NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D vs NVIDIA Tesla V100 PCIe 32 GB Comparison

# NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 D vs NVIDIA Tesla V100 PCIe 32 GB

The GeForce RTX 4090 D and the Tesla V100 PCIe 32 GB represent two distinct eras of NVIDIA GPU design, separated by five years of architectural evolution. The RTX 4090 D, built on Ada Lovelace, dominates the benchmark comparisons with a 65.1% lead in Geekbench OpenCL and an 87.3% lead in Geekbench Vulkan. However, the Tesla V100 PCIe 32 GB was designed for a different purpose entirely, and the data reveals that the newer card's advantages are not merely about raw speed but about fundamental architectural priorities.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward recommendation for most users: the GeForce RTX 4090 D is the superior performer in every measured benchmark. Its average benchmark score of 178,050 places it in the 98th percentile of all GPUs, while the Tesla V100 PCIe 32 GB sits at 150,305 and the 96th percentile. In the head-to-head Geekbench OpenCL test, the RTX 4090 D scores 278,621 against 168,763 for the V100, a 65.1% advantage. The Vulkan gap is even more pronounced, with the RTX 4090 D hitting 246,941 versus 131,847, a 87.3% margin.

Yet the V100 has a distinct role. With 32 GB of HBM2 memory on a 4096-bit bus, it offers 33% more memory capacity than the RTX 4090 D's 24 GB. That capacity, combined with 897.0 GB/s bandwidth, makes it viable for workloads where memory size trumps compute speed. The RTX 4090 D counters with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth and a 384-bit bus. For users running inference on very large models that fit within 32 GB, the V100 remains relevant despite its age. For everything else, the RTX 4090 D is the clear choice based on the benchmark evidence.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures and process nodes. The RTX 4090 D uses the AD102 chip on TSMC's 5 nm process, packing 76,300 million transistors into a 609 mm² die. The Tesla V100 uses the GV100 chip on TSMC's 12 nm process, with 21,100 million transistors on a much larger 815 mm² die. The transistor density difference is stark: 125.3M per mm² for the RTX 4090 D versus 25.9M per mm² for the V100. That density advantage is the foundation of the RTX 4090 D's performance.

The shading unit counts reflect this generational gap. The RTX 4090 D has 14,592 shading units, 456 TMUs, and 176 ROPs, while the V100 has 5,120 shading units, 320 TMUs, and 128 ROPs. The RTX 4090 D also brings 114 ray tracing cores and 456 tensor cores, whereas the V100 has no ray tracing cores but 640 tensor cores. The tensor core counts tell an interesting story: the V100 dedicates more silicon to tensor operations relative to its shading units, reflecting its compute-focused design. The RTX 4090 D's tensor cores are newer and faster, but the V100's higher ratio suggests a different optimization target.

Clock speeds differ substantially as well. The RTX 4090 D runs at a 2280 MHz base and 2520 MHz boost, while the V100 operates at 1230 MHz base and 1380 MHz boost. Memory clocks also diverge: 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) for the RTX 4090 D versus 876 MHz (1752 Mbps effective) for the V100. The RTX 4090 D supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the V100 stops at DirectX 12 (12_1), though both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a clean sweep for the RTX 4090 D, but the magnitude of each win tells different stories. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 4090 D scores 278,621 against the V100's 168,763. That 65.1% delta is significant but not overwhelming, given the RTX 4090 D's massive architectural advantages. OpenCL workloads often scale with raw compute throughput, and the RTX 4090 D's 73.54 TFLOPS FP32 performance dwarfs the V100's 14.13 TFLOPS. The V100's FP16 output of 28.26 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio) is also far behind the RTX 4090 D's 73.54 TFLOPS FP16 (1:1 ratio).

The Vulkan benchmark shows a wider gap. The RTX 4090 D scores 246,941 versus 131,847 for the V100, a 87.3% difference. Vulkan is a modern graphics API, and the RTX 4090 D's newer architecture likely benefits from better driver optimization and hardware features that the Volta-based V100 simply lacks. The V100's lack of display outputs and its compute-oriented design suggest it was never intended for graphics workloads, so this result is not surprising. The RTX 4090 D's 114 ray tracing cores and superior rasterization pipeline give it a natural advantage in any graphics-oriented benchmark.

