Quadro M5500 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 M5500 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 M5500 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 M5500

2016

Why buy it

✅13.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 9.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($800 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2016 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌50% higher power demand at 150W vs 100W.

Quadro P4200 Max-Q

2018

Why buy it

✅Quadro M5500 is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so Quadro P4200 Max-Q is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 100W instead of 150W, a 50W reduction.
✅More future proof: Pascal (2016−2021) on 16nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Quadro M5500 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 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 9.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $800 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Quadro M5500 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 13.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.5% in PassMark G3D (7,915 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 2016. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Quadro M5500 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 M5500 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 M5500 vs Quadro P4200 Max-Q Technical Specifications

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

Quadro M5500

The Quadro M5500 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 8 2016. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1140 MHz to 1165 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,915 points.

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 M5500 scores 7,915 and the Quadro P4200 Max-Q reaches 7,800 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Quadro M5500 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Quadro P4200 Max-Q uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (Quadro M5500) vs 2,304 (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Raw compute: 4.772 TFLOPS (Quadro M5500) vs 6.82 TFLOPS (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Boost clocks: 1165 MHz vs 1480 MHz.

Feature	Quadro M5500	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
G3D Mark Score	7,915+1%	7,800
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Pascal
Process Node	28 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	2048	2304+13%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.772 TFLOPS	6.82 TFLOPS+43%
Boost Clock	1165 MHz	1480 MHz+27%
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	128	144+13%
L1 Cache	768 KB	864 KB+13%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Quadro M5500	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 M5500 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro P4200 Max-Q carries 4 GB. Quadro M5500 gives you 100% 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 M5500 and 256-bit on the Quadro P4200 Max-Q.

Feature	Quadro M5500	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+100%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Bus Width	256-bit	256-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (Quadro M5500) vs 12.1 (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	Quadro M5500	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
DirectX	12 (12_1)	12.1
Vulkan	1.2	1.3+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Maxwell) (Quadro M5500) vs NVENC 6.0 (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Decoder: NVDEC (Maxwell) vs PureVideo HD VP8. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Quadro M5500) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Quadro P4200 Max-Q).

Feature	Quadro M5500	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
Encoder	NVENC (Maxwell)	NVENC 6.0
Decoder	NVDEC (Maxwell)	PureVideo HD VP8
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Quadro M5500 draws 150W versus the Quadro P4200 Max-Q's 100W — a 40% difference. The Quadro P4200 Max-Q is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Quadro M5500) vs 350W (Quadro P4200 Max-Q). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 0mm vs 0mm, occupying 0 vs 0 slots.

Feature	Quadro M5500	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
TDP	150W	100W-33%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	PCIe-powered
Length	0mm	0mm
Height	0mm	0mm
Slots	0	0
Temp (Load)	85	—
Perf/Watt	52.8	78.0+48%

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Quadro P4200 Max-Q (2018 vs 2016).

Feature	Quadro M5500	Quadro P4200 Max-Q
MSRP	$800	—
Codename	GM204	GP104
Release	April 8 2016	February 21 2018
Ranking	#321	#234

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