Tesla K8 vs Radeon HD 8990

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The Tesla K8 is positioned at rank #208 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Tesla K8

#90

Quadro P5000

MSRP: $2499|Avg: $400

100%

#91

RTX PRO 6000

MSRP: $8565|Avg: $8565

98%

#92

RTX A6000

MSRP: $4649|Avg: $3500

96%

#93

Quadro RTX A6000

MSRP: $4649|Avg: $3500

96%

#193

Tesla K20m

MSRP: $3199|Avg: $55

2891%

#208

Tesla K8

MSRP: $1000|Avg: $100

100%

#210

GRID K240Q

MSRP: $500|Avg: $40

99%

#211

FirePro M4150

MSRP: $200|Avg: $50

99%

#212

FirePro V4900

MSRP: $200|Avg: $47

99%

#213

GRID K160Q

MSRP: $125|Avg: $30

98%

#215

Quadro

MSRP: $1000|Avg: $50

98%

#216

FirePro W5000

MSRP: $599|Avg: $40

97%

#219

FirePro W7000 Adapter

MSRP: $899|Avg: $15

95%

#220

Quadro K420

MSRP: $150|Avg: $20

95%

#223

FirePro W7000

MSRP: $899|Avg: $50

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 8990 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Tesla K8 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	Tesla K8	Radeon HD 8990
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2%)	✅Leading raw performance (+2%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Kepler (2012−2018))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	—

💎 Value Proposition

The Tesla K8 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Tesla K8 holds the technical lead. Priced at $100 (vs $999), it costs 90% less, resulting in a 879.3% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Tesla K8	Radeon HD 8990
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+879.3%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($100)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($999)

Performance Check

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

Tesla K8 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 8990 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Tesla K8 and Radeon HD 8990

Tesla K8

The Tesla K8 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 16 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 693 MHz to 811 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,111 points.

Radeon HD 8990

The Radeon HD 8990 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 950 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 375W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,214 points. Launch price was $999.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Tesla K8 scores 5,111 and the Radeon HD 8990 reaches 5,214 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Tesla K8 is built on Kepler while the Radeon HD 8990 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,536 (Tesla K8) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 8990). Raw compute: 2.491 TFLOPS (Tesla K8) vs 4.096 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 8990). Boost clocks: 811 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	Tesla K8	Radeon HD 8990
G3D Mark Score	5,111	5,214+2%
Architecture	Kepler	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1536	2048 ×2+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.491 TFLOPS	4.096 TFLOPS ×2+64%
Boost Clock	811 MHz	1000 MHz+23%
ROPs	32	32 ×2
TMUs	128	128 ×2
L1 Cache	128 KB	512 KB+300%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Tesla K8	Radeon HD 8990
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Tesla K8 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8990 has 3 GB. The Tesla K8 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 384-bit x2. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Tesla K8) vs 768 KB (Radeon HD 8990) — the Radeon HD 8990 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Tesla K8	Radeon HD 8990
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+33%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit	384-bit x2+200%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Tesla K8 draws 100W versus the Radeon HD 8990's 375W — a 115.8% difference. The Tesla K8 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Tesla K8) vs 750W (Radeon HD 8990). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 8-pin.

Feature	Tesla K8	Radeon HD 8990
TDP	100W-73%	375W
Recommended PSU	350W-53%	750W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	2x 8-pin
Perf/Watt	51.1+268%	13.9

💰

Value Analysis

The Tesla K8 launched at $1000 MSRP and currently averages $100, while the Radeon HD 8990 launched at $999 and now averages $999. The Tesla K8 costs 90% less ($899 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 51.1 (Tesla K8) vs 5.2 (Radeon HD 8990) — the Tesla K8 offers 882.7% better value. The Tesla K8 is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).