NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 vs NVIDIA Tesla K20m Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records two shared benchmark results for these GPUs, and the RTX 3080 dominates both. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 3080 scores 152,423 against the Tesla K20m's 16,241, a massive 838.5% advantage. This is not a marginal generational improvement, it is a complete reclassification of compute capability. The OpenCL test stresses raw throughput and memory bandwidth, and the data reflects the architectural gulf between the two.

The second shared test, Geekbench Vulkan, shows a narrower but still decisive gap. The RTX 3080 records 33,620 points, while the Tesla K20m manages 21,936, giving the newer card a 53.3% lead. Vulkan is a modern low-level API, and the RTX 3080's support for current rendering features explains part of this margin. The Tesla K20m, designed before Vulkan matured, still posts a respectable score, but it cannot match the newer card's efficiency in this workload.

Looking at the broader database averages, the RTX 3080 holds an average benchmark score of 23,172 across all recorded tests, while the Tesla K20m averages 19,089. That is a 21.4% overall advantage for the RTX 3080, though the head-to-head deltas are far more extreme because the shared tests are compute-heavy. The RTX 3080 sits at the 68th percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the Tesla K20m sits at the 64th percentile. Both are above average, but the RTX 3080's position reflects its much newer design and feature set.

The nearest rivals in the database provide context for each card's standing. The RTX 3080's closest competitors by average score are the NVIDIA P106-100 (23,249, a 0.3% deficit), the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16 (23,250, also 0.3% behind), the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23,273, 0.4% behind), and the AMD Radeon R9 M290X (23,276, 0.4% behind). These deltas are tiny, meaning the RTX 3080's average score is essentially level with a cluster of mid-range and older cards in this particular metric. For the Tesla K20m, its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (19,049, 0.2% ahead), the AMD Radeon RX 6600 (19,036, 0.3% ahead), the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 (19,030, 0.3% ahead), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 (19,164, 0.4% behind). The Tesla K20m is bracketed by a mix of mobile and older desktop parts, which is consistent with its age and compute-focused design.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the most head-to-head benchmarks in the database?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 wins both recorded head-to-head tests, with 2 wins and 0 losses. The Tesla K20m does not win any shared test.

Q: How large is the performance gap in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The RTX 3080 scores 152,423 versus the Tesla K20m's 16,241, a delta of 838.5% in favor of the RTX 3080.

Q: Is the Tesla K20m competitive in any modern API test?

A: In Geekbench Vulkan, the Tesla K20m scores 21,936, which is 53.3% behind the RTX 3080's 33,620. It is not competitive in absolute terms, though the percentage gap is much smaller than in OpenCL.

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

A: The RTX 3080 has an average benchmark score of 23,172, while the Tesla K20m averages 19,089.

Q: How do the cards rank compared to all GPUs in the database?

A: The RTX 3080 is at the 68th percentile, and the Tesla K20m is at the 64th percentile among all GPUs.

Q: Which cards are the nearest rivals by average score for each?

A: For the RTX 3080, the nearest rivals are the NVIDIA P106-100, AMD Radeon Pro Vega 16, AMD Radeon RX 6600M, and AMD Radeon R9 M290X, all within 0.4% of its average. For the Tesla K20m, the nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile, AMD Radeon RX 6600, NVIDIA Quadro K6000, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780.

Architecture Differences

The RTX 3080 uses the GA102 chip built on Ampere architecture, fabricated by Samsung on an 8 nm process node. The Tesla K20m uses the GK110 chip on Kepler architecture, fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process. The process node difference is the single largest physical differentiator: 8 nm versus 28 nm. This drives nearly every other specification gap.

Transistor counts reflect this. The RTX 3080 packs 28,300 million transistors on a 628 mm² die, giving a density of 45.1 million transistors per square millimeter. The Tesla K20m contains 7,080 million transistors on a 561 mm² die, a density of 12.6 million per square millimeter. The RTX 3080 has roughly four times the transistor count on a similar physical footprint, with a density nearly four times higher.

The shading unit count follows the same pattern. The RTX 3080 has 8,704 shading units, 272 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units. The Tesla K20m has 2,496 shading units, 208 TMUs, and 40 ROPs. The RTX 3080 also has dedicated hardware that the Tesla K20m entirely lacks: 68 ray tracing cores and 272 tensor cores. The Kepler design predates both of these specialized unit types.

