro K4000 offers 1x DVI and 2x DisplayPort 1.2 outputs. The GTX 770M was released in May 2013, succeeding the GeForce 600M and preceding the GeForce 800M. The Quadro K4000 launched in February 2013, following the Quadro Fermi and preceding Quadro Maxwell.

The Verdict

The data presents a split decision. For OpenCL compute workloads, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M is the clear choice, delivering 25.5% higher performance than the Quadro K4000. Its higher shading unit count (960 vs 768) and TMU count (80 vs 64) translate directly into a substantial compute advantage. The GTX 770M also posts a higher average benchmark score (6000 vs 5982) and a better percentile rank (35th vs 34th).

For Metal API workloads, the Quadro K4000 is the winner, beating the GTX 770M by 17.2%. This is an interesting reversal given the GTX 770M’s raw compute superiority. The Quadro also offers higher memory bandwidth (134.8 GB/s vs 96.19 GB/s), which may benefit certain memory-bound tasks despite its lower core counts.

For desktop workstation use, the Quadro K4000 is the practical choice. It is a single-slot PCIe card with standard display outputs (1x DVI, 2x DisplayPort 1.2) and is designed for integration into a desktop tower. The GTX 770M is an MXM module intended for laptops, so it is not directly comparable in form factor.

For mobile compute performance, the GTX 770M is the better option. Its OpenCL score of 8552 is significantly higher, and its lower TDP of 75 W versus 80 W makes it more power-efficient despite delivering more compute throughput. The choice ultimately comes down to platform: mobile users should favor the GTX 770M, while desktop users needing Metal performance should consider the Quadro K4000.

Specification Differences

The table below highlights the fields where the two GPUs differ:

| Specification | GTX 770M | Quadro K4000 |

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

| Generation | GeForce 700M | Quadro Kepler (Kx000) |

| Base Clock | 706 MHz | Not listed |

| Boost Clock | 797 MHz | Not listed |

| Memory Clock | 1002 MHz (4 Gbps) | 1404 MHz (5.6 Gbps) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 96.19 GB/s | 134.8 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 960 | 768 |

| TMUs | 80 | 64 |

| Pixel Rate | 15.94 GPixel/s | 12.96 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 63.76 GTexel/s | 51.84 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 1.530 TFLOPS | 1,244.2 GFLOPS |

| TDP | 75 W | 80 W |

| Slot Width | MXM Module | Single-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | Not listed | 250 W |

| Bus Interface | MXM-B (3.0) | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 1x DVI, 2x DisplayPort 1.2 |

| Dimensions | Not listed | 241 mm x 111 mm |

| Release Date | 2013-05-29 | 2013-02-28 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | 1,269 USD |

The GTX 770M leads in pixel rate (15.94 vs 12.96 GPixel/s), texture rate (63.76 vs 51.84 GTexel/s), and FP32 throughput (1.530 TFLOPS vs 1,244.2 GFLOPS). The Quadro K4000 counters with higher memory bandwidth, a desktop form factor, and a later-specified display output configuration.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark results show a 1-1 split, with each GPU winning one test decisively.

In Geekbench Metal, the Quadro K4000 takes the win with a score of 4166 against the GTX 770M’s 3448. This represents a 17.2% advantage for the Quadro. The result is counterintuitive given that the GTX 770M has 25% more shading units and 25% more TMUs. The Quadro’s higher memory bandwidth (134.8 GB/s vs 96.19 GB/s) may play a role, but the score gap suggests the Metal driver or the workload itself favors the Quadro’s configuration. This benchmark is the Quadro’s strongest case for selection.

In Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 770M dominates with a score of 8552 versus the Quadro’s 6816. The delta is 25.5% in favor of the GTX 770M, which is a substantial margin. This aligns with the hardware specifications: the GTX 770M has 960 shading units and 80 TMUs, versus 768 and 64 respectively, and its FP32 throughput of 1.530 TFLOPS dwarfs the Quadro’s 1,244.2 GFLOPS. The GTX 770M’s higher pixel rate (15.94 GPixel/s) and texture rate (63.76 GTexel/s) also support its compute advantage. This benchmark represents the GTX 770M’s biggest win and demonstrates its strength in general-purpose compute.

The average benchmark scores reinforce the close overall competition. The GTX 770M averages 6000, while the Quadro K4000 averages 5982 — a difference of only 0.3%. The GTX 770M’s nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 6400 (6001, 0% delta), the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server (5996, 0.1% delta), and the AMD FirePro W4100 (5987, 0.2% delta). The Quadro K4000’s rivals include the Quadro K4000M (5986, -0.1% delta), the FirePro W4100 (5987, -0.1% delta), and the AMD Radeon HD 8750M (5970, 0.2% delta). Both cards sit in a crowded field of mid-range GPUs, separated by fractions of a percent from their nearest competitors.

In real-world terms, the OpenCL result suggests the GTX 770M is better for compute-heavy tasks like rendering, data processing, or machine learning inference. The Metal result suggests the Quadro K4000 is better for graphics workloads that leverage Apple’s Metal API, though the GTX 770M’s portable form factor limits its desktop applicability. The data does not support a universal winner; instead, it shows two GPUs with complementary strengths in different API environments.