NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 vs NVIDIA Tesla M4 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 and NVIDIA Tesla M4 occupy very different corners of the hardware landscape. The data shows a decisive victory for the RTX 2070 in the single shared benchmark, but the Tesla M4’s profile reveals a distinct purpose. This analysis breaks down the recorded measurements, architectural differences, and practical implications.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains one directly comparable benchmark between these two cards: Geekbench OpenCL. The results are emphatic. The RTX 2070 scores 79,966 points, while the Tesla M4 scores 16,932. This represents a delta of 372.3% in favor of the RTX 2070. The RTX 2070 is not just faster; it is roughly 4.7 times faster in this compute-oriented workload.

To contextualize the RTX 2070’s score, its nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation with an average score of 18,954 (a delta of -0.9%), the NVIDIA Tesla K80 at 18,866 (delta of -0.4%), and the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 XT at 18,685 (delta of 0.6%). The RTX 2070’s average benchmark score across all tests is 18,789, placing it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs. The Tesla M4, with only the OpenCL result recorded, has an average score of 16,932 and sits in the 60th percentile.

The performance gap in the head-to-head test is stark. The RTX 2070’s OpenCL result is 372.3% higher than the Tesla M4. When compared to its own nearest rivals, the RTX 2070’s average score is essentially on par with the Tesla K80, within 0.4% either way. The Tesla M4, meanwhile, is closely matched with the AMD Radeon HD 7970M (average score 17,019, delta -0.5%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (17,037, delta -0.6%). The data indicates that while the Tesla M4 is a capable compute device for its era, it operates in a different performance class entirely from the RTX 2070.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is fundamental. The RTX 2070 uses the TU106 chip built on the Turing architecture, fabricated on a 12 nm process at TSMC. It contains 10,800 million transistors on a 445 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 24.3 million per square millimeter. The Tesla M4 uses the GM206 chip on the Maxwell 2.0 architecture, produced on a 28 nm process, also at TSMC. It packs 2,940 million transistors on a 228 mm² die, with a density of 12.9 million per square millimeter.

The core configurations diverge sharply. The RTX 2070 features 2,304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units, and 64 raster operations pipelines. It also includes 36 RT cores and 288 tensor cores, which are absent entirely from the Tesla M4. The RTX 2070’s memory subsystem is a 256-bit bus with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Tesla M4 has a 128-bit bus with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, providing 88.00 GB/s.

Clock speeds and resulting throughput tell the same story. The RTX 2070 has a base clock of 1410 MHz and a boost of 1620 MHz, with memory rated at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The Tesla M4 runs at 872 MHz base and 1072 MHz boost, with memory at 1375 MHz (5.5 Gbps effective). The pixel rate for the RTX 2070 is 103.7 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 233.3 GTexel/s. The Tesla M4 manages 34.30 GPixel/s and 68.61 GTexel/s respectively. Floating-point performance is also lopsided: the RTX 2070 delivers 7.465 TFLOPS FP32 and 14.93 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1), while the Tesla M4 offers 2.195 TFLOPS FP32 and no FP16 capability is recorded.

Power characteristics reflect their intended deployments. The RTX 2070 has a TDP of 175 W, requires a dual-slot cooler, and uses a single 8-pin power connector with a suggested 450 W PSU. The Tesla M4 has a TDP of 50 W, is single-slot, requires no external power connectors, and suggests a 250 W PSU. The RTX 2070 is a consumer-facing card with display outputs (1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Type-C), while the Tesla M4 has no display outputs, confirming its server/compute orientation.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the recorded benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 is decisively faster. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, it scores 79,966 versus the Tesla M4’s 16,932, a 372.3% advantage.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each card?

A: The RTX 2070 has an average benchmark score of 18,789 across all tests, placing it in the 63rd percentile. The Tesla M4 has an average score of 16,932 from its single recorded benchmark, placing it in the 60th percentile.

Q: Do both cards support the same APIs?

A: Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4. However, the RTX 2070 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the Tesla M4 supports DirectX 12 (12_1).