Memory architecture differs substantially. The RTX 3080 uses 10 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 320-bit bus, achieving 760.3 GB/s of bandwidth. The Tesla K20m uses 5 GB of GDDR5 memory on the same 320-bit bus, but bandwidth is only 208.0 GB/s. The memory clock rates explain this: the RTX 3080 runs at 1188 MHz with 19 Gbps effective, while the Tesla K20m runs at 1300 MHz with 5.2 Gbps effective. The newer memory type on the RTX 3080 delivers more than three times the bandwidth despite the same bus width.

Compute throughput numbers are stark. The RTX 3080 delivers 29.77 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 29.77 TFLOPS of FP16 (a 1:1 ratio). The Tesla K20m delivers 3.524 TFLOPS of FP32 and has no recorded FP16 capability. Pixel and texture rates reinforce this: the RTX 3080 achieves 164.2 GPixel/s and 465.1 GTexel/s, while the Tesla K20m manages 36.71 GPixel/s and 146.8 GTexel/s.

The RTX 3080 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Tesla K20m supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The feature level difference in DirectX is notable, as 12_2 enables hardware ray tracing and mesh shaders, which the Kepler architecture cannot provide.

Physical and interface details also differ. The RTX 3080 uses PCIe 4.0 x16, while the Tesla K20m uses PCIe 2.0 x16. The RTX 3080 has display outputs (1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a), while the Tesla K20m has no display outputs, reflecting its compute-accelerator design. The RTX 3080 has a length of 285 mm, the Tesla K20m 267 mm. Power delivery differs, with the RTX 3080 using a single 12-pin connector and a 320 W TDP, while the Tesla K20m uses a 6-pin plus an 8-pin connector and a 225 W TDP.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous for any workload that uses the recorded benchmark metrics. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 is the superior card for general compute, modern API support, and rendering performance. Its 838.5% lead in OpenCL and 53.3% lead in Vulkan are not close calls. The RTX 3080 also holds a higher average benchmark score (23,172 versus 19,089) and a higher percentile rank (68th versus 64th).

The Tesla K20m's only arguments are its lower power draw, 225 W versus 320 W, and its original positioning as a compute accelerator. However, the benchmark data does not show any test where the Tesla K20m wins. Its nearest rivals in the database, the GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile and Radeon RX 6600, outscore it slightly, which further underscores its age. The Kepler architecture lacks ray tracing cores, tensor cores, and modern API support, and its FP32 throughput is roughly one-eighth of the RTX 3080's.

For a user choosing between these two, the decision rests entirely on the workload. If the task requires raw compute in the specific tests recorded here, the RTX 3080 is the only rational choice. The Tesla K20m would only make sense for a legacy system that requires its specific PCIe 2.0 interface or its 225 W power envelope, but no performance metric in the database supports selecting it over the RTX 3080. The verdict is a clean sweep for the RTX 3080.

Specification Differences

The following specification fields differ between the two cards, sorted by category:

• Chip and architecture: GA102 on Ampere versus GK110 on Kepler
• Process node: 8 nm (Samsung) versus 28 nm (TSMC)
• Transistors: 28,300 million versus 7,080 million
• Die size: 628 mm² versus 561 mm²
• Transistor density: 45.1M per mm² versus 12.6M per mm²
• Memory size: 10 GB versus 5 GB
• Memory type: GDDR6X versus GDDR5
• Memory clock: 1188 MHz (19 Gbps effective) versus 1300 MHz (5.2 Gbps effective)
• Memory bandwidth: 760.3 GB/s versus 208.0 GB/s
• Shading units: 8,704 versus 2,496
• Texture mapping units: 272 versus 208
• Render output units: 96 versus 40
• Ray tracing cores: 68 versus none
• Tensor cores: 272 versus none
• Pixel rate: 164.2 GPixel/s versus 36.71 GPixel/s
• Texture rate: 465.1 GTexel/s versus 146.8 GTexel/s
• FP32 performance: 29.77 TFLOPS versus 3.524 TFLOPS
• FP16 performance: 29.77 TFLOPS (1:1) versus not recorded
• TDP: 320 W versus 225 W
• Power connectors: 1x 12-pin versus 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
• Suggested PSU: 700 W versus 550 W
• Bus interface: PCIe 4.0 x16 versus PCIe 2.0 x16
• Display outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a versus no outputs
• DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) versus 12 (11_0)
• Vulkan support: 1.4 versus 1.2.175
• Length: 285 mm versus 267 mm
• Release date: 2020-08-31 versus 2013-01-04
• Launch MSRP: The RTX 3080 launched at 699 USD, the Tesla K20m at 3,199 USD.