GPU Comparison

The NVIDIA TITAN RTX and NVIDIA Tesla M60 represent two distinct eras of NVIDIA’s computing lineup, separated by architecture, memory design, and intended workloads. The TITAN RTX, built on the 12 nm Turing architecture with 18,600 million transistors, is a consumer-prosumer hybrid, while the Tesla M60, a 28 nm Maxwell 2.0 part with 5,200 million transistors, targets datacenter virtualization. Benchmark data shows the TITAN RTX leads decisively in the two shared tests, but the Tesla M60 holds its own in percentile ranking, sitting at 75 versus the TITAN RTX’s 76. This page breaks down the architectural chasm, specification gaps, and benchmark results to clarify which card suits which scenario.

FAQ

Q: How do the two cards compare in average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA TITAN RTX has an average benchmark score of 31,676, while the NVIDIA Tesla M60 scores 30,490. This places the TITAN RTX 3.9% ahead of the Tesla M60 in aggregate performance.

Q: What is the performance difference in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The TITAN RTX scores 144,858 in Geekbench OpenCL, compared to the Tesla M60’s 29,506. This results in a 390.9% advantage for the TITAN RTX, making it the clear winner in this compute-heavy test.

Q: Which card has a higher memory bandwidth, and by how much?

A: The TITAN RTX offers 672.0 GB/s of bandwidth with 24 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 384-bit bus. The Tesla M60 provides 160.4 GB/s with 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, meaning the TITAN RTX has roughly four times the bandwidth.

Q: Are there any benchmark tests where the Tesla M60 wins?

A: No. In the head-to-head benchmarks, the TITAN RTX wins both Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan. The Tesla M60 has zero wins in the compared tests.

Q: What is the transistor density difference between the two chips?

A: The TITAN RTX’s TU102 chip has a transistor density of 24.7M per mm² on a 754 mm² die. The Tesla M60’s GM204 chip has a density of 13.1M per mm² on a 398 mm² die, reflecting the older 28 nm process.

Q: How does the TITAN RTX’s percentile rank compare to the Tesla M60’s?

A: The TITAN RTX sits in the 76th percentile of all GPUs, while the Tesla M60 is in the 75th percentile. Despite the large benchmark lead, the percentile gap is narrow, indicating both cards are near the top of the historical performance distribution.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide is stark. The TITAN RTX uses the TU102 chip on TSMC’s 12 nm process, packing 18,600 million transistors into a 754 mm² die. The Tesla M60 uses the GM204 chip on TSMC’s 28 nm process, with 5,200 million transistors on a 398 mm² die. This translates to a transistor density of 24.7M per mm² for the TITAN RTX versus 13.1M per mm² for the Tesla M60.

The TITAN RTX is built on the Turing architecture, which introduces dedicated RT cores (72) and Tensor cores (576). These hardware units accelerate ray tracing and AI inference workloads, features entirely absent from the Tesla M60’s Maxwell 2.0 design. The Tesla M60 has no RT cores and no Tensor cores, relying purely on traditional shader processing.

Clock behavior differs significantly. The TITAN RTX has a base clock of 1350 MHz and a boost clock of 1770 MHz. The Tesla M60 has a much lower base clock of 557 MHz but boosts to 1178 MHz. The TITAN RTX’s higher sustained clocks, combined with newer architecture, drive its massive shader throughput advantage.

Memory architecture is another major split. The TITAN RTX uses 24 GB of GDDR6 at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) on a 384-bit bus, achieving 672.0 GB/s. The Tesla M60 uses 8 GB of GDDR5 at 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective) on a 256-bit bus, capping at 160.4 GB/s. The TITAN RTX also offers display outputs (1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Type-C), while the Tesla M60 has no outputs, reflecting its server-oriented role.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split in purpose. For any workload involving Geekbench OpenCL or Vulkan, the TITAN RTX is the obvious choice, delivering 390.9% and 332.3% higher scores respectively. Its 24 GB GDDR6 memory and 672.0 GB/s bandwidth make it suitable for large datasets, ray tracing, and AI tasks, given its RT and Tensor cores.

The Tesla M60, despite its lower raw performance, remains relevant for specific virtualized datacenter environments. Its 75th percentile rank is nearly identical to the TITAN RTX’s 76th, suggesting that in the broader GPU landscape, both are high-end performers. The Tesla M60’s 300 W TDP and single 8-pin connector, versus the TITAN RTX’s 280 W and dual 8-pin, indicate different power delivery expectations.

