NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation vs NVIDIA Tesla P40 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a decisive performance gap between these two professional GPUs. In Geekbench OpenCL, the NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation scores 124,812, while the Tesla P40 trails far behind with 62,017. That is a 101.3% advantage for the Ada card, meaning it more than doubles the older card's compute throughput in this workload. The OpenCL test is the most lopsided result in this comparison, and it reflects the fundamental generational leap between the two architectures.

Moving to Geekbench Vulkan, the picture remains consistent but slightly less extreme. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation posts 109,364, while the Tesla P40 manages 68,172. This gives the Ada card a 60.4% lead. While not as dramatic as the OpenCL margin, this still represents a substantial performance advantage in modern graphics API workloads. The Vulkan gap being smaller than the OpenCL gap suggests the Pascal architecture handles Vulkan compute relatively better than OpenCL, but it still cannot keep pace with Ada Lovelace.

Across the two recorded benchmarks, the RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation wins both tests outright. The average benchmark score reinforces this dominance: the Ada card averages 117,088 across all tests, while the Tesla P40 averages 65,095. That puts the newer card at roughly 80% higher overall performance, even before considering power efficiency or feature support.

For context on where these scores place each card relative to the broader GPU landscape, the RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation sits at the 95th percentile among all GPUs, while the Tesla P40 sits at the 89th percentile. This means the Ada card is not just faster than the P40; it is also closer to the top of the entire GPU hierarchy. The nearest rival to the RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is the NVIDIA GB10 with an average score of 117,393, which is just 0.3% higher, making this a near-tie at the top of its immediate competitive set. The AMD Radeon PRO W7700 trails by 1.6%, and the Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB is 2.4% behind.

The Tesla P40's closest competitors tell a different story. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 9100, scores 64,212, which is 1.4% lower, meaning the P40 edges it out. The AMD Radeon VII is 1.4% ahead, and both the NVIDIA CMP 30HX and AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT LP sit within 2% behind. This shows the P40 is competitive with a specific set of older or lower-tier cards, but it is nowhere near the performance class of the RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation.

The Verdict

The data makes this a straightforward recommendation. The NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is the clear choice for anyone prioritizing raw compute performance, modern API support, or energy efficiency. It wins every recorded benchmark, posts an average score nearly double that of the Tesla P40, and does so while drawing 70 W compared to the P40's 250 W. The performance per watt is not even close: the Ada card delivers 117,088 average points at 70 W, while the P40 delivers 65,095 at 250 W.

That said, there is a narrow case for the Tesla P40. Its 24 GB of VRAM exceeds the Ada card's 20 GB, and its memory bus width of 384 bits versus 160 bits gives it higher raw bandwidth at 347.1 GB/s versus 280.0 GB/s. For workloads that are heavily memory-capacity-bound and do not need modern compute features, the extra 4 GB could matter. The P40 also has a higher base clock (1303 MHz vs 720 MHz) and boost clock (1531 MHz vs 1560 MHz, nearly identical), which helps in some latency-sensitive tasks.

However, the benchmark data does not support the P40 as a general-purpose winner. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation wins both tests by margins of 101.3% and 60.4%, respectively. The P40's higher memory bandwidth does not translate into better real-world scores in these tests. If you need a GPU for modern compute workloads, AI inference, or ray tracing, the Ada card is the only sensible pick. The P40 is an end-of-life product with no display outputs, a 600 W suggested PSU, and 2016-era technology. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is active, supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, and fits in a smaller 168 mm package.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is generational. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation uses the AD104 chip built on TSMC's 5 nm process, while the Tesla P40 uses the GP102 chip on TSMC's 16 nm process. The Ada chip packs 35,800 million transistors into a 294 mm² die, giving it a transistor density of 121.8 million per square millimeter. The Pascal chip, by contrast, has 11,800 million transistors spread across a larger 471 mm² die, yielding just 25.1 million per square millimeter. That is roughly a 5x density advantage for Ada Lovelace.

The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation features 6,144 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 64 ROPs. It also includes 48 dedicated ray tracing cores and 192 tensor cores, neither of which exist on the Tesla P40. The P40 has 3,840 shading units, 240 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, so it actually has more texture units and ROPs. However, the Ada card compensates with far higher clock efficiency and modern compute features. The FP32 throughput tells the story: the Ada card delivers 19.17 TFLOPS, while the P40 manages 11.76 TFLOPS. FP16 is even more lopsided: the Ada card achieves 19.17 TFLOPS at a 1:1 ratio, while the P40 manages only 183.7 GFLOPS at a 1:64 ratio. That means the Ada card is over 100 times faster at FP16 compute, which is critical for AI and machine learning workloads.

