NVIDIA CMP 70HX

NVIDIA CMP 70HX is a specialized Ampere-generation GPU built for mining workloads, and benchmark data shows it lands in a peculiar performance tier: its average score of 38,225 places it at the 81st percentile of all GPUs, which means it outperforms roughly four-fifths of the database while sitting in a dead heat with several mainstream gaming and mobile parts. The card’s benchmark results are defined by a stark split between OpenCL and Vulkan performance, with the former reaching 41,446 and the latter dropping to 35,003, a gap that suggests the hardware is optimized for compute-heavy tasks rather than graphics API efficiency. Because the CMP 70HX has no display outputs and is explicitly labeled as part of NVIDIA’s Mining GPUs generation, its relevance to general consumers is minimal, yet its raw compute numbers and memory bandwidth make it a fascinating anomaly in the benchmark database.

Benchmark Performance

The CMP 70HX delivers an average benchmark score of 38,225, which places it in the 81st percentile of all GPUs tracked in the database. This is a strong overall result, but the composition of that score reveals more nuance: the Geekbench OpenCL result of 41,446 is substantially higher than the Vulkan result of 35,003, a difference of roughly 18% within the card’s own results. This divergence indicates that the CMP 70HX excels in compute-oriented workloads that leverage OpenCL’s more flexible execution model, while its Vulkan performance, which is more closely tied to graphics pipeline efficiency, lags behind. For a card with no display outputs, the OpenCL strength is the more relevant metric, as it aligns with the parallel processing demands of mining algorithms.

When compared directly to its nearest rivals, the CMP 70HX is essentially tied with three other GPUs and modestly ahead of a fourth. The data shows a 0.2% advantage over the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile (average score 38,135) and a 0.6% lead over the NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A (average score 38,008). Conversely, the CMP 70HX trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile by 0.3% (average score 38,349) and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT by the same 0.3% margin (average score 38,358). These deltas are within noise for most benchmarking methodologies, meaning that in practical terms, the CMP 70HX performs at parity with a high-end mobile GPU, a desktop flagship from AMD, and a low-end mobile chip. That spread is unusual — it highlights how the CMP 70HX’s specialized architecture does not map cleanly onto conventional gaming hierarchies.

The raw compute figures reinforce the card’s compute-leaning profile: FP32 throughput is rated at 10.71 TFLOPS, with FP16 matching that at a 1:1 ratio, and texture rate reaches 167.4 GTexel/s alongside a pixel rate of 89.28 GPixel/s. These numbers are respectable for an Ampere part, but they are not exceptional by current standards; the card’s 30 RT cores and 120 tensor cores are present, though their utility is questionable in a mining context. The 81st percentile ranking suggests that the CMP 70HX outperforms most GPUs in the database, but the tight clustering of its nearest rivals indicates that its performance ceiling is firmly mid-pack relative to contemporary hardware.

Who Should Consider It

The CMP 70HX is not for gamers, and benchmark results make that clear: with no display outputs, any user requiring visual output must pair this card with a separate GPU, eliminating any practical benefit for desktop gaming. The card’s performance profile, however, could appeal to miners or compute enthusiasts who prioritize raw parallel throughput over graphics features. At 10.71 TFLOPS of FP32 performance and 608.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth, the CMP 70HX is well-suited for workloads that saturate memory bandwidth and execute large batches of arithmetic operations — the OpenCL score of 41,446 suggests strong compute headroom. For users targeting high-resolution compute tasks (simulations, rendering, or data processing), the 8 GB GDDR6X memory and 256-bit bus provide a solid foundation, though the 19 Gbps effective memory speed is the key enabler of that 608.3 GB/s bandwidth figure.

Resolution-based recommendations are tricky because the card lacks display outputs, but from a purely computational standpoint, the memory subsystem is capable of handling textures and datasets that would correspond to 1440p or 4K workloads. The 81st percentile ranking means that in a mixed workload environment, the CMP 70HX will outperform most GPUs, but it will not lead the pack. Users who already own a primary GPU for display and want a secondary compute accelerator could find the CMP 70HX viable, especially given its dual-slot form factor and 267 mm length, which fits most standard cases. However, the PCIe 1.0 x4 bus interface is a severe bottleneck for data transfer — this is not a card for users who need to move large datasets quickly between CPU and GPU.

Power and Cooling

The FACT PACK does not list a TDP for the CMP 70HX, but it does specify a suggested PSU rating of 200 W, which indicates that the card’s power draw is modest enough to run on a low-capacity power supply. This is a surprisingly low recommendation given the performance tier, and it suggests that NVIDIA designed the CMP 70HX with efficiency in mind, likely by clocking the GA104 chip conservatively — the base clock is 1365 MHz and the boost clock is only 1395 MHz, a narrow range that implies limited thermal headroom for overclocking. The card requires a single 12-pin power connector, which is a non-standard interface that may require an adapter for many power supplies, and the dual-slot cooling solution is adequate for a card with such a restrained clock profile.

