GPU Comparison

The NVIDIA Quadro GP100 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 represent two distinct eras of GPU architecture, separated by nearly a decade of engineering. The data shows the RTX 5090 is the unequivocal performance leader, but the Quadro GP100 retains relevance in specific legacy contexts. This analysis draws exclusively on the provided benchmark and specification data to compare these two very different NVIDIA offerings.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: Despite the RTX 5090’s overwhelming victory in the available head-to-head test, its average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 79,842, which is lower than the Quadro GP100’s average of 87,445. This is because the RTX 5090’s average includes scores from several Passmark API tests (DirectX 9, 10, 11, 12) that are extremely low, pulling its average down significantly.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The RTX 5090 scores 334,370 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is a 73.8% advantage over the Quadro GP100’s score of 87,445. This is the only direct head-to-head benchmark available in the data, and the RTX 5090 wins it decisively.

Q: What is the difference in transistor count and process node?

A: The RTX 5090’s GB202 chip contains 92,200 million transistors on a 5 nm process, while the Quadro GP100’s GP100 chip contains 15,300 million transistors on a 16 nm process. This results in a transistor density of 122.9M per mm² for the RTX 5090 versus 25.1M per mm² for the Quadro GP100.

Q: Which GPU has more memory and bandwidth?

A: The RTX 5090 has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 512-bit bus, providing 1.79 TB/s of bandwidth. The Quadro GP100 has 16 GB of HBM2 memory on a 4096-bit bus, providing 732.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 5090 offers double the capacity and roughly 2.4 times the bandwidth.

Q: What is the production status of each GPU?

A: The Quadro GP100 is marked as "End-of-life" and was released on 2016-09-30. The RTX 5090 is marked as "Active" and was released on 2025-01-29. The Quadro GP100’s predecessor is Quadro Maxwell, while the RTX 5090’s predecessor is GeForce 40.

Q: How do their API support levels differ?

A: The RTX 5090 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the Quadro GP100 supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.3. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures. The Quadro GP100 uses the Pascal architecture, while the RTX 5090 uses Blackwell 2.0. This generational leap is reflected in nearly every aspect of the design.

The manufacturing process is a major differentiator. The Quadro GP100 is fabricated on a 16 nm process at TSMC, while the RTX 5090 uses a 5 nm process, also at TSMC. The newer process allows the RTX 5090 to pack 92,200 million transistors into a 750 mm² die, compared to the Quadro GP100’s 15,300 million transistors on a 610 mm² die. The transistor density increase is dramatic: 122.9M per mm² for the RTX 5090 versus 25.1M per mm² for the Quadro GP100.

The compute architecture is also radically different. The RTX 5090 features 21,760 shading units, 680 TMUs, and 176 ROPs. It also introduces dedicated hardware that the Quadro GP100 lacks entirely: 170 RT cores and 680 tensor cores. The Quadro GP100 has 3,584 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, with no dedicated RT or tensor core counts listed.

Memory architecture differs as well. The Quadro GP100 uses 16 GB of HBM2 with a 4096-bit bus, while the RTX 5090 uses 32 GB of GDDR7 on a 512-bit bus. The RTX 5090’s FP32 compute throughput is listed at 104.8 TFLOPS, while the Quadro GP100 is rated for 10.34 TFLOPS. The RTX 5090 also achieves 1:1 FP16 performance at 104.8 TFLOPS, whereas the Quadro GP100’s FP16 rate of 20.69 TFLOPS is achieved via a 2:1 ratio.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 5090 wins in every performance category where data exists. The single head-to-head benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, shows a massive 73.8% lead for the RTX 5090. Its raw specifications also point to wins in every measurable metric: higher pixel rate (423.6 GPixel/s vs 138.5 GPixel/s), higher texture rate (1,636.8 GTexel/s vs 323.2 GTexel/s), and significantly more memory bandwidth.

The Quadro GP100’s wins are not in performance but in specific legacy attributes. It is a dual-slot card with a 267 mm length and 111 mm height, making it shorter than the RTX 5090’s 304 mm length. It uses a single 8-pin power connector and has a 235 W TDP, compared to the RTX 5090’s 575 W TDP and 1x 16-pin connector. The Quadro GP100 also uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, while the RTX 5090 uses PCIe 5.0 x16. The Quadro’s display outputs are 1x DVI and 4x DisplayPort 1.4a, which may be preferable for certain legacy multi-monitor setups.

The RTX 5090’s wins extend to API support, as it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4, while the Quadro GP100 is limited to DirectX 12_1 and Vulkan 1.3. The RTX 5090’s production status is Active, while the Quadro GP100 is End-of-life.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA Quadro GP100 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 |

|---|---|---|

| Process Node | 16 nm | 5 nm |

| Transistors | 15,300 million | 92,200 million |

| Die Size | 610 mm² | 750 mm² |

| Base Clock | 1304 MHz | 2017 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1443 MHz | 2407 MHz |

| Memory Size | 16 GB | 32 GB |

| Memory Type | HBM2 | GDDR7 |

| Memory Bus | 4096 bit | 512 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 732.2 GB/s | 1.79 TB/s |

| Shading Units | 3584 | 21760 |

| TMUs | 224 | 680 |

| ROPs | 96 | 176 |

| RT Cores | Not specified | 170 |

| Tensor Cores | Not specified | 680 |

| FP32 Performance | 10.34 TFLOPS | 104.8 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 20.69 TFLOPS (2:1) | 104.8 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 235 W | 575 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | 1x 16-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 550 W | 950 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Dimensions (LxH) | 267 mm x 111 mm | 304 mm x 137 mm |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison in the data is the Geekbench OpenCL test. The RTX 5090 scores 334,370, while the Quadro GP100 scores 87,445. This represents a 73.8% delta in favor of the RTX 5090, a dominant margin that reflects the architectural and generational gulf between the two products.

This single score is the most telling metric available. It aligns with the specification differences: the RTX 5090 has roughly 6 times the shading units, 10 times the FP32 throughput, and 2.4 times the memory bandwidth. The Geekbench score’s 3.8x advantage for the RTX 5090 is consistent with these hardware advantages, though it does not fully capture the theoretical peak differences.

Beyond this test, the RTX 5090’s other scores in its benchmark list provide context. Its Passmark G3D score is 39,650, and its Passmark GPU Compute score is 26,756. Its Geekbench Vulkan score is 376,728. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score is 18,355. These are all strong numbers for a modern GPU, though no comparable scores exist for the Quadro GP100.

The nearest rivals data also offers perspective. The Quadro GP100’s closest competitor is the AMD Radeon PRO W7600, which scores 87,108, a mere 0.4% difference. The RTX 5090’s nearest rival is the NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, scoring 79,605, which is 0.3% behind. This indicates that the RTX 5090’s average score is dragged down by its low Passmark DX scores, as its raw compute scores are far higher than the Tesla P100’s. The Quadro GP100’s percentile rank is 93, while the RTX 5090’s is 92, a statistical tie that further illustrates the impact of the RTX 5090’s low API-specific scores on its average.

The data clearly shows the RTX 5090 is the superior performer in the Geekbench OpenCL test and is also the newer, more feature-rich product. The Quadro GP100’s strengths are its lower power draw, smaller physical footprint, and legacy display outputs. For any modern workload, the RTX 5090 is the obvious choice based on the available benchmarks.