NVIDIA Tesla C2090
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA Tesla C2090 Specifications
GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA Tesla C2090 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.
Tesla C2090 Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the Tesla C2090'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 Tesla C2090 by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's Tesla C2090 Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The Tesla C2090'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.
Tesla C2090 by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the Tesla C2090, 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.
Tesla C2090 Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA Tesla C2090 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.
Fermi 2.0 Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA Tesla C2090 is built on NVIDIA's Fermi 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 Tesla C2090 will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA Tesla C2090 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 Tesla C2090 to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
Tesla C2090 by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA Tesla C2090 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 Tesla C2090. 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.
Tesla C2090 Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA Tesla C2090 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 Tesla C2090 by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
About NVIDIA Tesla C2090
Who Should Consider It
The NVIDIA Tesla C2090 sits at the 50th percentile among all GPUs in the benchmark database, which places it in a peculiar middle ground. This is not a card for modern high-refresh-rate gaming at maximum settings. The data suggests it is a compute-oriented board from the Fermi 2.0 generation, built on the GF110 chip at 40 nm using TSMC’s process. With 512 shading units, 64 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs, the C2090 delivers 1,332.2 GFLOPS of FP32 performance. That raw compute figure places it well behind contemporary gaming GPUs, but ahead of integrated solutions.
For resolution and settings guidance, benchmark results indicate this card is suited to 1080p gaming at medium to low presets in older titles, or esports-style games that are not graphically demanding. At 1440p, the 177.4 GB/s memory bandwidth and 48 ROPs will become a bottleneck, causing frame rates to drop noticeably. The 6 GB GDDR5 frame buffer is generous for the era, but the underlying compute throughput is not sufficient to push high-detail textures at higher resolutions. In modern AAA titles, expect to reduce resolution scaling or accept significant compromises.
The C2090 is better targeted at users who need a functional display output alongside compute workloads, given its single DVI output and dual-slot cooler. If your primary goal is gaming, the data points to more balanced alternatives in the same performance percentile. However, if you have a legacy workload that leverages Fermi's specific compute capabilities, this card can still serve. The 50th percentile ranking means it outperforms half of all GPUs in the database, but that is a low bar in a field dominated by newer architectures.
Power and Cooling
The Tesla C2090 has a thermal design power of 250 W. That is a substantial draw for a card of this era, and it requires a power supply rated at 600 W according to the suggested PSU specification. The board uses two power connectors: one 6-pin and one 8-pin. Ensure your power supply has both of these native connectors, as adapters may not deliver stable power under sustained load. The dual-slot cooler is a standard design for this power class, and the card measures 248 mm (9.8 inches) in length, so verify your case has clearance for a dual-slot, 9.8-inch board.
The 250 W TDP means the card will generate significant heat inside a chassis. A case with decent front-to-back airflow is recommended. The cooler is adequate for stock operation, but it is not designed for overclocking headroom. In a workstation environment, ensure that adjacent PCIe slots are not occupied by other high-power cards, as the dual-slot design will block airflow to neighboring slots. The PCIe 2.0 x16 interface is sufficient for this card's bandwidth needs, and it will operate in any modern motherboard with a PCIe x16 slot, though older chipsets may offer better compatibility.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The Tesla C2090 does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores. Its architecture, Fermi 2.0, predates the introduction of hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI-accelerated tensor operations. The card supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. The DirectX 12 support is feature level 11_0, which means it lacks certain DirectX 12 Ultimate features such as mesh shaders and variable rate shading. Vulkan is not supported per the specifications, which limits its compatibility with modern titles that rely on the Vulkan API for performance.
In practice, this means the C2090 cannot hardware-accelerate ray-traced effects. Any ray tracing workload would have to run on the shader units, which would severely impact performance given the 1,332.2 GFLOPS FP32 throughput. Tensor core workloads, such as DLSS or AI inference, are similarly unsupported. The card is strictly a rasterization-based compute device. For users interested in modern rendering features, this card is not a viable option. Its feature set is firmly rooted in the 2011 era, and the API support reflects that.
FAQ
Q: Does the Tesla C2090 support hardware ray tracing?
A: No. The card has no dedicated RT cores, and its Fermi 2.0 architecture does not include hardware acceleration for ray-traced effects.
Q: What is the maximum memory bandwidth of the C2090?
A: The card has a 384-bit memory bus with GDDR5 memory running at 924 MHz (3.7 Gbps effective), yielding 177.4 GB/s of bandwidth.
Q: Can this card run modern games at 4K resolution?
A: Benchmark results indicate no. The 48 ROPs and 177.4 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient for 4K gaming; even 1440p will tax the card heavily.
Q: What power supply is recommended for the C2090?
A: The suggested PSU rating is 600 W, and the card requires both a 6-pin and an 8-pin power connector.
Q: Does the card support Vulkan?
A: No. The API list includes DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but Vulkan is not supported.
Q: What is the FP32 compute performance?
A: The card delivers 1,332.2 GFLOPS of FP32 throughput from its 512 shading units.
How It Compares
The nearest rivals field for the Tesla C2090 is empty, meaning the database does not list direct comparison scores for this card. However, its 50th percentile ranking against all GPUs provides a reference point. This percentile indicates the card performs better than half of all GPUs in the database, but worse than the top half. In practical terms, this places it in the same performance bracket as older mid-range gaming cards from its generation, though those cards are not named in the data.
Without nearest rival scores, a direct comparison to specific models is not possible from the facts available. The card's 1,332.2 GFLOPS FP32 figure and 177.4 GB/s bandwidth are the key performance metrics. Compared to modern integrated graphics, the C2090 likely has higher raw shading throughput but lacks modern features and driver optimizations. The lack of Vulkan support and the DirectX 12 (11_0) feature level are significant disadvantages against newer cards that support DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan. The 50th percentile ranking suggests it is a capable compute card for its era, but it is far from competitive in the current GPU landscape.
Memory Subsystem
The Tesla C2090 is equipped with 6 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus. The memory clock runs at 924 MHz, which translates to 3.7 Gbps effective data rate. Total bandwidth is 177.4 GB/s. This configuration is notable for its capacity, which was generous for a compute card of its time. The 384-bit bus width is wide by modern standards, though the memory clock is relatively low.
For high-resolution workloads, the 6 GB capacity allows for large datasets to reside in VRAM, which is beneficial for compute tasks like rendering or scientific simulations. However, the 177.4 GB/s bandwidth is a limiting factor. At 4K resolution, modern games can consume more than 6 GB of VRAM, but the C2090's bandwidth and ROP count are the primary bottlenecks, not capacity. The memory subsystem is balanced for 1080p gaming, where the bandwidth is sufficient to feed the 512 shading units. At higher resolutions, the memory interface will be saturated, leading to frame pacing issues and reduced performance. The pixel rate of 20.83 GPixel/s and texture rate of 41.66 GTexel/s further indicate that the card is designed for a resolution sweet spot around 1080p, not for 1440p or 4K gaming. For compute workloads that are memory-bandwidth bound, the 177.4 GB/s may be insufficient, but the large 6 GB frame buffer is an asset.
Detailed benchmark scores and charts for the NVIDIA Tesla C2090 are below.
Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
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