GeForce RTX 4070 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 4070

2023

Why buy it

✅+1307.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 369.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 9.6 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌700% higher power demand at 200W vs 25W.

Quadro M520

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $399 less on MSRP ($200 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Draws 25W instead of 200W, a 175W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,913 vs 26,919).
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌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 44.9 G3D/$ ($200 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4070

2023

Quadro M520

2017

Why buy it

✅+1307.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 369.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 9.6 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $399 less on MSRP ($200 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Draws 25W instead of 200W, a 175W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌700% higher power demand at 200W vs 25W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,913 vs 26,919).
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌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 44.9 G3D/$ ($200 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4070 better than Quadro M520?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 26,919 vs 1,913 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4070 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, 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 4070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2017, 1307.2% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 2 GB, and better upscaling support with DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) 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 4070 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 4070 is about 199.5% more expensive on MSRP at $599 MSRP versus $200 MSRP, and you are getting 1307.2% 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 4070 Benchmark Check

Quadro M520 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Quadro M520
1080p
low	183 FPS	33 FPS
medium	167 FPS	20 FPS
high	151 FPS	13 FPS
ultra	131 FPS	7 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	20 FPS
medium	124 FPS	12 FPS
high	110 FPS	6 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	3 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	8 FPS
medium	78 FPS	6 FPS
high	65 FPS	3 FPS
ultra	58 FPS	2 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Quadro M520

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Quadro M520
1080p
low	544 FPS	71 FPS
medium	454 FPS	45 FPS
high	353 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	299 FPS	20 FPS
1440p
low	351 FPS	20 FPS
medium	288 FPS	15 FPS
high	235 FPS	10 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	7 FPS
4K
low	172 FPS	6 FPS
medium	144 FPS	4 FPS
high	125 FPS	4 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	2 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Quadro M520

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Quadro M520
1080p
low	884 FPS	86 FPS
medium	713 FPS	69 FPS
high	643 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	569 FPS	43 FPS
1440p
low	684 FPS	65 FPS
medium	549 FPS	52 FPS
high	483 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	424 FPS	32 FPS
4K
low	467 FPS	43 FPS
medium	373 FPS	34 FPS
high	326 FPS	29 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	22 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Quadro M520

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Quadro M520
1080p
low	751 FPS	84 FPS
medium	612 FPS	68 FPS
high	536 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	497 FPS	43 FPS
1440p
low	615 FPS	15 FPS
medium	500 FPS	12 FPS
high	433 FPS	11 FPS
ultra	395 FPS	9 FPS
4K
low	384 FPS	11 FPS
medium	324 FPS	8 FPS
high	301 FPS	7 FPS
ultra	272 FPS	5 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Quadro M520

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4070 and Quadro M520

GeForce RTX 4070

The GeForce RTX 4070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1920 MHz to 2475 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,919 points. Launch price was $599.

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.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4070 scores 26,919 versus the Quadro M520's 1,913 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 1307.2%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Quadro M520 uses Maxwell, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 384 (Quadro M520). Raw compute: 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 0.7995 TFLOPS (Quadro M520). Boost clocks: 2475 MHz vs 1019 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Quadro M520
G3D Mark Score	26,919+1307%	1,913
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	Maxwell
Process Node	5 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	5888+1433%	384
Compute (TFLOPS)	29.15 TFLOPS+3546%	0.7995 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	2475 MHz+143%	1019 MHz
ROPs	64+700%	8
TMUs	184+1050%	16
L1 Cache	5.8 MB+4362%	0.13 MB
L2 Cache	36 MB+3500%	1 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The Quadro M520 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 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 4070	Quadro M520
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	Yes (DLSS 3.5)	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4070 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro M520 has 2 GB. The GeForce RTX 4070 offers 500% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 1 MB (Quadro M520) — the GeForce RTX 4070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Quadro M520
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+500%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6X	GDDR5
Bus Width	192-bit+200%	64-bit
L2 Cache	36 MB+3500%	1 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the Quadro M520's 25W — a 155.6% difference. The Quadro M520 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 350W (Quadro M520). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Quadro M520
TDP	200W	25W-88%
Recommended PSU	650W	350W-46%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	304mm	—
Height	137mm	—
Slots	3	—
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	134.6+76%	76.5

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4070 launched at $599 MSRP, while the Quadro M520 launched at $200. The Quadro M520 costs 66.6% less ($399 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 9.6 (Quadro M520) — the GeForce RTX 4070 offers 367.7% better value. The GeForce RTX 4070 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2017).