NVIDIA Jetson TK1
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA Jetson TK1 Specifications
GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA Jetson TK1 GPU core specifications define its raw processing power for graphics and compute workloads. Shading units (also called CUDA cores, stream processors, or execution units depending on manufacturer) handle the parallel calculations required for rendering. TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) process texture data, while ROPs (Render Output Units) handle final pixel output. Higher shader counts generally translate to better GPU benchmark performance, especially in demanding games and 3D applications.
Jetson TK1 Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the Jetson TK1's performance in GPU benchmarks and real-world gaming. The base clock represents the minimum guaranteed frequency, while the boost clock indicates peak performance under optimal thermal conditions. Memory clock speed affects texture loading and frame buffer operations. The Jetson TK1 by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's Jetson TK1 Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The Jetson TK1's memory capacity determines how well it handles high-resolution textures and multiple displays. Memory bandwidth, measured in GB/s, affects how quickly data moves between the GPU and VRAM. Higher bandwidth improves performance in memory-intensive scenarios like 4K gaming. The memory bus width and type (GDDR6, GDDR6X, HBM) significantly influence overall GPU benchmark scores.
Jetson TK1 by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the Jetson TK1, reducing the need to fetch data from slower VRAM. L1 and L2 caches store frequently accessed data close to the compute units. AMD's Infinity Cache (L3) dramatically increases effective bandwidth, improving GPU benchmark performance without requiring wider memory buses. Larger cache sizes help maintain high frame rates in memory-bound scenarios and reduce power consumption by minimizing VRAM accesses.
Jetson TK1 Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA Jetson TK1 against other graphics cards. FP32 (single-precision) performance, measured in TFLOPS, indicates compute capability for gaming and general GPU workloads. FP64 (double-precision) matters for scientific computing. Pixel and texture fill rates determine how quickly the GPU can render complex scenes. While real-world GPU benchmark results depend on many factors, these specifications help predict relative performance levels.
Kepler 2.0 Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA Jetson TK1 is built on NVIDIA's Kepler 2.0 architecture, which defines how the GPU processes graphics and compute workloads. The manufacturing process node affects power efficiency, thermal characteristics, and maximum clock speeds. Smaller process nodes pack more transistors into the same die area, enabling higher performance per watt. Understanding the architecture helps predict how the Jetson TK1 will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA Jetson TK1 determine PSU requirements and thermal management needs. TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates the heat output under typical loads, guiding cooler selection. Power connector requirements ensure adequate power delivery for stable operation during demanding GPU benchmarks. The suggested PSU wattage accounts for the entire system, not just the graphics card. Efficient power delivery enables the Jetson TK1 to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
Jetson TK1 by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA Jetson TK1 are critical for case compatibility. Card length, height, and slot width determine whether it fits in your chassis. The PCIe interface version affects bandwidth for communication with the CPU. Display outputs define monitor connectivity options, with modern cards supporting multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously. Verify these specifications against your case and motherboard before purchasing to ensure a proper fit.
NVIDIA API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the NVIDIA Jetson TK1. DirectX 12 Ultimate enables advanced features like ray tracing and variable rate shading. Vulkan provides cross-platform graphics capabilities with low-level hardware access. OpenGL remains important for professional applications and older games. CUDA (NVIDIA) and OpenCL enable GPU compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific applications. Higher API versions unlock newer graphical features in GPU benchmarks and games.
Jetson TK1 Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA Jetson TK1 is manufactured by NVIDIA as part of their graphics card lineup. Release date and launch pricing provide context for comparing GPU benchmark results with competing products from the same era. Understanding the product lifecycle helps evaluate whether the Jetson TK1 by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
About NVIDIA Jetson TK1
The NVIDIA Jetson TK1 is a development platform built around the GK20A system-on-chip, representing NVIDIA's Kepler 2.0 architecture on a 28 nm TSMC process. It is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with a 127 mm x 127 mm board footprint, designed for embedded and mobile applications rather than desktop gaming. Its production status is end-of-life, with a release date of October 14, 2014, and it carries a 50th percentile ranking among all GPUs in the database, indicating it sits at the midpoint of the performance distribution.
