NVIDIA L40 vs NVIDIA RTX 6000D Comparison

NVIDIA’s L40 and RTX 6000D represent two distinct generations of prosumer and workstation acceleration, and the benchmark data shows a clear shift in performance leadership. The L40, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, was a dominant force in its generation, while the RTX 6000D arrives as a Blackwell 2.0 part with a different set of compromises and capabilities. The head-to-head data, while limited, reveals a decisive victory for the newer card in the one test where they overlap, but the broader picture is defined by architectural evolution and distinct target workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only directly comparable benchmark between the two cards is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the results are not close. The NVIDIA RTX 6000D scores 388405 points, while the NVIDIA L40 trails with 330926 points. This translates to a delta of -14.8% for the L40, meaning the RTX 6000D is roughly 15% faster in this compute-oriented workload. This is a substantial generational leap, and it aligns with the massive architectural differences between the two.

Looking at the broader context, the L40’s average benchmark score of 284111 places it in the 99th percentile of all GPUs, proof of its raw power. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada Generation at 287237 (just 1.1% higher), the NVIDIA L40S at 295763 (3.9% higher), and the AMD Instinct MI300X at 317994 (10.7% higher). The L40 sits comfortably in this high-end bracket, with the L40S and MI300X being the only cards that clearly outpace it in this metric.

The RTX 6000D, however, presents a more nuanced picture. Its average benchmark score is 195964, which is significantly lower than the L40’s 284111. This is because the RTX 6000D’s average includes a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 3522, which is a gaming-oriented test, and its OpenCL score of 388405. The inclusion of the 3DMark result drags down its average, placing it in the 98th percentile. Its nearest rivals reflect this mixed bag: the NVIDIA Tesla V100S PCIe 32 GB is 0.8% behind, the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB is 4.7% behind, and the NVIDIA A100 PCIe 80 GB is 5.4% ahead. The NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation trails by 6.1%. This suggests the RTX 6000D is a specialized tool whose average is heavily influenced by the test suite.

The single head-to-head result is the clearest signal: in raw OpenCL compute, the RTX 6000D is the clear winner. The L40’s 14.8% deficit is a direct consequence of its older architecture and lower peak compute throughput.

Architecture Differences

The two cards are built on fundamentally different foundations. The NVIDIA L40 uses the AD102 chip, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC, and is part of the “Server Ada (Lxx)” generation. It packs 76,300 million transistors into a 609 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 125.3M per mm². In contrast, the NVIDIA RTX 6000D uses the GB202 chip, also on a 5 nm TSMC process, but belongs to the “Blackwell PRO W (x000)” generation and the GeForce 60-series. It contains 92,200 million transistors on a larger 750 mm² die, with a slightly lower density of 122.9M per mm².

Clock speeds tell a story of efficiency versus brute force. The L40 has a base clock of 735 MHz and a boost clock of 2490 MHz. The RTX 6000D, however, starts with a much higher base clock of 1992 MHz and boosts to 2430 MHz. This means the RTX 6000D is running at a far higher sustained frequency, which contributes to its performance lead despite having a similar boost ceiling.

Memory is another major differentiator. The L40 is equipped with 48 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 864.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 6000D steps up to 84 GB of GDDR7 memory on a wider 448-bit bus, providing 1.40 TB/s of bandwidth—a massive 62% increase in memory bandwidth. This alone makes the RTX 6000D far better suited for memory-bound workloads like large language models or high-resolution rendering. The memory clock also differs, with the L40 running at 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) and the RTX 6000D at 1560 MHz (25 Gbps effective), showcasing the efficiency gains of the newer GDDR7 standard.

The compute cores have also been expanded. The L40 has 18176 shading units, 568 TMUs, 192 ROPs, 142 RT cores, and 568 tensor cores. The RTX 6000D increases this to 19968 shading units, 624 TMUs, 192 ROPs, 156 RT cores, and 624 tensor cores. The result is a higher peak FP32 throughput of 97.04 TFLOPS for the RTX 6000D versus 90.52 TFLOPS for the L40. Pixel rates are nearly identical (466.6 GPixel/s vs 478.1 GPixel/s), but texture rate favors the newer card (1,516.3 GTexel/s vs 1,414.3 GTexel/s).

