NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D vs NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains one directly comparable benchmark between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D and the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB: the Geekbench OpenCL test. The results are categorical. The RTX 4090 D records a score of 278,621, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB scores 79,605. This produces a delta of 250% in favor of the RTX 4090 D, meaning the newer card delivers roughly three and a half times the raw compute throughput in this workload.

The magnitude of this gap is not merely a matter of generational refinement; it reflects a fundamental shift in GPU architecture and resource allocation. The RTX 4090 D carries 14,592 shading units, 456 texture mapping units, and 176 render output units. The Tesla P100 counters with 3,584 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 96 ROPs. In every parallel execution metric, the RTX 4090 D operates at a scale the Pascal part cannot approach.

Looking at the broader database context, the RTX 4090 D sits at the 98th percentile among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 178,050 across all recorded tests. Its nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell at 182,109 (2.2% ahead), the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB at 183,725 (3.1% ahead), the NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation at 184,664 (3.6% ahead), and the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB at 187,147 (4.9% ahead). This places the RTX 4090 D within a tight cluster of professional and high-end compute parts, all within roughly 5% of one another in average score.

The Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, by contrast, holds the 92nd percentile among all GPUs. Its average benchmark score of 79,605 is the only recorded result for the card in the database. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB at 79,396 (0.3% behind), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 at 79,842 (0.3% ahead), the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT at 78,940 (0.8% behind), and the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X at 80,959 (1.7% ahead). The Tesla P100 is essentially surrounded by parts within a 1.7% band, which indicates that its performance class, while respectable for its era, is now occupied by a wide range of hardware.

The single head-to-head result therefore tells a complete story: in OpenCL compute, the RTX 4090 D is 250% faster than the Tesla P100. No other benchmark in the database pits these two directly against each other, so the Geekbench OpenCL result stands as the definitive quantitative comparison.

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward conclusion for most users: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D is the superior compute performer in nearly every measurable way. Its 278,621 OpenCL score against the Tesla P100's 79,605, a 250% advantage, places it in a different performance tier entirely. The RTX 4090 D also holds the 98th percentile among all GPUs, compared to the Tesla P100's 92nd, which reflects both the absolute performance and the consistency of that performance across the database's test suite.

The Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB should be considered only in scenarios where its specific characteristics are non-negotiable. It draws 250 W against the RTX 4090 D's 425 W, uses a dual-slot form factor against a triple-slot design, and requires a 600 W suggested PSU rather than 800 W. For deployments where power envelope and physical footprint are the binding constraints, the Tesla P100 remains a functional choice. Its 16 GB of HBM2 memory on a 4096-bit bus delivers 732.2 GB/s of bandwidth, which is still substantial, though the RTX 4090 D's 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus achieves 1.01 TB/s.

For compute workloads that can utilize the RTX 4090 D's feature set, the verdict is unambiguous. The RTX 4090 D includes 114 RT cores and 456 tensor cores; the Tesla P100 has neither. The RTX 4090 D supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6, while the Tesla P100 tops out at DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3. The RTX 4090 D also has display outputs (1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a), whereas the Tesla P100 has no outputs at all, making it a headless compute accelerator by design.

The one caveat is the launch MSRP. The RTX 4090 D launched at 1,599 USD, while the Tesla P100 launched at 5,699 USD. The database records these as launch prices, not current market values, but they indicate the original positioning: the Tesla P100 was a premium data center part, while the RTX 4090 D was a high-end consumer and prosumer card. Performance per dollar at launch heavily favored the RTX 4090 D, though the analysis here is strictly about recorded specifications and benchmark data.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs spans nearly a decade of NVIDIA design evolution. The RTX 4090 D is built on the AD102 chip using the Ada Lovelace architecture, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The Tesla P100 uses the GP100 chip with the Pascal architecture, fabricated on a 16 nm process, also at TSMC. The process node difference alone, 5 nm versus 16 nm, explains much of the efficiency and density disparity.

Transistor counts tell a dramatic story. The RTX 4090 D packs 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 125.3 million per square millimeter. The Tesla P100 contains 15,300 million transistors on a 610 mm² die, for a density of 25.1 million per square millimeter. The die sizes are nearly identical, but the RTX 4090 D fits roughly five times more transistors into the same area, a direct consequence of the newer process node.

Clock speeds reinforce the architectural lead. The RTX 4090 D runs at a base clock of 2280 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz, with memory clocked at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). The Tesla P100 operates at a base clock of 1190 MHz and a boost of 1329 MHz, with memory at 715 MHz (1430 Mbps effective). The RTX 4090 D's memory bandwidth of 1.01 TB/s exceeds the Tesla P100's 732.2 GB/s by a wide margin, despite the Tesla P100's much wider 4096-bit bus, because the GDDR6X memory runs at far higher effective speeds than HBM2.

The compute resources diverge across every category. The RTX 4090 D delivers 73.54 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 73.54 TFLOPS of FP16 (1:1 ratio). The Tesla P100 offers 9.526 TFLOPS of FP32 and 19.05 TFLOPS of FP16 (2:1 ratio). The RTX 4090 D's FP16 figure is 3.86 times higher in raw terms, and its FP32 figure is 7.72 times higher. Pixel rate favors the RTX 4090 D at 443.5 GPixel/s versus 127.6 GPixel/s, and texture rate favors it at 1,149.1 GTexel/s versus 297.7 GTexel/s.

