Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) vs GRID K520

Performance Spectrum - GPU

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

30

3,500

0.0%

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

Radeon RX 6850M

Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary

GeForce RTX 5060

GRID K520

225

3,516

+0.5%

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

GeForce RTX 2070 (móvel)

GeForce RTX 3060 12GB

GeForce RTX 2080 Ti

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is positioned at rank 222 and the GRID K520 is on rank 350, so the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

#52

Radeon 8060S

MSRP: $800|Avg: $800

96%

#53

Radeon RX 6850M XT

MSRP: $800|Avg: $800

93%

#212

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

465%

#214

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

422%

#215

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

421%

#219

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

383%

#220

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

380%

#222

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

MSRP: $150|Avg: $75

100%

#224

GeForce GT 640M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

97%

#228

GeForce GT 750M Mac Edition

MSRP: $149|Avg: $40

95%

#230

Maxwell GPU Surface Book

MSRP: $150|Avg: $75

95%

#235

Radeon RX 540

MSRP: $99|Avg: $40

92%

#236

Radeon HD 6750M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $60

91%

#237

Radeon HD 7570M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $15

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar GRID K520

#335

Tesla K20m

MSRP: $3199|Avg: $55

15074%

#350

GRID K520

MSRP: $3599|Avg: $50

100%

#351

GRID P40-12Q

MSRP: $5699|Avg: $5699

99%

#352

FirePro 2270

MSRP: $149|Avg: $30

97%

#353

FirePro 2460

MSRP: $180|Avg: $10

96%

#355

Quadro FX 580

MSRP: $199|Avg: $500

93%

#356

FirePro 3D V5700

MSRP: $599|Avg: $25

93%

#357

GRID M60-1B

MSRP: $2500|Avg: $120

92%

#359

FireStream 9270

MSRP: $1499|Avg: $20

91%

#360

Quadro 400

MSRP: $169|Avg: $500

90%

#361

FirePro 2260

MSRP: $129|Avg: $15

90%

#362

Quadro FX 380 LP

MSRP: $169|Avg: $15

88%

#364

Quadro FX 1800

MSRP: $489|Avg: $100

83%

#365

FirePro 3D V8700

MSRP: $1499|Avg: $1229

82%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GRID K520 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.5% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5).

Insight	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)	GRID K520
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.5%)	✅Leading raw performance (+0.5%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell (2014−2017))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / Kepler (2012−2018))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+0%)
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	Standard Size (267mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The GRID K520 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GRID K520 holds the technical lead. Priced at $50 (vs $75), it costs 33% less, resulting in a 50.7% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)	GRID K520
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+50.7%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($75)	✅More affordable ($50)

Performance Check

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 7800X3D 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.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) Benchmark Check

GRID K520 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) and GRID K520

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is manufactured by an unknown manufacturer. It was released in October 1 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,500 points.

GRID K520

The GRID K520 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 23 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 745 MHz. It has 1536 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,516 points. Launch price was $3,599.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) scores 3,500 and the GRID K520 reaches 3,516 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is built on Maxwell while the GRID K520 uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)) vs 1,536 (GRID K520).

Feature	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)	GRID K520
G3D Mark Score	3,500	3,516
Architecture	Maxwell	Kepler
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	384	1536 ×2+300%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)	GRID K520
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 2 GB of GDDR5. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit.

Feature	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)	GRID K520
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)) vs 12 (11_0) (GRID K520). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 0.

Feature	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)	GRID K520
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 (11_0)
Vulkan	1.1	1.2+9%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	2	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Decoder: NVDEC 1st Gen vs NVDEC 1. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GRID K520).

Feature	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)	GRID K520
Encoder	—	NVENC 1
Decoder	NVDEC 1st Gen	NVDEC 1
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) draws 30W versus the GRID K520's 225W — a 152.9% difference. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)) vs 350W (GRID K520). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75°C.

Feature	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)	GRID K520
TDP	30W-87%	225W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	PCIe-powered
Length	—	267mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	75	75°C
Perf/Watt	116.7+648%	15.6

💰

Value Analysis

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) launched at $150 MSRP and currently averages $75, while the GRID K520 launched at $3599 and now averages $50. The GRID K520 costs 33.3% less ($25 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 46.7 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)) vs 70.3 (GRID K520) — the GRID K520 offers 50.5% better value. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2013).