GPU Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 and NVIDIA Quadro P5000 are two very different GPUs that happen to share the same physical dimensions and PCIe interface. The GTX 980, a Maxwell 2.0-era GeForce part, leads in a few specific legacy and 2D workloads, while the Quadro P5000, a Pascal-based professional card, dominates modern compute and DirectX 11/12 scenarios. Benchmark data shows the P5000 wins 7 of 10 head-to-head tests, but the GTX 980’s wins are decisive in their own right, making the choice heavily dependent on the target application.

Where Each One Wins

The Quadro P5000 is the clear winner in raw compute and modern graphics APIs. Its most significant victory comes in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, where it scores 1330 against the GTX 980’s 474, a 64.4% margin. This is not a small gap; it indicates the P5000 is in a different performance class for DirectX 12 gaming and content creation workloads. The P5000 also wins Geekbench OpenCL by 34% (52509 vs 34676) and Passmark GPU Compute by 27% (6508 vs 4753), showing a substantial advantage in general-purpose compute tasks that leverage the GPU’s parallel processing capabilities.

The Quadro P5000 also takes the Passmark DirectX 10, DirectX 11, and DirectX 9 tests, with margins of 31.2%, 18.6%, and 3.5% respectively. The DirectX 11 win is particularly relevant for professional applications like CAD and 3D modeling, which often rely on this API. Its Passmark G3D score of 12634 is 12.2% higher than the GTX 980’s 11095, confirming a broad overall 3D performance advantage.

The GeForce GTX 980, however, wins in three specific areas. Its most stunning victory is in Geekbench Vulkan, where it scores 22543 against the P5000’s 6342, a 255.5% lead. This suggests the GTX 980 has far better Vulkan driver optimization or hardware support for this API, making it a better choice for Vulkan-based games and applications. The GTX 980 also wins Passmark DirectX 12 by a narrow 4.5% margin (46 vs 44), an interesting reversal of the 3DMark DX12 result. Finally, it wins Passmark G2D by 17.5% (792 vs 674), indicating superior 2D rendering and desktop composition performance.

Architecture Differences

The two cards represent two distinct NVIDIA architectures. The GTX 980 uses the GM204 chip built on Maxwell 2.0, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 5,200 million transistors on a 398 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 13.1M per mm². The Quadro P5000 uses the GP104 chip on the Pascal architecture, built on a much more advanced 16 nm process, also at TSMC. It contains 7,200 million transistors on a smaller 314 mm² die, achieving a higher density of 22.9M per mm². This architectural leap explains much of the P5000’s performance advantage.

Core configuration differs significantly. The GTX 980 has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The Quadro P5000 scales up to 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. This 25% increase in shading units and TMUs directly translates to higher throughput. Clock speeds also favor the P5000: its base clock is 1607 MHz and boost clock is 1733 MHz, compared to the GTX 980’s 1127 MHz base and 1216 MHz boost. Higher clocks combined with more cores give the P5000 a substantial raw compute advantage.

Memory is another major differentiator. The GTX 980 has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, yielding 224.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Quadro P5000 has 16 GB of GDDR5X on the same 256-bit bus, but with a higher effective speed of 9 Gbps, achieving 288.5 GB/s. This fourfold increase in capacity and 28.6% increase in bandwidth makes the P5000 far more suitable for large datasets and high-resolution textures. The P5000 also has superior pixel and texture rates: 110.9 GPixel/s and 277.3 GTexel/s versus the GTX 980’s 77.82 GPixel/s and 155.6 GTexel/s.

Power and physical differences are notable. The GTX 980 has a 165 W TDP with dual 6-pin power connectors, while the P5000 has a 180 W TDP with a single 8-pin connector. Both share the same 267 mm length and 111 mm height, and both are dual-slot cards. The GTX 980 has a width of 40 mm, while the P5000’s width is not specified. Both use PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs differ: the GTX 980 offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, and 3x DisplayPort 1.2, while the P5000 offers 1x DVI and 4x DisplayPort 1.4a. Both support DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result is Geekbench Vulkan, where the GTX 980 leads by 255.5%. This is the single largest delta in the entire comparison, and it flips the expected performance hierarchy. The GTX 980’s 22543 score versus the P5000’s 6342 suggests that for Vulkan-based titles, the older card is dramatically faster, potentially due to driver maturity or hardware scheduling differences.

