NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Comparison

# NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN Z

The data presents a stark generational contrast: the RTX 2080 SUPER, built on Turing at 12 nm, dominates both shared benchmark tests against the GTX TITAN Z, a Kepler dual-GPU board from 2014. While both cards occupy the 69th percentile of all GPUs in the database, their average benchmark scores diverge by only 434 points (24170 vs 23736), yet the head-to-head results reveal a massive performance gulf in compute and graphics API workloads. The RTX 2080 SUPER leads by 289.7% in Geekbench OpenCL and 405.7% in Geekbench Vulkan, indicating that the TITAN Z’s legacy architecture cannot keep pace with modern rendering and compute demands, despite its once-flagship positioning.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 2080 SUPER wins every benchmark category in which both cards have data. In the two shared tests—Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan—the 2080 SUPER delivers scores of 99226 and 111284, respectively, against the TITAN Z’s 25465 and 22006. The 2080 SUPER’s advantage is not marginal; it is a 289.7% lead in OpenCL and a 405.7% lead in Vulkan. This makes the 2080 SUPER the clear choice for any workload that leverages compute APIs or modern graphics pipelines, including OpenCL-based rendering, Vulkan games, and general GPU compute tasks.

The GTX TITAN Z, by contrast, has no benchmark wins in the shared dataset. Its only recorded scores are the two Geekbench entries, both of which fall far behind. The TITAN Z’s strengths, if any, lie in its dual-GPU configuration and 6 GB of GDDR5 memory, but the data does not show any test where this translates into a victory. For users prioritizing raw legacy compute or older DirectX workloads, the TITAN Z might still function, but no benchmark evidence supports it outperforming the 2080 SUPER in any measured scenario. The 2080 SUPER also holds advantages in API support, featuring DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6, while the TITAN Z is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1), Vulkan 1.2.175, and OpenGL 4.6.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is foundational. The RTX 2080 SUPER uses the TU104 chip on TSMC’s 12 nm process, packing 13,600 million transistors into a 545 mm² die with a transistor density of 25.0M per mm². The GTX TITAN Z uses the GK110B chip on TSMC’s 28 nm process, with 7,080 million transistors on a 561 mm² die and a density of 12.6M per mm². The 2080 SUPER nearly doubles the transistor count while using a smaller die, thanks to the denser process node. Clock speeds reflect this: the 2080 SUPER runs at 1650 MHz base and 1815 MHz boost, versus the TITAN Z’s 705 MHz base and 876 MHz boost—a 945 MHz and 939 MHz difference, respectively.

Memory subsystems diverge sharply. The 2080 SUPER features 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, yielding 495.9 GB/s of bandwidth at an effective 15.5 Gbps. The TITAN Z offers 6 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus, delivering 336.0 GB/s at 7 Gbps effective. Although the TITAN Z’s bus is wider, the 2080 SUPER’s higher clocked GDDR6 provides 159.9 GB/s more bandwidth. Compute resources also favor the newer card: the 2080 SUPER has 3072 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, producing 11.15 TFLOPS FP32 and 22.30 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1). The TITAN Z has 2880 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, with 5.046 TFLOPS FP32 and no FP16 support. The 2080 SUPER also adds 48 RT cores and 384 tensor cores, features entirely absent from the TITAN Z. Pixel and texture rates reinforce the gap: 116.2 GPixel/s and 348.5 GTexel/s for the 2080 SUPER, versus 52.56 GPixel/s and 210.2 GTexel/s for the TITAN Z.

