Quadro K6000 vs Quadro P4200 Max-Q

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 K6000 vs Quadro P4200 Max-Q 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 K6000 vs Quadro P4200 Max-Q: 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 K6000

2013

Why buy it

✅6.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 1.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($5,265 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2013 hardware with 12 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌125% higher power demand at 225W vs 100W.

Quadro P4200 Max-Q

2018

Why buy it

✅Quadro K6000 is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so Quadro P4200 Max-Q is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 100W instead of 225W, a 125W reduction.
✅More future proof: Pascal (2016−2021) on 16nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Quadro K6000 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 1.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $5,265 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Quadro K6000 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 6.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2.5% in PassMark G3D (7,993 vs 7,800), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

Quadro P4200 Max-Q is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 16nm process instead of 28nm and a newer 2018 generation instead of 2013. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Quadro K6000 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, Quadro K6000 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Quadro P4200 Max-Q has the stronger long-term case.

Quadro K6000 vs Quadro P4200 Max-Q Technical Specifications

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

Quadro K6000

The Quadro K6000 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 23 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 797 MHz to 902 MHz. It has 2880 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,993 points. Launch price was $5,265.

Quadro P4200 Max-Q

The Quadro P4200 Max-Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 21 2018. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1215 MHz to 1480 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,800 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Quadro K6000 scores 7,993 and the Quadro P4200 Max-Q reaches 7,800 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Quadro K6000 is built on Kepler while the Quadro P4200 Max-Q uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 2,880 (Quadro K6000) vs 2,304 (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Raw compute: 5.196 TFLOPS (Quadro K6000) vs 6.82 TFLOPS (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Boost clocks: 902 MHz vs 1480 MHz.

Feature	Quadro K6000	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
G3D Mark Score	7,993+2%	7,800
Architecture	Kepler	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	2880+25%	2304
Compute (TFLOPS)	5.196 TFLOPS	6.82 TFLOPS+31%
Boost Clock	902 MHz	1480 MHz+64%
ROPs	48	64+33%
TMUs	240+67%	144
L1 Cache	240 KB	864 KB+260%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Quadro K6000	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
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 K6000 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro P4200 Max-Q carries 4 GB. Quadro K6000 gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the Quadro K6000 and 256-bit on the Quadro P4200 Max-Q. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (Quadro K6000) vs 2 MB (Quadro P4200 Max-Q) — the Quadro P4200 Max-Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Quadro K6000	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+200%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Bus Width	256-bit	256-bit
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.0 (Quadro K6000) vs 12.1 (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	Quadro K6000	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
DirectX	11.0	12.1+10%
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1.0 (Quadro K6000) vs NVENC 6.0 (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP5 vs PureVideo HD VP8. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (Quadro K6000) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Quadro P4200 Max-Q).

Feature	Quadro K6000	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
Encoder	NVENC 1.0	NVENC 6.0
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP5	PureVideo HD VP8
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Quadro K6000 draws 225W versus the Quadro P4200 Max-Q's 100W — a 76.9% difference. The Quadro P4200 Max-Q is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Quadro K6000) vs 350W (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 265mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	Quadro K6000	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
TDP	225W	100W-56%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	PCIe-powered
Length	265mm	0mm
Height	110mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	35.5	78.0+120%

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Quadro P4200 Max-Q (2018 vs 2013).

Feature	Quadro K6000	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
MSRP	$5265	—
Codename	GK110B	GP104
Release	July 23 2013	February 21 2018
Ranking	#318	#234

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