Benchmark Performance
The Jetson TK1's benchmark data is minimal, with an average benchmark score of zero and no entries in the benchmarks array. This absence of direct scores makes numerical comparison against rivals impossible. However, the hardware specifications provide a clear picture of its computational ceiling. The GPU operates at a base clock of 756 MHz and a boost clock of 951 MHz, delivering a peak FP32 performance of 365.2 GFLOPS. This is a modest figure, placing it firmly in the entry-level segment for any compute-oriented task. The pixel rate is 3.804 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 7.608 GTexel/s, which are low by desktop standards but typical for a low-power IGP.
The 50th percentile ranking is a relative indicator, but with zero benchmark scores, this percentile is likely derived from the hardware configuration rather than actual test results. In practical terms, the 365.2 GFLOPS FP32 throughput is roughly what one would expect from a GPU designed for embedded use, not for driving high-frame-rate gaming at 1080p. The memory clock of 467 MHz (934 Mbps effective) and the 64-bit memory bus create a bandwidth ceiling of 7.472 GB/s, which will bottleneck any compute-heavy workload. For context, the boost clock represents a 25.8% increase over the base clock, which helps mitigate the low base frequency in short bursts, but the overall performance envelope remains constrained by the 8 W TDP.
How It Compares
The FACT PACK lists no nearest rivals for the Jetson TK1, and the benchmarks array is empty, so there are no direct competitor scores or deltaPct values to reference. This absence is itself informative: the Jetson TK1 is not positioned against conventional desktop GPUs or even typical mobile GPUs in the database's comparison framework. Its closest conceptual peers would be other embedded or development boards, but the data does not include any such entries.
Given the lack of rival data, the comparison must be drawn from the internal specifications. The 192 shading units, 8 texture mapping units, and 4 render output units form a very small execution core. The 4 ROPs, in particular, cap the pixel throughput at 3.804 GPixel/s, which is insufficient for high-resolution rendering. The 8 TMUs yield a texture rate of 7.608 GTexel/s, sufficient for simple 2D workloads but not for modern 3D scenes with heavy texture filtering. Without rival scores, the neutral analysis is that the Jetson TK1 is a specialized low-power part, not a competitor to any discrete or even integrated desktop GPU in the database.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The Jetson TK1 has no dedicated ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, as indicated by the null values in the FACT PACK. This means ray-traced effects, such as reflections, shadows, and global illumination, must be handled via compute shaders or not at all. The architecture is Kepler 2.0, which predates NVIDIA's dedicated RT and tensor hardware, so there is no hardware acceleration for these features. The API support includes DirectX 12 (11_0 feature level), OpenGL ES 3.1, and Vulkan 1.3. The DirectX 12 support at the 11_0 feature level is notable: it allows the GPU to run modern APIs but with the feature set of an older generation, meaning no mesh shaders, variable rate shading, or other DirectX 12 Ultimate features.
Vulkan 1.3 support is surprisingly modern for a 2014 chip, and it provides a viable path for developers to access the hardware's full capabilities through a low-overhead API. OpenGL ES 3.1 is the relevant standard for embedded graphics, and it enables compute shaders within the OpenGL ES ecosystem. The absence of RT and tensor cores means any machine learning or ray tracing workload would be purely software-based, and the 365.2 GFLOPS FP32 throughput is far too low for practical neural network inference. The 8 W TDP further limits sustained performance, making the Jetson TK1 a device for basic graphics output and light compute, not advanced rendering features.
