GPU Comparison

The NVIDIA Quadro P2200 and NVIDIA GeForce 945M represent two very different eras of NVIDIA’s mobile and workstation lineup, separated by nearly four years of architectural evolution. The data shows a stark performance gulf, with the Quadro P2200 delivering a dominant showing in the single benchmark where both cards were tested. While the GeForce 945M was once a capable mobile option, the benchmark results indicate it is thoroughly outclassed by the newer Pascal-based workstation part.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison available between these two GPUs is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the results are lopsided. The Quadro P2200 scores 32,344, while the GeForce 945M manages just 8,099. That represents a 299.4% advantage for the Quadro P2200, meaning it is roughly four times faster in raw compute throughput. This is not a marginal generational improvement; it is a complete and utter domination.

Looking at the broader context, the Quadro P2200’s average benchmark score of 8,686 places it in the 44th percentile of all GPUs, according to the data. Its nearest rivals include the GeForce GTX 460 v2 (avg score 8,743, delta -0.7%), the GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (avg score 8,746, delta -0.7%), and the AMD FirePro W5170M (avg score 8,595, delta +1.1%). The Quadro P2200 sits essentially neck-and-neck with these cards, trading places by less than 1.5% in either direction. This tells us that despite its low-end workstation positioning, the Quadro P2200 lands in a performance class alongside some respectable desktop and mobile parts from various generations.

The GeForce 945M, in contrast, has an average benchmark score of 8,099, placing it in the 42nd percentile. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GRID K2 (avg score 8,080, delta +0.2%), the AMD Radeon R9 M360 (avg score 8,129, delta -0.4%), the GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost (avg score 8,067, delta +0.4%), and the GeForce GTX 950M (avg score 8,135, delta -0.4%). The 945M is practically indistinguishable from these older or lower-tier parts, with deltas under 0.5%. This suggests the 945M is firmly anchored in a much lower performance tier, one that the Quadro P2200 surpasses by an extraordinary margin.

The sheer size of the delta in the OpenCL test, 299.4%, is the headline figure. It dwarfs the typical differences seen between adjacent GPU tiers, which are usually in the tens of percentage points. This indicates a fundamental gap in compute capability, not just a minor clock speed or memory bandwidth advantage. The data strongly suggests that any workload leveraging OpenCL will see a massive performance uplift on the Quadro P2200.

The Verdict

From the benchmark data alone, the choice is unambiguous. The NVIDIA Quadro P2200 is the superior GPU in every measurable way presented. It wins the only head-to-head test by a factor of four, and its average benchmark score is 7.2% higher than the GeForce 945M’s (8,686 vs 8,099). The percentile ranking also favors the Quadro P2200, albeit slightly, at 44th versus 42nd.

For a user selecting between these two, the decision hinges entirely on workload. The Quadro P2200 is designed for professional applications, and its massive OpenCL advantage suggests it is the only viable option for compute-heavy tasks like rendering, simulation, or machine learning inference. The GeForce 945M, with its lower scores, would struggle to keep up in any of these scenarios. It is a legacy mobile GPU that, while functional for basic graphics, is not in the same league as the Quadro part.

However, the GeForce 945M does have a niche. Its MXM form factor and "Portable Device Dependent" display outputs indicate it is built for laptops, making it a drop-in replacement for older mobile systems. The Quadro P2200, by contrast, is a single-slot PCIe card designed for workstations. If the requirement is a mobile upgrade for an aging laptop, the 945M is the only practical choice, but if performance is the priority, the Quadro P2200 is the clear winner. The data does not support any other conclusion.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the NVIDIA Quadro P2200 than the GeForce 945M in compute workloads?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the Quadro P2200 scores 32,344 compared to the 945M’s 8,099, which is a 299.4% advantage. This means the Quadro P2200 delivers roughly four times the compute performance.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each GPU, and what does that mean?

A: The Quadro P2200 has an average benchmark score of 8,686, placing it in the 44th percentile of all GPUs. The GeForce 945M has an average score of 8,099, placing it in the 42nd percentile. The Quadro P2200 is 7.2% higher on average.

Q: Are there any benchmark tests where the GeForce 945M wins?

A: No. The data shows only one head-to-head benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, and the Quadro P2200 wins it. The win count is 1 for the Quadro P2200 and 0 for the GeForce 945M.

Q: How does the Quadro P2200 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Quadro P2200’s nearest rivals are the GeForce GTX 460 v2 (delta -0.7%), the GeForce RTX 3050 A Mobile (delta -0.7%), the AMD FirePro W5170M (delta +1.1%), and the Intel Arc A380 (delta +1.5%). It is effectively tied with all of them, differing by less than 1.5%.

