GPU Comparison
NVIDIA RTX A4000
RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: NVIDIA RTX A4000 vs NVIDIA RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell
The NVIDIA RTX A4000 and NVIDIA RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell are two workstation GPUs from different NVIDIA generations, and the benchmark data shows a split decision. The A4000, built on the older Ampere architecture, wins 4 of 10 head-to-head tests, including the heavy compute and modern API workloads, while the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell, based on the newer Blackwell 2.0 architecture, takes 6 tests, dominating in legacy DirectX and 2D performance. The data indicates that neither card is a clean sweep; instead, each holds clear advantages in specific workload categories.
FAQ
Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?
A: The NVIDIA RTX A4000 has a higher average benchmark score of 26683, compared to the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell's 25269. This places the A4000 at the 72nd percentile among all GPUs, while the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell sits at the 70th percentile.
Q: How do the two cards compare in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test?
A: The NVIDIA RTX A4000 wins decisively in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, scoring 2604 against the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell's 2374.5, a 9.7% advantage for the A4000.
Q: Which GPU performs better in OpenCL compute workloads?
A: The NVIDIA RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell edges out the A4000 in the Geekbench OpenCL test, scoring 106087 versus 105739, a narrow 0.3% margin.
Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth between the two?
A: The NVIDIA RTX A4000 offers significantly higher memory bandwidth at 448.0 GB/s, while the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell provides 288.0 GB/s. The A4000 also uses a wider 256-bit memory bus compared to the 128-bit bus on the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell.
Q: Which card is more power-efficient based on TDP?
A: The NVIDIA RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell has a much lower TDP of 70 W, compared to the A4000's 140 W. This makes the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell more power-efficient, and it requires no power connectors, while the A4000 uses a single 6-pin connector.
Q: How do the two GPUs compare in PassMark G2D (2D graphics) performance?
A: The NVIDIA RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell wins the PassMark G2D test by a large margin, scoring 1303 against the A4000's 1024, a 21.4% difference in favor of the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell.
The Verdict
The data points to a clear split based on workload type. For users prioritizing raw compute throughput, particularly in GPU compute tasks, the NVIDIA RTX A4000 is the stronger choice. Its 16.2% lead in the PassMark GPU Compute test (9760 vs 8396) and its 9.7% win in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 (2604 vs 2374.5) demonstrate superior raw processing capability in modern, demanding scenarios. The A4000 also holds a 12.1% advantage in Geekbench Vulkan (127645 vs 113865), indicating better performance in Vulkan-based applications.
Conversely, the NVIDIA RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell is the better option for users whose workloads involve older DirectX APIs, 2D graphics, or who require a low-power, compact solution. It wins the PassMark DirectX 11 test by 9.2% (174 vs 158) and the DirectX 12 test by 10% (80 vs 72). Its 21.4% lead in PassMark G2D (1303 vs 1024) suggests superior 2D rendering performance. The RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell also has a much lower TDP at 70 W, making it suitable for systems with limited power budgets, and its smaller dimensions (167 mm length, 69 mm height) make it easier to fit in space-constrained chassis.
The overall win count favors the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell with 6 wins out of 10 head-to-head tests, but the A4000's wins are in more compute-intensive and modern API benchmarks. Therefore, the verdict is that the A4000 is the pick for compute-heavy professional workloads, while the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell is the pick for general workstation tasks, 2D-heavy applications, and power-sensitive deployments.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The largest win for the NVIDIA RTX A4000 comes in the PassMark GPU Compute test, where it scores 9760 against the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell's 8396, a 16.2% advantage. This is followed by a 12.1% win in Geekbench Vulkan (127645 vs 113865) and a 9.7% win in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 (2604 vs 2374.5). The A4000 also narrowly wins PassMark DirectX 10 by 3.3% (126 vs 122). These wins indicate that the A4000 maintains a substantial edge in compute shader performance and Vulkan-based rendering.
The NVIDIA RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell's biggest win is in PassMark G2D, where it scores 1303 versus the A4000's 1024, a massive 21.4% difference. In PassMark DirectX 12, the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell wins by 10% (80 vs 72), and in PassMark DirectX 11, it wins by 9.2% (174 vs 158). It also takes narrow wins in PassMark DirectX 9 (241 vs 240, a 0.4% margin) and Geekbench OpenCL (106087 vs 105739, a 0.3% margin). Finally, it wins PassMark G3D by 2.9% (20049 vs 19459). These results show the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell excels in legacy API paths and 2D acceleration, while also being competitive in overall 3D performance.
