NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK vs NVIDIA Quadro K5100M Comparison

# Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK wins both available head-to-head benchmark comparisons decisively. In Geekbench Metal, the TITAN BLACK scores 24,172 against the Quadro K5100M's 8,315, a 65.6% margin. The OpenCL test shows a similar gap: 27,218 versus 11,771, with the TITAN BLACK ahead by 56.8%. These are not close contests — the desktop-class card dominates in raw compute throughput across both API frameworks.

Looking at broader benchmark context, the TITAN BLACK's average benchmark score of 9,474 places it in the 46th percentile of all GPUs, while the Quadro K5100M's average of 10,043 sits slightly higher at the 48th percentile. This inversion is notable: despite losing both direct head-to-head tests, the Quadro K5100M actually posts a higher average score across its benchmark suite. The explanation lies in the rival comparisons. The Quadro K5100M sits within 2% of the AMD Radeon R9 M375 (10,070, delta -0.3%), AMD Radeon Pro 5300M (10,013, delta 0.3%), and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 870M (9,959, delta 0.8%). The TITAN BLACK, meanwhile, is bracketed by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 (9,458, delta 0.2%), AMD Radeon R7 M380 (9,313, delta 1.7%), NVIDIA Quadro K5000 (9,637, delta -1.7%), and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M (9,645, delta -1.8%).

The TITAN BLACK's individual benchmark results reveal its strengths and weaknesses across different DirectX workloads. Its Passmark G3D score of 9,184 is respectable, but DirectX 9 performance is notably strong at 133, while DirectX 11 comes in at 73, DirectX 10 at 47, and DirectX 12 at 34. The GPU compute score of 3,726 and G2D score of 595 round out the picture. These Passmark numbers show a card that excels in legacy DirectX 9 scenarios but scales down in more modern APIs — a pattern consistent with its Kepler architecture's age.

FAQ

Q: Which card wins more benchmark tests?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK wins both head-to-head tests, taking 2 wins to 0 for the Quadro K5100M. It leads by 65.6% in Geekbench Metal and 56.8% in Geekbench OpenCL.

Q: Is the Quadro K5100M competitive despite losing both direct comparisons?

A: In average benchmark score, yes. The Quadro K5100M averages 10,043 versus the TITAN BLACK's 9,474, and it ranks at the 48th percentile versus 46th. Its nearest rivals are within 2% on either side, suggesting consistent mid-range performance.

Q: What are the TITAN BLACK's best and worst Passmark results?

A: Its strongest Passmark result is DirectX 9 at 133, followed by G3D at 9,184. Its weakest are DirectX 12 at 34 and DirectX 10 at 47, indicating a significant drop-off in newer API workloads.

Q: How do the two cards compare in memory bandwidth?

A: The TITAN BLACK has 336.0 GB/s bandwidth from its 384-bit bus with 7 Gbps effective memory, while the Quadro K5100M delivers 115.2 GB/s over a 256-bit bus with 3.6 Gbps effective memory. The TITAN BLACK's bandwidth is nearly three times higher.

Q: Which card has more shading units and texture units?

A: The TITAN BLACK has 2,880 shading units, 240 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs. The Quadro K5100M has 1,536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The TITAN BLACK roughly doubles the Quadro in all three categories.

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

A: The TITAN BLACK's GK110B chip contains 7,080 million transistors on a 561 mm² die, while the Quadro K5100M's GK104 has 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. Both use TSMC's 28 nm process.

Architecture Differences

Both cards are built on NVIDIA's Kepler architecture using TSMC's 28 nm process, but they are fundamentally different chips with different scales. The Quadro K5100M uses the GK104 chip, which packs 3,540 million transistors onto a 294 mm² die with a transistor density of 12.0M per mm². The TITAN BLACK uses the larger GK110B chip, containing 7,080 million transistors on a 561 mm² die — exactly double the transistor count — with a slightly higher density of 12.6M per mm².

The execution resources scale accordingly. The TITAN BLACK fields 2,880 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, versus the Quadro's 1,536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. This 1.875x advantage in shading units and 1.875x in TMUs translates directly into compute throughput: the TITAN BLACK delivers 5.645 TFLOPS FP32 versus 2.369 TFLOPS for the Quadro. Pixel rate favors the TITAN BLACK at 58.80 GPixel/s versus 24.67 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 235.2 GTexel/s versus 98.69 GTexel/s.

Memory architecture differs substantially. The Quadro K5100M uses 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus at 900 MHz (3.6 Gbps effective), yielding 115.2 GB/s bandwidth. The TITAN BLACK uses 6 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective), yielding 336.0 GB/s. Clock speeds also favor the TITAN BLACK: its base clock runs at 889 MHz with a boost of 980 MHz, while the Quadro is locked at 771 MHz for both base and boost.

