NVIDIA RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell SFF vs NVIDIA Rubin GPU Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The two GPUs in this comparison occupy entirely different segments of the market, and the data reflects that clearly. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell SFF is a workstation-focused card designed for compact systems, while the NVIDIA Rubin GPU is a server-class accelerator built for massive compute workloads. Their benchmark profiles could not be more different.

The RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell SFF has a recorded benchmark result in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, scoring 2910 points. This places it in the 19th percentile among all GPUs in the database, meaning it outperforms roughly one-fifth of all recorded graphics cards. Its nearest rivals are consumer GeForce cards: the RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB scores 2907 (0.1% behind), the RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB scores 2913 (0.1% ahead), and the RTX 4010 scores 2893 (0.6% behind). The RTX PRO 4000 also sits within 0.4% of the Quadro P600, which scores 2923. These are remarkably tight margins, indicating that in this specific DX12 workload, the RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell SFF delivers performance essentially identical to mid-range consumer cards.

The Rubin GPU, by contrast, has no recorded benchmarks in the database. Its average benchmark score is listed as 0, and it has no nearest rivals. This does not mean it is slow; rather, it means no standardized gaming or workstation benchmark results have been captured for it. The Rubin GPU is a server part, and its lack of display outputs and its SXM Module form factor confirm it is not intended for conventional graphics workloads where such benchmarks apply.

The use-case split is therefore stark. The RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell SFF wins in every measurable graphics benchmark category simply because it has data. It delivers a 2910 score in a demanding DX12 test, which positions it alongside the RTX 4060 Ti family. The Rubin GPU wins in raw compute potential, server integration, and memory capacity, but none of that is reflected in standardized benchmark scores because none exist in the database. For anyone comparing these two directly as graphics cards, the RTX PRO 4000 is the only one with verifiable graphics performance.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two parts is enormous, and it begins with the manufacturing process. The RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell SFF uses a 5 nm process at TSMC, while the Rubin GPU uses a 3 nm process at the same foundry. The die sizes reflect their different purposes: the RTX PRO 4000 has a die measuring 378 mm², while the Rubin GPU's die spans 1456 mm², nearly four times larger. Transistor counts tell an even more dramatic story. The RTX PRO 4000 packs 45,600 million transistors, while the Rubin GPU contains 336,000 million, roughly 7.4 times more. Transistor density also differs substantially: the RTX PRO 4000 achieves 120.6 million transistors per mm², while the Rubin GPU reaches 230.8 million per mm², reflecting the denser 3 nm process.

The architectures themselves are generations apart. The RTX PRO 4000 uses Blackwell 2.0 architecture, belonging to the Blackwell PRO Workstation generation (x000 series). The Rubin GPU uses the Rubin architecture and belongs to the Server Rubin generation (Rxx series). This is not a minor revision; it is a completely different architectural family designed for different workloads.

Core configurations diverge sharply. The RTX PRO 4000 has 8960 shading units, 280 texture mapping units, and 96 ROPs. It also includes 70 ray tracing cores and 280 tensor cores. The Rubin GPU has 28,672 shading units, 896 texture mapping units, but only 24 ROPs. It has no ray tracing core count listed and includes 896 tensor cores. The Rubin's low ROP count (24 versus 96) is notable and indicates it is not designed for traditional rasterization output; its pixel rate of 54.41 GPixel/s is less than half of the RTX PRO 4000's 128.8 GPixel/s.

Clock speeds also reflect different design philosophies. The RTX PRO 4000 has a base clock of 405 MHz and a boost clock of 1342 MHz. The Rubin GPU has a base clock of 700 MHz and a boost clock of 2267 MHz. The Rubin runs significantly faster, but its thermal design power is 2300 W compared to the RTX PRO 4000's 70 W. These are not comparable products in any conventional sense.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark table in the database is empty, and the wins counter shows 0 for both parts. This means no direct comparative benchmark results exist between the RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell SFF and the Rubin GPU. The only recorded benchmark for either product is the RTX PRO 4000's 2910 score in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12.

That single score provides meaningful context when compared to the RTX PRO 4000's nearest rivals. Against the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB, which averages 2907, the RTX PRO 4000 leads by 0.1%. Against the RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB, which averages 2913, the RTX PRO 4000 trails by 0.1%. Against the Quadro P600, which averages 2923, the RTX PRO 4000 is behind by 0.4%. Against the RTX 4010, which averages 2893, the RTX PRO 4000 leads by 0.6%. These deltas are all within a single percentage point, indicating that the RTX PRO 4000's DX12 performance is essentially equivalent to this cluster of GPUs.

The Rubin GPU has no benchmark scores, no nearest rivals, and no average score. Its percentile ranking of 50 is a default placeholder, not a measured result. The data cannot show how the Rubin performs in any graphics workload because no such measurement exists. What the data does show is the Rubin's compute specifications: 130.0 TFLOPS FP32 performance, 260.0 TFLOPS FP16 performance (at a 2:1 ratio), and a texture rate of 2031.2 GTexel/s. The RTX PRO 4000 delivers 24.05 TFLOPS FP32 and 24.05 TFLOPS FP16 (at 1:1), with a texture rate of 375.8 GTexel/s. The Rubin's FP32 throughput is roughly 5.4 times higher, and its FP16 throughput is roughly 10.8 times higher. These are the only meaningful head-to-head numbers available, and they come from specification data rather than benchmark runs.