Power and physical design differ substantially. The L40 has a 300 W TDP and requires a 700 W power supply, while the RTX 6000D doubles the TDP to 600 W and needs a 1000 W PSU. Both are dual-slot cards with a single 16-pin power connector, but the RTX 6000D is physically larger: 304 mm long, 137 mm tall, and 40 mm wide, compared to the L40’s 267 mm length and 111 mm height. The RTX 6000D also uses a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface, doubling the bandwidth of the L40’s PCIe 4.0 x16 connection.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA L40 wins in efficiency and legacy compatibility. Its 300 W TDP is half of the RTX 6000D’s, making it far easier to integrate into existing systems without major power infrastructure changes. Its 48 GB of GDDR6 memory is still ample for many professional tasks, and its 99th-percentile average benchmark score shows it remains a top-tier performer in its own right. The L40’s production status is end-of-life, but its performance in Geekbench OpenCL (330926) and Vulkan (237295) demonstrates that it is still a capable compute engine. For tasks where power draw is a constraint or where the system bus is limited to PCIe 4.0, the L40 is the more practical choice.

The NVIDIA RTX 6000D wins in raw compute, memory capacity, and bandwidth. The 14.8% lead in OpenCL is the headline, but the 84 GB of GDDR7 memory and 1.40 TB/s bandwidth are transformative for workloads that exceed the L40’s 48 GB frame buffer. The RTX 6000D also has a higher FP32 throughput (97.04 TFLOPS vs 90.52 TFLOPS) and more tensor cores (624 vs 568), making it the stronger choice for AI inference and training. Its PCIe 5.0 interface reduces data transfer bottlenecks, and its higher base clock (1992 MHz vs 735 MHz) ensures sustained performance under load. The RTX 6000D is the clear winner for modern, memory-hungry professional applications.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The NVIDIA RTX 6000D is faster, scoring 388405 versus the NVIDIA L40’s 330926, a delta of -14.8% in favor of the RTX 6000D.

Q: How much memory does each card have?

A: The NVIDIA L40 has 48 GB of GDDR6 memory, while the NVIDIA RTX 6000D has 84 GB of GDDR7 memory.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The RTX 6000D offers 1.40 TB/s of bandwidth, compared to the L40’s 864.0 GB/s, a significant advantage for memory-intensive tasks.

Q: Which card has a higher FP32 compute throughput?

A: The RTX 6000D leads with 97.04 TFLOPS, versus the L40’s 90.52 TFLOPS.

Q: What are the power requirements for each?

A: The L40 has a 300 W TDP and suggests a 700 W power supply. The RTX 6000D has a 600 W TDP and requires a 1000 W power supply.

Q: Which card uses a newer PCIe interface?

A: The RTX 6000D uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the L40 uses PCIe 4.0 x16.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA L40 | NVIDIA RTX 6000D |

|:--- |:--- |:--- |

| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Blackwell 2.0 |

| Chip | AD102 | GB202 |

| Generation | Server Ada (Lxx) | Blackwell PRO W (x000) |

| Transistors | 76,300 million | 92,200 million |

| Die Size | 609 mm² | 750 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 125.3M / mm² | 122.9M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 735 MHz | 1992 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2490 MHz | 2430 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) | 1560 MHz (25 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 48 GB | 84 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR7 |

| Memory Bus Width | 384 bit | 448 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 864.0 GB/s | 1.40 TB/s |

| Shading Units | 18176 | 19968 |

| TMUs | 568 | 624 |

| ROPs | 192 | 192 |

| RT Cores | 142 | 156 |

| Tensor Cores | 568 | 624 |

| Pixel Rate | 478.1 GPixel/s | 466.6 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 1,414.3 GTexel/s | 1,516.3 GTexel/s |

| FP32 (Float) | 90.52 TFLOPS | 97.04 TFLOPS |

| FP16 (Half) | 90.52 TFLOPS (1:1) | 97.04 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 300 W | 600 W |

| Suggested PSU | 700 W | 1000 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 4x DisplayPort 1.4a | 4x DisplayPort 2.1b |

| Dimensions (LxHxW) | 267 mm x 111 mm | 304 mm x 137 mm x 40 mm |

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

| Release Date | 2022-10-12 | 2025-07-13 |

| Predecessor | Server Ampere | Workstation Ada |

| Successor | Server Hopper | None |

| Avg Benchmark Score | 284111 | 195964 |

| Percentile (vs All GPUs) | 99 | 98 |