NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M vs NVIDIA Quadro P5000 Comparison

# The Verdict

The data presents a strikingly close overall matchup, yet the individual benchmark results tell a story of two completely different performance classes. The NVIDIA Quadro P5000 is the decisive winner in compute workloads, delivering an 89.3% higher score in the Geekbench OpenCL test compared to the GeForce GTX 880M. The Quadro P5000 achieves 52,509 points against the GTX 880M's 5,622 points, a margin so large that it defines the entire comparison.

However, the average benchmark scores place these two cards within 0.1% of each other. The Quadro P5000 averages 8,039 points, while the GTX 880M sits at 8,040 points, with a deltaPct of 0. Both cards rank in the 41st and 42nd percentiles respectively among all GPUs, placing them in the same broad performance tier. The GTX 880M edges out the Quadro P5000 by a single point in average score, but this statistical tie is misleading given the overwhelming compute advantage of the Pascal-based card.

The verdict is straightforward: pick the Quadro P5000 for serious compute, content creation, or professional workloads where OpenCL performance matters. Pick the GTX 880M if you need a mobile MXM module with comparable average performance but far lower power requirements. The GTX 880M consumes 122 W versus the Quadro P5000's 180 W, making it the practical choice for portable systems. The Quadro P5000, with its 2,499 USD launch MSRP, is a professional workstation card that costs substantially more, but the benchmark data justifies the premium for compute-heavy tasks.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent two distinct NVIDIA architectures and manufacturing generations. The GeForce GTX 880M is built on the Kepler architecture using the GK104 chip, manufactured on TSMC's 28 nm process. The Quadro P5000 employs the Pascal architecture with the GP104 chip, fabricated on TSMC's 16 nm process. This node shrink allows the Quadro P5000 to pack 7,200 million transistors into a 314 mm² die, compared to the GTX 880M's 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. The transistor density nearly doubles, from 12.0M per mm² on Kepler to 22.9M per mm² on Pascal.

The functional unit counts differ substantially. The Quadro P5000 features 2,560 shading units, 160 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. The GTX 880M offers 1,536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. This represents a 67% increase in shading units, a 25% increase in TMUs, and a 100% increase in ROPs for the Pascal card. Clock speeds also favor the Quadro P5000, with a base clock of 1,607 MHz and boost clock of 1,733 MHz, compared to the GTX 880M's 954 MHz base and 993 MHz boost.

Memory configurations diverge significantly. The Quadro P5000 ships with 16 GB of GDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 288.5 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 880M offers 8 GB of GDDR5 on the same 256-bit bus, but only achieves 160.0 GB/s. Memory clocks tell the difference: 1,127 MHz (9 Gbps effective) on the Quadro versus 1,250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) on the GTX. The API support also differs, with the Quadro P5000 supporting DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 880M supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The GeForce GTX 880M has an average benchmark score of 8,040, while the Quadro P5000 scores 8,039. The deltaPct between them is 0, indicating a statistical tie in overall average performance.

Q: How much faster is the Quadro P5000 in OpenCL compute?

A: The Quadro P5000 scores 52,509 in Geekbench OpenCL versus 5,622 for the GTX 880M, representing an 89.3% higher score. This is the only head-to-head benchmark available in the data.

Q: What are the TDP differences between these two cards?

A: The GTX 880M has a TDP of 122 W, while the Quadro P5000 has a TDP of 180 W. The Quadro P5000 also requires a 450 W suggested PSU and a single 8-pin power connector, whereas the GTX 880M has no power connectors.

Q: Which card has more memory and bandwidth?

A: The Quadro P5000 offers 16 GB of GDDR5X memory with 288.5 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 880M provides 8 GB of GDDR5 memory with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth. Both use a 256-bit memory bus.

Q: What form factors do these cards use?

A: The GTX 880M is an MXM Module with an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface, designed for portable devices. The Quadro P5000 is a dual-slot card measuring 267 mm (10.5 inches) in length and 111 mm (4.4 inches) in height, using a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.

Q: Which architecture supports newer DirectX features?

A: The Quadro P5000 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), while the GTX 880M supports DirectX 12 (11_0). The Pascal card also supports Vulkan 1.4 versus Vulkan 1.2.175 on the Kepler card.

