Tesla K20c vs Tesla K40c

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.

Tesla K20c vs Tesla K40c FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Tesla K20c vs Tesla K40c: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Tesla K20c

2012

Why buy it

✅Costs $4,500 less on MSRP ($3,199 MSRP vs $7,699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 137.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 1.4 vs 0.6 G3D/$ ($3,199 MSRP vs $7,699 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌2012 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Tesla K40c

2013

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Kepler (2012−2018) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
140.7% HIGHER MSRP
$7,699 MSRPvs$3,199 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.6 vs 1.4 G3D/$ ($7,699 MSRP vs $3,199 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Tesla K40c is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.4% in PassMark G3D (4,495 vs 4,432), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Tesla K20c 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?

Tesla K20c makes the most sense to buy today. It is $4,500 cheaper on MSRP at $3,199 vs $7,699, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 137.3% (1.4 vs 0.6), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. Tesla K40c still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Tesla K20c vs Tesla K40c Technical Specifications

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

Tesla K20c

The Tesla K20c is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 12 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 706 MHz. It has 2496 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,432 points. Launch price was $3,199.

Tesla K40c

The Tesla K40c is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 8 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 745 MHz to 876 MHz. It has 2880 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 245W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,495 points. Launch price was $7,699.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Tesla K20c scores 4,432 and the Tesla K40c reaches 4,495 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Tesla K20c is built on Kepler while the Tesla K40c uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,496 (Tesla K20c) vs 2,880 (Tesla K40c). Raw compute: 3.524 TFLOPS (Tesla K20c) vs 5.046 TFLOPS (Tesla K40c).

Feature	Tesla K20c	Tesla K40c
G3D Mark Score	4,432	4,495+1%
Architecture	Kepler	Kepler
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2496	2880+15%
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.524 TFLOPS	5.046 TFLOPS+43%
ROPs	40	48+20%
TMUs	208	240+15%
L1 Cache	208 KB	240 KB+15%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB	1.5 MB+20%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Tesla K20c	Tesla K40c
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards ship with 2 GB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the Tesla K20c and 64-bit on the Tesla K40c. L2 Cache: 1.25 MB (Tesla K20c) vs 1.5 MB (Tesla K40c) — the Tesla K40c has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Tesla K20c	Tesla K40c
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	64-bit
L2 Cache	1.25 MB	1.5 MB+20%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11_0 (Tesla K20c) vs 11_0 (Tesla K40c). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 0.

Feature	Tesla K20c	Tesla K40c
DirectX	11_0	11_0
Max Displays	0	0

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Tesla K20c draws 225W versus the Tesla K40c's 245W — a 8.5% difference. The Tesla K20c is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Tesla K20c) vs 350W (Tesla K40c). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 267mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	Tesla K20c	Tesla K40c
TDP	225W-8%	245W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	PCIe-powered
Length	267mm	267mm
Slots	2	2
Perf/Watt	19.7+8%	18.3

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Tesla K20c came in at $3199, while the Tesla K40c launched at $7699. On MSRP, Tesla K20c was 58.4% cheaper ($4500 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.4 (Tesla K20c) vs 0.6 (Tesla K40c) — the Tesla K20c offers 133.3% better value. The newer card here is Tesla K40c (2013 vs 2012).

Feature	Tesla K20c	Tesla K40c
MSRP	$3199-58%	$7699
Performance per Dollar	1.4+133%	0.6
Codename	GK110	GK180
Release	November 12 2012	October 8 2013
Ranking	#549	#465

Search Tesla K20c on Amazon

Search Tesla K40c on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.