NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK vs NVIDIA Quadro P5000 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark comparison between the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK and the NVIDIA Quadro P5000 is lopsided in terms of total wins, but the single victory for the older card is dramatic. Out of nine head-to-head tests, the Quadro P5000 claims eight wins, while the GTX TITAN BLACK takes only one. That one win, however, is a massive outlier: in the geekbench_vulkan test, the GTX TITAN BLACK scores 29,561 against the Quadro P5000's 6,342, a delta of 366.1%. This is not a marginal edge; it is a multi-fold advantage that suggests the Kepler architecture's Vulkan driver path is far more effective in this specific workload, or that the Pascal card's Vulkan implementation is severely constrained in this test.

The Quadro P5000's most decisive victory comes in geekbench_opencl, where it scores 52,509 versus 27,218, a 48.2% advantage. This is nearly double the compute throughput in a general-purpose GPU compute benchmark, which aligns with the raw FP32 figures in the database: the P5000 delivers 8.873 TFLOPS against the TITAN BLACK's 5.645 TFLOPS. The passmark_gpu_compute test tells a similar story, with the P5000 at 6,508 and the TITAN BLACK at 3,726, a 42.7% gap. Compute-heavy tasks clearly favor the newer architecture.

In DirectX tests, the P5000 leads across every generation of the API. Passmark_directx_10 shows 77 versus 47, a 39% difference. Passmark_directx_11 shows 102 versus 73, a 28.4% difference. Passmark_directx_12 shows 44 versus 34, a 22.7% difference. Passmark_directx_9 shows 170 versus 133, a 21.8% difference. The pattern is consistent: the P5000 wins each DirectX test by a margin that shrinks as the API generation gets newer, but the lead never disappears.

The overall graphics score in passmark_g3d is 12,634 for the P5000 versus 9,184 for the TITAN BLACK, a 27.3% advantage. The 2D test, passmark_g2d, is closer: 674 versus 595, an 11.7% lead for the P5000. Across the board, the P5000's higher clock speeds and newer architecture translate into measurable wins in rasterization and compute, while the TITAN BLACK's Vulkan result stands as a curious counterpoint that may reflect driver maturity rather than hardware capability.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different architectural generations and different foundry processes. The GTX TITAN BLACK uses the GK110B chip on NVIDIA's Kepler architecture, built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The Quadro P5000 uses the GP104 chip on the Pascal architecture, also from TSMC but on a 16 nm process. The transistor counts are nearly identical: 7,080 million for the TITAN BLACK and 7,200 million for the P5000. The die size, however, tells a different story. The TITAN BLACK's die measures 561 mm², while the P5000's die is 314 mm². This means the P5000 packs roughly the same number of transistors into a much smaller area, yielding a transistor density of 22.9M / mm² compared to the TITAN BLACK's 12.6M / mm². The density gap is a direct consequence of the process node shrink.

Clock speeds also differ substantially. The TITAN BLACK runs at a base clock of 889 MHz and a boost clock of 980 MHz. The P5000 runs at a base of 1,607 MHz and a boost of 1,733 MHz. The Pascal card's clocks are nearly double the Kepler card's base frequency, which explains much of its performance advantage despite having fewer shading units. The TITAN BLACK has 2,880 shading units, 240 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs. The P5000 has 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. Fewer shaders and TMUs, but more ROPs and much higher clocks, result in a higher pixel rate for the P5000: 110.9 GPixel/s versus 58.80 GPixel/s. The texture rate is closer: 277.3 GTexel/s versus 235.2 GTexel/s.

Memory configurations differ in both capacity and type. The TITAN BLACK has 6 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus, yielding 336.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The P5000 has 16 GB of GDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, yielding 288.5 GB/s. The P5000 has more capacity but slightly lower bandwidth, a trade-off that favors large datasets over raw memory throughput. The memory clock is listed as 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective) for the TITAN BLACK and 1127 MHz (9 Gbps effective) for the P5000. The effective data rate is higher on the Pascal card, but the narrower bus limits total bandwidth.