The 8 nm process node from Samsung, with 17,400 million transistors on a 392 mm² die, results in a transistor density of 44.4 million per mm². This is a dense chip, but the low clock speeds keep power draw in check, aligning with the 200 W PSU recommendation. Users should note that the CMP 70HX has no display outputs, so it cannot output video, meaning any system using this card must have a separate GPU for display. The end-of-life production status adds a caveat: availability is limited, and buyers may need to source the card from secondary markets, where the 12-pin connector and lack of outputs could complicate installation.

How It Compares

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile: The CMP 70HX edges out this laptop GPU by 0.2% in average benchmark score, with the desktop card’s 38,225 versus the mobile part’s 38,135. This near-parity is remarkable given that the RTX 4080 Mobile is a modern high-end part, but the CMP 70HX’s compute-focused design evidently compensates for its older architecture. In practical terms, the two are interchangeable for compute tasks, though the CMP 70HX lacks the mobile chip’s display capabilities.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Mobile: The CMP 70HX trails this newer mobile GPU by 0.3%, with the RTX 5080 Mobile scoring 38,349. The difference is negligible, but it signals that the CMP 70HX is competitive with the latest generation of laptop GPUs despite being a mining-specific part. The RTX 5080 Mobile likely offers better efficiency and feature support, but raw compute scores place them on equal footing.

AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT: The CMP 70HX falls 0.3% behind this desktop flagship, which scores 38,358. This is the most surprising comparison — a mining GPU from the previous generation matching a current AMD top-tier card in aggregate benchmarks. The RX 7900 XT will win in gaming and ray tracing, but for pure compute, the CMP 70HX holds its ground.

NVIDIA GeForce MX570 A: The CMP 70HX leads this entry-level mobile GPU by 0.6%, with the MX570 A scoring 38,008. The gap is small, but it confirms that the CMP 70HX’s performance is not exceptional — it sits at a level where even low-end parts can compete, which underscores the card’s narrow specialization.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The CMP 70HX includes 30 RT cores and 120 tensor cores, matching the hardware found in NVIDIA’s Ampere gaming GPUs, but these features are largely vestigial for a mining card. The presence of RT cores suggests the hardware can theoretically handle ray-traced workloads, but with no display outputs, any ray tracing would be for off-screen rendering or compute tasks, not real-time visuals. The tensor cores could accelerate AI and deep learning inference, but the card’s mining-focused design and lack of driver optimization for such workloads limit their practical value.

API support is modern: the card supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. This means that in software environments that bypass display output (such as headless rendering farms), the CMP 70HX can leverage these APIs for compute tasks. The Vulkan score of 35,003, however, is notably lower than the OpenCL score, indicating that the card’s driver stack is less optimized for Vulkan’s execution model. For users considering this card for compute, OpenCL is clearly the stronger path, while Vulkan-based applications will see a measurable performance penalty relative to the card’s peak capability.

FAQ

Q: Does the CMP 70HX support ray tracing?

A: Yes, it has 30 RT cores, but with no display outputs, ray tracing is limited to off-screen compute workloads. There are no gaming scenarios where this card would be used for ray-traced visuals.

Q: Can I use the CMP 70HX for gaming?

A: No. The card has no display outputs, so it cannot connect to a monitor. It is explicitly part of NVIDIA’s Mining GPUs generation and is designed for compute tasks only.

Q: What power supply do I need for the CMP 70HX?

A: The suggested PSU rating is 200 W, and the card uses a single 12-pin power connector. This is a low requirement for the performance level, but the 12-pin connector may require an adapter.

Q: How does the CMP 70HX perform in Vulkan vs OpenCL?

A: The Geekbench OpenCL score is 41,446, while the Vulkan score is 35,003. OpenCL performance is significantly stronger, making it the preferred API for compute workloads.

Q: What is the memory configuration of the CMP 70HX?

A: It has 8 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 256-bit bus, with a bandwidth of 608.3 GB/s and 19 Gbps effective memory speed. This is a high-bandwidth setup suitable for memory-intensive compute.

Q: Is the CMP 70HX still in production?

A: No, the production status is end-of-life, so availability is limited to existing stock or secondary markets.

Memory Subsystem

The CMP 70HX is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6X memory, a type typically reserved for high-end graphics cards, and it operates over a 256-bit bus. The memory clock is rated at 1188 MHz, which translates to 19 Gbps effective speed, and the total bandwidth reaches 608.3 GB/s. This is a substantial memory pipeline that exceeds what many gaming GPUs offer, and it is clearly designed to feed the compute units with data as fast as possible — a critical requirement for mining algorithms that are memory-bound. The high bandwidth also benefits any workload that repeatedly accesses large datasets, such as hashing or matrix operations.

For high-resolution compute tasks, the 8 GB capacity is adequate but not generous; modern datasets can exceed this, and the card’s lack of display outputs means it is not intended for texture-heavy gaming workloads where VRAM pressure is common. The 256-bit bus width ensures that the memory controllers can sustain the 608.3 GB/s throughput without bottlenecks, and the GDDR6X type offers higher efficiency than standard GDDR6. The pixel rate of 89.28 GPixel/s and texture rate of 167.4 GTexel/s are consistent with the memory bandwidth, indicating a balanced design where the memory subsystem does not starve the GPU’s execution units. In aggregate, the memory configuration is the CMP 70HX’s strongest asset, and it explains why the card performs at parity with much newer GPUs in compute benchmarks despite its modest clock speeds.