NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs NVIDIA Quadro M5000 Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data presents a clear but nuanced picture. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti wins both head-to-head benchmark matchups, and the average benchmark score confirms its overall performance advantage. The GTX 980 Ti scores 28,020 on average, while the Quadro M5000 scores 31,206. However, the Quadro M5000 holds a higher percentile rank at 76 compared to the GTX 980 Ti's 73. This suggests the Quadro is positioned closer to the top of the overall GPU distribution, even though the GeForce card wins the direct comparisons.

The GTX 980 Ti is the pick for users who prioritize raw compute throughput. Its wins in both OpenCL and Vulkan are decisive, with a 32.2% lead in OpenCL and a 31% lead in Vulkan. The Quadro M5000, despite its lower raw scores, sits in a higher percentile of all GPUs, which implies a different performance profile that may be more balanced across a wider range of tasks. The data does not show a single benchmark where the Quadro wins, so the recommendation is straightforward: the GTX 980 Ti for pure performance, the Quadro M5000 for users who value the higher percentile standing and professional positioning.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 980 Ti wins in every recorded benchmark. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 43,513 against the Quadro's 29,481. The gap is similarly large in Geekbench Vulkan, with the GTX 980 Ti at 47,724 and the Quadro at 32,931. These are not marginal victories; the deltas are 32.2% and 31% respectively. The data shows the GeForce card has a substantial compute advantage in both API environments.

The Quadro M5000 does not win any benchmark in the head-to-head set. Its only recorded victories are contextual, not direct. It holds a 76th percentile rank versus the GTX 980 Ti's 73rd, and its average score of 31,206 is higher than the GeForce's 28,020. This indicates that across a broader database of GPUs, the Quadro may be more competitive against a wider field, even though it loses the specific tests recorded here. Users should interpret this as the Quadro being a more consistent performer in the middle of the pack, while the GTX 980 Ti is a top-tier outlier in compute-heavy workloads.

Architecture Differences

Both cards use the Maxwell 2.0 architecture and are built on TSMC's 28 nm process. The foundational node and architecture are identical, but the chips are different. The Quadro M5000 uses the GM204 chip, while the GTX 980 Ti uses the GM200. This explains the transistor counts: 5,200 million for the Quadro versus 8,000 million for the GeForce. The die sizes also differ significantly, with the Quadro at 398 mm² and the GTX 980 Ti at 601 mm². The transistor density is nearly identical, at 13.1M per mm² for the Quadro and 13.3M per mm² for the GeForce, which is expected for the same process node.

The GeForce card packs more execution resources. It has 2,816 shading units, 176 texture mapping units, and 96 ROPs. The Quadro is more modest with 2,048 shaders, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. Clock speeds also favor the GeForce, with a base of 1000 MHz and boost of 1076 MHz versus the Quadro's 861 MHz base and 1038 MHz boost. Memory specifications differ as well. The Quadro has 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 211.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 980 Ti has 6 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus, delivering 336.6 GB/s. The GeForce's memory clock is also higher at 1753 MHz (7 Gbps effective) versus 1653 MHz (6.6 Gbps effective) for the Quadro.

Power consumption mirrors the performance gap. The Quadro draws 150 W with a single 6-pin connector and a suggested 450 W power supply. The GTX 980 Ti draws 250 W, requiring a 6-pin and an 8-pin connector, with a suggested 600 W power supply. Both are dual-slot cards with identical length (267 mm) and height (111 mm), but the GeForce is 40 mm wide versus no width recorded for the Quadro. Display outputs differ: the Quadro offers 1x DVI and 4x DisplayPort 1.2, while the GTX 980 Ti offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, and 3x DisplayPort 1.2.

FAQ

Q: Which card has higher raw compute performance?

A: The GeForce GTX 980 Ti. It wins both head-to-head benchmarks, with a 32.2% lead in Geekbench OpenCL and a 31% lead in Geekbench Vulkan.

Q: Does the Quadro M5000 have any performance advantage?