Q: What are the memory specifications for each?

A: The RTX 2070 has 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Tesla M4 has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 88.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Is the Tesla M4 suitable for gaming?

A: The database indicates the Tesla M4 has no display outputs, so it cannot drive a monitor directly. Its architecture lacks RT cores and tensor cores, and its compute performance is far below the RTX 2070.

Q: How do their transistor counts compare?

A: The RTX 2070 contains 10,800 million transistors on a 445 mm² die, while the Tesla M4 contains 2,940 million transistors on a 228 mm² die.

The Verdict

The data directs a clear choice for most users. The RTX 2070 wins the only head-to-head benchmark by a margin of 372.3%. Its average benchmark score of 18,789 is higher than the Tesla M4’s 16,932, and it holds the 63rd percentile versus the 60th. The RTX 2070 offers substantially more shading units (2,304 vs 1,024), double the memory capacity (8 GB vs 4 GB), and vastly higher bandwidth (448.0 GB/s vs 88.00 GB/s). It also supports modern features like RT cores and tensor cores, which the Tesla M4 lacks entirely.

The Tesla M4 is not without merit, but its merits are narrow. It draws only 50 W, fits in a single slot, and requires no external power connectors. These traits make it attractive for dense server installations where power and space are at a premium. Its compute performance, while modest, is sufficient to place it near the GeForce GTX 690 and AMD Radeon HD 7970M in the database’s averages. For compute workloads that fit within its 4 GB GDDR5 memory and do not require the latest API features, the Tesla M4 remains a functional, low-power option. However, for any task where raw performance matters, the RTX 2070 is the superior choice based on the recorded data.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 | NVIDIA Tesla M4 |

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

| Architecture | Turing | Maxwell 2.0 |

| Process Node | 12 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 10,800 million | 2,940 million |

| Die Size | 445 mm² | 228 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 24.3M / mm² | 12.9M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1410 MHz | 872 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1620 MHz | 1072 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) | 1375 MHz (5.5 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 4 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 448.0 GB/s | 88.00 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2304 | 1024 |

| TMUs | 144 | 64 |

| ROPs | 64 | 32 |

| RT Cores | 36 | null |

| Tensor Cores | 288 | null |

| Pixel Rate | 103.7 GPixel/s | 34.30 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 233.3 GTexel/s | 68.61 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 7.465 TFLOPS | 2.195 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 14.93 TFLOPS (2:1) | null |

| TDP | 175 W | 50 W |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | Single-slot |

| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | null |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 250 W |

| Display Outputs | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Type-C | No outputs |

| DirectX Support | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (12_1) |

| Release Date | 2018-10-16 | 2015-11-09 |

| Launch MSRP | 499 USD | null |

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 2070 wins in every measured performance category. Its FP32 throughput of 7.465 TFLOPS is more than triple the Tesla M4’s 2.195 TFLOPS. Its pixel rate is 103.7 GPixel/s versus 34.30 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 233.3 GTexel/s versus 68.61 GTexel/s. The memory bandwidth advantage is similarly large at 448.0 GB/s versus 88.00 GB/s. For gaming, rendering, or any graphics-intensive workload, the RTX 2070 is the clear winner. Its support for DirectX 12 Ultimate and inclusion of RT and tensor cores also make it future-proof for workloads that leverage those features.

The Tesla M4 wins in power efficiency and physical footprint. Its 50 W TDP is a fraction of the RTX 2070’s 175 W, and it requires no external power connectors. It is a single-slot card, whereas the RTX 2070 is dual-slot. The suggested PSU of 250 W versus 450 W further underscores its low-power design. For server environments where many compute cards must operate within a strict power budget and limited space, the Tesla M4 is the more practical choice. Its lack of display outputs is not a drawback in such a role. The data shows the Tesla M4 can handle compute tasks at a level comparable to the GeForce GTX 690, making it a viable option for legacy or auxiliary compute duties. For any user prioritizing performance, the RTX 2070 is the only choice. For users prioritizing density and power efficiency in a compute farm, the Tesla M4 has a defined niche.