NVIDIA Quadro GP100 vs NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB Comparison

The NVIDIA Quadro GP100 and NVIDIA Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB share the same GP100 silicon, but they are configured for different roles. Benchmark data shows the Quadro GP100 achieving a Geekbench OpenCL score of 87,445, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB scores 79,396. This places the Quadro GP100 10.1% ahead in the head-to-head comparison, a significant margin given the identical underlying chip. The Quadro GP100's percentile ranking of 93 versus the Tesla's 92 underscores its slight edge in overall performance distribution.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The sole benchmark in the data, Geekbench OpenCL, produces a clear winner: the Quadro GP100. Its score of 87,445 outperforms the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB's 79,396 by a delta of 10.1%. This is a substantial lead for two cards built on the same GP100 die. The performance difference is not a matter of architectural generation but rather of clock speeds and memory configuration. The Quadro GP100 runs at a base clock of 1304 MHz and a boost clock of 1443 MHz, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB operates at 1190 MHz base and 1329 MHz boost. This clock advantage directly translates into higher compute throughput.

Looking at the nearest rivals provides context for these absolute scores. The Quadro GP100's score of 87,445 sits 4% below the NVIDIA RTX A4500's 91,671 and 4% below the RTX A4500 Mobile's 91,134. It edges out the AMD Radeon PRO W7600, which scores 87,108, by a slim 0.4%, and the NVIDIA CMP 40HX, at 85,637, by 2.1%. These comparisons show the Quadro GP100 holding its own against more modern workstation cards, despite its older Pascal architecture. The Quadro GP100's 93rd percentile ranking among all GPUs indicates it outperforms the vast majority of graphics cards ever benchmarked.

The Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB, with its score of 79,396, is remarkably close to its sibling, the Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB, which scores 79,605 — a delta of only -0.3%. This suggests the 12 GB variant delivers nearly identical compute performance to the 16 GB model in this workload. The Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB also trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090's 79,842 by only 0.6%, a narrow margin against a much newer consumer flagship. It leads the AMD Radeon RX 6850M XT's 78,940 by 0.6% and falls 1.9% short of the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X's 80,959. The 92nd percentile ranking confirms that, while slightly behind the Quadro GP100, the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB remains a high-performance part in the broader GPU landscape.

The 10.1% delta in favor of the Quadro GP100 is the headline result. A closer look at the specifications explains why: the Quadro GP100 has a higher boost clock (1443 MHz vs 1329 MHz), more memory bandwidth (732.2 GB/s vs 549.1 GB/s), and a wider memory bus (4096-bit vs 3072-bit). These factors compound to create a meaningful performance gap in OpenCL compute workloads. The Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB's lower clocks and reduced memory subsystem are the primary reasons for its lower score. It is worth remembering both cards share the same 3584 shading units, 224 texture mapping units, and 96 ROPs, so the difference is purely in how fast those units operate and how quickly they can fetch data.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro GP100 scores 87,445, which is 10.1% higher than the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB's 79,396.

Q: How does the Quadro GP100 compare to the RTX A4500?

A: The Quadro GP100's score of 87,445 is 4% lower than the RTX A4500's 91,671, making the A4500 the faster card in this benchmark.

Q: Is the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB significantly slower than the Tesla P100 PCIe 16 GB?

A: No, the difference is minimal. The 12 GB model scores 79,396, which is only 0.3% lower than the 16 GB model's 79,605.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two GPUs?

A: The Quadro GP100 has a memory bandwidth of 732.2 GB/s, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB has a bandwidth of 549.1 GB/s. The Quadro GP100 also has a 4096-bit bus versus the Tesla's 3072-bit bus.

Q: Do both cards use the same chip?

A: Yes, both the Quadro GP100 and the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB are built on the GP100 chip, using the Pascal architecture and a 16 nm process node from TSMC.

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock?

A: The Quadro GP100 has a boost clock of 1443 MHz, compared to the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB's 1329 MHz.

Architecture Differences

Both cards are built on the same GP100 chip, which is fabricated on TSMC's 16 nm process node. The die size is identical at 610 mm², and the transistor count is the same at 15,300 million. This results in a transistor density of 25.1M per mm² for both parts. The architecture is Pascal, NVIDIA's design that preceded Volta in the professional lineup. Neither card features dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as those were introduced in later architectures.

The fundamental architectural difference lies in how the GP100 silicon is configured. The Quadro GP100 is part of the Quadro Pascal generation, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB belongs to the Tesla Pascal generation. This distinction is more than a naming convention — it reflects different market positioning. The Quadro line is designed for workstation graphics and visualization, while the Tesla line targets compute and data center workloads. This is evident in the display outputs: the Quadro GP100 features 1x DVI and 4x DisplayPort 1.4a, whereas the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB has no display outputs at all.

