NVIDIA Quadro K5000 SYNC
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA Quadro K5000 SYNC Specifications
GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA Quadro K5000 SYNC 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.
Quadro K5000 SYNC Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the Quadro K5000 SYNC'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 Quadro K5000 SYNC by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's Quadro K5000 SYNC Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The Quadro K5000 SYNC'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.
Quadro K5000 SYNC by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the Quadro K5000 SYNC, 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.
Quadro K5000 SYNC Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA Quadro K5000 SYNC 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 Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA Quadro K5000 SYNC is built on NVIDIA's Kepler 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 Quadro K5000 SYNC will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA Quadro K5000 SYNC 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 Quadro K5000 SYNC to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
Quadro K5000 SYNC by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA Quadro K5000 SYNC 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 Quadro K5000 SYNC. 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.
Quadro K5000 SYNC Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA Quadro K5000 SYNC 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 Quadro K5000 SYNC by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
About NVIDIA Quadro K5000 SYNC
The NVIDIA Quadro K5000 SYNC is a professional workstation graphics card built on the Kepler architecture, occupying a specific niche in the legacy Quadro lineup. Released in early 2013 for the high-end visualization market, this triple-slot card was designed for synchronous multi-display setups and demanding CAD/DCC workloads. With no direct benchmark scores or nearest rivals provided in the data, this analysis focuses on the card's raw specifications and architectural capabilities to contextualize its position relative to contemporaries and its suitability for specific professional tasks.
Benchmark Performance
The FACT PACK provides no direct benchmark scores, average performance ratings, or percentile rankings beyond a "percentileVsAllGpus" value of 50, which indicates this card sits at the median of all GPUs ever tracked by the database. This mid-pack positioning is notable given its professional pedigree; it suggests that while the K5000 SYNC was a formidable tool for workstation tasks in its era, modern consumer and even entry-level professional cards have long surpassed its raw compute output.
The card delivers 2.169 TFLOPS of FP32 compute power, driven by 1536 shading units operating in a Kepler architecture configuration. This compute throughput is paired with 128 texture mapping units and 32 raster operations pipelines, yielding a texture fill rate of 90.37 GTexel/s and a pixel rate of 22.59 GPixel/s. For context within the Kepler generation, these figures place the K5000 SYNC as a mid-to-high-tier professional offering, though it lacks the fully-enabled GK110 silicon found in the top-end K6000. The FP32 performance is particularly relevant for single-precision scientific simulation and complex 3D modeling, but the absence of FP16 support (listed as null) indicates the card predates the mixed-precision computing trends that later became crucial for AI-assisted workflows.
The lack of benchmark deltas against rivals means we cannot quantify its performance gap, but the architectural data alone tells a story: the K5000 SYNC was engineered for sustained, driver-optimized performance in professional applications rather than raw gaming frame rates. Its 50th percentile standing suggests it remains a capable entry-level solution for legacy software, but modern datasets and shader complexity would likely expose its age.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The Quadro K5000 SYNC contains no dedicated ray tracing cores (rtCores: null) and no tensor cores (tensorCores: null), reflecting its Kepler-era design that predates NVIDIA's RTX architecture by over five years. Consequently, hardware-accelerated ray tracing is entirely absent from this card's feature set. Professional workloads that require photorealistic rendering would have relied on compute-based ray tracing through CUDA cores, which the 1536 shading units could execute, albeit with significantly lower efficiency than modern hardware.
API support in the FACT PACK reveals a card that was forward-looking for its time but has since been left behind by industry evolution. It supports DirectX 12 (at feature level 11_0), which is a functional but limited implementation lacking the advanced features of full DirectX 12 Ultimate. OpenGL 4.6 compliance is solid for legacy professional applications, and Vulkan 1.2.175 support extends its usability to modern cross-platform graphics APIs. The display output configuration—2x DVI, 2x DisplayPort 1.2, and 1x SDI—is particularly telling of its SYNC branding, which emphasizes frame-locked multi-display synchronization for broadcast and post-production environments. The SDI output is a professional broadcast standard, making this card uniquely suited for video walls and real-time production pipelines rather than traditional desktop computing.
Memory Subsystem
The memory configuration of the Quadro K5000 SYNC is anchored by 4 GB of GDDR5 VRAM, a substantial allocation for its 2013 release but modest by contemporary standards. The memory operates at 1350 MHz (5.4 Gbps effective) across a 256-bit bus, producing a bandwidth of 172.8 GB/s. This bandwidth is the critical metric for high-resolution texture streaming and large dataset manipulation in professional applications.
For 4K resolution workloads, the 4 GB capacity creates a hard ceiling. Modern 3D scenes with high-resolution textures, complex geometry, and multi-viewport layouts could easily exceed this limit, leading to texture thrashing and performance degradation. However, for 1080p and 1440p professional work—particularly in CAD, architectural visualization, and broadcast graphics—the 172.8 GB/s bandwidth is adequate to keep the 1536 shading units fed without starvation. The 256-bit bus width is a balanced design point, offering twice the bandwidth of 128-bit cards of its era while maintaining reasonable manufacturing complexity. The absence of HBM or newer GDDR6X technology means this card is fundamentally limited by memory bandwidth in memory-heavy scenarios, but within its intended 2013-era workload profile, the subsystem was well-matched to the GPU's compute capabilities.