The memory comparison is equally lopsided. The RTX PRO 4000 has 24 GB of GDDR7 on a 192-bit bus, delivering 432.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Rubin GPU has 288 GB of HBM4 on a 16384-bit bus, delivering 22.1 TB/s of bandwidth. That is roughly 51 times more bandwidth and 12 times more memory capacity.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher benchmark score in the database?

A: The RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell SFF has a recorded score of 2910 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12. The Rubin GPU has no recorded benchmark scores, with an average score listed as 0.

Q: How does the RTX PRO 4000 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The RTX PRO 4000 scores 2910, which is 0.1% ahead of the RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB (2907), 0.1% behind the RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB (2913), 0.4% behind the Quadro P600 (2923), and 0.6% ahead of the RTX 4010 (2893). All deltas are within 0.6%.

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The Rubin GPU has 22.1 TB/s of bandwidth from 288 GB of HBM4 memory on a 16384-bit bus. The RTX PRO 4000 has 432.0 GB/s from 24 GB of GDDR7 on a 192-bit bus.

Q: What is the transistor count difference between the two?

A: The RTX PRO 4000 contains 45,600 million transistors on a 378 mm² die. The Rubin GPU contains 336,000 million transistors on a 1456 mm² die.

Q: Which GPU has display outputs?

A: The RTX PRO 4000 has 4x mini-DisplayPort 2.1b outputs. The Rubin GPU has no display outputs, as it is a server module.

Q: What are the FP32 performance figures for each?

A: The RTX PRO 4000 delivers 24.05 TFLOPS FP32. The Rubin GPU delivers 130.0 TFLOPS FP32, which is roughly 5.4 times higher.

The Verdict

The data presents two products that share a manufacturer but almost nothing else. The RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell SFF is a workstation graphics card with verified performance in a modern DX12 benchmark. Its 2910 score places it in the 19th percentile of all GPUs, and its nearest rivals are all within 0.6% of its performance. For anyone needing a compact, dual-slot card with four display outputs, PCIe 5.0 x8 connectivity, and 24 GB of GDDR7 memory, the recorded data confirms it delivers performance on par with the RTX 4060 Ti family.

The Rubin GPU is a different category entirely. With no benchmark scores, no display outputs, and an SXM Module form factor, it is clearly a server accelerator. Its specifications indicate massive compute capability: 130.0 TFLOPS FP32, 260.0 TFLOPS FP16, 288 GB of HBM4, and 22.1 TB/s of bandwidth. Its 2300 W thermal design power and 2700 W suggested PSU requirement place it firmly in datacenter infrastructure, not desktop workstations. The absence of benchmark data means its real-world performance in standardized tests remains unverified, but its raw specifications suggest it is intended for workloads where graphics benchmarks are irrelevant.

The choice between these two is dictated by the workload. The RTX PRO 4000 is the only one with measurable graphics performance, making it the logical pick for any task involving rendering, display output, or standard GPU benchmarks. The Rubin GPU is the pick for server compute where memory bandwidth, FP16 throughput, and massive memory capacity are the priorities. Neither product can substitute for the other.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification field in the database.

Process and Die: The RTX PRO 4000 uses a 5 nm process with a 378 mm² die and 45,600 million transistors. The Rubin GPU uses a 3 nm process with a 1456 mm² die and 336,000 million transistors.

Architecture and Generation: The RTX PRO 4000 uses Blackwell 2.0 architecture in the Blackwell PRO Workstation generation. The Rubin GPU uses Rubin architecture in the Server Rubin generation.

Clocks: The RTX PRO 4000 has a 405 MHz base clock and 1342 MHz boost clock. The Rubin GPU has a 700 MHz base clock and 2267 MHz boost clock.

Memory: The RTX PRO 4000 has 24 GB of GDDR7 on a 192-bit bus with 432.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Rubin GPU has 288 GB of HBM4 on a 16384-bit bus with 22.1 TB/s bandwidth.

Core Configuration: The RTX PRO 4000 has 8960 shading units, 280 TMUs, 96 ROPs, 70 RT cores, and 280 tensor cores. The Rubin GPU has 28,672 shading units, 896 TMUs, 24 ROPs, no recorded RT core count, and 896 tensor cores.

Performance Rates: The RTX PRO 4000 achieves 128.8 GPixel/s pixel rate, 375.8 GTexel/s texture rate, 24.05 TFLOPS FP32, and 24.05 TFLOPS FP16 (1:1). The Rubin GPU achieves 54.41 GPixel/s pixel rate, 2031.2 GTexel/s texture rate, 130.0 TFLOPS FP32, and 260.0 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1).

Power and Cooling: The RTX PRO 4000 has a 70 W TDP, is dual-slot, has no power connectors, and requires a 250 W PSU. The Rubin GPU has a 2300 W TDP, is an SXM Module, has no listed power connectors, and requires a 2700 W PSU.

Interface and Outputs: The RTX PRO 4000 uses PCIe 5.0 x8 and has 4x mini-DisplayPort 2.1b outputs. The Rubin GPU uses PCIe 6.0 x16 and has no display outputs.

API Support: The RTX PRO 4000 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Rubin GPU lists N/A for all three APIs.

Dimensions: The RTX PRO 4000 measures 167 mm in length, 69 mm in height, and 40 mm in width. The Rubin GPU has no recorded dimensions.

Release Timing: The RTX PRO 4000 has a release date of August 10, 2025. The Rubin GPU has a release date of December 31, 2025.