Quadro vs Radeon R9 270X

NVIDIA

Quadro

1999Core: 135 MHz
Similar parts
VS
AMD

Radeon R9 270X

2013Boost: 1050 MHz
Similar parts
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Quadro vs Radeon R9 270X 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 vs Radeon R9 270X 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 vs Radeon R9 270X: 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

1999

Why buy it

  • Radeon R9 270X is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Quadro is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 75W instead of 180W, a 105W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 270X across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 1999 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 402.5% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,000 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 5.0 vs 24.5 G3D/$ ($1,000 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Radeon R9 270X

2013

Why buy it

  • 95.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $801 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $1,000 MSRP).
  • Delivers 389.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 24.5 vs 5.0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $1,000 MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 2013 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 140% higher power demand at 180W vs 75W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon R9 270X is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 95.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Quadro instead at 5,000 vs 4,874, 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?
Quadro is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon R9 270X makes the most sense to buy today. It is $801 cheaper on MSRP at $199 vs $1,000, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 389.8% (24.5 vs 5.0), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R9 270X is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Quadro has the stronger long-term case.

Quadro vs Radeon R9 270X Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

Quadro

The Quadro is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in 1999. It features the Celsius architecture. The core clock speed is 135 MHz. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 220 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,000 points.

AMD

Radeon R9 270X

The Radeon R9 270X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 8 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1050 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,874 points. Launch price was $199.

Graphics Performance

The Quadro scores 5,000 and the Radeon R9 270X reaches 4,874 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Quadro is built on Celsius while the Radeon R9 270X uses GCN 1.0, both on 220 nm vs 28 nm.

FeatureQuadroRadeon R9 270X
G3D Mark Score
5,000+3%
4,874
Architecture
Celsius
GCN 1.0
Process Node
220 nm
28 nm
ROPs
4
32+700%
TMUs
4
80+1900%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureQuadroRadeon R9 270X
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 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 270X carries 4 GB. Radeon R9 270X 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 and 256-bit on the Radeon R9 270X.

FeatureQuadroRadeon R9 270X
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
4 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
256-bit+300%
🖥️

Display & API Support

Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 4.

FeatureQuadroRadeon R9 270X
Max Displays
1
4+300%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (Quadro) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon R9 270X). Decoder: MPEG-2 Acceleration vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2 (Quadro) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 (Radeon R9 270X).

FeatureQuadroRadeon R9 270X
Encoder
None
VCE 1.0
Decoder
MPEG-2 Acceleration
UVD 4.2
Codecs
MPEG-2
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Quadro draws 75W versus the Radeon R9 270X's 180W — a 82.4% difference. The Quadro is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Quadro) vs 500W (Radeon R9 270X). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 6-pin.

FeatureQuadroRadeon R9 270X
TDP
75W-58%
180W
Recommended PSU
350W-30%
500W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
2x 6-pin
Length
241mm
Height
109mm
Slots
1-50%
2
Temp (Load)
80 C
Perf/Watt
66.7+146%
27.1
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Quadro came in at $1000, while the Radeon R9 270X launched at $199. On MSRP, Radeon R9 270X was 80.1% cheaper ($801 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 5.0 (Quadro) vs 24.5 (Radeon R9 270X) — the Radeon R9 270X offers 390% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R9 270X (2013 vs 1999).

FeatureQuadroRadeon R9 270X
MSRP
$1000
$199-80%
Performance per Dollar
5.0
24.5+390%
Codename
NV10
Curacao
Release
1999
October 8 2013
Ranking
#900
#448

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