NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D vs NVIDIA RTX 6000D Comparison

Opening with the benchmark data, the NVIDIA RTX 6000D and the GeForce RTX 4090 D present a clear generational and architectural split. The data shows a 1-1 tie in head-to-head wins, but the nature of those wins is dramatically different, pointing to distinct use cases. The RTX 6000D dominates in compute-oriented OpenCL workloads, while the RTX 4090 D holds a massive lead in the DirectX 12 gaming-centric Steel Nomad test.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result comes from the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test. Here, the GeForce RTX 4090 D scores 8,587, which is 5,065 points higher than the RTX 6000D’s 3,522. This translates to a deltaPct of -59% from the perspective of the RTX 6000D, meaning the RTX 4090 D is approximately 144% faster in this specific workload. This is a decisive victory for the GeForce card, indicating a substantial advantage in rasterized gaming performance and DirectX 12 Ultimate features. The RTX 6000D, despite being the newer product, does not compete in this metric.

The narrative flips entirely in the Geekbench OpenCL test. The RTX 6000D posts a score of 388,405, while the RTX 4090 D trails at 278,621. This gives the RTX 6000D a deltaPct of +39.4% over its rival. This is a significant lead and highlights a clear strength in general-purpose GPU compute tasks that leverage the OpenCL API. The data suggests that the RTX 6000D’s architecture is better optimized for raw computation, which is consistent with its professional workstation positioning.

Looking at the average benchmark scores provides a broader context. The RTX 6000D has an average benchmark score of 195,964, placing it in the 98th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA Tesla V100S PCIe 32 GB, has an average score of 194,415, making the RTX 6000D only 0.8% faster. It also leads the A100 SXM4 40 GB by 4.7% but trails the A100 PCIe 80 GB by -5.4%. In contrast, the RTX 4090 D has an average score of 178,050, also in the 98th percentile. Its nearest rival is the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell, which it trails by -2.2%, and it is behind the A100 SXM4 80 GB by -3.1% and the RTX 5000 Ada Generation by -3.6%. While both cards sit in the top 2% of all GPUs, the RTX 6000D holds a higher average score, suggesting more consistent performance across a wider variety of tests.

The disparity in the individual tests is more telling than the average. The RTX 6000D’s win in OpenCL is substantial and points to a compute-first design philosophy. The RTX 4090 D’s win in Steel Nomad is even more substantial and indicates a gaming-first design philosophy. The head-to-head data shows two specialized tools, not two generalists competing on equal footing.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA RTX 6000D has a higher average benchmark score of 195,964, compared to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D’s average of 178,050. Both cards are in the 98th percentile of all GPUs.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 6000D in OpenCL compute performance?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the RTX 6000D scores 388,405, which is 39.4% higher than the RTX 4090 D’s score of 278,621.

Q: What is the performance difference in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark?

A: The GeForce RTX 4090 D wins this test with a score of 8,587, while the RTX 6000D scores 3,522. The deltaPct is -59% for the RTX 6000D, indicating the RTX 4090 D is significantly faster.

Q: How does the RTX 6000D compare to the Tesla V100S PCIe 32 GB?

A: The RTX 6000D has an average benchmark score of 195,964, which is 0.8% higher than the Tesla V100S PCIe 32 GB’s score of 194,415.

Q: How does the RTX 4090 D compare to the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell?

A: The RTX 4090 D has an average benchmark score of 178,050, which is 2.2% lower than the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell’s score of 182,109.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same graphics APIs?

A: Yes, both the NVIDIA RTX 6000D and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures and chips. The RTX 6000D uses the GB202 chip based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture, part of the Blackwell PRO W (x000) generation. In contrast, the RTX 4090 D uses the AD102 chip based on the older Ada Lovelace architecture from the GeForce 40 generation. Both are fabricated by TSMC on a 5 nm process node, but the RTX 6000D’s chip is physically larger and more complex. The GB202 chip contains 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die, while the AD102 chip has 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die. Interestingly, the transistor density is slightly higher on the older AD102 chip at 125.3M / mm² compared to 122.9M / mm² on the GB202.

The memory subsystems are completely different generations. The RTX 6000D is equipped with 84 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 448-bit bus, delivering a bandwidth of 1.40 TB/s. The RTX 4090 D has 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, providing 1.01 TB/s of bandwidth. This makes the RTX 6000D’s memory capacity 3.5 times larger and its bandwidth 38.6% higher.

