GRID K280Q vs Quadro K1200

GRID K280Q

2013Core: 745 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

Quadro K1200

2015Core: 954 MHzBoost: 1033 MHz
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GRID K280Q vs Quadro K1200 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 K280Q vs Quadro K1200: 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 K280Q

2013

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 566.7% HIGHER MSRP
    $2,000 MSRPvs$300 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.4 vs 9.9 G3D/$ ($2,000 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
  • 400% higher power demand at 225W vs 45W.

Quadro K1200

2015

Why buy it

  • Costs $1,700 less on MSRP ($300 MSRP vs $2,000 MSRP).
  • Delivers 596% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 9.9 vs 1.4 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $2,000 MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Draws 45W instead of 225W, a 180W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 2015 hardware with 4 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 K1200 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 4.4% in PassMark G3D (2,965 vs 2,840), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GRID K280Q 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 K1200 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,700 cheaper on MSRP at $300 vs $2,000, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 596% (9.9 vs 1.4), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Quadro K1200 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GRID K280Q has the stronger long-term case.

GRID K280Q vs Quadro K1200 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GRID K280Q

The GRID K280Q 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: 2,840 points. Launch price was $1,875.

NVIDIA

Quadro K1200

The Quadro K1200 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 28 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 1033 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,965 points. Launch price was $321.97.

Graphics Performance

The GRID K280Q scores 2,840 and the Quadro K1200 reaches 2,965 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 4.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GRID K280Q is built on Kepler while the Quadro K1200 uses Maxwell, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,536 (GRID K280Q) vs 512 (Quadro K1200). Raw compute: 2.289 TFLOPS (GRID K280Q) vs 1.0578 TFLOPS (Quadro K1200).

FeatureGRID K280QQuadro K1200
G3D Mark Score
2,840
2,965+4%
Architecture
Kepler
Maxwell
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
1536+200%
512
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.289 TFLOPS+116%
1.0578 TFLOPS
ROPs
32+100%
16
TMUs
128+300%
32
L1 Cache
128 KB
256 KB+100%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGRID K280QQuadro K1200
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 K280Q has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro K1200 carries 4 GB. Quadro K1200 gives you 100% 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 K280Q and 64-bit on the Quadro K1200. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (GRID K280Q) vs 2 MB (Quadro K1200) — the Quadro K1200 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGRID K280QQuadro K1200
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
4 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GRID K280Q draws 225W versus the Quadro K1200's 45W — a 133.3% difference. The Quadro K1200 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GRID K280Q) vs 350W (Quadro K1200). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureGRID K280QQuadro K1200
TDP
225W
45W-80%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
PCIe-powered
Length
1mm
Slots
0
Perf/Watt
12.6
65.9+423%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GRID K280Q came in at $2000, while the Quadro K1200 launched at $300. On MSRP, Quadro K1200 was 85% cheaper ($1700 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.4 (GRID K280Q) vs 9.9 (Quadro K1200) — the Quadro K1200 offers 607.1% better value. The newer card here is Quadro K1200 (2015 vs 2013).

FeatureGRID K280QQuadro K1200
MSRP
$2000
$300-85%
Performance per Dollar
1.4
9.9+607%
Codename
GK104
GM107
Release
June 28 2013
January 28 2015
Ranking
#595
#586

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