Quadro K4200 vs Radeon HD 7870 XT

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 K4200 vs Radeon HD 7870 XT 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 K4200 vs Radeon HD 7870 XT: 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 K4200

2014

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
✅Draws 108W instead of 185W, a 77W reduction.
✅Measures 241mm instead of 267mm, a 26mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 7870 XT across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 16.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $270 MSRP).

Radeon HD 7870 XT

2012

Why buy it

✅13.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 16.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($270 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2012 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌71.3% higher power demand at 185W vs 108W.
❌10.8% longer card at 267mm vs 241mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 7870 XT is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 13.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3.2% in PassMark G3D (4,470 vs 4,332), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

Quadro K4200 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM and a newer 2014 generation instead of 2012. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 7870 XT makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 7870 XT is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Quadro K4200 has the stronger long-term case.

Quadro K4200 vs Radeon HD 7870 XT Technical Specifications

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

Quadro K4200

The Quadro K4200 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: 4,332 points. Launch price was $854.99.

Radeon HD 7870 XT

The Radeon HD 7870 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 19 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 925 MHz to 975 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 185W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,470 points. Launch price was $270.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Quadro K4200 scores 4,332 and the Radeon HD 7870 XT reaches 4,470 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Quadro K4200 is built on Kepler while the Radeon HD 7870 XT uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,344 (Quadro K4200) vs 1,536 (Radeon HD 7870 XT). Raw compute: 2.107 TFLOPS (Quadro K4200) vs 2.995 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7870 XT). Boost clocks: 784 MHz vs 975 MHz.

Feature	Quadro K4200	Radeon HD 7870 XT
G3D Mark Score	4,332	4,470+3%
Architecture	Kepler	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1344	1536+14%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.107 TFLOPS	2.995 TFLOPS+42%
Boost Clock	784 MHz	975 MHz+24%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	112+17%	96
L1 Cache	112 KB	384 KB+243%
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Quadro K4200	Radeon HD 7870 XT
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 K4200 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7870 XT carries 2 GB. Quadro K4200 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 K4200 and 256-bit on the Radeon HD 7870 XT.

Feature	Quadro K4200	Radeon HD 7870 XT
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	256-bit+300%
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_0 (Quadro K4200) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7870 XT). Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 4.

Feature	Quadro K4200	Radeon HD 7870 XT
DirectX	12_0	12 (11_1)
Max Displays	3	4+33%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 2nd Gen (Quadro K4200) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7870 XT). Decoder: NVDEC 1st Gen vs UVD 3.2.

Feature	Quadro K4200	Radeon HD 7870 XT
Encoder	NVENC 2nd Gen	VCE 1.0
Decoder	NVDEC 1st Gen	UVD 3.2
Codecs	—	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Quadro K4200 draws 108W versus the Radeon HD 7870 XT's 185W — a 52.6% difference. The Quadro K4200 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Quadro K4200) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7870 XT). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 6-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 267mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots.

Feature	Quadro K4200	Radeon HD 7870 XT
TDP	108W-42%	185W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	2x 6-pin
Length	241mm	267mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	—	80
Perf/Watt	40.1+66%	24.2

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Quadro K4200 came in at $0, while the Radeon HD 7870 XT launched at $270. On MSRP, Quadro K4200 was 100+% cheaper ($270 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (Quadro K4200) vs 16.6 (Radeon HD 7870 XT) — the Quadro K4200 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Quadro K4200 (2014 vs 2012).

Feature	Quadro K4200	Radeon HD 7870 XT
MSRP	$0-100%	$270
Performance per Dollar	Infinity	16.6
Codename	GK104	Tahiti
Release	July 22 2014	November 19 2012
Ranking	#475	#469

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