Quadro 5000 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.

Quadro 5000 vs Quadro M520 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.

Quadro 5000 vs Quadro M520: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Quadro 5000

2011

Why buy it

✅45.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅25% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2011 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
1149.5% HIGHER MSRP
$2,499 MSRPvs$200 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.8 vs 9.6 G3D/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
❌508% higher power demand at 152W vs 25W.

Quadro M520

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,299 less on MSRP ($200 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1117.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 9.6 vs 0.8 G3D/$ ($200 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 25W instead of 152W, a 127W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Quadro 5000 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2017 hardware with 2 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 5000 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 45.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2.6% in PassMark G3D (1,963 vs 1,913), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Quadro 5000 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 3 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Quadro M520 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $2,299 cheaper on MSRP at $200 vs $2,499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1117.7% (9.6 vs 0.8), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Quadro M520 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Quadro 5000 has the stronger long-term case.

Quadro 5000 vs Quadro M520 Technical Specifications

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

Quadro 5000

The Quadro 5000 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 23 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 513 MHz. It has 352 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 152W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,963 points. Launch price was $2,499.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Quadro 5000 scores 1,963 and the Quadro M520 reaches 1,913 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Quadro 5000 is built on Fermi while the Quadro M520 uses Maxwell, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 352 (Quadro 5000) vs 384 (Quadro M520). Raw compute: 0.7223 TFLOPS (Quadro 5000) vs 0.7995 TFLOPS (Quadro M520).

Feature	Quadro 5000	Quadro M520
G3D Mark Score	1,963+3%	1,913
Architecture	Fermi	Maxwell
Process Node	40 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	352	384+9%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7223 TFLOPS	0.7995 TFLOPS+11%
ROPs	40+400%	8
TMUs	44+175%	16
L1 Cache	704 KB+450%	128 KB
L2 Cache	0.63 MB	1 MB+59%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Quadro 5000	Quadro M520
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Quadro 5000 has 3 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro M520 carries 2 GB. Quadro 5000 gives you 25% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the Quadro 5000 and 64-bit on the Quadro M520. L2 Cache: 0.63 MB (Quadro 5000) vs 1 MB (Quadro M520) — the Quadro M520 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Quadro 5000	Quadro M520
VRAM Capacity	2.5 GB+25%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	64-bit
L2 Cache	0.63 MB	1 MB+59%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Quadro 5000 draws 152W versus the Quadro M520's 25W — a 143.5% difference. The Quadro M520 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Quadro 5000) vs 350W (Quadro M520). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Quadro 5000	Quadro M520
TDP	152W	25W-84%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	PCIe-powered
Perf/Watt	12.9	76.5+493%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Quadro 5000 came in at $2499, while the Quadro M520 launched at $200. On MSRP, Quadro M520 was 92% cheaper ($2299 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.8 (Quadro 5000) vs 9.6 (Quadro M520) — the Quadro M520 offers 1100% better value. The newer card here is Quadro M520 (2017 vs 2011).

Feature	Quadro 5000	Quadro M520
MSRP	$2499	$200-92%
Performance per Dollar	0.8	9.6+1100%
Codename	GF100	GM108
Release	February 23 2011	January 11 2017
Ranking	#687	#695

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