The API support also differs. The TITAN BLACK supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The P5000 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Pascal card's DirectX 12 feature level is newer, and its Vulkan version is also newer, yet the TITAN BLACK wins the Vulkan benchmark by a wide margin. The P5000 also lists FP16 performance of 138.6 GFLOPS (1:64), while the TITAN BLACK has no FP16 entry in the database. Power consumption differs as well: the TITAN BLACK has a TDP of 250 W with a suggested PSU of 600 W, while the P5000 has a TDP of 180 W with a suggested PSU of 450 W. Both are dual-slot cards, and both use PCIe 3.0 x16. The TITAN BLACK requires a 1x 6-pin plus 1x 8-pin power connector; the P5000 requires only a single 8-pin. Display outputs also differ: the TITAN BLACK offers 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2, while the P5000 offers 1x DVI and 4x DisplayPort 1.4a.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX TITAN BLACK's only head-to-head win is in the geekbench_vulkan test, where it outperforms the P5000 by 366.1%. This is a specialized workload, and the data does not show whether the result stems from driver quirks or architectural traits. For any user prioritizing Vulkan compute or rendering in that specific benchmark environment, the TITAN BLACK is the clear choice. Outside of that single test, the card does not win any other comparison in the head-to-head set.

The Quadro P5000 wins in every other measured category. It leads in OpenCL compute by 48.2%, in DirectX 10 by 39%, in DirectX 11 by 28.4%, in DirectX 12 by 22.7%, in DirectX 9 by 21.8%, in 2D graphics by 11.7%, in overall 3D graphics by 27.3%, and in GPU compute by 42.7%. For users running DirectX-based applications, OpenCL workloads, or general 3D rendering, the P5000 is the stronger card. The P5000 also has 16 GB of memory versus 6 GB, which matters for large textures, datasets, or multi-application workflows. Its lower TDP of 180 W versus 250 W and lower suggested PSU of 450 W versus 600 W make it easier to integrate into existing systems. The P5000's newer DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, four of them, also make it more suitable for multi-monitor professional setups compared to the TITAN BLACK's single DisplayPort 1.2 and two DVI ports.

The use-case split is clear. The TITAN BLACK is the choice only for the specific Vulkan scenario where it dominates. The P5000 is the choice for everything else: compute, DirectX, 2D, 3D, and high-memory workloads.

FAQ

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

A: The NVIDIA Quadro P5000 wins eight of nine head-to-head tests. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK wins one, the geekbench_vulkan test.

Q: How large is the Vulkan performance gap?

A: The GTX TITAN BLACK scores 29,561 in geekbench_vulkan, while the Quadro P5000 scores 6,342. The TITAN BLACK leads by 366.1%.

Q: Which card has more memory?

A: The Quadro P5000 has 16 GB of GDDR5X memory, while the GTX TITAN BLACK has 6 GB of GDDR5.

Q: How do the FP32 compute figures compare?

A: The Quadro P5000 delivers 8.873 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the GTX TITAN BLACK delivers 5.645 TFLOPS.

Q: Which card has a lower power draw?

A: The Quadro P5000 has a TDP of 180 W and a suggested PSU of 450 W. The GTX TITAN BLACK has a TDP of 250 W and a suggested PSU of 600 W.

Q: What are the process nodes for each card?

A: The GTX TITAN BLACK is built on a 28 nm process, and the Quadro P5000 is built on a 16 nm process. Both are manufactured by TSMC.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every major specification category. The GTX TITAN BLACK uses the GK110B chip, while the P5000 uses the GP104 chip. The TITAN BLACK is on the Kepler architecture and belongs to the GeForce 700 generation; the P5000 is on the Pascal architecture and belongs to the Quadro Pascal (Px000) generation. The process node is 28 nm for the TITAN BLACK and 16 nm for the P5000. Transistor counts are close: 7,080 million versus 7,200 million. Die sizes are not: 561 mm² versus 314 mm². Transistor density is 12.6M / mm² versus 22.9M / mm².

