GRID K180Q vs Quadro FX 5600

GRID K180Q

2013Core: 745 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

Quadro FX 5600

2008Core: 610 MHz

GRID K180Q vs Quadro FX 5600 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.

GRID K180Q vs Quadro FX 5600: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GRID K180Q

2013

Why buy it

  • Costs $1,999 less on MSRP ($1,000 MSRP vs $2,999 MSRP).
  • Delivers 205% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.5 vs 0.2 G3D/$ ($1,000 MSRP vs $2,999 MSRP).
  • More future proof: Kepler (2012−2018) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2013 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 19% higher power demand at 225W vs 189W.

Quadro FX 5600

2008

Why buy it

  • 700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 512 MB).
  • Draws 189W instead of 225W, a 36W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 2008 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 199.9% HIGHER MSRP
    $2,999 MSRPvs$1,000 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.2 vs 0.5 G3D/$ ($2,999 MSRP vs $1,000 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GRID K180Q is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.7% in PassMark G3D (534 vs 525), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GRID K180Q is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 28nm process instead of 55nm and a newer 2013 generation instead of 2008. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GRID K180Q makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,999 cheaper on MSRP at $1,000 vs $2,999, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 205% (0.5 vs 0.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GRID K180Q vs Quadro FX 5600 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GRID K180Q

The GRID K180Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 28 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 745 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 534 points. Launch price was $1,875.

NVIDIA

Quadro FX 5600

The Quadro FX 5600 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 11 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 610 MHz. It has 240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 189W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 525 points. Launch price was $3,499.

Graphics Performance

The GRID K180Q scores 534 and the Quadro FX 5600 reaches 525 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GRID K180Q is built on Kepler while the Quadro FX 5600 uses Tesla 2.0, both on 28 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (GRID K180Q) vs 240 (Quadro FX 5600). Raw compute: 2.289 TFLOPS (GRID K180Q) vs 0.6221 TFLOPS (Quadro FX 5600).

FeatureGRID K180QQuadro FX 5600
G3D Mark Score
534+2%
525
Architecture
Kepler
Tesla 2.0
Process Node
28 nm
55 nm
Shading Units
1536+540%
240
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.289 TFLOPS+268%
0.6221 TFLOPS
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
128+60%
80
L2 Cache
512 KB+100%
256 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGRID K180QQuadro FX 5600
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GRID K180Q has 512 MB of VRAM, while the Quadro FX 5600 carries 4 GB. Quadro FX 5600 gives you 700% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GRID K180Q and 64-bit on the Quadro FX 5600. L2 Cache: 512 KB (GRID K180Q) vs 256 KB (Quadro FX 5600) — the GRID K180Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGRID K180QQuadro FX 5600
VRAM Capacity
0.5 GB
4 GB+700%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
L2 Cache
512 KB+100%
256 KB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GRID K180Q draws 225W versus the Quadro FX 5600's 189W — a 17.4% difference. The Quadro FX 5600 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GRID K180Q) vs 350W (Quadro FX 5600). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGRID K180QQuadro FX 5600
TDP
225W
189W-16%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
PCIe-powered
Perf/Watt
2.4
2.8+17%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GRID K180Q came in at $1000, while the Quadro FX 5600 launched at $2999. On MSRP, GRID K180Q was 66.7% cheaper ($1999 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.5 (GRID K180Q) vs 0.2 (Quadro FX 5600) — the GRID K180Q offers 150% better value. The newer card here is GRID K180Q (2013 vs 2008).

FeatureGRID K180QQuadro FX 5600
MSRP
$1000-67%
$2999
Performance per Dollar
0.5+150%
0.2
Codename
GK104
GT200B
Release
June 28 2013
November 11 2008
Ranking
#595
#815

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