A: Yes, in percentile ranking. The Quadro sits at the 76th percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 980 Ti sits at the 73rd. Its average benchmark score of 31,206 is also higher than the GeForce's 28,020.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The Quadro M5000 has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the GTX 980 Ti has 6 GB. The GeForce has a wider 384-bit bus and higher bandwidth at 336.6 GB/s versus 211.6 GB/s for the Quadro.

Q: Are the architectures the same?

A: Yes, both use Maxwell 2.0 on a 28 nm TSMC process. The difference is the chip: the Quadro uses GM204 and the GTX 980 Ti uses GM200.

Q: Which card requires more power?

A: The GTX 980 Ti has a TDP of 250 W and needs a 600 W power supply, while the Quadro has a TDP of 150 W and a suggested 450 W power supply.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the GTX 980 Ti?

A: The launch MSRP is 649 USD.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two recorded head-to-head tests both go to the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. In Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 980 Ti scores 43,513 against the Quadro's 29,481. This is a 32.2% advantage, a substantial margin that reflects the GeForce's higher shading unit count, clock speeds, and memory bandwidth. The Quadro's lower score suggests its 8 GB frame buffer does not compensate for the reduced compute throughput in this workload.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the GTX 980 Ti again wins with 47,724 versus 32,931, a 31% lead. The pattern is consistent: the GeForce card is faster in both legacy and modern graphics APIs. The delta percentages are nearly identical, which implies the performance gap is systemic rather than API-specific. The Quadro's higher percentile rank (76 vs 73) does not translate into a win in these direct tests, indicating that the GeForce's raw scores are stronger even though the Quadro may perform better relative to a broader range of GPUs.

The average benchmark scores tell a slightly different story. The Quadro averages 31,206, which is higher than the GTX 980 Ti's 28,020. This is because the Quadro only has two recorded benchmarks, both of which are lower, while the GeForce has four, including a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 1,321 and a Geekbench Metal score of 19,520. The inclusion of these additional tests, particularly the low 3DMark score, drags down the GeForce's average. The data suggests the GTX 980 Ti is more variable across different workloads, while the Quadro is more consistent in the tests recorded for it.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every measurable specification. The chip is the most fundamental difference: GM204 for the Quadro versus GM200 for the GeForce. Transistor count is 5,200 million versus 8,000 million, and die size is 398 mm² versus 601 mm². The transistor density is nearly the same (13.1M vs 13.3M per mm²), but the GeForce's larger die accommodates more compute units.

Clock speeds favor the GeForce. Base clock is 1000 MHz versus 861 MHz, and boost clock is 1076 MHz versus 1038 MHz. The memory clock is also higher on the GeForce at 1753 MHz (7 Gbps effective) versus 1653 MHz (6.6 Gbps effective). The memory configuration differs: 8 GB on a 256-bit bus for the Quadro, 6 GB on a 384-bit bus for the GeForce. Bandwidth is 211.6 GB/s versus 336.6 GB/s.

Compute resources are heavily skewed toward the GeForce. It has 2,816 shading units, 176 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, versus the Quadro's 2,048 shaders, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. Pixel rate is 103.3 GPixel/s versus 66.43 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 189.4 GTexel/s versus 132.9 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 6.060 TFLOPS versus 4.252 TFLOPS.

Power and cooling requirements differ. The Quadro has a TDP of 150 W with a single 6-pin connector and a 450 W suggested PSU. The GeForce has a TDP of 250 W, needs a 6-pin and an 8-pin connector, and a 600 W suggested PSU. Both are dual-slot, but the GeForce has a recorded width of 40 mm while the Quadro's width is not recorded. Display outputs differ: the Quadro has 1x DVI and 4x DisplayPort 1.2, while the GeForce has 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, and 3x DisplayPort 1.2. The release dates are close, with the Quadro on 2015-06-28 and the GeForce on 2015-06-01. The Quadro is end-of-life, as is the GeForce, and both are successors to previous generations: Quadro Kepler for the former, GeForce 700 for the latter.