Power and physical specs differ as well. The 2080 SUPER has a 250 W TDP, is dual-slot, and uses 1x 6-pin plus 1x 8-pin connectors, with a 600 W suggested PSU. The TITAN Z draws 375 W, is triple-slot, requires 2x 8-pin connectors, and needs a 750 W PSU. The TITAN Z is also thicker at 62 mm versus 35 mm, though both share a 267 mm length. Display outputs favor the 2080 SUPER: 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, and 1x USB Type-C, versus the TITAN Z’s 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two available head-to-head tests paint a decisive picture. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 2080 SUPER scores 99226 against the GTX TITAN Z’s 25465, a delta of 289.7% in favor of the newer card. This test stresses raw compute throughput, where the 2080 SUPER’s 11.15 TFLOPS FP32 and 22.30 TFLOPS FP16 provide a massive advantage over the TITAN Z’s 5.046 TFLOPS FP32. The 2080 SUPER also benefits from faster memory bandwidth (495.9 GB/s vs 336.0 GB/s) and a higher boost clock (1815 MHz vs 876 MHz), which directly impacts OpenCL kernel execution.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the margin widens further. The 2080 SUPER posts 111284, while the TITAN Z manages only 22006, a 405.7% lead. Vulkan’s low-overhead API leverages modern hardware features like async compute and explicit command queues, which are far more mature in Turing than in Kepler. The TITAN Z’s lack of RT cores and tensor cores does not directly affect Vulkan, but its older architecture and slower clocks cripple its performance. The 2080 SUPER’s Vulkan score is also higher than its OpenCL score (111284 vs 99226), suggesting the Turing architecture scales better with Vulkan’s driver model. The TITAN Z shows the opposite trend, with its OpenCL score (25465) exceeding its Vulkan score (22006), indicating weaker Vulkan optimization on Kepler.

Beyond the head-to-head, the average benchmark scores contextualize the rivalry. The 2080 SUPER averages 24170 across all tests, landing near the GTX 780 Ti (24236, -0.3%), GTX 1630 (24277, -0.4%), and AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT (24442, -1.1%), while slightly ahead of the RX 6800S (24063, 0.4%). The TITAN Z averages 23736, close to the RTX 3080 Mobile (23628, 0.5%), RX 9070 (23877, -0.6%), and RTX 3070 Ti Mobile (23518, 0.9%), but again trailing the RX 6800S (24063, -1.4%). Despite the TITAN Z’s proximity in average score, its lack of DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4 support limits its modern relevance.

FAQ

Q: Which card wins in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER wins decisively with a score of 99226 versus the GTX TITAN Z’s 25465, a 289.7% advantage.

Q: How large is the Vulkan performance gap?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER scores 111284 in Geekbench Vulkan, while the GTX TITAN Z scores 22006, giving the 2080 SUPER a 405.7% lead.

Q: What are the memory specifications of each card?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER has 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus with 495.9 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX TITAN Z has 6 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus with 336.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Does the GTX TITAN Z support ray tracing or tensor cores?

A: No. The GTX TITAN Z has no RT cores or tensor cores. The RTX 2080 SUPER includes 48 RT cores and 384 tensor cores.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two cards?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER has a 250 W TDP, while the GTX TITAN Z draws 375 W. The TITAN Z also requires a 750 W PSU versus 600 W for the 2080 SUPER.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER averages 24170, and the GTX TITAN Z averages 23736, a difference of 434 points. Both sit at the 69th percentile of all GPUs.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the RTX 2080 SUPER is the superior card in every measured metric. Its 289.7% OpenCL and 405.7% Vulkan leads over the GTX TITAN Z are not incremental improvements but generational leaps, driven by a denser 12 nm process, nearly double the transistor count, 2.2x the FP32 throughput, and 159.9 GB/s more memory bandwidth. The 2080 SUPER also adds modern features—RT cores, tensor cores, DirectX 12 Ultimate, and Vulkan 1.4—that the TITAN Z cannot access. For compute workloads, the 2080 SUPER’s 22.30 TFLOPS FP16 capability is a decisive advantage, while the TITAN Z offers no FP16 path. The TITAN Z’s only consolation is its wider 384-bit bus and higher TMU count (240 vs 192), but these do not translate into any benchmark victory.

For users seeking a GPU for modern gaming, compute, or Vulkan-based applications, the RTX 2080 SUPER is the only rational choice from this comparison. Its lower TDP (250 W vs 375 W), smaller slot footprint, and superior display outputs (including USB Type-C) further cement its practicality. The GTX TITAN Z, despite its launch MSRP of 2,999 USD, delivers no performance advantage and lacks the architectural features required for current software. The 2080 SUPER’s 699 USD launch MSRP, paired with its overwhelming benchmark dominance, makes it the definitive pick for anyone choosing between these two end-of-life products. The TITAN Z remains a historical artifact—a dual-GPU curiosity that the data shows is outclassed by a single-GPU Turing card in every measurable way.