How It Compares
The FACT PACK lists no nearest rivals with names, scores, or deltaPct values, so a direct comparative analysis is impossible. However, the provided production status (End-of-life), predecessor (Quadro Fermi), and successor (Quadro Maxwell) allow for a generational positioning narrative.
Against Quadro Fermi (Predecessor): The K5000 SYNC's Kepler architecture brings significant architectural improvements over the older Fermi-based Quadro cards. Kepler's 28 nm process node (TSMC) versus Fermi's older node allows for a higher transistor count (3,540 million) and better power efficiency. The 2.169 TFLOPS FP32 output represents a major leap over Fermi's compute capability, and the inclusion of PCIe 2.0 x16 interface (unchanged from Fermi) suggests NVIDIA focused on compute and memory improvements rather than bus upgrades.
Against Quadro Maxwell (Successor): The successor generation, Maxwell, would later offer better power efficiency and improved geometry processing. The K5000 SYNC's 122 W TDP and triple-slot cooling solution appear excessive compared to the efficiency gains Maxwell brought. However, the SYNC variant's specialized SDI output and frame-lock capabilities are features that were not universally carried forward, making this card uniquely valuable for specific broadcast applications even after its successor arrived.
In the Broader Market: With a 50th percentile ranking against all GPUs, the K5000 SYNC is neither a high-performance outlier nor a low-end entry. It occupies a middle ground where its professional feature set (SDI output, synchronization support) provides value beyond raw compute. The 4 GB VRAM and 172.8 GB/s bandwidth are comparable to mid-range consumer cards of its generation, but the driver certifications and stability guarantees for professional software are the primary differentiators.
Power and Cooling
The Quadro K5000 SYNC carries a 122 W TDP, which is remarkably modest for a triple-slot professional card with 1536 active shading units. This power envelope is made possible by the Kepler architecture's efficiency on the 28 nm TSMC process. The card requires two 6-pin power connectors, indicating a peak draw that exceeds the 75 W provided by the PCIe slot, but stays well within the capacity of standard workstation power supplies.
NVIDIA recommends a 300 W power supply unit for systems housing this card. This low recommendation reflects the card's professional orientation—workstation systems typically have robust PSUs, and the 122 W TDP leaves ample headroom for multi-GPU configurations or high-core-count CPUs. The triple-slot cooling design is notable; it suggests a substantial heatsink and fan assembly that prioritizes quiet operation and thermal stability under sustained professional workloads over compactness. The card's physical dimensions of 267 mm in length and 111 mm in height require a full-size chassis with adequate clearance, and the triple-slot footprint will block adjacent PCIe slots on most motherboards. For broadcast or production systems with multiple cards, this imposes significant physical layout constraints.
FAQ
Q: Does the Quadro K5000 SYNC support hardware-accelerated ray tracing?
A: No. The FACT PACK lists no ray tracing cores (rtCores: null) or tensor cores (tensorCores: null), indicating this Kepler-generation card lacks dedicated hardware for ray tracing. Any ray tracing workloads would run on the 1536 general-purpose shading units.
Q: What is the maximum supported memory bandwidth?
A: The card provides 172.8 GB/s of bandwidth via 4 GB of GDDR5 memory operating at 5.4 Gbps effective across a 256-bit bus interface.
Q: What display outputs are available on this card?
A: The display configuration includes 2x DVI, 2x DisplayPort 1.2, and 1x SDI output. The SDI connection is a broadcast-standard interface, making this card suitable for professional video production environments.
Q: What power supply capacity is recommended?
A: NVIDIA recommends a 300 W power supply, with the card itself rated at 122 W TDP and requiring two 6-pin power connectors.
Q: What API versions does this card support?
A: The card supports DirectX 12 (at the 11_0 feature level), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. It does not support higher DirectX feature levels or newer API revisions.
Q: Is this card still in production?
A: No, the production status is listed as "End-of-life," and the card was released on January 24, 2013, with a successor in the Quadro Maxwell generation.
Who Should Consider It
The Quadro K5000 SYNC is a specialized tool for a very specific professional audience. Given its 50th percentile ranking and the absence of modern features like ray tracing cores, this card is not suitable for contemporary gaming, real-time 3D rendering at high resolutions, or AI-assisted workflows. Its 4 GB VRAM capacity and 172.8 GB/s bandwidth are the primary constraints—these specs are adequate for 1080p and 1440p professional applications but will struggle with 4K texture-heavy scenes or large dataset visualization.
The ideal user is a broadcast professional or post-production facility operating legacy SDI-based infrastructure. The 1x SDI output and the SYNC branding for frame-locked multi-display synchronization are unique features that modern consumer cards do not offer. For building or maintaining a video wall, a multi-viewer monitoring system, or a real-time graphics renderer for broadcast, this card provides the necessary output compatibility even if its compute performance is dated. CAD professionals using legacy software that relies on OpenGL 4.6 and does not require advanced shader models could also find this card functional, though the triple-slot size and 122 W TDP are inefficient by modern standards. Users running older professional visualization suites that were certified for Kepler-generation hardware will find the driver stability and feature set appropriate. Conversely, anyone seeking a general-purpose workstation GPU for modern 4K editing, 3D simulation, or machine learning should look to contemporary alternatives, as the K5000 SYNC's strengths lie entirely in its specialized output capabilities rather than raw performance or efficiency.
Detailed benchmark scores and charts for the NVIDIA Quadro K5000 SYNC are below.
Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
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