Physical and interface differences are stark. The Quadro K5100M is an MXM Module with an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface, no power connectors, and a 100 W TDP. The TITAN BLACK is a dual-slot card measuring 267 mm (10.5 inches) long, 111 mm (4.4 inches) high, and 38 mm (1.5 inches) wide, requiring 1x 6-pin plus 1x 8-pin power connectors, a 600 W suggested PSU, and drawing 250 W. Display outputs differ too: the Quadro's are "Portable Device Dependent" while the TITAN BLACK offers 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2.

API support shows minor differences. Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.175, but the Quadro supports DirectX 12 (11_0) while the TITAN BLACK supports DirectX 12 (11_1). The TITAN BLACK also supports Vulkan 1.2.175 in its benchmark suite, which the Quadro does not have a Vulkan benchmark score for.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear performance hierarchy: the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK is the superior compute performer, winning both head-to-head benchmarks by margins of 56.8% and 65.6%. Its 5.645 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, 336.0 GB/s bandwidth, and doubled execution resources make it the obvious choice for raw performance workloads.

However, the Quadro K5100M posts a higher average benchmark score (10,043 versus 9,474) and a higher percentile ranking (48th versus 46th). This suggests that in the broader GPU landscape, the Quadro sits in a slightly more favorable position relative to its peers. Its 8 GB memory capacity is also larger than the TITAN BLACK's 6 GB, and its 100 W TDP is substantially lower than 250 W.

The TITAN BLACK's Passmark results reveal a caveat: while its DirectX 9 score of 133 is strong, DirectX 11 drops to 73, DirectX 10 to 47, and DirectX 12 to 34. These numbers indicate diminishing performance in newer APIs, which tempers its otherwise dominant compute profile. Its launch MSRP was 999 USD, which reflects its original flagship positioning.

For buyers prioritizing raw compute in OpenCL or Metal workloads, the TITAN BLACK is the clear winner. For those needing more memory capacity, lower power draw, and a mobile MXM form factor, the Quadro K5100M has advantages that its benchmark scores do not capture.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two cards:

| Specification | Quadro K5100M | GTX TITAN BLACK |

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

| Chip | GK104 | GK110B |

| Generation | Quadro Kepler-M (Kx100M) | GeForce 700 |

| Transistors | 3,540 million | 7,080 million |

| Die Size | 294 mm² | 561 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.0M / mm² | 12.6M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 771 MHz | 889 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 771 MHz | 980 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 900 MHz / 3.6 Gbps | 1750 MHz / 7 Gbps |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 6 GB |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 384 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 115.2 GB/s | 336.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1536 | 2880 |

| TMUs | 128 | 240 |

| ROPs | 32 | 48 |

| Pixel Rate | 24.67 GPixel/s | 58.80 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 98.69 GTexel/s | 235.2 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 2.369 TFLOPS | 5.645 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 100 W | 250 W |

| Slot Width | MXM Module | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | — | 600 W |

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

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 |

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

| Dimensions | — | 267 mm x 111 mm x 38 mm |

| Release Date | 2013-07-22 | 2014-02-17 |

| Predecessor | Quadro Fermi-M | GeForce 600 |

| Successor | Quadro Maxwell-M | GeForce 900 |

| Launch MSRP | — | 999 USD |

Where Each One Wins

The GTX TITAN BLACK wins in every direct benchmark comparison available. Its Metal score of 24,172 is nearly three times the Quadro's 8,315, and its OpenCL score of 27,218 dwarfs the Quadro's 11,771. For any application relying on OpenCL compute or Metal graphics, the TITAN BLACK is decisively faster. Its 5.645 TFLOPS FP32 throughput and 336.0 GB/s memory bandwidth make it the choice for compute-heavy tasks like rendering, simulation, or data processing where memory bandwidth is a bottleneck.

The Quadro K5100M wins in scenarios the benchmark scores do not directly measure. Its 8 GB memory capacity exceeds the TITAN BLACK's 6 GB, which matters for workloads with large datasets that exceed 6 GB. Its 100 W TDP and MXM module form factor make it suitable for portable workstations where power and space are constrained. The Quadro also posts a higher average benchmark score (10,043 vs 9,474) and higher percentile (48th vs 46th), indicating it sits better relative to its immediate competitors.

The TITAN BLACK's Passmark results show another dimension: its DirectX 9 score of 133 is excellent, and its G3D score of 9,184 is strong, but DirectX 12 performance at 34 is weak. The Quadro lacks Passmark results entirely, so no direct comparison is possible there. For users running older DirectX 9 applications, the TITAN BLACK is clearly superior; for those targeting DirectX 12, neither card is a strong option, but the TITAN BLACK's support for DirectX 12 (11_1) versus the Quadro's 12 (11_0) gives it a slight edge in API compatibility.

The form-factor split is definitive: the Quadro K5100M is a mobile MXM module with no power connectors, while the TITAN BLACK is a desktop dual-slot card requiring 600 W PSU and dual power connectors. The TITAN BLACK also carries a launch MSRP of 999 USD, whereas the Quadro has no listed MSRP. Choose the TITAN BLACK for maximum compute performance and bandwidth; choose the Quadro K5100M for mobile integration, lower power, and larger memory capacity.