NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M vs NVIDIA Quadro P5000 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M and NVIDIA Quadro P5000 represent two very different eras and purposes within NVIDIA’s lineup. The GTX 850M is a mobile graphics chip from the Maxwell generation, built for thin-and-light laptops in 2014. The Quadro P5000 is a workstation-class card from the Pascal generation, released in late 2016 for professional desktops. The database shows that despite the Quadro P5000’s enormous hardware advantages in most raw specifications, the recorded benchmark results are surprisingly close in average score, and the older GTX 850M even wins one of the two head-to-head tests. This analysis walks through the data to explain what each product does well, where it struggles, and which user should choose based on the recorded measurements.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M has an average benchmark score of 9302, while the NVIDIA Quadro P5000 has an average of 8039. The GTX 850M is about 15.7% higher in this aggregate measure.

Q: Which GPU wins more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: Each GPU wins one test. The GTX 850M wins Geekbench Vulkan (8782 vs 6342, a 38.5% higher score). The Quadro P5000 wins Geekbench OpenCL (52509 vs 9821, an 81.3% higher score).

Q: What is the memory configuration of each GPU?

A: The GTX 850M has 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus with 32.03 GB/s bandwidth. The Quadro P5000 has 16 GB of GDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus with 288.5 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The Quadro P5000 has a transistor density of 22.9 million transistors per square millimeter on a 16 nm process, compared to the GTX 850M’s 12.6 million per square millimeter on a 28 nm process.

Q: What is the pixel fill rate for each GPU?

A: The GTX 850M achieves 14.43 GPixel/s. The Quadro P5000 achieves 110.9 GPixel/s, which is over 7.6 times higher.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Quadro P5000?

A: The launch MSRP for the Quadro P5000 is 2,499 USD. The GTX 850M has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Architecture Differences

The GTX 850M uses the GM107 chip, built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It contains 1,870 million transistors on a die size of 148 mm². The Quadro P5000 uses the GP104 chip, built on a 16 nm process also at TSMC. It contains 7,200 million transistors on a die size of 314 mm². The transistor density jumps from 12.6 million per mm² on the older chip to 22.9 million per mm² on the newer one, reflecting the manufacturing improvement.

The GTX 850M is from the Maxwell architecture, while the Quadro P5000 is from the Pascal architecture. The generation names differ: the GTX 850M belongs to the GeForce 800M series, and the Quadro P5000 belongs to the Quadro Pascal (Px000) series. The GTX 850M has no base or boost clock listed, but its memory runs at 1001 MHz (2 Gbps effective). The Quadro P5000 has a base clock of 1607 MHz and a boost clock of 1733 MHz, with memory at 1127 MHz (9 Gbps effective).

Functionally, the GTX 850M has 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The Quadro P5000 has 2560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. Neither GPU has dedicated ray tracing or tensor cores. The GTX 850M’s pixel rate is 14.43 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 36.08 GTexel/s. The Quadro P5000’s pixel rate is 110.9 GPixel/s and texture rate is 277.3 GTexel/s. In FP32 compute, the GTX 850M delivers 1,154.6 GFLOPS, whereas the Quadro P5000 delivers 8.873 TFLOPS. The Quadro P5000 also lists a FP16 figure of 138.6 GFLOPS (1:64 ratio), which the GTX 850M does not have recorded.

The power envelopes differ dramatically. The GTX 850M has a TDP of 45 W, uses no power connectors, and is listed as an IGP (integrated graphics package) in slot width. The Quadro P5000 has a TDP of 180 W, uses a single 8-pin power connector, is dual-slot, and requires a suggested PSU of 450 W. Both use PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs are portable-device dependent for the GTX 850M, while the Quadro P5000 offers 1x DVI and 4x DisplayPort 1.4a. In terms of API support, the GTX 850M lists DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Quadro P5000 lists DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Both are end-of-life products. The GTX 850M was released in 2014, and the Quadro P5000 in 2016.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains only two direct benchmark comparisons between these GPUs. In Geekbench OpenCL, the Quadro P5000 scores 52509, while the GTX 850M scores 9821. This is a gap of 81.3% in favor of the Quadro P5000. The OpenCL score reflects the Quadro’s far higher compute throughput: 8.873 TFLOPS of FP32 versus 1,154.6 GFLOPS, along with 2560 shading units and 277.3 GTexel/s texture rate. The result is overwhelming across the board for the Quadro P5000.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the result flips. The GTX 850M scores 8782, and the Quadro P5000 scores 6342, which is a 38.48% higher score for the GTX 850M. Despite having a fraction of the shading units, memory bandwidth, and a much older architecture, the GTX 850M outperforms the Quadro P5000 in Vulkan by a large margin. The database also shows the GTX 850M’s nearest rivals in average score are the GTX 465 (0.1% higher), the Radeon R7 M380 (0.1% lower), the GTX 960 (0.3% higher), and the Vega 8 (0.9% higher). The Quadro P5000’s nearest rivals are the GTX 880M (0% difference), GTX 650 Ti (0.2% lower), GTX 650 Ti Boost (0.3% lower), and GRID K2 (0.5% lower). These rival comparisons indicate that the GTX 850M sits comfortably in the middle of a mobile-class tier, while the Quadro P5000’s average score is more modest than its raw specs suggest.

