NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 vs NVIDIA P102-100 Comparison

The NVIDIA P102-100 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 are separated by nearly seven years of architectural evolution, and the benchmark data reflects a complete generational shift in capability. The P102-100, a mining-specific Pascal part, was built for a narrow purpose, while the RTX 5080 is a current-generation Blackwell 2.0 flagship aimed at the full spectrum of modern graphics workloads. This analysis breaks down the raw performance data, architectural differences, and practical implications for each card.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The comparative data between these two cards is limited to two synthetic tests, but the results are decisive. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 5080 scores 235,901 against the P102-100’s 49,602. This represents a 79% advantage for the newer card, meaning the RTX 5080 delivers nearly five times the raw compute throughput in this API. The gap is stark, and it is not a marginal improvement but a complete overhaul of processing power.

The second comparison, Geekbench Vulkan, tells a similar story. The RTX 5080 achieves 255,450 points, while the P102-100 manages 67,454. The delta here is 73.6% in favor of the RTX 5080. While the percentage difference is slightly smaller than in OpenCL, the absolute score difference is even larger, highlighting the RTX 5080’s superior graphics and compute pipeline in a modern, low-level API. The data shows a clear sweep, with the RTX 5080 winning both head-to-head benchmarks and taking the decisively higher average score of 56,083 versus the P102-100’s 58,528—a paradox explained by the different benchmark pools each card is tested against.

It is also worth noting the context of these scores. The P102-100 sits at the 88th percentile of all GPUs, while the RTX 5080 is at the 87th. This means that while the RTX 5080 is vastly faster in absolute terms, the P102-100 is still a high-performing card relative to the entire database of GPUs, proof of the raw power of its Pascal architecture. However, when compared directly, the RTX 5080’s nearest rivals (like the AMD Radeon 8060S) are within a fraction of a percent of its average score, whereas the P102-100’s rivals are similarly close to its own average, showing that both cards compete in very different performance tiers.

Where Each One Wins

Given the benchmark results, the use cases for these two cards are almost mutually exclusive. The NVIDIA P102-100, with its 5 GB of GDDR5X memory and 320-bit bus, was designed for a single task: cryptocurrency mining. Its lack of display outputs ("No outputs") confirms it was never intended for a desktop workstation or gaming rig. Its strengths lie in its high memory bandwidth (440.3 GB/s) relative to its era, which was beneficial for certain hashing algorithms. For a builder looking at a legacy mining card, it is a niche product that has no place in a modern gaming or content-creation system due to the absence of video outputs.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, in contrast, is a fully-featured graphics card. With 16 GB of GDDR7 memory and a 256-bit bus, it more than doubles the memory capacity and nearly doubles the bandwidth (960.0 GB/s) of the P102-100. This makes it suitable for 4K gaming, high-resolution texture packs, and memory-intensive compute tasks like AI inference or video editing. The presence of 84 RT Cores and 336 Tensor Cores gives it hardware acceleration for ray tracing and DLSS, features that are entirely absent on the Pascal-based P102-100. The RTX 5080 also has full display outputs (1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b), making it a practical choice for any visual workload.

In terms of compute, the RTX 5080’s 56.28 TFLOPS FP32 performance is over five times the P102-100’s 10.77 TFLOPS. Furthermore, the RTX 5080 offers 1:1 FP16 performance (also 56.28 TFLOPS), while the P102-100 has a severely crippled FP16 rate of 168.3 GFLOPS (a 1:64 ratio). This makes the RTX 5080 vastly superior for any workload that leverages FP16, which is common in AI and machine learning applications. The P102-100 is a one-trick pony; the RTX 5080 is a versatile workhorse.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 is the superior card in every measurable way. If you are building a system for gaming, content creation, or any modern compute task, the RTX 5080 is the only choice. Its 79% lead in OpenCL and 73.6% lead in Vulkan are not just numbers; they represent the difference between a card that can handle current AAA titles with ray tracing enabled and one that cannot display an image at all. The RTX 5080’s support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, its RT and Tensor cores, and its massive compute throughput make it a future-proof investment for years to come.

The only scenario where the P102-100 makes sense is if you are specifically looking for a legacy mining card with no display output, and you are willing to work with a card that is end-of-life, has a PCIe 1.0 x4 interface, and is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1). However, even in that niche, its performance is eclipsed by modern alternatives. The P102-100’s average benchmark score of 58,528 is actually higher than the RTX 5080’s 56,083, but this is a statistical artifact of the different test suites in which they are measured. The P102-100 is a relic; the RTX 5080 is a current-generation powerhouse. Pick the RTX 5080 unless you have a specific, non-visual compute need that the P102-100’s architecture uniquely satisfies, and even then, its lack of modern API support makes it a risky proposition.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the RTX 5080 in Geekbench Vulkan?

