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 310 vs Quadro NVS 420 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.

GeForce 310 vs Quadro NVS 420: 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 310

2015

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 3.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($45 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 33W instead of 100W, a 67W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Quadro NVS 420 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2015 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quadro NVS 420

2018

Why buy it

✅3.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 512 MB).
✅GeForce 310 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Quadro NVS 420 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Measures 160mm instead of 168mm, a 8mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌2018 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 3.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $45 MSRP).
❌203% higher power demand at 100W vs 33W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Quadro NVS 420 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 3.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce 310 instead at 143 vs 137, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

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

Quadro NVS 420 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, a 16nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2018 generation instead of 2015. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce 310 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce 310 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Quadro NVS 420 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 310 vs Quadro NVS 420 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce 310

The GeForce 310 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 928 MHz to 941 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 143 points.

Quadro NVS 420

The Quadro NVS 420 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 21 2018. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1227 MHz to 1647 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 137 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 310 scores 143 and the Quadro NVS 420 reaches 137 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 4.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 310 is built on Maxwell while the Quadro NVS 420 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 310) vs 2,304 (Quadro NVS 420). Raw compute: 0.7227 TFLOPS (GeForce 310) vs 7.589 TFLOPS (Quadro NVS 420). Boost clocks: 941 MHz vs 1647 MHz.

Feature	GeForce 310	Quadro NVS 420
G3D Mark Score	143+4%	137
Architecture	Maxwell	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	384	2304+500%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7227 TFLOPS	7.589 TFLOPS+950%
Boost Clock	941 MHz	1647 MHz+75%
ROPs	8	64+700%
TMUs	24	144+500%
L1 Cache	192 KB	864 KB+350%
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce 310 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Quadro NVS 420 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce 310	Quadro NVS 420
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 310 has 512 MB of VRAM, while the Quadro NVS 420 carries 4 GB. Quadro NVS 420 gives you 700% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce 310 and 64-bit on the Quadro NVS 420. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 310) vs 2 MB (Quadro NVS 420) — the Quadro NVS 420 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce 310	Quadro NVS 420
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	4 GB+700%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.1 (GeForce 310) vs 10_0 (Quadro NVS 420). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce 310	Quadro NVS 420
DirectX	10.1	10_0
Max Displays	2	4+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 310) vs PureVideo HD (Quadro NVS 420). Decoder: PureVideo VP4 vs PureVideo HD.

Feature	GeForce 310	Quadro NVS 420
Encoder	None	PureVideo HD
Decoder	PureVideo VP4	PureVideo HD
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 310 draws 33W versus the Quadro NVS 420's 100W — a 100.8% difference. The GeForce 310 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 310) vs 350W (Quadro NVS 420). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 168mm vs 160mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots.

Feature	GeForce 310	Quadro NVS 420
TDP	33W-67%	100W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	168mm	160mm
Height	69mm	—
Slots	1	1
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	4.3+207%	1.4

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 310 came in at $45, while the Quadro NVS 420 launched at $0. On MSRP, Quadro NVS 420 was 100+% cheaper ($45 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 3.2 (GeForce 310) vs Infinity (Quadro NVS 420) — the Quadro NVS 420 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Quadro NVS 420 (2018 vs 2015).

Feature	GeForce 310	Quadro NVS 420
MSRP	$45	$0-100%
Performance per Dollar	3.2	Infinity
Codename	GM108	GP104
Release	March 13 2015	February 21 2018
Ranking	#810	#266

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