Specification Differences

• Process node: 28 nm (GTX 850M) vs 16 nm (Quadro P5000)
• Transistors: 1,870 million vs 7,200 million
• Die size: 148 mm² vs 314 mm²
• Transistor density: 12.6M / mm² vs 22.9M / mm²
• Base clock: Not listed vs 1607 MHz
• Boost clock: Not listed vs 1733 MHz
• Memory clock: 1001 MHz (2 Gbps effective) vs 1127 MHz (9 Gbps effective)
• Memory size: 2 GB vs 16 GB
• Memory type: DDR3 vs GDDR5X
• Memory bus width: 128 bit vs 256 bit
• Memory bandwidth: 32.03 GB/s vs 288.5 GB/s
• Shading units: 640 vs 2560
• TMUs: 40 vs 160
• ROPs: 16 vs 64
• Pixel rate: 14.43 GPixel/s vs 110.9 GPixel/s
• Texture rate: 36.08 GTexel/s vs 277.3 GTexel/s
• FP32 compute: 1,154.6 GFLOPS vs 8.873 TFLOPS
• FP16 compute: Not listed vs 138.6 GFLOPS (1:64)
• TDP: 45 W vs 180 W
• Slot width: IGP vs Dual-slot
• Power connectors: None vs 1x 8-pin
• Suggested PSU: Not listed vs 450 W
• Display outputs: Portable Device Dependent vs 1x DVI, 4x DisplayPort 1.4a
• DirectX version: 12 (11_0) vs 12 (12_1)
• Production status: Both end-of-life
• Release date: 2014 (GTX 850M) vs 2016 (Quadro P5000)
• Predecessor: GeForce 700M vs Quadro Maxwell
• Successor: GeForce 900M vs Quadro Volta
• Dimensions: No length for GTX 850M; Quadro P5000 is 267 mm long (10.5 inches) and 111 mm tall (4.4 inches)

Where Each One Wins

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M wins in Vulkan performance. The 8782 score is 38.5% higher than the Quadro P5000’s 6342, according to the head-to-head data. That is a decisive margin on its own. The GTX 850M also has a higher average benchmark score (9302 vs 8039), a lower TDP (45 W vs 180 W), and a more compact IGP form factor, making it suitable for thin, power-constrained mobile devices. Its 46th percentile versus all GPUs is higher than the Quadro P5000’s 41st. For any workload or game that scales well with Vulkan, the GTX 850M is the better choice according to the recorded data.

NVIDIA Quadro P5000 wins in OpenCL by an enormous margin: 52509 vs 9821, an 81.3% lead. The raw hardware advantage is also clear: 16 GB GDDR5X memory with 288.5 GB/s bandwidth versus 2 GB DDR3 with 32.03 GB/s, 2560 shading units versus 640, and 8.873 TFLOPS versus 1,154.6 GFLOPS. The Quadro P5000 also has higher pixel and texture rates, a 256-bit memory bus, and a full DirectX 12_1 feature level (the GTX 850M only reaches 11_0). It is a dual-slot desktop card with a dedicated 8-pin power connector and a 450 W suggested PSU. For compute-heavy tasks that leverage OpenCL, or for professional applications that can use large memory pools and high bandwidth, the Quadro P5000 is the clear performer.

The Verdict

The data paints a nuanced picture. The Quadro P5000 is the superior card in raw compute throughput, memory capacity, bandwidth, and OpenCL performance. If a user needs to run OpenCL workloads, process large datasets, or use 3D rendering software that scales with compute units, the Quadro P5000 is the only option with the necessary hardware. The GTX 850M cannot match the 16 GB frame buffer or the 288.5 GB/s bandwidth; it is simply a different class of hardware.

However, the average benchmark score does not favor the Quadro P5000. The GTX 850M’s aggregate score of 9302 exceeds the Quadro P5000’s 8039, and in Vulkan specifically, the GTX 850M wins by 38.5%. The GTX 850M also has a better percentile rank (46 vs 41). So for any user running Vulkan-based applications, or who cares about the aggregate benchmark average, the GTX 850M is the better choice. This is surprising, but the recorded data is unambiguous. The GTX 850M also draws 45 W versus 180 W and fits in virtually any laptop for portable use.

Who should pick which? Choose the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M if you need a low-power, mobile-friendly GPU that outperforms the Quadro P5000 in Vulkan and has a higher average benchmark score. Choose the NVIDIA Quadro P5000 if you require OpenCL compute performance, massive memory capacity (16 GB), high bandwidth (288.5 GB/s), and the full DirectX 12_1 feature set. The Quadro P5000 is the professional workstation card for desktop users; the GTX 850M is the efficient mobile part that still handily wins its share of the benchmark. The data does not support a single universal winner. It supports two distinct use cases.