Looking at the broader competitive landscape, the RTX 4090 D's nearest rivals include the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell (2.2% ahead), A100 SXM4 80 GB (3.1% ahead), RTX 5000 Ada Generation (3.6% ahead), and A100 SXM4 40 GB (4.9% ahead). The V100's rivals include the A10G (1.1% ahead), Radeon Pro W6800X (6.5% ahead), Instinct MI100 (8.1% behind), and A100 PCIe 40 GB (7.5% ahead). These comparisons show that both cards sit in competitive positions relative to their contemporaries, but the absolute performance gap between them is substantial.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 4090 D has 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, while the Tesla V100 PCIe 32 GB has 897.0 GB/s. Despite the V100's wider 4096-bit bus, the RTX 4090 D's faster GDDR6X memory provides higher overall bandwidth.

Q: Does the Tesla V100 support ray tracing?

A: No. The V100 has no ray tracing cores (null in the data), while the RTX 4090 D includes 114 RT cores. This makes the RTX 4090 D the only option for ray-traced workloads.

Q: What is the FP32 compute difference?

A: The RTX 4090 D delivers 73.54 TFLOPS FP32, while the V100 delivers 14.13 TFLOPS. The RTX 4090 D is approximately 5.2 times faster in this metric based on the provided figures.

Q: Which GPU has a higher transistor density?

A: The RTX 4090 D has 125.3M transistors per mm², compared to the V100's 25.9M per mm². This is due to the RTX 4090 D's 5 nm process versus the V100's 12 nm process.

Q: How does the memory capacity compare?

A: The V100 has 32 GB of HBM2 memory, while the RTX 4090 D has 24 GB of GDDR6X. The V100 offers 33% more capacity, which could matter for certain large-model workloads.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The RTX 4090 D has a TDP of 425 W, while the V100 has a TDP of 250 W. The RTX 4090 D requires an 800 W suggested PSU and a 16-pin connector, while the V100 needs a 600 W PSU and two 8-pin connectors.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4090 D wins every benchmark in the data, so the use-case split depends on factors beyond raw performance. Its 73.54 TFLOPS FP32 and 73.54 TFLOPS FP16 (1:1) make it ideal for general compute, graphics rendering, and any workload that benefits from modern features like ray tracing and DirectX 12 Ultimate. The 24 GB GDDR6X memory with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth handles high-resolution textures and large datasets effectively. The RTX 4090 D also has display outputs (1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a), making it suitable for interactive workstations.

The V100's 32 GB HBM2 memory is its primary advantage. For workloads that require more memory than 24 GB, such as very large language model inference or scientific simulations that cannot be partitioned, the V100's extra capacity is decisive. Its 640 tensor cores, while older, still provide substantial matrix computation power. The V100's lower 250 W TDP also makes it easier to deploy in dense server environments. The lack of display outputs confirms its role as a compute-only accelerator.

The RTX 4090 D's nearest rivals are all within 5% of its average score, suggesting it sits at the top of a competitive field. The V100's rivals span a wider range, with the Instinct MI100 being 8.1% behind and the A100 PCIe 40 GB 7.5% ahead. This indicates the V100 is more of a mid-pack performer in its generation, while the RTX 4090 D is a flagship.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every measurable specification. The RTX 4090 D uses a 5 nm process, while the V100 uses 12 nm. The RTX 4090 D has 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die, while the V100 has 21,100 million on 815 mm². Clock speeds: 2280 MHz base and 2520 MHz boost for the RTX 4090 D, versus 1230 MHz base and 1380 MHz boost for the V100. Memory: 24 GB GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus versus 32 GB HBM2 on a 4096-bit bus.

The RTX 4090 D has 14,592 shading units, 456 TMUs, 176 ROPs, 114 RT cores, and 456 tensor cores. The V100 has 5,120 shading units, 320 TMUs, 128 ROPs, no RT cores, and 640 tensor cores. Pixel rates are 443.5 GPixel/s for the RTX 4090 D versus 176.6 GPixel/s for the V100. Texture rates are 1,149.1 GTexel/s versus 441.6 GTexel/s. TDP: 425 W for the RTX 4090 D, 250 W for the V100.

The RTX 4090 D is a triple-slot card with a 16-pin connector and 800 W suggested PSU, while the V100 is dual-slot with two 8-pin connectors and a 600 W suggested PSU. The RTX 4090 D uses PCIe 4.0 x16, while the V100 uses PCIe 3.0 x16. The RTX 4090 D has display outputs; the V100 has none. The RTX 4090 D was released on 2023-12-27 with a launch MSRP of 1,599 USD, while the V100 was released on 2018-03-26 with no launch MSRP listed. Both are end-of-life products.