NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation vs NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell Comparison

The NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell is the decisive performance leader over the NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation, winning both available head-to-head benchmarks by margins exceeding 100%. The data shows a complete generational and class-level separation, with the RTX PRO 5000 delivering 103.6% higher OpenCL scores and 158.4% higher Vulkan scores than the SFF card. While the RTX 4000 SFF holds a distinct advantage in physical size and power efficiency, the RTX PRO 5000 dominates in raw compute, memory bandwidth, and feature support, positioning it as the clear choice for maximum workstation throughput.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are unambiguous: the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell wins both recorded tests, with no metric favoring the RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the RTX PRO 5000 scores 254,116 against the RTX 4000 SFF's 124,812, a delta of 103.6%. This means the RTX PRO 5000 delivers more than double the OpenCL compute performance, a critical advantage for GPU-accelerated workloads like rendering, simulation, and machine learning inference that rely on OpenCL.

The gap widens further in the Geekbench Vulkan test. The RTX PRO 5000 scores 282,631, while the RTX 4000 SFF manages 109,364. The delta here is 158.4%, meaning the RTX PRO 5000 is roughly 2.6 times faster in Vulkan-based applications. This result suggests that the RTX PRO 5000's architectural advantages—including its newer Blackwell design and substantially higher shading unit count—translate into outsized gains in modern graphics APIs. For users running Vulkan-based workloads, the performance differential is even more pronounced than in OpenCL.

The overall average benchmark scores reinforce this hierarchy. The RTX PRO 5000 achieves an average benchmark score of 182,109, placing it in the 98th percentile of all GPUs. The RTX 4000 SFF, with an average score of 117,088, sits in the 95th percentile. While both are high-performing cards, the RTX PRO 5000's average score is 55.5% higher than the RTX 4000 SFF's. Notably, the RTX PRO 5000's average score places it slightly below the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB (by 0.9%) and the RTX 5000 Ada Generation (by 1.4%), but above the GeForce RTX 4090 D by 2.3%. The RTX 4000 SFF, by contrast, is nearly tied with the NVIDIA GB10 (0.3% behind) and the AMD Radeon PRO W7700 (1.6% behind), showing it competes in a lower performance tier.

Architecture Differences

The two cards are built on fundamentally different architectures. The RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell uses the GB202 chip based on Blackwell 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It packs 92,200 million transistors on a 750 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 122.9 million per mm². The RTX 4000 SFF uses the AD104 chip based on Ada Lovelace architecture, also on a 5 nm TSMC process, but with just 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die (121.8M per mm²). The RTX PRO 5000 thus has 2.6 times the transistor count and 2.6 times the die area, explaining its massive compute advantage.

The compute resource disparity is stark. The RTX PRO 5000 features 14,080 shading units, 440 TMUs, and 160 ROPs, compared to the RTX 4000 SFF's 6,144 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. This means the RTX PRO 5000 has 2.3 times the shading units, 2.3 times the texture units, and 2.5 times the ROPs. The RTX PRO 5000 also has 110 RT cores and 440 tensor cores, versus 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores on the RTX 4000 SFF. Consequently, the RTX PRO 5000's FP32 throughput is 66.94 TFLOPS, compared to 19.17 TFLOPS for the RTX 4000 SFF—a 3.5-fold difference. Pixel rate is 380.3 GPixel/s versus 99.84 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 1,045.9 GTexel/s versus 299.5 GTexel/s.

Memory architecture is equally divergent. The RTX PRO 5000 uses 48 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 1.34 TB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 4000 SFF uses 20 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus, with 280.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX PRO 5000 offers 2.4 times the memory capacity and 4.8 times the bandwidth. Clock speeds also favor the RTX PRO 5000: its base clock is 1740 MHz with a boost of 2377 MHz, versus 720 MHz base and 1560 MHz boost on the RTX 4000 SFF. Both cards support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, but the RTX PRO 5000 uses PCIe 5.0 x16 while the RTX 4000 SFF uses PCIe 4.0 x16.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell wins in every measurable performance category. Its 66.94 TFLOPS FP32 compute is ideal for heavy simulation, AI training, and large-scale rendering. The 48 GB GDDR7 memory with 1.34 TB/s bandwidth supports massive datasets and high-resolution textures without swapping. The 110 RT cores and 440 tensor cores make it suited for real-time ray tracing and deep learning workloads. The 4x DisplayPort 2.1b outputs support the latest high-refresh-rate displays, and the PCIe 5.0 interface doubles the bandwidth available for data transfer compared to the RTX 4000 SFF's PCIe 4.0.

