NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile vs NVIDIA Quadro P5000 Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile and the NVIDIA Quadro P5000 represent two very different generations of NVIDIA mobile graphics, separated by architecture, process node, and intended workload. The data shows a clear split: the older Quadro P5000, a high-power professional part, dominates in raw computational throughput and legacy API performance, while the newer RTX 3050 A Mobile, a low-power consumer part, offers a significant edge in modern DirectX 12 workloads and a marginal win in OpenCL compute.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results show a decisive victory for the Quadro P5000, which wins 6 of the 8 compared tests. The largest margin is in Passmark GPU Compute, where the Quadro P5000 scores 6508 against the RTX 3050 A Mobile's 4419, a commanding 32.1% advantage. This is the single biggest performance gap in the comparison, reflecting the Quadro's substantially higher FP32 throughput and its 2,560 shading units versus the RTX 3050 A Mobile's 1,792.

The Quadro P5000 also leads in legacy graphics APIs. In Passmark DirectX 10, it scores 77 versus 61, a 20.8% advantage. The lead narrows in Passmark DirectX 11 (102 vs 94, a 7.8% gap) and Passmark DirectX 9 (170 vs 152, a 10.6% gap). These results indicate that the Pascal-based Quadro retains strong performance for older DirectX titles and applications, likely due to its higher clock speeds and more mature driver optimizations for those APIs.

The RTX 3050 A Mobile's only decisive win comes in Passmark DirectX 12, where it scores 55 against the Quadro's 44, a substantial 25% improvement. This is a significant result, as DirectX 12 is the modern standard for gaming and compute workloads. The RTX 3050 A Mobile's Ampere architecture natively supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), whereas the Quadro P5000 only supports DirectX 12 (12_1), explaining the performance inversion in this modern API.

In Geekbench OpenCL, the two GPUs are nearly identical, with the RTX 3050 A Mobile scoring 52998 and the Quadro P5000 scoring 52509, a negligible 0.9% difference. This suggests that in general-purpose compute tasks using OpenCL, the architectural differences largely cancel out, resulting in a statistical tie. The remaining test, Passmark G2D, is a clear win for the Quadro P5000 (674 vs 526, a 22% gap), which reflects its higher pixel fill rate of 110.9 GPixel/s compared to the RTX 3050 A Mobile's 42.98 GPixel/s.

The aggregate benchmark averages tell a similar story. The RTX 3050 A Mobile has an average benchmark score of 8746, placing it at the 44th percentile of all GPUs. The Quadro P5000 has a lower average score of 8039, placing it at the 41st percentile. This discrepancy between the average score and the head-to-head results is explained by the fact that the RTX 3050 A Mobile's average is pulled up by its strong Geekbench OpenCL score, while the Quadro's average is dragged down by its poor DirectX 12 and other legacy scores. The Quadro P5000's nearest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M with an identical average score of 8040, while the RTX 3050 A Mobile is most closely matched by the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 v2 at 8743.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear, though nuanced, verdict. For users prioritizing modern DirectX 12 gaming or applications, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile is the superior choice, offering a 25% performance advantage in that specific API. Its support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) future-proofs it for newer titles that leverage hardware ray tracing and mesh shaders, features entirely absent from the Pascal-based Quadro.

However, for professional workloads that rely on legacy DirectX 9/10/11 APIs or heavy GPGPU compute, the NVIDIA Quadro P5000 is the definitive winner. Its 32.1% lead in GPU Compute and consistent 8-21% advantages in older DirectX versions make it the more versatile tool for a workstation environment running legacy CAD, simulation, or rendering software. The Quadro also offers a massive memory advantage with 16 GB of GDDR5X compared to the RTX 3050 A Mobile's 4 GB of GDDR6, which is critical for large datasets and high-resolution textures, even if the specific bandwidth figures are not directly compared here.

In essence, the RTX 3050 A Mobile wins the future-focused battle, while the Quadro P5000 wins the present-day comprehensive performance war. The choice hinges entirely on the software stack required. If the workload is modern and DirectX 12-centric, the RTX 3050 A Mobile is the data-backed pick. If the workload spans a mix of APIs and demands maximum compute throughput, the Quadro P5000 is the clear winner.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures and process nodes. The RTX 3050 A Mobile uses the GA106 chip based on the Ampere architecture, manufactured on an 8 nm process at Samsung. It integrates 12,000 million transistors on a 276 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 43.5M / mm². In contrast, the Quadro P5000 uses the GP104 chip based on the older Pascal architecture, manufactured on a 16 nm process at TSMC. It contains 7,200 million transistors on a larger 314 mm² die, resulting in a lower density of 22.9M / mm².

