NVIDIA Tesla K20X
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA Tesla K20X Specifications
GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA Tesla K20X 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 K20X Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the Tesla K20X'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 K20X by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's Tesla K20X Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The Tesla K20X'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 K20X by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the Tesla K20X, 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 K20X Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA Tesla K20X 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 Tesla K20X 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 Tesla K20X will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA Tesla K20X 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 K20X to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
Tesla K20X by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA Tesla K20X 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 K20X. 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 K20X Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA Tesla K20X 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 K20X 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 K20X
How It Compares
The NVIDIA Tesla K20X occupies a unique position in the hardware landscape, sitting at the 50th percentile among all GPUs ever benchmarked on this database. This median placement means it outperforms roughly half of all recorded graphics hardware while trailing the other half, a remarkable standing for a compute-oriented accelerator with no display outputs. The data shows no nearest rivals are listed for this part, which suggests the K20X competes in a category where direct performance comparisons are either proprietary or not captured by typical gaming-centric benchmark suites.
Without nearestRivals data, the K20X must be evaluated on its absolute specifications and architectural characteristics. The GK110 chip at its heart is a 28 nm TSMC fabrication, containing 7,080 million transistors across a 561 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.6M per square millimeter. This places it as a large, complex die by the standards of its era, though the production status is end-of-life, indicating it has been superseded. The absence of direct rival scores means the percentile rank of 50 becomes the primary comparative anchor, implying balanced performance against the broader GPU population.
The K20X's positioning is further clarified by its intended use case: a Tesla product with no display outputs, designed for compute workloads rather than gaming. Its benchmark scores are listed as zero in the data, which may reflect that standard gaming benchmarks do not apply to this accelerator. The 50th percentile ranking therefore likely reflects compute-oriented testing or a synthetic aggregate, making it a mid-pack performer in the context of all GPUs ever assessed on this platform.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The K20X does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as these fields are null in the specification data. This absence is consistent with its Kepler architecture, which predates the introduction of hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI tensor operations. The API support tells a more nuanced story: DirectX 12 is supported only at feature level 11_0, meaning the card cannot utilize the full DirectX 12 feature set despite the version number. OpenGL 4.6 is available, and Vulkan 1.2.175 is supported, providing modern graphics API access for compute and rendering tasks.
The lack of ray tracing and tensor cores means the K20X relies entirely on its 2,688 shading units for all processing. These units operate at a memory clock of 1300 MHz, with 5.2 Gbps effective memory speed. The pixel rate is 40.99 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 164.0 GTexel/s, indicating substantial rasterization throughput for its generation. However, without dedicated hardware for ray tracing or AI acceleration, any such workloads would execute on the general-purpose shading units, likely with reduced efficiency compared to newer architectures.
For compute workloads typical of a Tesla product, the API support is more relevant than gaming features. Vulkan 1.2.175 and OpenGL 4.6 provide broad compatibility for scientific and professional applications. The DirectX 12 (11_0) support limits the card in modern gaming scenarios but does not hinder its primary compute mission. The floating-point performance of 3.935 TFLOPS in FP32, with no listed FP16 capability, positions the K20X as a single-precision compute workhorse rather than a mixed-precision AI accelerator.
Who Should Consider It
The K20X is not a product for gamers, given its complete lack of display outputs. Instead, this card targets compute-focused users who require high FP32 throughput without needing a visual output. The 3.935 TFLOPS of single-precision performance, combined with 6 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus delivering 249.6 GB/s bandwidth, makes it suitable for scientific simulations, financial modeling, and other data-parallel workloads that fit within its memory capacity.
Users working at high resolutions in compute contexts, such as rendering large datasets or processing high-resolution imagery, would benefit from the 6 GB VRAM and 384-bit memory interface. The memory bandwidth of 249.6 GB/s allows for substantial data movement, though modern workloads requiring larger memory footprints would exceed this capacity. The 50th percentile ranking suggests it handles typical compute tasks adequately but not exceptionally, making it a reasonable choice for legacy systems or specific applications optimized for Kepler architecture.
The dual-slot design and 235 W TDP mean this card requires adequate chassis space and cooling. The suggested PSU of 550 W, along with 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin power connectors, indicates moderate power demands for a high-performance accelerator. Users with existing Kepler-based compute infrastructure or those needing a headless compute node would find the K20X appropriate, provided their workloads do not require modern features like ray tracing or tensor operations.
FAQ
Q: Does the Tesla K20X support ray tracing?
