
Radeon HD 8950 vs Quadro K5000M

Radeon HD 8950
Popular choices:

Quadro K5000M
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar Quadro K5000M
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 8950 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.8% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Quadro K5000M offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon HD 8950 | Quadro K5000M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.8%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.8%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / Kepler (2012−2018)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+33.3%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (267mm) | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 8950 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 8950 holds the technical lead. Priced at $499 (vs $509), it costs 2% less, resulting in a 2.8% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 8950 | Quadro K5000M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+2.8%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($499) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($509) |
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 8950 and Quadro K5000M

Radeon HD 8950
The Radeon HD 8950 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 31 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1250 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,828 points. Launch price was $449.

Quadro K5000M
The Quadro K5000M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 7 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 601 MHz. It has 1344 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,805 points. Launch price was $329.99.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 8950 scores 2,828 and the Quadro K5000M reaches 2,805 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8950 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Quadro K5000M uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon HD 8950) vs 1,344 (Quadro K5000M). Raw compute: 2.867 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8950) vs 1.615 TFLOPS (Quadro K5000M).
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | Quadro K5000M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 2,828 | 2,805 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Kepler |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1792+33% | 1344 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.867 TFLOPS+78% | 1.615 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 112 | 112 |
| L1 Cache | 448 KB+300% | 112 KB |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB+50% | 512 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | Quadro K5000M |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 8950 comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro K5000M has 4 GB. The Quadro K5000M offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 256-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 768 KB (Radeon HD 8950) vs 512 KB (Quadro K5000M) — the Radeon HD 8950 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | Quadro K5000M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 3 GB | 4 GB+33% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 256-bit+300% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB+50% | 512 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12_0 (Radeon HD 8950) vs 12 (11_0) (Quadro K5000M). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | Quadro K5000M |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12_0 | 12 (11_0) |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 8950) vs 1st Gen NVENC (Kepler) (Quadro K5000M). Decoder: UVD 3.1 vs PureVideo HD VP5.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | Quadro K5000M |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 1.0 | 1st Gen NVENC (Kepler) |
| Decoder | UVD 3.1 | PureVideo HD VP5 |
| Codecs | — | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 8950 draws 200W versus the Quadro K5000M's 100W — a 66.7% difference. The Quadro K5000M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 8950) vs 350W (Quadro K5000M). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | Quadro K5000M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 100W-50% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 350W-30% |
| Power Connector | 6-pin + 8-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 267mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | — | 81°C |
| Perf/Watt | 14.1 | 28.1+99% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 8950 costs 2% less ($10 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 5.7 (Radeon HD 8950) vs 5.5 (Quadro K5000M) — the Radeon HD 8950 offers 3.6% better value.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8950 | Quadro K5000M |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $499 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $499-2% | $509 |
| Performance per Dollar | 5.7+4% | 5.5 |
| Codename | Tahiti | GK104 |
| Release | January 31 2012 | August 7 2012 |
| Ranking | #454 | #600 |
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