Who Should Consider It
Based on the data, the Jetson TK1 is suited for developers and hobbyists working on embedded projects, robotics, or portable devices where power consumption is critical. The 8 W TDP is exceptionally low, and the 2 GB DDR3L memory is adequate for framebuffer operations at low resolutions. The pixel rate of 3.804 GPixel/s suggests that 1080p output is possible, but only for simple 2D interfaces or very light 3D scenes. At 720p, the GPU might handle basic 3D rendering, but the 7.472 GB/s bandwidth will limit texture streaming and high-detail geometry.
Users targeting high-refresh-rate gaming or 1440p/4K output should look elsewhere; the 4 ROPs and 64-bit memory bus are fundamental bottlenecks. The 365.2 GFLOPS FP32 performance is comparable to entry-level mobile GPUs from the same era, so it is not suitable for modern games even at low settings. The Vulkan 1.3 support is a bright spot, as it enables modern API usage for custom applications, but it does not change the raw hardware limitations. For compute tasks like image processing or sensor fusion, the Jetson TK1 can serve as a low-power co-processor, but the absence of tensor cores rules out any AI acceleration. The 50th percentile ranking suggests it is not the worst GPU in the database, but it is also not a performance leader; it occupies a niche for specific embedded use cases.
FAQ
Q: What is the peak FP32 performance of the Jetson TK1?
A: The FP32 performance is 365.2 GFLOPS, based on the base clock of 756 MHz and boost clock of 951 MHz across 192 shading units.
Q: Does the Jetson TK1 support hardware ray tracing?
A: No. The FACT PACK lists no RT cores and no tensor cores, so ray tracing must be done in software, which is impractical given the 365.2 GFLOPS compute throughput.
Q: What APIs are supported?
A: The GPU supports DirectX 12 (with an 11_0 feature level), OpenGL ES 3.1, and Vulkan 1.3. The Vulkan 1.3 support is the most modern API available on this hardware.
Q: How much memory bandwidth does the Jetson TK1 have?
A: The 2 GB DDR3L memory is connected via a 64-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 7.472 GB/s. The memory clock is 467 MHz, or 934 Mbps effective.
Q: What is the thermal design power?
A: The TDP is 8 W, which is very low and allows for passive cooling in many embedded designs. This is a key feature for portable or fanless applications.
Q: What is the pixel and texture fillrate?
A: The pixel rate is 3.804 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 7.608 GTexel/s. These are derived from the 4 ROPs and 8 TMUs respectively, at the boost clock.
Memory Subsystem
The Jetson TK1 is equipped with 2 GB of DDR3L memory, which is a low-voltage variant of DDR3, indicating a focus on power efficiency. The memory bus is 64 bits wide, which is narrow compared to desktop GPUs that typically use 128-bit or wider buses. This narrow bus, combined with a memory clock of 467 MHz (934 Mbps effective), results in a total bandwidth of 7.472 GB/s. This bandwidth figure is a significant constraint, as it is roughly an order of magnitude lower than even entry-level desktop discrete GPUs from the same period.
For high-resolution workloads, the 7.472 GB/s bandwidth means that texture fetching and framebuffer writes will be severely limited. At 1080p, a typical frame requires reading and writing several megabytes of data, and the 64-bit bus will struggle to keep up with any scene complexity. The 2 GB capacity is sufficient for the framebuffer and basic assets, but the bandwidth, not the capacity, is the bottleneck. The DDR3L type is also slower than GDDR5, which was common on discrete GPUs at the time. The 934 Mbps effective data rate is low; for comparison, the GPU's own FP32 throughput of 365.2 GFLOPS would require a much higher bandwidth to feed the shader units efficiently. In practice, the 4 ROPs and 8 TMUs are small enough that the 7.472 GB/s bandwidth may be balanced for the core's capabilities, but it means that any workload involving large data sets, such as high-resolution textures or complex post-processing, will experience stuttering or reduced frame rates. The 64-bit bus is a hard limit that cannot be overcome with software optimizations, so users should plan for low-resolution (720p or below) or simple 2D applications when using this platform.
Detailed benchmark scores and charts for the NVIDIA Jetson TK1 are below.
Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
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