Q: What is the GeForce 945M’s closest competitor?

A: The GeForce 945M is closely matched with the NVIDIA GRID K2 (delta +0.2%), AMD Radeon R9 M360 (delta -0.4%), GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost (delta +0.4%), and GeForce GTX 950M (delta -0.4%). All of these cards are within 0.5% of the 945M’s average score.

Q: Which GPU has a higher percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The Quadro P2200 ranks in the 44th percentile, while the GeForce 945M ranks in the 42nd percentile. The Quadro P2200 is slightly higher, though both are in the lower half of all GPUs.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets reveal substantial differences between the two cards. The Quadro P2200 uses a 16 nm process node, while the GeForce 945M uses a 28 nm process. The Quadro P2200 has 5 GB of GDDR5X memory on a 160-bit bus, yielding 200.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The GeForce 945M has 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, providing just 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth. That is a 7x difference in memory bandwidth alone.

Clock speeds also differ. The Quadro P2200 has a base clock of 1000 MHz and a boost clock of 1493 MHz. The GeForce 945M has a base clock of 928 MHz and a boost clock of 1020 MHz. Memory clocks are 1251 MHz (10 Gbps effective) for the Quadro P2200 versus 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective) for the GeForce 945M. The Quadro P2200’s transistor count is 4,400 million, versus 1,870 million for the 945M, and its die size is 200 mm² versus 148 mm².

Output configurations differ as well. The Quadro P2200 offers 4x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the GeForce 945M’s display outputs are "Portable Device Dependent." The bus interface is PCIe 3.0 x16 for the Quadro P2200, but the GeForce 945M uses an MXM-B (3.0) interface. The Quadro P2200 is a single-slot card with a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the 945M is an MXM module with no suggested PSU listed. Both have a TDP of 75 W and no power connectors.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is significant. The Quadro P2200 is built on the Pascal architecture, using the GP106 chip. The GeForce 945M uses the older Maxwell architecture, built on the GM107 chip. This represents a full generation leap, with Pascal bringing major efficiency and compute improvements over Maxwell.

The compute resources are heavily skewed. The Quadro P2200 has 1,280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 40 ROPs. The GeForce 945M has just 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. This means the Quadro P2200 has exactly double the shaders and TMUs, and 2.5x the ROPs. The pixel rate is 59.72 GPixel/s for the Quadro P2200 versus 16.32 GPixel/s for the 945M. Texture rates are 119.4 GTexel/s versus 40.80 GTexel/s.

Floating-point performance tells a similar story. The Quadro P2200 delivers 3.822 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the GeForce 945M delivers 1,305.6 GFLOPS (or roughly 1.3 TFLOPS). The Quadro P2200 also has an FP16 rating of 59.72 GFLOPS (1:64), while the 945M has no listed FP16 capability. Both support DirectX 12, but the Quadro P2200 supports version 12 (12_1), while the 945M supports 12 (11_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4.

The manufacturing details also differ. The Quadro P2200’s 16 nm TSMC process yields a transistor density of 22.0M / mm², while the 945M’s 28 nm process yields 12.6M / mm². The Quadro P2200 is part of the Quadro Pascal (Px200) generation, while the 945M is from the GeForce 900M generation. The Quadro P2200 succeeded Quadro Maxwell and was succeeded by Quadro Volta; the 945M succeeded GeForce 800M and was succeeded by GeForce 10 Mobile.

Where Each One Wins

The Quadro P2200 wins in nearly every conceivable category. Its 299.4% OpenCL lead makes it the default choice for any compute-focused application, from scientific simulation to video rendering. Its 5 GB of GDDR5X memory and 200.2 GB/s bandwidth allow it to handle larger datasets and textures far more effectively than the 945M’s 2 GB DDR3. The higher pixel and texture rates also make it better suited for high-resolution display output and heavy graphical workloads. The Quadro P2200’s 4x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs are ideal for multi-monitor professional setups.

The GeForce 945M’s only real advantage is its form factor. As an MXM module, it is designed for laptop upgrades, whereas the Quadro P2200 is a single-slot PCIe card for workstations. If a user has a laptop with a dead or underperforming GPU, the 945M is the only one of the two that can physically be installed. Its lower power draw of 75 W matches the Quadro P2200, but its "Portable Device Dependent" outputs mean it is tied to the laptop’s existing display infrastructure. For a desktop workstation, the 945M has no redeeming qualities. The data shows it is slower, older, and has less memory, making it a poor choice for any modern task. The Quadro P2200 is the clear winner for performance, and the 945M’s only win is in the niche of mobile compatibility.