Specification Differences
The two GPUs differ significantly in their core specifications. The NVIDIA RTX A4000 uses the GA104 chip and is built on the Ampere architecture, while the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell uses the GB206 chip with the Blackwell 2.0 architecture. The process node differs as well: the A4000 is on an 8 nm process from Samsung, while the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell is on a 5 nm process from TSMC. This leads to a difference in transistor density, with the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell at 121.0M / mm² compared to the A4000's 44.4M / mm², despite the A4000 having a larger die size of 392 mm² versus 181 mm².
In terms of compute units, the A4000 has more shading units (6144 vs 4352), more TMUs (192 vs 136), and more ROPs (96 vs 48). The A4000 also has more RT cores (48 vs 34) and more tensor cores (192 vs 136). However, the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell has higher clock speeds, with a base clock of 982 MHz and a boost clock of 1957 MHz, compared to the A4000's base of 735 MHz and boost of 1560 MHz.
Memory configurations differ as well. Both have 16 GB of memory, but the A4000 uses GDDR6 with a 256-bit bus and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell uses GDDR7 with a 128-bit bus and 288.0 GB/s bandwidth. The A4000 has a higher TDP of 140 W and requires a single 6-pin power connector, while the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell has a 70 W TDP and needs no power connectors. The A4000 is also longer at 241 mm, while the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell is 167 mm long. The bus interface differs: PCIe 4.0 x16 on the A4000 versus PCIe 5.0 x8 on the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell.
Architecture Differences
The NVIDIA RTX A4000 is based on the Ampere architecture, which uses an 8 nm process node from Samsung. It has a transistor count of 17,400 million on a 392 mm² die. The RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell, in contrast, uses the Blackwell 2.0 architecture on a 5 nm process from TSMC, with 21,900 million transistors on a smaller 181 mm² die. This results in a much higher transistor density for the Blackwell chip (121.0M / mm²) compared to the Ampere chip (44.4M / mm²).
The A4000 features a larger memory system with a 256-bit bus and GDDR6 memory, while the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell uses a 128-bit bus with GDDR7 memory. The A4000's memory bandwidth of 448.0 GB/s is substantially higher than the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell's 288.0 GB/s. The A4000 also has more execution resources, including 6144 shading units, 192 TMUs, 96 ROPs, 48 RT cores, and 192 tensor cores. The RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell has fewer of each: 4352 shading units, 136 TMUs, 48 ROPs, 34 RT cores, and 136 tensor cores.
Clock speeds favor the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell, which runs at a base of 982 MHz and a boost of 1957 MHz, while the A4000 runs at 735 MHz base and 1560 MHz boost. This higher clock speed on the Blackwell card helps it achieve competitive FP32 performance (17.03 TFLOPS) close to the A4000's 19.17 TFLOPS, despite having fewer cores. The RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell also benefits from a newer display output standard, offering 4x mini-DisplayPort 2.1b, whereas the A4000 has 4x DisplayPort 1.4a.
Where Each One Wins
The NVIDIA RTX A4000 is the clear winner in compute-intensive workloads. Its 16.2% lead in PassMark GPU Compute (9760 vs 8396) shows that it handles general-purpose GPU compute tasks more effectively. The A4000 also wins in modern API benchmarks, taking a 9.7% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 (2604 vs 2374.5) and a 12.1% lead in Geekbench Vulkan (127645 vs 113865). These results suggest the A4000 is better suited for applications that leverage DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan, such as advanced rendering and simulation workloads. Additionally, its higher memory bandwidth (448.0 GB/s) and wider bus (256-bit) make it better for large data sets and high-resolution textures.
The NVIDIA RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell excels in legacy DirectX performance and 2D graphics. It wins PassMark DirectX 11 by 9.2% (174 vs 158) and PassMark DirectX 12 by 10% (80 vs 72), making it a better choice for older applications or those that rely on these API paths. Its 21.4% win in PassMark G2D (1303 vs 1024) indicates superior 2D rendering and desktop compositing performance. The RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell also takes the PassMark G3D test by 2.9% (20049 vs 19459), suggesting it has a slight edge in general 3D workloads. Furthermore, its lower TDP of 70 W and lack of power connectors make it ideal for power-constrained environments, and its smaller footprint (167 mm length) allows for easier installation in compact systems. For users running a mix of office productivity, 2D design, and moderate 3D applications, the RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell provides a balanced performance profile.