The Ampere chip is significantly more modern, evidenced by its support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and its inclusion of 14 RT cores and 56 tensor cores, which the Pascal-based Quadro lacks entirely. The Quadro P5000 only supports DirectX 12 (12_1), meaning it cannot accelerate ray tracing or use DLSS. The RTX 3050 A Mobile also has a much higher FP16 throughput of 4.813 TFLOPS (1:1) compared to the Quadro's 138.6 GFLOPS (1:64), making it vastly superior for half-precision compute tasks.

Memory configurations differ significantly. The RTX 3050 A Mobile uses 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 192.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Quadro P5000 uses 16 GB of GDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, delivering 288.5 GB/s. The Quadro's 4x memory capacity and 50% higher bandwidth are critical for professional visualization and large-scale compute. The RTX 3050 A Mobile has a higher memory clock of 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) versus the Quadro's 1127 MHz (9 Gbps effective), but the Quadro's wider bus compensates.

The power and physical profiles are polar opposites. The RTX 3050 A Mobile has a 45 W TDP, is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) with no power connectors, and uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface. The Quadro P5000 has a 180 W TDP, is a dual-slot card measuring 267 mm in length, requires a 1x 8-pin power connector, and uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface. Clock speeds also favor the Quadro, with a base of 1607 MHz and boost of 1733 MHz, compared to the RTX 3050 A Mobile's base of 1065 MHz and boost of 1343 MHz. The Quadro's higher clocks and larger core (2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, 64 ROPs vs 1,792, 56, 32) drive its higher theoretical peak rates of 8.873 TFLOPS FP32 and 277.3 GTexel/s, versus the RTX 3050 A Mobile's 4.813 TFLOPS and 75.21 GTexel/s.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro P5000. Its FP32 throughput is 8.873 TFLOPS versus the RTX 3050 A Mobile's 4.813 TFLOPS. This is reflected in the 32.1% lead in Passmark GPU Compute.

Q: Is the RTX 3050 A Mobile better for modern games?

A: Yes, for games using DirectX 12. The RTX 3050 A Mobile wins Passmark DirectX 12 by 25% and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), enabling hardware ray tracing via its 14 RT cores, which the Quadro lacks.

Q: How much memory does each GPU have?

A: The RTX 3050 A Mobile has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, while the Quadro P5000 has 16 GB of GDDR5X on a 256-bit bus.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The RTX 3050 A Mobile has a 45 W TDP and is an IGP with no power connectors, while the Quadro P5000 has a 180 W TDP, is dual-slot, and requires a 1x 8-pin power connector.

Q: Which GPU is better for OpenCL compute?

A: They are effectively tied. The Geekbench OpenCL scores are 52998 for the RTX 3050 A Mobile and 52509 for the Quadro P5000, a 0.9% difference.

Q: What is the production status of these GPUs?

A: Both are listed as End-of-life. The Quadro P5000 was released earlier, with its successor being Quadro Volta, while the RTX 3050 A Mobile is from the newer GeForce 30-series generation.

Where Each One Wins

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile Wins:

• DirectX 12 Performance: The 25% lead in Passmark DirectX 12 is its most significant victory, making it the better choice for modern gaming engines and applications that utilize this API.
• OpenCL Compute (Marginal): A 0.9% edge in Geekbench OpenCL, while statistically negligible, indicates parity in this specific cross-platform compute workload.
• Modern Feature Set: Exclusive support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), hardware ray tracing (14 RT cores), and tensor cores (56) provides capabilities the Quadro cannot offer.
• Efficiency: With a 45 W TDP and IGP form factor, it is designed for thin-and-light systems where power and space are at a premium.
• Half-Precision Compute: FP16 throughput of 4.813 TFLOPS (1:1) is vastly superior for AI and machine learning inference tasks compared to the Quadro's 138.6 GFLOPS.

NVIDIA Quadro P5000 Wins:

• GPGPU Compute: The 32.1% lead in Passmark GPU Compute makes it the clear choice for heavy number-crunching, simulation, and rendering workloads.
• Legacy API Performance: Wins in DirectX 9 (10.6%), DirectX 10 (20.8%), and DirectX 11 (7.8%) ensure compatibility and speed with older professional software.
• 2D Performance: A 22% lead in Passmark G2D and a pixel rate of 110.9 GPixel/s indicate superior performance for 2D CAD and desktop compositing.
• Memory Capacity & Bandwidth: The 16 GB frame buffer is essential for large datasets, and the 288.5 GB/s bandwidth is 50% higher than the RTX 3050 A Mobile's.
• Raw Throughput: Higher FP32 (8.873 TFLOPS) and texture fill rates (277.3 GTexel/s) provide a solid foundation for all compute and rendering tasks, even if the API support is older.