Choose the TITAN RTX if you need maximum compute, modern features like RT cores, and display connectivity. Choose the Tesla M60 if you require a Maxwell-based solution for legacy virtualization stacks, where its lack of display outputs and lower memory are acceptable trade-offs. The benchmark data does not support the Tesla M60 for general-purpose performance, but its architectural simplicity may align with specific software compatibility requirements.

Specification Differences

The two cards diverge on nearly every measurable specification. The TITAN RTX has 4608 shading units, 288 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, versus the Tesla M60’s 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The TITAN RTX’s pixel rate is 169.9 GPixel/s and texture rate is 509.8 GTexel/s, while the Tesla M60 manages 75.39 GPixel/s and 150.8 GTexel/s.

FP32 compute is another chasm: the TITAN RTX delivers 16.31 TFLOPS, while the Tesla M60 provides 4.825 TFLOPS. The TITAN RTX also supports FP16 at 32.62 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), whereas the Tesla M60 has no listed FP16 capability.

Memory specs differ as noted: 24 GB GDDR6 versus 8 GB GDDR5, 384-bit versus 256-bit bus, and 672.0 GB/s versus 160.4 GB/s. The TITAN RTX uses 2x 8-pin power connectors and suggests a 600 W PSU, while the Tesla M60 uses 1x 8-pin and suggests a 700 W PSU. Both are dual-slot and 267 mm long, but the TITAN RTX adds height (116 mm) and width (35 mm) dimensions that the Tesla M60 lacks.

API support differs: the TITAN RTX supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the Tesla M60 only reaches DirectX 12 (12_1). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4. The TITAN RTX has a launch MSRP of 2,499 USD, while the Tesla M60 has no listed launch MSRP.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is limited to two tests, but the results are unambiguous. In Geekbench OpenCL, the TITAN RTX scores 144,858 against the Tesla M60’s 29,506. This is a 390.9% delta, meaning the TITAN RTX is nearly five times faster in this compute workload. The gap reflects the combined effect of newer architecture, higher clocks, and more memory bandwidth.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the TITAN RTX scores 136,073 versus the Tesla M60’s 31,473, a 332.3% advantage. While slightly narrower than the OpenCL gap, this still represents a dominant win for the TITAN RTX. The Tesla M60’s Maxwell architecture lacks the modern graphics features that Vulkan can leverage, explaining the consistent shortfall.

The TITAN RTX wins 2 out of 2 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Tesla M60 wins none. However, the Tesla M60’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA CMP 70HX (0% delta) and AMD Radeon RX 6700 (0.2% delta), suggesting it is competitive within its own performance class. The TITAN RTX’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell (0.5% delta) and Intel Arc Pro A30M (-0.7% delta), indicating it sits in a different, higher tier.

Where Each One Wins

The TITAN RTX wins in every measurable benchmark category from the data. Its Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan scores are 390.9% and 332.3% higher, respectively. This makes it the clear winner for compute-heavy tasks like machine learning training, scientific simulation, and 3D rendering, where its 16.31 TFLOPS FP32 and 32.62 TFLOPS FP16 provide massive throughput.

The TITAN RTX also wins on memory capacity and bandwidth, with 24 GB GDDR6 at 672.0 GB/s, enabling larger datasets and faster texture streaming. Its RT cores and Tensor cores add capabilities the Tesla M60 cannot match, making it suited for ray-traced graphics and AI inference. The presence of display outputs means it can drive monitors directly, unlike the Tesla M60.

The Tesla M60’s wins are more situational. Its 300 W TDP, while higher than the TITAN RTX’s 280 W, is paired with a single 8-pin connector, potentially simplifying power cabling in some server chassis. Its 75th percentile rank, nearly tied with the TITAN RTX’s 76th, suggests it remains a viable option in legacy datacenter deployments where Maxwell-based virtualization profiles are required. The lack of display outputs is a non-issue for headless servers.

For users prioritizing raw benchmark performance, modern features, and memory headroom, the TITAN RTX is the only choice from this data. For those maintaining older virtualized infrastructure with specific Maxwell driver requirements, the Tesla M60 holds a niche, but benchmark results do not support any performance-based preference for it.