The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation wins in physical footprint and power requirements. Its dimensions are 168 mm (6.6 inches) in length and 69 mm (2.7 inches) in height, versus 267 mm (10.5 inches) by 111 mm (4.4 inches) for the RTX PRO 5000. The RTX 4000 SFF has a 70 W TDP and requires no power connectors, with a suggested PSU of 250 W. The RTX PRO 5000 draws 300 W, needs a 1x 16-pin connector, and suggests a 700 W PSU. For compact workstations or systems with tight power budgets, the RTX 4000 SFF is the only viable option. It also uses 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, which may suit certain multi-display setups. The RTX 4000 SFF's 20 GB GDDR6 memory is still substantial for many professional tasks, and its 19.17 TFLOPS FP32 performance is respectable, but it trails the RTX PRO 5000 by a wide margin in all compute benchmarks.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the RTX PRO 5000 in OpenCL?

A: The RTX PRO 5000 scores 254,116 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 103.6% higher than the RTX 4000 SFF's 124,812, meaning it is more than twice as fast.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The RTX PRO 5000 has 1.34 TB/s bandwidth from 48 GB of GDDR7 on a 384-bit bus, while the RTX 4000 SFF has 280.0 GB/s from 20 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus—a 4.8-fold advantage for the RTX PRO 5000.

Q: Can the RTX 4000 SFF run on a lower power supply?

A: Yes, the RTX 4000 SFF has a 70 W TDP with no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 250 W, whereas the RTX PRO 5000 has a 300 W TDP, requires a 1x 16-pin connector, and suggests a 700 W PSU.

Q: Which card has more RT and tensor cores?

A: The RTX PRO 5000 has 110 RT cores and 440 tensor cores, compared to 48 RT cores and 192 tensor cores on the RTX 4000 SFF.

Q: Do both cards support the same DirectX version?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, though the RTX PRO 5000 uses PCIe 5.0 x16 while the RTX 4000 SFF uses PCIe 4.0 x16.

Q: What is the physical size difference?

A: The RTX PRO 5000 is 267 mm long and 111 mm tall, while the RTX 4000 SFF is 168 mm long and 69 mm tall, making the SFF card roughly 37% shorter and 38% lower in height.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell for any user prioritizing raw performance. It wins both head-to-head benchmarks by margins of 103.6% and 158.4%, has 3.5 times the FP32 throughput, 4.8 times the memory bandwidth, and double the VRAM capacity. Its 98th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average score of 182,109, places it in the top tier alongside the A100 SXM4 80 GB and RTX 5000 Ada Generation. For tasks like AI model training, high-fidelity rendering, or large-scale data processing, the RTX PRO 5000 is the superior choice, justifying its 300 W power draw and larger footprint.

The NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is the right pick for space-constrained or power-limited environments. Its 70 W TDP, lack of power connectors, and compact 168 mm length make it compatible with small form factor systems. While its average benchmark score of 117,088 (95th percentile) is respectable and competitive with the NVIDIA GB10 and AMD Radeon PRO W7700, it cannot match the RTX PRO 5000's compute capabilities. Users who need moderate workstation performance in a tiny chassis should choose the RTX 4000 SFF; those who need maximum throughput should choose the RTX PRO 5000.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell | NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation |

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

| Architecture | Blackwell 2.0 | Ada Lovelace |

| Chip | GB202 | AD104 |

| Transistors | 92,200 million | 35,800 million |

| Die Size | 750 mm² | 294 mm² |

| Base Clock | 1740 MHz | 720 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2377 MHz | 1560 MHz |

| Memory Size | 48 GB | 20 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR7 | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus | 384 bit | 160 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 1.34 TB/s | 280.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 14,080 | 6,144 |

| TMUs | 440 | 192 |

| ROPs | 160 | 64 |

| RT Cores | 110 | 48 |

| Tensor Cores | 440 | 192 |

| FP32 Compute | 66.94 TFLOPS | 19.17 TFLOPS |

| Pixel Rate | 380.3 GPixel/s | 99.84 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 1,045.9 GTexel/s | 299.5 GTexel/s |

| TDP | 300 W | 70 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 16-pin | None |

| Suggested PSU | 700 W | 250 W |

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

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

| Length | 267 mm (10.5 inches) | 168 mm (6.6 inches) |

| Height | 111 mm (4.4 inches) | 69 mm (2.7 inches) |

| Width | 40 mm (1.6 inches) | Not specified |