GeForce GTX 470M vs Quadro M520

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 470M

2010Core: 535 MHz
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VS
NVIDIA

Quadro M520

2017Core: 1041 MHzBoost: 1019 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 470M vs Quadro M520 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 470M vs Quadro M520 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 470M vs Quadro M520: 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 470M

2010

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Quadro M520 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2010 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 9.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
  • 200% higher power demand at 75W vs 25W.

Quadro M520

2017

Why buy it

  • 4.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 9.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($200 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Draws 25W instead of 75W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 2017 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Quadro M520 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 4.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 470M instead at 1,953 vs 1,913, 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?
GeForce GTX 470M 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?
Quadro M520 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, Quadro M520 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 470M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 470M vs Quadro M520 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 470M

The GeForce GTX 470M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 3 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 535 MHz. It has 288 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,953 points.

NVIDIA

Quadro M520

The Quadro M520 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 11 2017. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1041 MHz to 1019 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,913 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 470M scores 1,953 and the Quadro M520 reaches 1,913 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 470M is built on Fermi while the Quadro M520 uses Maxwell, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 288 (GeForce GTX 470M) vs 384 (Quadro M520). Raw compute: 0.6163 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 470M) vs 0.7995 TFLOPS (Quadro M520).

FeatureGeForce GTX 470MQuadro M520
G3D Mark Score
1,953+2%
1,913
Architecture
Fermi
Maxwell
Process Node
40 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
288
384+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.6163 TFLOPS
0.7995 TFLOPS+30%
ROPs
24+200%
8
TMUs
48+200%
16
L1 Cache
384 KB+200%
128 KB
L2 Cache
0.38 MB
1 MB+163%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 470M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Quadro M520 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 470MQuadro M520
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 470M has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro M520 carries 2 GB. Quadro M520 gives you 33.3% 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 470M and 64-bit on the Quadro M520. L2 Cache: 0.38 MB (GeForce GTX 470M) vs 1 MB (Quadro M520) — the Quadro M520 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 470MQuadro M520
VRAM Capacity
1.5 GB
2 GB+33%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
0.38 MB
1 MB+163%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 470M draws 75W versus the Quadro M520's 25W — a 100% difference. The Quadro M520 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 470M) vs 350W (Quadro M520). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGeForce GTX 470MQuadro M520
TDP
75W
25W-67%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
PCIe-powered
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
85°C
Perf/Watt
26.0
76.5+194%
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Value Analysis

The newer card here is Quadro M520 (2017 vs 2010).

FeatureGeForce GTX 470MQuadro M520
MSRP
$200
Codename
GF104
GM108
Release
September 3 2010
January 11 2017
Ranking
#689
#695

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