A: No, the K20X does not have dedicated ray tracing cores, as this field is null in the specification. Any ray tracing would execute on the general-purpose 2,688 shading units, likely with limited efficiency.
Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the K20X?
A: The card features 6 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus, providing 249.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth. This supports high-resolution compute workloads within the 6 GB capacity.
Q: Can the K20X output video to a display?
A: No, the K20X has no display outputs. It is designed as a compute accelerator for headless systems, requiring a separate GPU for any visual output.
Q: What is the power consumption of this card?
A: The TDP is 235 W, with a suggested power supply of 550 W. It requires 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin power connectors for operation.
Q: Which APIs does the K20X support?
A: The card supports DirectX 12 (at feature level 11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175, providing broad compatibility for compute and legacy graphics applications.
Q: Is the K20X still in production?
A: No, the production status is end-of-life. The release date was November 11, 2012, and it has been succeeded by the Tesla Maxwell generation.
Benchmark Performance
The benchmark data for the K20X is unusual: the avgBenchmarkScore is zero, and no nearest rivals are listed. This absence of direct performance scores complicates analysis, but the percentileVsAllGpus of 50 provides a meaningful reference point. This indicates the K20X performs at the median level across all GPUs in the database, meaning half of all tested graphics hardware scores higher and half scores lower. Given that this is a compute-focused card without display outputs, its inclusion in a general GPU benchmark database likely reflects synthetic or compute-oriented tests rather than gaming benchmarks.
The FP32 performance of 3.935 TFLOPS, combined with a texture rate of 164.0 GTexel/s and pixel rate of 40.99 GPixel/s, suggests balanced throughput across different workload types. The 2,688 shading units and 224 texture mapping units provide substantial parallel processing capability. However, the 48 ROPs may limit performance in tasks requiring heavy pixel output, though this is less relevant for a headless compute card.
Without nearestRivals data, exact percentage deltas against specific competitors cannot be stated. The 50th percentile ranking implies the K20X is neither a performance leader nor a laggard in the broader GPU context. The zero benchmark score may indicate that the card was not subjected to standard benchmarking procedures, or that its results were not recorded in this database. This makes the percentile ranking the most reliable performance indicator available, suggesting the K20X delivers mid-range compute capability for its generation.
Memory Subsystem
The K20X is equipped with 6 GB of GDDR5 memory, connected via a 384-bit bus. The memory clock is 1300 MHz, translating to 5.2 Gbps effective data rate, yielding a total bandwidth of 249.6 GB/s. This configuration provides a balanced memory-to-compute ratio for the 3.935 TFLOPS FP32 performance, allowing data to flow sufficiently to keep the shading units fed in many workloads.
For high-resolution compute tasks, the 6 GB capacity is a limiting factor in modern contexts. Many current datasets exceed this size, requiring either model sharding or reduced resolution. The 384-bit bus width, however, ensures that data transfers are efficient within the available capacity, with 249.6 GB/s providing solid throughput for memory-bound operations. The GDDR5 type is standard for its era, offering a reasonable balance of speed and capacity.
The memory subsystem's performance is adequate for the K20X's intended compute role, particularly for problems that fit within 6 GB. The bandwidth of 249.6 GB/s allows for substantial data movement, but users working with very large datasets would need to consider memory constraints. The 384-bit interface is wider than many contemporary cards, providing an advantage in memory-intensive scenarios where bandwidth is the bottleneck.
Power and Cooling
The K20X has a TDP of 235 W, requiring a suggested power supply of 550 W. This power draw is moderate for a high-performance accelerator of its generation, reflecting the 28 nm process node's efficiency. The card uses 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin power connectors, which are standard for this performance class and should be compatible with most modern power supplies.
Cooling is handled by a dual-slot design, which provides adequate surface area for heat dissipation. The card length is 267 mm (10.5 inches), fitting most full-size tower cases and server chassis. The dual-slot form factor means it occupies two expansion slots, which is typical for compute accelerators with substantial cooling requirements.
The 550 W PSU recommendation is conservative, accounting for the rest of the system's power draw alongside the K20X's 235 W TDP. Users building a compute node with multiple accelerators would need to scale their power supply accordingly. The power connectors are standard 6-pin and 8-pin types, ensuring compatibility with existing PSUs. The end-of-life production status means replacement cooling parts may be harder to source, so users should ensure adequate airflow in their chassis to maintain reliable operation.
Detailed benchmark scores and charts for the NVIDIA Tesla K20X are below.
Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
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