NVIDIA Quadro GV100 vs NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation is the clear overall winner in this comparison, taking 6 of the 8 recorded head-to-head benchmarks. The RTX 5880 dominates in compute-heavy workloads, modern graphics APIs, and raw shader throughput. Its wins span OpenCL compute, DirectX 10, DirectX 11, DirectX 9, DirectX 12 performance (despite losing that specific test), and the overall G3D graphics score. The Quadro GV100 only manages to win two tests: DirectX 12 and the 2D graphics test.

The use-case split is straightforward. For anyone running OpenCL-based compute workloads, scientific simulations, or GPU-accelerated rendering, the RTX 5880 Ada Generation is the stronger choice by a wide margin. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 326,898 versus 150,004 is a 117.9% advantage, making this a generation-defining gap in compute throughput. The Passmark GPU Compute score reinforces this: 14,208 versus 9,069, a 56.7% lead.

For legacy DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 workloads, the RTX 5880 also leads decisively. DirectX 9 scores 335 versus 207 (61.8% ahead), and DirectX 10 scores 167 versus 140 (19.3% ahead). DirectX 11 shows a 35.7% advantage with 228 versus 168. These are meaningful deltas for anyone running older engineering or visualization applications that still rely on those APIs.

The Quadro GV100's wins are narrow but real. It leads in DirectX 12 by 16.7% (84 versus 70) and in the 2D graphics test by 7.1% (836 versus 777). The DirectX 12 result is interesting because it suggests the older Volta architecture retains some advantage in that specific API path, possibly due to driver maturity or workload characteristics. The 2D win is minor and unlikely to influence most purchasing decisions.

The overall average benchmark score tells the same story: the RTX 5880 Ada averages 45,972 across all recorded tests, while the Quadro GV100 averages 35,520. The RTX 5880 also sits at the 85th percentile among all GPUs in the database, compared to the 80th percentile for the GV100. This is not a close contest in aggregate performance.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different architectural generations and different manufacturing processes. The RTX 5880 Ada Generation uses the AD102 chip built on TSMC's 5 nm process, packing 76,300 million transistors onto a 609 mm² die. The transistor density is 125.3 million per square millimeter. The Quadro GV100 uses the GV100 chip on TSMC's 12 nm process, with 21,100 million transistors on a larger 815 mm² die. Its density is only 25.9 million per square millimeter.

The RTX 5880 belongs to the Ada Lovelace architecture, part of the Workstation Ada generation. The GV100 belongs to the Volta architecture, part of the Quadro Volta generation. The RTX 5880 was released in January 2024 and remains in active production. The GV100 was released in March 2018 and is now end-of-life. Its predecessor was Quadro Pascal, and its successor is Quadro Turing. The RTX 5880's predecessor is Workstation Ampere, and its successor is Blackwell PRO W.

The memory subsystems differ substantially. The RTX 5880 has 48 GB of GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus, delivering 864.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GV100 has 32 GB of HBM2 on a 4096-bit bus, delivering 868.4 GB/s. The bandwidth numbers are nearly identical, but the memory technology and bus width are completely different. The GV100's HBM2 stack achieves comparable bandwidth with far fewer active memory chips due to the massive 4096-bit interface.

Shading resources are heavily skewed toward the RTX 5880. It has 14,080 shading units, 440 texture mapping units, and 176 raster output units. The GV100 has 5,120 shading units, 320 TMUs, and 128 ROPs. The RTX 5880 also carries 110 ray tracing cores and 440 tensor cores, while the GV100 has no ray tracing cores but does have 640 tensor cores. The tensor core counts are notable: the older Volta card actually has more tensor cores than the newer Ada card, though the Ada tensor cores are architecturally different.

Clock speeds favor the RTX 5880 in boost terms. The RTX 5880 boosts to 2460 MHz from a 975 MHz base. The GV100 boosts to 1627 MHz from a 1132 MHz base. The RTX 5880's higher boost clock contributes to its massive FP32 throughput of 69.27 TFLOPS, versus 16.66 TFLOPS for the GV100. FP16 performance is 69.27 TFLOPS (1:1) on the RTX 5880, while the GV100 manages 33.32 TFLOPS (2:1).

The bus interface also differs: PCIe 4.0 x16 on the RTX 5880 versus PCIe 3.0 x16 on the GV100. Both cards are dual-slot designs with four DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. The RTX 5880 uses a single 16-pin power connector with a 285 W TDP, while the GV100 uses a single 8-pin connector with a 250 W TDP. Both suggest a 600 W power supply. API support is similar, with both offering OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4, but the RTX 5880 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) while the GV100 is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single largest gap in the recorded data is Geekbench OpenCL. The RTX 5880 Ada Generation scores 326,898, which is 117.9% higher than the GV100's 150,004. This is more than double the compute performance, and it reflects the combined effect of the newer architecture, higher shader count, and much faster boost clock. For OpenCL-based workloads, this is the defining metric.

Passmark GPU Compute shows a 56.7% advantage for the RTX 5880: 14,208 versus 9,069. This is a substantial lead but smaller than the OpenCL gap, suggesting that different compute workloads scale differently across the two architectures.

