Quadro K420 vs Radeon M535DX

NVIDIA

Quadro K420

2014Core: 771 MHzBoost: 784 MHz
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VS
AMD

Radeon M535DX

2019Core: 1082 MHzBoost: 1218 MHz
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Quadro K420 vs Radeon M535DX 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.

Quadro K420 vs Radeon M535DX 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 K420 vs Radeon M535DX: 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 K420

2014

Why buy it

  • 27.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $50 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
  • Delivers 29.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 4.8 vs 3.8 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

  • 2014 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 116% higher power demand at 108W vs 50W.

Radeon M535DX

2019

Why buy it

  • Quadro K420 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon M535DX is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 50W instead of 108W, a 58W reduction.
  • More future proof: GCN 4.0 (2016−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Quadro K420 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2019 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 33.3% HIGHER MSRP
    $200 MSRPvs$150 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 3.8 vs 4.8 G3D/$ ($200 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Quadro K420 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 27.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon M535DX instead at 750 vs 726, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon M535DX is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 14nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2014. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Quadro K420 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $50 cheaper on MSRP at $150 vs $200, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 29.1% (4.8 vs 3.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Quadro K420 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon M535DX has the stronger long-term case.

Quadro K420 vs Radeon M535DX Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

Quadro K420

The Quadro K420 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 22 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 771 MHz to 784 MHz. It has 1344 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 108W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 726 points. Launch price was $854.99.

AMD

Radeon M535DX

The Radeon M535DX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 27 2019. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1082 MHz to 1218 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 750 points.

Graphics Performance

The Quadro K420 scores 726 and the Radeon M535DX reaches 750 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Quadro K420 is built on Kepler while the Radeon M535DX uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,344 (Quadro K420) vs 512 (Radeon M535DX). Raw compute: 2.107 TFLOPS (Quadro K420) vs 1.247 TFLOPS (Radeon M535DX). Boost clocks: 784 MHz vs 1218 MHz.

FeatureQuadro K420Radeon M535DX
G3D Mark Score
726
750+3%
Architecture
Kepler
GCN 4.0
Process Node
28 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
1344+163%
512
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.107 TFLOPS+69%
1.247 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
784 MHz
1218 MHz+55%
ROPs
32+100%
16
TMUs
112+250%
32
L1 Cache
112 KB
128 KB+14%
L2 Cache
512 KB
512 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureQuadro K420Radeon M535DX
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Quadro K420 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon M535DX carries 512 MB. Quadro K420 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 Quadro K420 and 64-bit on the Radeon M535DX.

FeatureQuadro K420Radeon M535DX
VRAM Capacity
1 GB+100%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
L2 Cache
512 KB
512 KB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Quadro K420 draws 108W versus the Radeon M535DX's 50W — a 73.4% difference. The Radeon M535DX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Quadro K420) vs 350W (Radeon M535DX). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs None.

FeatureQuadro K420Radeon M535DX
TDP
108W
50W-54%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
None
Perf/Watt
6.7
15.0+124%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Quadro K420 came in at $150, while the Radeon M535DX launched at $200. On MSRP, Quadro K420 was 25% cheaper ($50 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 4.8 (Quadro K420) vs 3.8 (Radeon M535DX) — the Quadro K420 offers 26.3% better value. The newer card here is Radeon M535DX (2019 vs 2014).

FeatureQuadro K420Radeon M535DX
MSRP
$150-25%
$200
Performance per Dollar
4.8+26%
3.8
Codename
GK104
Lexa
Release
July 22 2014
March 27 2019
Ranking
#475
#772

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