A: The RTX 5080 scores 255,450 versus the P102-100’s 67,454, a 73.6% difference in favor of the RTX 5080.

Q: Does the P102-100 have any display outputs?

A: No, the P102-100 has "No outputs," making it unsuitable for connecting a monitor. The RTX 5080 offers 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b.

Q: What is the difference in memory capacity?

A: The RTX 5080 comes with 16 GB of GDDR7 memory, while the P102-100 has 5 GB of GDDR5X memory.

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The P102-100 has a higher average benchmark score of 58,528 compared to the RTX 5080’s 56,083, though this is based on different test suites and does not reflect their head-to-head performance.

Q: Does the RTX 5080 support hardware ray tracing?

A: Yes, the RTX 5080 includes 84 RT Cores, while the P102-100 has no RT cores listed.

Q: What is the transistor density difference?

A: The RTX 5080 has a transistor density of 120.6M / mm² on a 5 nm process, whereas the P102-100 has 25.1M / mm² on a 16 nm process.

Architecture Differences

The two cards are built on fundamentally different architectures. The P102-100 uses the Pascal architecture with the GP102 chip, fabricated on a 16 nm process at TSMC. It packs 11,800 million transistors into a 471 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 25.1M / mm². This is a mature, power-efficient design for its time, but it lacks modern features. The P102-100 has 3200 shading units, 200 TMUs, and 80 ROPs. Its FP32 compute is 10.77 TFLOPS, and its FP16 is severely limited at 168.3 GFLOPS (1:64 ratio), indicating a heavy bias toward FP32 workloads. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, but does not list any RT or Tensor cores.

In contrast, the RTX 5080 uses the Blackwell 2.0 architecture with the GB203 chip, built on a 5 nm process, also at TSMC. This allows for a staggering 45,600 million transistors within a smaller 378 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 120.6M / mm²—nearly five times higher than Pascal. The RTX 5080 features 10,752 shading units, 336 TMUs, and 112 ROPs. Crucially, it adds 84 RT Cores for dedicated ray tracing and 336 Tensor Cores for AI acceleration. Its FP32 and FP16 performance are both 56.28 TFLOPS (1:1), making it a compute monster. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), which includes features like mesh shaders and variable rate shading, along with OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4.

The architectural leap is clear. The RTX 5080 is not just a faster Pascal card; it is a different species of processor. The inclusion of specialized cores, a unified FP16/FP32 pipeline, and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate fundamentally changes what the card can do. The P102-100, for all its raw shading power, is a fixed-function device from a bygone era.

Specification Differences

Here is a summary of the key specification differences between the two cards:

• Process Node: The P102-100 is on 16 nm, while the RTX 5080 is on 5 nm.
• Transistors: The RTX 5080 has 45,600 million transistors, versus 11,800 million on the P102-100.
• Die Size: The P102-100 has a larger die at 471 mm², compared to the RTX 5080’s 378 mm².
• Shading Units: The RTX 5080 has 10,752 shading units, more than triple the P102-100’s 3200.
• ROPs: The RTX 5080 has 112 ROPs, up from 80 on the P102-100.
• Memory Size & Type: The RTX 5080 has 16 GB GDDR7, whereas the P102-100 has 5 GB GDDR5X.
• Memory Bus Width: The P102-100 has a wider 320-bit bus, while the RTX 5080 uses a 256-bit bus.
• Memory Bandwidth: The RTX 5080’s bandwidth is 960.0 GB/s, more than double the P102-100’s 440.3 GB/s.
• Boost Clock: The RTX 5080 boosts to 2617 MHz, higher than the P102-100’s 1683 MHz.
• TDP / PSU: The RTX 5080 has a 360 W TDP and suggests a 750 W PSU; the P102-100 has a 250 W TDP and suggests a 600 W PSU.
• Power Connectors: The P102-100 uses 2x 8-pin, while the RTX 5080 uses 1x 16-pin.
• Bus Interface: The RTX 5080 uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the P102-100 is limited to PCIe 1.0 x4.
• Display Outputs: The P102-100 has No outputs; the RTX 5080 has 1x HDMI 2.1b and 3x DisplayPort 2.1b.
• Dimensions: The RTX 5080 is longer (304 mm), taller (137 mm), and wider (40 mm) than the P102-100 (267 mm long, dual-slot).
• DirectX Support: The RTX 5080 supports 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the P102-100 supports 12 (12_1).
• Release Date: The P102-100 launched in 2018, while the RTX 5080 launched in 2025.