The compute resources also differ significantly. The RTX 6000D has 19,968 shading units, 624 TMUs, and 192 ROPs. It also features 156 RT cores and 624 tensor cores. The RTX 4090 D has fewer of each: 14,592 shading units, 456 TMUs, 176 ROPs, 114 RT cores, and 456 tensor cores. This gives the RTX 6000D a 36.9% advantage in shading units and a 36.8% advantage in both TMUs and tensor cores. The pixel rate is slightly higher on the RTX 6000D at 466.6 GPixel/s versus 443.5 GPixel/s, while the texture rate is 1,516.3 GTexel/s versus 1,149.1 GTexel/s.

The raw compute throughput, as measured in FP32 and FP16 operations, is also higher on the RTX 6000D. It delivers 97.04 TFLOPS in both FP32 and FP16 (1:1), while the RTX 4090 D delivers 73.54 TFLOPS in both. This is a 31.9% difference in favor of the RTX 6000D. The clock speeds, however, are higher on the RTX 4090 D, with a base clock of 2280 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz, compared to the RTX 6000D’s 1992 MHz base and 2430 MHz boost. The memory clock is also faster on the RTX 6000D, running at 1560 MHz (25 Gbps effective) versus 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) on the RTX 4090 D.

Specification Differences

The most obvious difference is the memory configuration. The RTX 6000D has 84 GB of GDDR7 on a 448-bit bus, while the RTX 4090 D has 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus. This results in a bandwidth difference of 1.40 TB/s versus 1.01 TB/s.

The GPU’s physical and power characteristics differ as well. The RTX 6000D has a TDP of 600 W, while the RTX 4090 D has a TDP of 425 W. The RTX 6000D is a dual-slot card, while the RTX 4090 D is a triple-slot card. Their lengths are identical at 304 mm, and heights are the same at 137 mm, but the RTX 4090 D is wider at 61 mm compared to 40 mm. The suggested PSU is also different, with the RTX 6000D requiring 1000 W and the RTX 4090 D requiring 800 W. Both use a single 16-pin power connector.

The bus interface is another key differentiator. The RTX 6000D uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the RTX 4090 D uses PCIe 4.0 x16. The display outputs also differ: the RTX 6000D has 4x DisplayPort 2.1b, while the RTX 4090 D has 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a.

The production status and release timeline also separate them. The RTX 6000D is listed as “Active” with a release date of 2025-07-13, and its predecessor is “Workstation Ada”. The RTX 4090 D is listed as “End-of-life” with a release date of 2023-12-27, and its successor is “GeForce 50”. The RTX 6000D also has a launch MSRP of 8,565 USD, while the RTX 4090 D has a launch MSRP of 1,599 USD.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA RTX 6000D wins in scenarios that demand massive memory capacity and raw compute throughput. Its 84 GB of GDDR7 memory and 97.04 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are unmatched by the RTX 4090 D. The 39.4% lead in OpenCL performance suggests it is better suited for scientific computing, data analytics, and other professional workloads that can leverage its larger memory pool and higher compute density. Its support for PCIe 5.0 x16 and DisplayPort 2.1b also makes it a more modern platform for advanced workstations.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D wins decisively in gaming and DirectX 12 workloads. Its 8,587 score in 3DMark Steel Nomad is 144% higher than the RTX 6000D’s, indicating a clear performance advantage for real-time rendering and game physics. Despite having fewer cores and lower raw TFLOPS, its higher clock speeds and Ada Lovelace architecture appear better optimized for this specific type of workload. Its lower TDP of 425 W and smaller physical footprint (though wider) may also make it easier to integrate into gaming systems.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear division of purpose. The NVIDIA RTX 6000D is the choice for professional compute tasks where memory capacity and raw FP32 throughput are paramount. Its 39.4% OpenCL lead and 84 GB memory pool make it a superior tool for workloads that fit within that API and require large datasets. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D is the choice for gaming and DirectX 12 applications, where its 144% lead in Steel Nomad demonstrates a significant performance advantage. The RTX 6000D’s higher average benchmark score and 98th percentile ranking indicate it is a more powerful overall compute device, but the RTX 4090 D’s specific win is far too large to ignore for its intended audience. Users should select based on the API and workload types they prioritize most.