Feature support marks another clear division. The RTX 4090 D includes 114 RT cores and 456 tensor cores, enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI inference. The Tesla P100 has no RT cores and no tensor cores, as it predates both technologies. The API support reflects this: the RTX 4090 D reaches DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the Tesla P100 is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D delivers 73.54 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, compared to the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB's 9.526 TFLOPS. The RTX 4090 D is approximately 7.7 times faster in this metric.

Q: Does the Tesla P100 support ray tracing or tensor operations?

A: No. The Tesla P100 has no RT cores and no tensor cores. The RTX 4090 D includes 114 RT cores and 456 tensor cores, which enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI workloads.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The RTX 4090 D has 24 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, achieving 1.01 TB/s bandwidth. The Tesla P100 has 16 GB of HBM2 memory on a 4096-bit bus, achieving 732.2 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 4090 D has both more capacity and higher bandwidth.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The RTX 4090 D has a TDP of 425 W and requires a suggested PSU of 800 W. The Tesla P100 has a TDP of 250 W and requires a suggested PSU of 600 W. The Tesla P100 also uses a dual-slot form factor and a single 8-pin connector, while the RTX 4090 D is triple-slot with a single 16-pin connector.

Q: Which card has a better percentile ranking in the database?

A: The RTX 4090 D ranks at the 98th percentile among all GPUs, while the Tesla P100 ranks at the 92nd percentile. The RTX 4090 D's average benchmark score is 178,050, compared to 79,605 for the Tesla P100.

Q: Can the Tesla P100 output video?

A: No. The Tesla P100 has no display outputs. The RTX 4090 D includes 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4090 D wins in every computational category recorded in the database. Its 250% lead in the Geekbench OpenCL head-to-head is the single most decisive result. It also leads in FP32 throughput (73.54 TFLOPS versus 9.526 TFLOPS), FP16 throughput (73.54 TFLOPS versus 19.05 TFLOPS), pixel rate (443.5 GPixel/s versus 127.6 GPixel/s), and texture rate (1,149.1 GTexel/s versus 297.7 GTexel/s). It has more shading units (14,592 versus 3,584), more TMUs (456 versus 224), and more ROPs (176 versus 96).

The Tesla P100's advantages are narrower but real. It consumes less power (250 W versus 425 W), fits in a dual-slot form factor rather than triple-slot, and requires a lower suggested PSU (600 W versus 800 W). It uses a 4096-bit memory bus, which is wider than the RTX 4090 D's 384-bit bus, though the RTX 4090 D's faster memory clocks more than compensate in effective bandwidth. The Tesla P100 also has a smaller physical footprint at 267 mm length versus 304 mm for the RTX 4090 D.

For workloads that prioritize raw compute throughput, the RTX 4090 D is the clear choice. For deployments constrained by power, space, or thermal limits, the Tesla P100 offers a lower-power alternative, though at a significant performance cost. The RTX 4090 D also supports modern APIs and features that the Tesla P100 entirely lacks, including ray tracing, tensor cores, and DirectX 12 Ultimate.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every specification field in the database.

Chip and architecture: The RTX 4090 D uses the AD102 chip with Ada Lovelace architecture. The Tesla P100 uses the GP100 chip with Pascal architecture.

Process node: The RTX 4090 D is fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The Tesla P100 is fabricated on a 16 nm process at TSMC.

Transistors: The RTX 4090 D contains 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die (125.3M per mm²). The Tesla P100 contains 15,300 million transistors on a 610 mm² die (25.1M per mm²).

Clocks: The RTX 4090 D has a base clock of 2280 MHz and a boost clock of 2520 MHz, with memory at 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective). The Tesla P100 has a base clock of 1190 MHz and a boost clock of 1329 MHz, with memory at 715 MHz (1430 Mbps effective).

Memory: The RTX 4090 D has 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth. The Tesla P100 has 16 GB of HBM2 on a 4096-bit bus with 732.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Compute units: The RTX 4090 D has 14,592 shading units, 456 TMUs, 176 ROPs, 114 RT cores, and 456 tensor cores. The Tesla P100 has 3,584 shading units, 224 TMUs, 96 ROPs, and no RT or tensor cores.

Performance rates: The RTX 4090 D achieves 443.5 GPixel/s pixel rate, 1,149.1 GTexel/s texture rate, 73.54 TFLOPS FP32, and 73.54 TFLOPS FP16 (1:1). The Tesla P100 achieves 127.6 GPixel/s, 297.7 GTexel/s, 9.526 TFLOPS FP32, and 19.05 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1).

Power and cooling: The RTX 4090 D has a TDP of 425 W, is triple-slot, uses a 1x 16-pin connector, and requires an 800 W PSU. The Tesla P100 has a TDP of 250 W, is dual-slot, uses a 1x 8-pin connector, and requires a 600 W PSU.

Interfaces and outputs: The RTX 4090 D uses PCIe 4.0 x16 and has 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. The Tesla P100 uses PCIe 3.0 x16 and has no display outputs.

API support: The RTX 4090 D supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Tesla P100 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3.

Physical dimensions: The RTX 4090 D measures 304 mm in length, 137 mm in height, and 61 mm in width. The Tesla P100 measures 267 mm in length, with height and width not recorded in the database.

Release and status: The RTX 4090 D was released on 2023-12-27, with a launch MSRP of 1,599 USD. The Tesla P100 was released on 2016-06-19, with a launch MSRP of 5,699 USD. Both are marked as end-of-life.