On the graphics side, Passmark G3D gives the RTX 5880 a 27.7% win with 25,096 versus 19,650. That is a solid, but not overwhelming, lead in general 3D rendering performance. The DirectX 9 test shows a 61.8% advantage (335 versus 207), and DirectX 11 shows 35.7% (228 versus 168). DirectX 10 is closer at 19.3% (167 versus 140).

The two GV100 wins are worth examining. DirectX 12 scores 84 versus 70, a 16.7% advantage. This is the only modern API test where the older card wins. The 2D graphics test shows 836 versus 777, a 7.1% lead. Neither result changes the overall picture, but the DirectX 12 outcome is a reminder that architectural differences can produce unexpected results in specific API paths.

The RTX 5880's six wins, including the two largest deltas (117.9% and 56.7%), make the overall comparison unambiguous. The average benchmark score of 45,972 for the RTX 5880 versus 35,520 for the GV100 represents a 29.4% aggregate advantage.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in compute workloads?

A: The RTX 5880 Ada Generation is significantly faster. It leads by 117.9% in Geekbench OpenCL (326,898 versus 150,004) and by 56.7% in Passmark GPU Compute (14,208 versus 9,069).

Q: Does the Quadro GV100 win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins two tests. It scores 84 versus 70 in Passmark DirectX 12, a 16.7% advantage, and 836 versus 777 in Passmark G2D, a 7.1% lead.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The RTX 5880 has 48 GB of GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus with 864.0 GB/s bandwidth. The GV100 has 32 GB of HBM2 on a 4096-bit bus with 868.4 GB/s bandwidth. Bandwidth is nearly identical despite the different memory types.

Q: How do the architectures compare?

A: The RTX 5880 uses Ada Lovelace on TSMC 5 nm with 76,300 million transistors. The GV100 uses Volta on TSMC 12 nm with 21,100 million transistors. The RTX 5880 has 14,080 shading units, while the GV100 has 5,120.

Q: Which card has more tensor cores?

A: The Quadro GV100 has 640 tensor cores, while the RTX 5880 has 440. However, the RTX 5880 also includes 110 ray tracing cores, which the GV100 lacks entirely.

Q: What is the production status of each card?

A: The RTX 5880 Ada Generation is listed as active and was released in January 2024. The Quadro GV100 is end-of-life and was released in March 2018.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation | NVIDIA Quadro GV100 |

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

| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Volta |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 12 nm |

| Transistors | 76,300 million | 21,100 million |

| Die Size | 609 mm² | 815 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 125.3M / mm² | 25.9M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 975 MHz | 1132 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2460 MHz | 1627 MHz |

| Memory Size | 48 GB | 32 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | HBM2 |

| Memory Bus Width | 384 bit | 4096 bit |

| Memory Clock | 2250 MHz, 18 Gbps effective | 848 MHz, 1696 Mbps effective |

| Memory Bandwidth | 864.0 GB/s | 868.4 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 14,080 | 5,120 |

| TMUs | 440 | 320 |

| ROPs | 176 | 128 |

| RT Cores | 110 | None |

| Tensor Cores | 440 | 640 |

| Pixel Rate | 433.0 GPixel/s | 208.3 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 1,082.4 GTexel/s | 520.6 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 69.27 TFLOPS | 16.66 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 69.27 TFLOPS (1:1) | 33.32 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 285 W | 250 W |

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

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| DirectX Support | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (12_1) |

| Release Date | 2024-01-04 | 2018-03-26 |

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

| Launch MSRP | None listed | 8,999 USD |

Both cards share the same dual-slot width, 267 mm length, 4x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4, and a suggested PSU of 600 W.

The Verdict

The data points to one conclusion: the NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation is the superior card for nearly every workload measured. It wins 6 of 8 benchmarks, including the two most important compute tests by margins of 117.9% and 56.7%. Its aggregate average score of 45,972 versus 35,520 for the GV100 places it clearly ahead. The RTX 5880 also sits at the 85th percentile among all GPUs, five points higher than the GV100's 80th percentile.

Users should choose the RTX 5880 Ada Generation if they need maximum OpenCL compute performance, modern DirectX 11 or DirectX 9 compatibility with strong scores, or general 3D rendering throughput. The 48 GB GDDR6 memory capacity is double the GV100's 32 GB, which matters for large datasets. The active production status and 2024 release date also mean it is a current product with ongoing support.

The Quadro GV100 is only preferable in narrow scenarios. If a specific application relies heavily on DirectX 12 and shows the same 16.7% advantage seen in the recorded data, the GV100 could be the better choice for that particular workflow. The 2D graphics win is too small to be decisive. The GV100's 640 tensor cores versus 440 on the RTX 5880 might also matter for certain tensor-heavy workloads, though the RTX 5880's much higher FP32 and FP16 throughput likely compensates.

The GV100 is end-of-life, released in 2018, and its successor is already two generations removed. The RTX 5880 is active, newer, faster in aggregate, and the clear recommendation from the benchmark data. The only recorded advantages for the GV100 are a single API-specific win and a minor 2D score, neither of which offsets the massive compute and graphics gaps elsewhere. For most buyers, the RTX 5880 Ada Generation is the definitive choice.