Base clocks are 889 MHz versus 1,607 MHz, and boost clocks are 980 MHz versus 1,733 MHz. Memory clocks are 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective) versus 1127 MHz (9 Gbps effective). Memory size is 6 GB versus 16 GB. Memory type is GDDR5 versus GDDR5X. Bus width is 384 bit versus 256 bit. Bandwidth is 336.0 GB/s versus 288.5 GB/s. Shading units are 2,880 versus 2,560. TMUs are 240 versus 160. ROPs are 48 versus 64. Pixel rate is 58.80 GPixel/s versus 110.9 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 235.2 GTexel/s versus 277.3 GTexel/s. FP32 is 5.645 TFLOPS versus 8.873 TFLOPS. TDP is 250 W versus 180 W. Power connectors are 1x 6-pin plus 1x 8-pin versus 1x 8-pin. Suggested PSU is 600 W versus 450 W. Display outputs are 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 versus 1x DVI, 4x DisplayPort 1.4a. DirectX support is 12 (11_1) versus 12 (12_1). Vulkan support is 1.2.175 versus 1.4. Release dates are 2014-02-17 versus 2016-09-30. The launch MSRP is 999 USD for the TITAN BLACK and 2,499 USD for the P5000.

The Verdict

The data points to the NVIDIA Quadro P5000 as the stronger card for nearly all workloads. It wins eight of nine head-to-head benchmarks, including all DirectX tests, OpenCL, 2D, 3D, and compute. Its higher clocks, newer architecture, larger memory capacity, and lower power draw make it the more versatile and efficient choice. The P5000 also has a higher FP32 throughput at 8.873 TFLOPS, a higher pixel rate at 110.9 GPixel/s, and a higher texture rate at 277.3 GTexel/s. Its 16 GB of GDDR5X memory is more than double the TITAN BLACK's 6 GB, which benefits large-scale rendering and data-heavy applications. The P5000's lower TDP and suggested PSU requirements also make it easier to deploy in constrained systems.

The GTX TITAN BLACK is not without its niche. Its 366.1% lead in geekbench_vulkan is the single largest margin in the entire head-to-head set. For users whose primary workload is Vulkan-based and matches that test's characteristics, the TITAN BLACK is the better option. Its 384-bit memory bus also provides higher bandwidth at 336.0 GB/s, which could matter in bandwidth-bound scenarios, though the benchmark data does not isolate that variable.

The database's percentile rankings complicate the picture slightly. The TITAN BLACK sits at the 46th percentile among all GPUs, while the P5000 sits at the 41st percentile. The average benchmark scores are 9,474 for the TITAN BLACK and 8,039 for the P5000. The TITAN BLACK's nearest rivals are the GeForce GTX 760 (0.2% ahead), the Radeon R7 M380 (1.7% behind), the Quadro K5000 (1.7% behind), and the GTX 960M (1.8% behind). The P5000's nearest rivals are the GTX 880M (0% difference), the GTX 650 Ti (0.2% behind), the GTX 650 Ti Boost (0.3% behind), and the GRID K2 (0.5% behind). These figures suggest that the TITAN BLACK has a higher aggregate benchmark score, but the P5000 wins the direct comparisons where both cards ran the same tests.

In practical terms, the P5000 is the card for DirectX, OpenCL, and general-purpose GPU compute. The TITAN BLACK is the card for the specific Vulkan workload where it excels. Most users will find the P5000's broader set of wins more relevant. The TITAN BLACK's single victory, while spectacular in percentage terms, is too narrow to recommend it as an all-around choice. The verdict from the recorded data is straightforward: the Quadro P5000 wins the majority of tests and should be the default pick, with the GTX TITAN BLACK reserved for scenarios where Vulkan performance is the sole priority.