Quadro M1200 vs Radeon R9 M290X

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 M1200 vs Radeon R9 M290X 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 M1200 vs Radeon R9 M290X: 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 M1200

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 100W, a 55W reduction.
✅More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 M290X across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2017 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 8.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $400 MSRP).

Radeon R9 M290X

2014

Why buy it

✅35.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 8.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($400 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌122.2% higher power demand at 100W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon R9 M290X is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 35.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.2% in PassMark G3D (3,218 vs 3,212), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

Quadro M1200 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a newer 2017 generation instead of 2014. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon R9 M290X 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 R9 M290X is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Quadro M1200 has the stronger long-term case.

Quadro M1200 vs Radeon R9 M290X Technical Specifications

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

Quadro M1200

The Quadro M1200 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 11 2017. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1093 MHz to 1150 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,212 points.

Radeon R9 M290X

The Radeon R9 M290X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 9 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 850 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,218 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Quadro M1200 scores 3,212 and the Radeon R9 M290X reaches 3,218 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Quadro M1200 is built on Maxwell while the Radeon R9 M290X uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 640 (Quadro M1200) vs 1,280 (Radeon R9 M290X). Raw compute: 1.399 TFLOPS (Quadro M1200) vs 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M290X). Boost clocks: 1150 MHz vs 900 MHz.

Feature	Quadro M1200	Radeon R9 M290X
G3D Mark Score	3,212	3,218
Architecture	Maxwell	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	640	1280+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.399 TFLOPS	2.304 TFLOPS+65%
Boost Clock	1150 MHz+28%	900 MHz
ROPs	16	32+100%
TMUs	40	80+100%
L1 Cache	320 KB	320 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Quadro M1200	Radeon R9 M290X
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)

Both cards ship with 4 GB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the Quadro M1200 and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M290X. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Quadro M1200) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 M290X) — the Quadro M1200 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Quadro M1200	Radeon R9 M290X
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Quadro M1200 draws 45W versus the Radeon R9 M290X's 100W — a 75.9% difference. The Quadro M1200 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Quadro M1200) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M290X). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Mobile.

Feature	Quadro M1200	Radeon R9 M290X
TDP	45W-55%	100W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	Mobile
Slots	0	—
Temp (Load)	82°C	—
Perf/Watt	71.4+122%	32.2

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Quadro M1200 came in at $0, while the Radeon R9 M290X launched at $400. On MSRP, Quadro M1200 was 100+% cheaper ($400 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (Quadro M1200) vs 8.0 (Radeon R9 M290X) — the Quadro M1200 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Quadro M1200 (2017 vs 2014).

Feature	Quadro M1200	Radeon R9 M290X
MSRP	$0-100%	$400
Performance per Dollar	Infinity	8.0
Codename	GM107	Neptune
Release	January 11 2017	January 9 2014
Ranking	#567	#566

Search Quadro M1200 on Amazon

Search Radeon R9 M290X on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.