Specification Differences

| Specification | GeForce GTX 880M | Quadro P5000 |

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

| Architecture | Kepler | Pascal |

| Chip | GK104 | GP104 |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 16 nm |

| Transistors | 3,540 million | 7,200 million |

| Die Size | 294 mm² | 314 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.0M / mm² | 22.9M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 954 MHz | 1,607 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 993 MHz | 1,733 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1,250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) | 1,127 MHz (9 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 16 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5X |

| Memory Bandwidth | 160.0 GB/s | 288.5 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1,536 | 2,560 |

| TMUs | 128 | 160 |

| ROPs | 32 | 64 |

| Pixel Rate | 31.78 GPixel/s | 110.9 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 127.1 GTexel/s | 277.3 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 3.050 TFLOPS | 8.873 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | N/A | 138.6 GFLOPS (1:64) |

| TDP | 122 W | 180 W |

| Slot Width | MXM Module | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | N/A | 450 W |

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

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 1x DVI, 4x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| DirectX | 12 (11_0) | 12 (12_1) |

| Vulkan | 1.2.175 | 1.4 |

| Dimensions | N/A | 267 mm x 111 mm |

| Release Date | 2014-03-11 | 2016-09-30 |

| Predecessor | GeForce 700M | Quadro Maxwell |

| Successor | GeForce 900M | Quadro Volta |

| Launch MSRP | N/A | 2,499 USD |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct head-to-head benchmark in the data is Geekbench OpenCL, and it produces a landslide result. The Quadro P5000 scores 52,509 points, while the GTX 880M manages just 5,622 points. The deltaPct of -89.3% indicates the GTX 880M trails by that massive margin. This single result encapsulates the architectural gulf between Kepler and Pascal.

Looking at the underlying specifications, the Quadro P5000's dominance in this compute test is predictable. Its FP32 performance reaches 8.873 TFLOPS, nearly three times the GTX 880M's 3.050 TFLOPS. The texture rate of 277.3 GTexel/s versus 127.1 GTexel/s, and pixel rate of 110.9 GPixel/s versus 31.78 GPixel/s, further demonstrate the compute advantage. The Quadro P5000 also has double the ROPs (64 versus 32) and 67% more shading units (2,560 versus 1,536).

The GTX 880M does have some specification wins despite the benchmark loss. Its memory clock of 1,250 MHz is higher than the Quadro P5000's 1,127 MHz, although the effective data rate is far lower at 5 Gbps versus 9 Gbps. The GTX 880M's TDP of 122 W is 58 W lower than the Quadro P5000's 180 W, making it more power-efficient in absolute terms. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the GTX 880M at 8,040 and the Quadro P5000 at 8,039, suggesting that in mixed workloads the performance gap narrows considerably.

Where Each One Wins

The Quadro P5000 wins decisively in raw compute performance. The OpenCL benchmark shows an 89.3% advantage, and the specification sheet reinforces this with higher clock speeds, more shading units, more TMUs, more ROPs, and nearly triple the FP32 throughput. This makes it the clear choice for GPU-accelerated computing, rendering, simulation, or any workload that leverages OpenCL. The 16 GB of GDDR5X memory with 288.5 GB/s bandwidth also provides a substantial advantage for large datasets and high-resolution textures. The Pascal architecture's support for DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4 makes it more future-proof for modern graphics APIs.

The GTX 880M wins in the portability and power efficiency domain. As an MXM Module with no power connectors and a 122 W TDP, it fits into laptop and mobile workstation form factors where the dual-slot, 180 W Quadro P5000 cannot operate. The GTX 880M's lower power draw makes it suitable for systems with limited thermal and power budgets. Its average benchmark score of 8,040 slightly exceeds the Quadro P5000's 8,039, indicating that in general-purpose tasks the older Kepler card holds its own. The GTX 880M also has a higher memory clock at 1,250 MHz, though the GDDR5 memory type limits its effective bandwidth.

For professional users who need maximum compute performance and have desktop or rack-mounted systems, the Quadro P5000 is the superior choice. For mobile users who need a capable GPU in a laptop form factor with lower power consumption, the GTX 880M remains viable. The data shows a tradeoff between raw compute capability and power efficiency, with the Quadro P5000 excelling in the former and the GTX 880M in the latter. The near-identical average benchmark scores suggest that for balanced workloads, either card will perform similarly, but the Quadro P5000's compute advantage is undeniable.