Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) vs Tesla C2050 / C2070

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015Core: 954 MHzBoost: 993 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

Tesla C2050 / C2070

2011Core: 574 MHz

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) 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.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) 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.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015

Why buy it

  • βœ…Costs $2,349 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
  • βœ…Delivers 1601% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 23.3 vs 1.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
  • βœ…Draws 30W instead of 238W, a 208W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • ❌2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Tesla C2050 / C2070

2011

Why buy it

  • βœ…200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).

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.
  • ❌
    1566% HIGHER MSRP
    $2,499 MSRPvs$150 MSRP
  • ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.4 vs 23.3 G3D/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • ❌693.3% higher power demand at 238W vs 30W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.1% in PassMark G3D (3,500 vs 3,428), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 28nm process instead of 40nm and a newer 2015 generation instead of 2011. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) makes the most sense to buy today. It is $2,349 cheaper on MSRP at $150 vs $2,499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1601% (23.3 vs 1.4), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) vs Tesla C2050 / C2070 Technical Specifications

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

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is manufactured by an unknown manufacturer. It was released in October 1 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,500 points.

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 Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) scores 3,500 and the Tesla C2050 / C2070 reaches 3,428 in the G3D Mark benchmark β€” just a 2.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is built on Maxwell while the Tesla C2050 / C2070 uses Fermi, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 384 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)) vs 448 (Tesla C2050 / C2070).

FeatureMaxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)Tesla C2050 / C2070
G3D Mark Score
3,500+2%
3,428
Architecture
Maxwell
Fermi
Process Node
28 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
384
448+17%
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureMaxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)Tesla C2050 / C2070
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
Standard
πŸ’Ύ

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Tesla C2050 / C2070 carries 6 GB. Tesla C2050 / C2070 gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) and 64-bit on the Tesla C2050 / C2070.

FeatureMaxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)Tesla C2050 / C2070
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
6 GB+200%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
πŸ–₯️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)) vs 11_0 (Tesla C2050 / C2070). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 1.

FeatureMaxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)Tesla C2050 / C2070
DirectX
12 (11_0)+9%
11_0
Max Displays
2+100%
1
πŸ”Œ

Power & Dimensions

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) draws 30W versus the Tesla C2050 / C2070's 238W β€” a 155.2% difference. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)) vs 350W (Tesla C2050 / C2070). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureMaxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)Tesla C2050 / C2070
TDP
30W-87%
238W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
PCIe-powered
Length
β€”
248mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
75
β€”
Perf/Watt
116.7+710%
14.4
πŸ’°

Value Analysis

At launch, the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) came in at $150, while the Tesla C2050 / C2070 launched at $2499. On MSRP, Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) was 94% cheaper ($2349 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 23.3 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)) vs 1.4 (Tesla C2050 / C2070) β€” the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) offers 1564.3% better value. The newer card here is Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) (2015 vs 2011).

FeatureMaxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)Tesla C2050 / C2070
MSRP
$150-94%
$2499
Performance per Dollar
23.3+1564%
1.4
Codename
Surface Book
GF100
Release
October 1 2015
July 25 2011
Ranking
#782
#569

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