GeForce GTX 590 vs Tesla C2050 / C2070

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 590

2011Core: 607 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

Tesla C2050 / C2070

2011Core: 574 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 590 vs Tesla C2050 / C2070 Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce GTX 590 vs Tesla C2050 / C2070: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GTX 590

2011

Why buy it

  • Costs $1,800 less on MSRP ($699 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
  • Delivers 248.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 4.8 vs 1.4 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2011 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 53.4% higher power demand at 365W vs 238W.

Tesla C2050 / C2070

2011

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 3 GB).
  • Draws 238W instead of 365W, a 127W reduction.
  • More future proof: Fermi (2010−2014) on 40nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 2011 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 257.5% HIGHER MSRP
    $2,499 MSRPvs$699 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.4 vs 4.8 G3D/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Tesla C2050 / C2070 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.6% in PassMark G3D (3,428 vs 3,341), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 590 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 590 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,800 cheaper on MSRP at $699 vs $2,499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 248.4% (4.8 vs 1.4), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. Tesla C2050 / C2070 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 590 vs Tesla C2050 / C2070 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 590

The GeForce GTX 590 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 24 2011. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 607 MHz. It has 1024 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 365W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,341 points. Launch price was $699.

NVIDIA

Tesla C2050 / C2070

The Tesla C2050 / C2070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 25 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 574 MHz. It has 448 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 238W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,428 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 590 scores 3,341 and the Tesla C2050 / C2070 reaches 3,428 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 590 is built on Fermi 2.0 while the Tesla C2050 / C2070 uses Fermi, both on a 40 nm process. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce GTX 590) vs 448 (Tesla C2050 / C2070). Raw compute: 1.244 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce GTX 590) vs 1.028 TFLOPS (Tesla C2050 / C2070).

FeatureGeForce GTX 590Tesla C2050 / C2070
G3D Mark Score
3,341
3,428+3%
Architecture
Fermi 2.0
Fermi
Process Node
40 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
1024 ×2+129%
448
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.244 TFLOPS ×2+21%
1.028 TFLOPS
ROPs
48 ×2
48
TMUs
64 ×2+14%
56
L1 Cache
1 MB+14%
0.88 MB
L2 Cache
768 KB
768 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 590 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Tesla C2050 / C2070 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 590Tesla C2050 / C2070
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 590 has 3 GB of VRAM, while the Tesla C2050 / C2070 carries 6 GB. Tesla C2050 / C2070 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 590 and 64-bit on the Tesla C2050 / C2070.

FeatureGeForce GTX 590Tesla C2050 / C2070
VRAM Capacity
3 GB
6 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
256-bit+300%
64-bit
L2 Cache
768 KB
768 KB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 590) vs 11_0 (Tesla C2050 / C2070). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 1.

FeatureGeForce GTX 590Tesla C2050 / C2070
DirectX
12 (11_0)+9%
11_0
Max Displays
4+300%
1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 590 draws 365W versus the Tesla C2050 / C2070's 238W — a 42.1% difference. The Tesla C2050 / C2070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 700W (GeForce GTX 590) vs 350W (Tesla C2050 / C2070). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 590Tesla C2050 / C2070
TDP
365W
238W-35%
Recommended PSU
700W
350W-50%
Power Connector
2x 8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
248mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
90°C
Perf/Watt
9.2
14.4+57%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 590 came in at $699, while the Tesla C2050 / C2070 launched at $2499. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 590 was 72% cheaper ($1800 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 4.8 (GeForce GTX 590) vs 1.4 (Tesla C2050 / C2070) — the GeForce GTX 590 offers 242.9% better value.

FeatureGeForce GTX 590Tesla C2050 / C2070
MSRP
$699-72%
$2499
Performance per Dollar
4.8+243%
1.4
Codename
GF110
GF100
Release
March 24 2011
July 25 2011
Ranking
#555
#569

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