GeForce RTX 3070 vs Quadro NVS 420

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz
RTX family
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VS
NVIDIA

Quadro NVS 420

2018Core: 1227 MHzBoost: 1647 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3070 vs Quadro NVS 420 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 RTX 3070 vs Quadro NVS 420 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 RTX 3070 vs Quadro NVS 420: 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 RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • 6007.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 120% higher power demand at 220W vs 100W.
  • 51.2% longer card at 242mm vs 160mm.

Quadro NVS 420

2018

Why buy it

  • Draws 100W instead of 220W, a 120W reduction.
  • Measures 160mm instead of 242mm, a 82mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 2018 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 44.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 6007.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 16083.9% in PassMark G3D (22,172 vs 137), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 16nm, and 46 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3070 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs Quadro NVS 420 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

Quadro NVS 420

The Quadro NVS 420 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 21 2018. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1227 MHz to 1647 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 137 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Quadro NVS 420's 137 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 16083.9%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Quadro NVS 420 uses Pascal, both on 8 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 2,304 (Quadro NVS 420). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 7.589 TFLOPS (Quadro NVS 420). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 1647 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Quadro NVS 420
G3D Mark Score
22,172+16084%
137
Architecture
Ampere
Pascal
Process Node
8 nm
16 nm
Shading Units
5888+156%
2304
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS+168%
7.589 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1725 MHz+5%
1647 MHz
ROPs
96+50%
64
TMUs
184+28%
144
L1 Cache
5.8 MB+590%
0.84 MB
L2 Cache
4 MB+100%
2 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Quadro NVS 420 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Quadro NVS 420
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 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro NVS 420 carries 4 GB. GeForce RTX 3070 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3070 and 64-bit on the Quadro NVS 420. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 2 MB (Quadro NVS 420) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Quadro NVS 420
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+100%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Bus Width
256-bit+300%
64-bit
L2 Cache
4 MB+100%
2 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 10_0 (Quadro NVS 420). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Quadro NVS 420
DirectX
12 Ultimate+20%
10_0
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3070) vs PureVideo HD (Quadro NVS 420). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs PureVideo HD.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Quadro NVS 420
Encoder
NVENC 7th gen
PureVideo HD
Decoder
NVDEC 5th gen
PureVideo HD
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Quadro NVS 420's 100W — a 75% difference. The Quadro NVS 420 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 350W (Quadro NVS 420). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 160mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Quadro NVS 420
TDP
220W
100W-55%
Recommended PSU
650W
350W-46%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
242mm
160mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
1-50%
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
100.8+7100%
1.4
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3070 came in at $499, while the Quadro NVS 420 launched at $0. On MSRP, Quadro NVS 420 was 100+% cheaper ($499 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs Infinity (Quadro NVS 420) — the Quadro NVS 420 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3070 (2020 vs 2018).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Quadro NVS 420
MSRP
$499
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
44.4
Infinity
Codename
GA104
GP104
Release
September 1 2020
February 21 2018
Ranking
#63
#266

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