The memory subsystem represents a significant architectural divergence. The Quadro GP100 uses 16 GB of HBM2 memory on a 4096-bit bus, delivering 732.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB uses 12 GB of HBM2 on a narrower 3072-bit bus, resulting in 549.1 GB/s of bandwidth. This is not just a capacity difference; the bus width reduction impacts the Tesla's ability to feed the compute units, which partially explains its lower benchmark score. Both cards share the same core configuration of 3584 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, so the architectural compute capacity is identical on paper. The performance difference stems from clock speeds and memory throughput.

The API support is also identical: both support DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. This means software compatibility is the same, and neither card has an advantage in terms of supported features. The production status for both is end-of-life, indicating they have been discontinued from active manufacturing. The process node, foundry, and die characteristics are exactly the same, confirming that these are two variants of the same physical chip, differentiated by binning and configuration.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets reveal several key differences between the two cards. The most apparent is memory: the Quadro GP100 has 16 GB of HBM2, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB has 12 GB. The memory bus width also differs, with the Quadro using a 4096-bit interface and the Tesla using a 3072-bit interface. This translates to a bandwidth advantage for the Quadro GP100, which offers 732.2 GB/s versus the Tesla's 549.1 GB/s.

Clock speeds differ notably. The Quadro GP100 runs at 1304 MHz base and 1443 MHz boost, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB operates at 1190 MHz base and 1329 MHz boost. These higher clocks give the Quadro GP100 a pixel rate of 138.5 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 323.2 GTexel/s, compared to the Tesla's 127.6 GPixel/s and 297.7 GTexel/s. The FP32 compute is also higher on the Quadro at 10.34 TFLOPS versus 9.526 TFLOPS on the Tesla. FP16 performance follows the same pattern: 20.69 TFLOPS on the Quadro versus 19.05 TFLOPS on the Tesla, both at a 2:1 ratio.

Power specifications show the Quadro GP100 has a TDP of 235 W, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB has a higher TDP of 250 W. The suggested PSU rating is 550 W for the Quadro and 600 W for the Tesla. Both cards use a single 8-pin power connector and are dual-slot designs. Physical dimensions are the same length at 267 mm (10.5 inches), but the Quadro GP100 has a specified height of 111 mm (4.4 inches), while the Tesla's height is not listed. The Quadro GP100 includes display outputs (1x DVI, 4x DisplayPort 1.4a), whereas the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB has no outputs.

The release dates differ, with the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB launching on 2016-06-19 and the Quadro GP100 arriving later on 2016-09-30. The Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB has a launch MSRP of 4,599 USD. The predecessors and successors also differ: the Quadro GP100 follows Quadro Maxwell and is succeeded by Quadro Volta, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB follows Tesla Maxwell and is succeeded by Tesla Volta. The average benchmark score for the Quadro GP100 is 87,445, while the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB averages 79,396.

Where Each One Wins

The Quadro GP100 wins in every measurable benchmark category within this data set. Its Geekbench OpenCL score is 10.1% higher, and it holds a 93rd percentile ranking versus the Tesla's 92nd. For compute-heavy OpenCL workloads, the Quadro GP100 is the clear choice. Its higher clock speeds provide a direct performance advantage in tasks that are sensitive to frequency, while the wider memory bus and higher bandwidth make it better suited for memory-intensive operations such as large matrix manipulations or high-resolution data processing. The presence of display outputs also makes it the only option for users who need both compute power and visual output from a single card.

The Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB, despite its lower benchmark score, has its own advantages. It launched earlier, in June 2016, making it an earlier available option for compute tasks. Its higher TDP of 250 W suggests it may be configured for sustained compute loads, though this is not directly evidenced by benchmark data. The Tesla's lack of display outputs indicates it is intended for headless compute servers where video output is unnecessary, potentially allowing for more flexible deployment in data center environments. Its launch MSRP of 4,599 USD provides a reference point for its original market positioning, though both cards are now end-of-life.

For users building a workstation that requires both compute acceleration and display connectivity, the Quadro GP100 is the superior option. Its 10.1% performance lead, combined with 16 GB of memory and display outputs, makes it a more versatile card. The Quadro GP100 also has a lower TDP of 235 W, which can simplify cooling requirements in a workstation chassis. For pure compute servers where video output is not needed, the Tesla P100 PCIe 12 GB remains a viable option, though its lower memory bandwidth and clock speeds mean it will trail the Quadro GP100 in OpenCL performance. The choice ultimately depends on whether display outputs and higher memory bandwidth justify the Quadro GP100's performance advantage, or whether the Tesla's earlier availability and compute-oriented design are more important.