GeForce GT 520MX vs Quadro FX 3500M

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 GT 520MX vs Quadro FX 3500M 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 GT 520MX vs Quadro FX 3500M: 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 GT 520MX

2013

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 6.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($45 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Draws 50W instead of 189W, a 139W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Quadro FX 3500M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2013 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quadro FX 3500M

2008

Why buy it

✅38.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2008 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 6.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $45 MSRP).
❌278% higher power demand at 189W vs 50W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Quadro FX 3500M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 38.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 5.2% in PassMark G3D (306 vs 291), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce GT 520MX is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, a 28nm process instead of 55nm, and a newer 2013 generation instead of 2008. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GT 520MX makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. Quadro FX 3500M still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GT 520MX vs Quadro FX 3500M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GT 520MX

The GeForce GT 520MX is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 9 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 941 MHz to 967 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 291 points.

Quadro FX 3500M

The Quadro FX 3500M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 11 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 610 MHz. It has 240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 189W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 306 points. Launch price was $3,499.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GT 520MX scores 291 versus the Quadro FX 3500M's 306 — the Quadro FX 3500M leads by 5.2%. The GeForce GT 520MX is built on Kepler while the Quadro FX 3500M uses Tesla 2.0, both on 28 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 520MX) vs 240 (Quadro FX 3500M). Raw compute: 0.7427 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 520MX) vs 0.6221 TFLOPS (Quadro FX 3500M).

Feature	GeForce GT 520MX	Quadro FX 3500M
G3D Mark Score	291	306+5%
Architecture	Kepler	Tesla 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	55 nm
Shading Units	384+60%	240
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7427 TFLOPS+19%	0.6221 TFLOPS
ROPs	16	32+100%
TMUs	32	80+150%
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GT 520MX gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Quadro FX 3500M leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GT 520MX	Quadro FX 3500M
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 GT 520MX has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro FX 3500M carries 512 MB. GeForce GT 520MX gives you 100% 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 GT 520MX and 64-bit on the Quadro FX 3500M.

Feature	GeForce GT 520MX	Quadro FX 3500M
VRAM Capacity	1 GB+100%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GT 520MX) vs 9.0c (Quadro FX 3500M). OpenGL: 4.0 vs 2.1. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 1.

Feature	GeForce GT 520MX	Quadro FX 3500M
DirectX	11.0+22%	9.0c
OpenGL	4.0+90%	2.1
Max Displays	1	1

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce GT 520MX) vs None (Quadro FX 3500M). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs VP1. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 520MX) vs MPEG-2,WMV9 (Quadro FX 3500M).

Feature	GeForce GT 520MX	Quadro FX 3500M
Encoder	No	None
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP4	VP1
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP	MPEG-2,WMV9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 520MX draws 50W versus the Quadro FX 3500M's 189W — a 116.3% difference. The GeForce GT 520MX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 520MX) vs 350W (Quadro FX 3500M). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GT 520MX	Quadro FX 3500M
TDP	50W-74%	189W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	PCIe-powered
Length	0mm	—
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0	0
Temp (Load)	70°C-7%	75°C
Perf/Watt	5.8+262%	1.6

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GT 520MX (2013 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce GT 520MX	Quadro FX 3500M
MSRP	$45	—
Codename	GK107	GT200B
Release	January 9 2013	November 11 2008
Ranking	#792	#815

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