The memory subsystems also differ fundamentally. The Ada card uses 20 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus, achieving 280.0 GB/s. The P40 uses 24 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus, achieving 347.1 GB/s. Despite the P40's higher bandwidth, the Ada card's superior architecture wins in practice. The Ada card also supports PCIe 4.0 x16, while the P40 is limited to PCIe 3.0 x16.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every specification category. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation has a base clock of 720 MHz and a boost clock of 1560 MHz, with memory running at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The Tesla P40 has a base clock of 1303 MHz, a boost clock of 1531 MHz, and memory at 1808 MHz (7.2 Gbps effective). Despite the P40's higher base clock, the Ada card's boost clock is slightly higher.

Power requirements are dramatically different. The Ada card has a 70 W TDP and requires no power connectors, with a suggested PSU of 250 W. The P40 has a 250 W TDP, requires an 8-pin EPS connector, and suggests a 600 W PSU. The Ada card is also much smaller: 168 mm long and 69 mm high, versus the P40's 267 mm length and 111 mm height. Both are dual-slot cards.

Display outputs are another major differentiator. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation has four mini-DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, while the Tesla P40 has no display outputs at all. This makes the P40 unsuitable for any workstation use that requires a monitor connection. The Ada card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the P40 only reaches DirectX 12 (12_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4.

The production status differs as well: the Ada card is active, while the P40 is end-of-life. The P40 was released on September 12, 2016, with a launch MSRP of 5,699 USD, while the Ada card was released on March 20, 2023. The P40's predecessor is Tesla Maxwell and its successor is Tesla Volta. The Ada card's predecessor is Workstation Ampere and its successor is Blackwell PRO W.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute performance?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation wins both recorded benchmarks. Its Geekbench OpenCL score is 124,812 versus 62,017 for the Tesla P40, a 101.3% lead. In Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 109,364 versus 68,172, a 60.4% lead.

Q: Does the Tesla P40 have any advantages?

A: Yes, the P40 has 24 GB of VRAM versus 20 GB on the Ada card, and higher memory bandwidth at 347.1 GB/s versus 280.0 GB/s. It also has a wider 384-bit bus versus the Ada card's 160-bit bus.

Q: Which card is more power efficient?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation draws 70 W with a suggested PSU of 250 W. The Tesla P40 draws 250 W with a suggested PSU of 600 W. The Ada card delivers nearly double the average benchmark score at less than a third of the power draw.

Q: Can the Tesla P40 output video to a display?

A: No, the Tesla P40 has no display outputs. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation has four mini-DisplayPort 1.4a outputs.

Q: What is the architectural generation difference?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation uses Ada Lovelace architecture on a 5 nm process with 35,800 million transistors. The Tesla P40 uses Pascal architecture on a 16 nm process with 11,800 million transistors. The Ada card also includes ray tracing cores and tensor cores, which the P40 lacks entirely.

Q: Which card supports newer graphics APIs?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2). The Tesla P40 is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation wins in most practical scenarios. It is the clear choice for FP16 compute, where its 19.17 TFLOPS dwarfs the P40's 183.7 GFLOPS. This makes it essential for AI inference, machine learning training, and any workload that relies on tensor operations. The Ada card's ray tracing cores also give it a decisive edge in rendering workloads that use ray-traced effects, which the P40 cannot accelerate at all. For any workstation use that requires a display, the Ada card's four mini-DisplayPort outputs are mandatory, as the P40 cannot drive a monitor.

The Ada card also wins on form factor and power. Its 168 mm length and 70 W TDP mean it can fit in compact SFF cases with minimal power supply requirements. The P40's 267 mm length and 250 W TDP demand a larger chassis and a 600 W PSU. For multi-GPU systems or dense compute nodes, the Ada card's lower power draw allows for more cards per system. The Ada card's PCIe 4.0 interface also doubles the bandwidth available for data transfer compared to the P40's PCIe 3.0.

The Tesla P40 wins only in specific memory-bound scenarios. Its 24 GB of VRAM is useful for datasets that exceed 20 GB, such as very large language models or high-resolution volumetric data. Its 384-bit bus and 347.1 GB/s bandwidth give it a theoretical advantage in streaming large contiguous blocks of data. However, the benchmark data shows this advantage does not translate into higher overall scores. The P40 also has more texture units (240 vs 192) and ROPs (96 vs 64), which could help in certain legacy rasterization workloads that are not captured in the recorded tests.

For most users, the decision is clear. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is newer, faster, more efficient, and more flexible. The Tesla P40 is a legacy product that only makes sense if you specifically need 24 GB of VRAM on a budget and cannot use the Ada card's compute features. Given that the P40 is end-of-life and the Ada card is active, the long-term support outlook also favors the newer card. The data shows a 2-0 win record for the Ada card, and the margins are too large to ignore.