NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK vs NVIDIA Quadro K5000 Comparison

The NVIDIA Quadro K5000 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK are both built on NVIDIA's Kepler architecture, but they target entirely different segments of the market. The K5000 is a professional workstation card, while the TITAN BLACK is a consumer flagship designed for maximum compute performance. The benchmark data shows a clear hierarchy between the two, with the TITAN BLACK dominating in every recorded test, yet both cards occupy a similar overall percentile ranking among all GPUs.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK is significantly faster, scoring 27,218 compared to the Quadro K5000's 11,418. This represents a delta of -58% from the perspective of the K5000, meaning the TITAN BLACK is roughly 2.4 times faster in this compute test.

Q: How does the memory subsystem differ between the two cards?

A: The TITAN BLACK has a 6 GB GDDR5 frame buffer on a 384-bit bus, delivering 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Quadro K5000 has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a narrower 256-bit bus, resulting in 172.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The TITAN BLACK effectively doubles the memory bandwidth.

Q: What is the transistor count difference between these two Kepler chips?

A: The Quadro K5000 uses the GK104 chip with 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. The TITAN BLACK utilizes the larger GK110B chip, which houses 7,080 million transistors on a 561 mm² die. This makes the TITAN BLACK's chip physically larger and more complex.

Q: Are both cards still in production?

A: No, both the NVIDIA Quadro K5000 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK have a production status of "End-of-life." They are legacy products, having been succeeded by newer generations like Quadro Maxwell and GeForce 900 series, respectively.

Q: Which card has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The TITAN BLACK has a substantially higher pixel rate at 58.80 GPixel/s, thanks to its 48 ROPs. The Quadro K5000, with only 32 ROPs, achieves a pixel rate of 22.59 GPixel/s. This indicates a major advantage for the TITAN BLACK in rasterization-heavy workloads.

Q: What is the difference in their average benchmark scores?

A: The Quadro K5000 has an average benchmark score of 9,637, while the TITAN BLACK has an average score of 9,474. Despite the TITAN BLACK's overwhelming wins in specific tests, its average score is actually lower, by about -1.7% according to the nearestRivals data, which includes a broader set of workloads.

Architecture Differences

While both cards are built on the 28 nm Kepler architecture and manufactured by TSMC, they are fundamentally different silicon. The Quadro K5000 is based on the GK104 chip, a smaller and more power-efficient design. In contrast, the TITAN BLACK is based on the GK110B, a massive chip that is the pinnacle of the Kepler generation. This difference is immediately apparent in the transistor counts: the TITAN BLACK's chip contains 7,080 million transistors versus 3,540 million on the K5000, on a die that is 561 mm² compared to 294 mm². The transistor density is slightly higher on the TITAN BLACK at 12.6M / mm² versus 12.0M / mm².

This larger chip translates into a significantly larger execution engine. The TITAN Black features 2,880 shading units, 240 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 48 ROPs. The K5000 is equipped with 1,536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. This doubling of core resources is the primary reason for the TITAN BLACK's performance lead. The clock speeds also differ, with the TITAN BLACK operating at a base clock of 889 MHz and a boost clock of 980 MHz, while the K5000 is locked to a single 706 MHz clock for both base and boost.

Other architectural differences include the memory interface and power delivery. The TITAN BLACK uses a 384-bit memory bus, which is 50% wider than the K5000's 256-bit bus, and its memory runs at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective) versus 1350 MHz (5.4 Gbps effective) on the K5000. The TITAN BLACK also requires more power, with a TDP of 250 W and a suggested PSU of 600 W, compared to the K5000's 122 W TDP and 300 W suggested PSU. Additionally, the TITAN BLACK employs a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, while the K5000 uses the older PCIe 2.0 x16 standard.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark data is unequivocal: the TITAN BLACK wins all three recorded tests, leaving the Quadro K5000 with zero wins. The most dramatic victory comes in the Geekbench Metal test, where the TITAN BLACK scores 24,172 against the K5000's 6,324. This is a delta of -73.8%, meaning the TITAN BLACK is almost four times faster in this Apple-specific compute API.

The Geekbench Vulkan test shows a similar trend. The TITAN BLACK achieves a score of 29,561, while the K5000 manages 11,169. The delta of -62.2% indicates a massive performance gap in this cross-platform graphics and compute API. The smallest relative difference is in the Geekbench OpenCL test, but it is still a significant margin. The TITAN BLACK scores 27,218 versus 11,418 for the K5000, a delta of -58%.

These results paint a clear picture. The TITAN BLACK's superior core count, higher clock speeds, and faster memory allow it to dominate in compute-heavy workloads. The K5000, while a capable card in its own right, is outclassed by a wide margin. It is important to note that these specific benchmarks do not reflect the K5000's certified driver performance in professional applications, which is a key differentiator for that product line.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets for these two cards show differences in nearly every major category. The most obvious is the GPU chip itself: the K5000 uses GK104 while the TITAN BLACK uses GK110B. This leads to a massive difference in the core configuration, with the TITAN BLACK featuring 2,880 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, versus the K5000's 1,536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs.

Clock speeds and memory are also distinct. The TITAN BLACK has a base clock of 889 MHz and a boost clock of 980 MHz, while the K5000 has a fixed 706 MHz clock. The TITAN BLACK's memory runs at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective) with a 384-bit bus, yielding 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The K5000's memory is clocked at 1350 MHz (5.4 Gbps effective) on a 256-bit bus, providing 172.8 GB/s. The TITAN BLACK also has a larger frame buffer at 6 GB versus 4 GB.

Power and interface specs diverge significantly. The TITAN BLACK has a TDP of 250 W and requires both a 6-pin and an 8-pin power connector, with a suggested PSU of 600 W. The K5000 has a TDP of 122 W and requires only a single 6-pin connector, with a suggested PSU of 300 W. The bus interface is also newer on the TITAN BLACK (PCIe 3.0 x16) versus the K5000 (PCIe 2.0 x16). Display outputs differ as well, with the K5000 offering 2x DVI and 2x DisplayPort 1.2, while the TITAN BLACK offers 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2. The TITAN BLACK is slightly thicker at 38 mm (1.5 inches) compared to the K5000's unspecified width.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark scores, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK is the clear winner for raw compute and graphics performance. Its 5.645 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, compared to the K5000's 2.169 TFLOPS, makes it the obvious choice for tasks like GPU-accelerated rendering, scientific computing, and high-frame-rate gaming. Its 6 GB frame buffer and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth are also beneficial for large datasets and high-resolution textures. The TITAN BLACK is the card for users who prioritize pure speed and do not need specialized professional features.

The NVIDIA Quadro K5000, despite losing every head-to-head benchmark, has its own strengths. Its significantly lower TDP of 122 W means it generates less heat and requires less power, making it easier to integrate into dense workstation environments. Its dual DisplayPort 1.2 outputs are tailored for multi-display professional setups. The K5000 is designed for stability and certification in professional software, a factor not captured in the raw Geekbench scores. It is the choice for users who need a reliable, power-efficient card for CAD, DCC, and scientific visualization, where certified drivers and ISV support are paramount.

The data shows that the TITAN BLACK is the superior hardware, but the Quadro K5000 serves a different purpose. The TITAN BLACK's launch MSRP was 999 USD, while the K5000 launched at 2,499 USD. The price difference reflects the value of professional-grade software support and validation, not just hardware specifications. For tasks that rely on the specific compute APIs tested here, the TITAN BLACK is up to 73.8% faster. However, for a professional workstation where software certification and power efficiency are critical, the Quadro K5000 remains a relevant, albeit less powerful, option.