GeForce RTX 3070 vs Quadro M520

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

✅+1059% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 364.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 9.6 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌780% higher power demand at 220W vs 25W.

Quadro M520

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $299 less on MSRP ($200 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Draws 25W instead of 220W, a 195W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,913 vs 22,172).
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2017-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 9.6 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($200 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Quadro M520

2017

Why buy it

✅+1059% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 364.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 9.6 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $299 less on MSRP ($200 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Draws 25W instead of 220W, a 195W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌780% higher power demand at 220W vs 25W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,913 vs 22,172).
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2017-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 9.6 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($200 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3070 better than Quadro M520?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 22,172 vs 1,913 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3070 is a 2020 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Quadro M520 is a 2017 model from an older generation with no meaningful modern upscaling stack. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2017, 1059.0% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 2 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3070 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3070 is about 149.5% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $200 MSRP, and you are getting 1059.0% higher G3D Mark. Quadro M520 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is Quadro M520 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Quadro M520 is 2017 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM, 1,913 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce RTX 3070 Benchmark Check

Quadro M520 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3070	Quadro M520
1080p
low	158 FPS	33 FPS
medium	140 FPS	20 FPS
high	123 FPS	13 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	7 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	20 FPS
medium	109 FPS	12 FPS
high	96 FPS	6 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	3 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	8 FPS
medium	67 FPS	6 FPS
high	52 FPS	3 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	2 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3070 Open Quadro M520

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3070	Quadro M520
1080p
low	470 FPS	76 FPS
medium	405 FPS	48 FPS
high	327 FPS	35 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	21 FPS
1440p
low	294 FPS	21 FPS
medium	246 FPS	15 FPS
high	213 FPS	11 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	8 FPS
4K
low	141 FPS	6 FPS
medium	120 FPS	4 FPS
high	105 FPS	4 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	2 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3070 Open Quadro M520

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3070	Quadro M520
1080p
low	885 FPS	86 FPS
medium	712 FPS	69 FPS
high	619 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	499 FPS	43 FPS
1440p
low	692 FPS	65 FPS
medium	557 FPS	52 FPS
high	473 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	374 FPS	32 FPS
4K
low	479 FPS	43 FPS
medium	388 FPS	34 FPS
high	330 FPS	29 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	22 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3070 Open Quadro M520

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3070	Quadro M520
1080p
low	600 FPS	84 FPS
medium	527 FPS	68 FPS
high	433 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	385 FPS	43 FPS
1440p
low	489 FPS	15 FPS
medium	433 FPS	12 FPS
high	339 FPS	11 FPS
ultra	297 FPS	9 FPS
4K
low	292 FPS	11 FPS
medium	270 FPS	8 FPS
high	238 FPS	7 FPS
ultra	200 FPS	5 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3070 Open Quadro M520

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3070 and Quadro M520

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

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

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Quadro M520's 1,913 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 1059%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Quadro M520 uses Maxwell, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 384 (Quadro M520). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.7995 TFLOPS (Quadro M520). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 1019 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Quadro M520
G3D Mark Score	22,172+1059%	1,913
Architecture	Ampere	Maxwell
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	5888+1433%	384
Compute (TFLOPS)	20.31 TFLOPS+2440%	0.7995 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1725 MHz+69%	1019 MHz
ROPs	96+1100%	8
TMUs	184+1050%	16
L1 Cache	5.8 MB+4362%	0.13 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB+300%	1 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Quadro M520 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Quadro M520
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3070 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro M520 has 2 GB. The GeForce RTX 3070 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 256-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1 MB (Quadro M520) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Quadro M520
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+300%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Bus Width	256-bit+300%	64-bit
L2 Cache	4 MB+300%	1 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Quadro M520's 25W — a 159.2% difference. The Quadro M520 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 350W (Quadro M520). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Quadro M520
TDP	220W	25W-89%
Recommended PSU	650W	350W-46%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	100.8+32%	76.5

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499 MSRP, while the Quadro M520 launched at $200. The Quadro M520 costs 59.9% less ($299 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 9.6 (Quadro M520) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 362.5% better value. The GeForce RTX 3070 is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2017).