GeForce GTX 280 vs Quadro 4000M

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 280

2008Core: 602 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

Quadro 4000M

2011Core: 475 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 280 vs Quadro 4000M 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 GTX 280 vs Quadro 4000M 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 GTX 280 vs Quadro 4000M: 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 GTX 280

2008

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($649 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Quadro 4000M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2008 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 136% higher power demand at 236W vs 100W.

Quadro 4000M

2011

Why buy it

  • 28.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 1 GB).
  • Draws 100W instead of 236W, a 136W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 2011 hardware with 2 GB 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 2.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $649 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Quadro 4000M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 28.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.2% in PassMark G3D (1,287 vs 1,285), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GTX 280 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?
GeForce GTX 280 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. Quadro 4000M still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 280 vs Quadro 4000M Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 280

The GeForce GTX 280 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 16 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 602 MHz. It has 240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 236W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,285 points. Launch price was $649.

NVIDIA

Quadro 4000M

The Quadro 4000M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 22 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 475 MHz. It has 336 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,287 points. Launch price was $449.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 280 scores 1,285 and the Quadro 4000M reaches 1,287 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 280 is built on Tesla 2.0 while the Quadro 4000M uses Fermi, both on 65 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 240 (GeForce GTX 280) vs 336 (Quadro 4000M). Raw compute: 0.6221 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 280) vs 0.6384 TFLOPS (Quadro 4000M).

FeatureGeForce GTX 280Quadro 4000M
G3D Mark Score
1,285
1,287
Architecture
Tesla 2.0
Fermi
Process Node
65 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
240
336+40%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.6221 TFLOPS
0.6384 TFLOPS+3%
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
80+43%
56
L2 Cache
256 KB
512 KB+100%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 280 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Quadro 4000M leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 280Quadro 4000M
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 GTX 280 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro 4000M carries 2 GB. Quadro 4000M 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 GTX 280 and 64-bit on the Quadro 4000M. L2 Cache: 256 KB (GeForce GTX 280) vs 512 KB (Quadro 4000M) — the Quadro 4000M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 280Quadro 4000M
VRAM Capacity
1 GB
2 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
256 KB
512 KB+100%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 280 draws 236W versus the Quadro 4000M's 100W — a 81% difference. The Quadro 4000M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce GTX 280) vs 350W (Quadro 4000M). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 280Quadro 4000M
TDP
236W
100W-58%
Recommended PSU
550W
350W-36%
Power Connector
1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
267mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
85
Perf/Watt
5.4
12.9+139%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Quadro 4000M (2011 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce GTX 280Quadro 4000M
MSRP
$649
Codename
GT200
GF104
Release
June 16 2008
February 22 2011
Ranking
#802
#801

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