GeForce GT 530 vs GRID K1

NVIDIA

GeForce GT 530

2015Core: 1024 MHzBoost: 1188 MHz
Similar parts
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VS

GRID K1

2013Core: 745 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GT 530 vs GRID K1 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.

GeForce GT 530 vs GRID K1: 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 530

2015

Why buy it

  • Costs $4,040 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $4,140 MSRP).
  • Delivers 4110% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 6.6 vs 0.2 G3D/$ ($100 MSRP vs $4,140 MSRP).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).
  • Draws 90W instead of 225W, a 135W reduction.
  • Measures 145mm instead of 267mm, a 122mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • 2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GRID K1

2013

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2013 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 4040% HIGHER MSRP
    $4,140 MSRPvs$100 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.2 vs 6.6 G3D/$ ($4,140 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
  • 150% higher power demand at 225W vs 90W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GT 530 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.7% in PassMark G3D (662 vs 651), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GT 530 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM and a newer 2015 generation instead of 2013. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GT 530 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $4,040 cheaper on MSRP at $100 vs $4,140, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 4110% (6.6 vs 0.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce GT 530 vs GRID K1 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GT 530

The GeForce GT 530 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 20 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1024 MHz to 1188 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 90W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 662 points. Launch price was $159.

NVIDIA

GRID K1

The GRID K1 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 11 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 745 MHz. It has 1536 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 651 points. Launch price was $5,199.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GT 530 scores 662 and the GRID K1 reaches 651 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 530 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the GRID K1 uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GT 530) vs 1,536 (GRID K1). Raw compute: 1.825 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 530) vs 2.289 TFLOPS ×2 (GRID K1).

FeatureGeForce GT 530GRID K1
G3D Mark Score
662+2%
651
Architecture
Maxwell 2.0
Kepler
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
768
1536 ×2+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.825 TFLOPS
2.289 TFLOPS ×2+25%
ROPs
32
32 ×2
TMUs
48
128 ×2+167%
L1 Cache
288 KB+125%
128 KB
L2 Cache
1 MB+100%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GT 530 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The GRID K1 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GT 530GRID K1
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 530 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the GRID K1 carries 512 MB. GeForce GT 530 gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce GT 530 and 64-bit on the GRID K1. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GT 530) vs 0.5 MB (GRID K1) — the GeForce GT 530 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GT 530GRID K1
VRAM Capacity
2 GB+300%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
L2 Cache
1 MB+100%
0.5 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GT 530) vs 12_0 (GRID K1). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

FeatureGeForce GT 530GRID K1
DirectX
12 (11_0)
12_0
Max Displays
4
0
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 530 draws 90W versus the GRID K1's 225W — a 85.7% difference. The GeForce GT 530 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 250W (GeForce GT 530) vs 350W (GRID K1). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 145mm vs 267mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots.

FeatureGeForce GT 530GRID K1
TDP
90W-60%
225W
Recommended PSU
250W-29%
350W
Power Connector
None
PCIe-powered
Length
145mm
267mm
Height
111mm
Slots
1-50%
2
Temp (Load)
70°C
Perf/Watt
7.4+155%
2.9
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GT 530 came in at $100, while the GRID K1 launched at $4140. On MSRP, GeForce GT 530 was 97.6% cheaper ($4040 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 6.6 (GeForce GT 530) vs 0.2 (GRID K1) — the GeForce GT 530 offers 3200% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GT 530 (2015 vs 2013).

FeatureGeForce GT 530GRID K1
MSRP
$100-98%
$4140
Performance per Dollar
6.6+3200%
0.2
Codename
GM206
GK104
Release
August 20 2015
May 11 2013
Ranking
#425
#611

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