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test shows the opposite extreme. The P5000 scores 1330, which is 64.4% higher than the GTX 980’s 474. This is a massive gap that indicates the P5000 is the superior choice for modern DirectX 12 gaming and ray-traced workloads, assuming the benchmark represents real-world performance.

In Geekbench OpenCL, the P5000 wins by 34% (52509 vs 34676). This is a strong indicator of compute capability, relevant for tasks like machine learning inference, video encoding, and scientific simulations. The Passmark GPU Compute test confirms this trend with a 27% advantage (6508 vs 4753).

Passmark DirectX 11 shows the P5000 ahead by 18.6% (102 vs 83). This is a critical result for professional users running older CAD or DCC applications that still rely on DirectX 11. The Passmark DirectX 10 test shows a 31.2% lead for the P5000 (77 vs 53), while DirectX 9 is a closer 3.5% gap (170 vs 164).

The GTX 980’s other wins are narrower. Passmark DirectX 12 shows a 4.5% lead (46 vs 44), a reversal of the 3DMark result that may reflect different workload characteristics. Passmark G2D shows a 17.5% lead (792 vs 674), indicating the GTX 980 handles 2D desktop rendering and composition more efficiently. The Passmark G3D score of 11095 for the GTX 980 versus 12634 for the P5000 gives the P5000 a 12.2% overall 3D performance advantage.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in DirectX 12 games?

A: It depends on the benchmark. The Quadro P5000 wins 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 by 64.4% (1330 vs 474), but the GeForce GTX 980 wins Passmark DirectX 12 by 4.5% (46 vs 44). The 3DMark result suggests the P5000 is generally stronger for modern DX12 workloads.

Q: Is the GeForce GTX 980 good for Vulkan applications?

A: Yes, exceptionally so. The GTX 980 scores 22543 in Geekbench Vulkan, a 255.5% lead over the Quadro P5000’s 6342. This indicates superior Vulkan performance, likely making it the better choice for Vulkan-based games or compute tasks.

Q: How much memory does each card have?

A: The GeForce GTX 980 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory with 224.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Quadro P5000 has 16 GB of GDDR5X memory with 288.5 GB/s bandwidth. The P5000 offers four times the capacity and 28.6% more bandwidth.

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The GeForce GTX 980 has an average benchmark score of 8167, while the Quadro P5000 has an average of 8039. The GTX 980’s average is 1.6% higher, despite losing most head-to-head tests, due to its massive Vulkan win skewing the average.

Q: What are the core clock speeds of these cards?

A: The GeForce GTX 980 has a base clock of 1127 MHz and a boost clock of 1216 MHz. The Quadro P5000 has a base clock of 1607 MHz and a boost clock of 1733 MHz. The P5000 operates at significantly higher frequencies.

Q: Do both cards support the same APIs?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. This means they are compatible with the same modern software, though performance varies significantly by API as the benchmark data shows.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split by use case. For professional workloads, content creation, and modern DirectX 12 gaming, the Quadro P5000 is the superior choice. Its 64.4% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, 34% lead in Geekbench OpenCL, and 12.2% lead in Passmark G3D demonstrate a robust performance advantage across the board. The 16 GB GDDR5X memory is a massive benefit for large datasets, and the higher pixel and texture rates (110.9 GPixel/s and 277.3 GTexel/s) make it better suited for high-resolution rendering.

For Vulkan-based applications, the GeForce GTX 980 is the unexpected winner. Its 255.5% lead in Geekbench Vulkan is a decisive factor that cannot be ignored. If a workload is heavily dependent on Vulkan, the GTX 980 will dramatically outperform the P5000. The GTX 980 also wins in 2D performance (Passmark G2D by 17.5%) and narrowly in Passmark DirectX 12, making it a viable option for lighter tasks or legacy applications.

The GTX 980’s average benchmark score of 8167 is slightly higher than the P5000’s 8039, but this is skewed by the Vulkan outlier. In real-world scenarios, the P5000 wins the majority of tests (7 out of 10). The P5000 is the more balanced and capable card for modern workloads, while the GTX 980 is a specialist that excels in Vulkan and 2D scenarios. Users should choose based on their primary API and workload requirements.