NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 vs NVIDIA Quadro K3000M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains a single directly comparable benchmark between the NVIDIA Quadro K3000M and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050: Geekbench OpenCL. The results are decisive. The GeForce GTX 1050 scores 15,233, while the Quadro K3000M scores 4,241. That is a delta of 72.2% in favor of the GeForce GTX 1050, meaning the Pascal-based card delivers more than 3.5 times the compute throughput in this specific test.

To contextualize this gap, consider each card's standing among its nearest rivals. The Quadro K3000M sits at the 25th percentile of all GPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 4,241. Its nearest competitors are tightly clustered: the AMD Radeon Vega 3 scores 4,268 (0.6% higher), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M scores 4,282 (1% higher), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti scores 4,193 (1.2% lower), and the AMD FirePro W2100 scores 4,295 (1.3% higher). The Quadro K3000M is effectively within a narrow band of performance, no more than 1.3% away from any of these rivals in either direction.

The GeForce GTX 1050, by contrast, sits at the 21st percentile with an average benchmark score of 3,629. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GT 735M at 3,616 (0.4% lower), the AMD Radeon HD 6770 at 3,649 (0.5% higher), the NVIDIA RTX 5000 Mobile Ada Generation at 3,596 (0.9% lower), and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 545 at 3,594 (1% lower). Note that the GTX 1050's average score is actually lower than its OpenCL score because the database includes multiple other benchmark results for this card, such as PassMark G3D at 5,028 and Geekbench Vulkan at 8,995, which pull the overall average down.

The head-to-head OpenCL result is the only direct comparison available, and it shows a single clear winner. The Quadro K3000M records zero wins in the head-to-head data, while the GeForce GTX 1050 records one win. This is not a close contest by any metric.

Where Each One Wins

The GeForce GTX 1050 wins the only directly comparable benchmark, but the broader benchmark suite for the GTX 1050 reveals where its strengths lie. In Geekbench Metal, it scores 7,823. In Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 8,995. These results indicate strong performance across multiple modern compute APIs. The PassMark suite shows a similarly varied profile: DirectX 9 scores 83, DirectX 10 scores 24, DirectX 11 scores 38, DirectX 12 scores 20, G2D scores 457, G3D scores 5,028, and GPU Compute scores 2,091. The G3D score, which is a synthetic gaming-oriented metric, is the highest PassMark result for the GTX 1050, suggesting that its 3D rendering capabilities outpace its compute or 2D throughput.

The Quadro K3000M has only a single recorded benchmark, the Geekbench OpenCL score of 4,241. There is no data for gaming workloads, DirectX tests, or other compute APIs. From the available information, the Quadro K3000M cannot be said to win any workload category, as it trails the GTX 1050 by 72.2% in the one test both cards share.

The use-case split is therefore straightforward. For OpenCL compute workloads, the GeForce GTX 1050 is the superior choice by a wide margin. For other workloads, the database only provides evidence for the GTX 1050, which shows a strong 3D performance profile as indicated by the PassMark G3D score of 5,028, and weaker performance in DirectX 10, 11, and 12 tests relative to its G3D result. The Quadro K3000M has no recorded wins in any category.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations, and the recorded specifications reflect a substantial evolution in design philosophy.

The Quadro K3000M uses the GK104 chip, built on the Kepler architecture. It is fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, with 3,540 million transistors on a die size of 294 mm². This yields a transistor density of 12.0 million transistors per square millimeter. The chip is part of the Quadro Kepler-M (Kx000M) generation, which followed the Quadro Fermi-M and was succeeded by Quadro Maxwell-M.

The GeForce GTX 1050 uses the GP107 chip, built on the Pascal architecture. It is fabricated on a 14 nm process at Samsung, with 3,300 million transistors on a die size of 132 mm². This yields a transistor density of 25.0 million transistors per square millimeter. The GP107 is part of the GeForce 10-series, succeeding the GeForce 900 and preceding the GeForce 20.

The node shrink from 28 nm to 14 nm is significant, but the transistor count actually decreases from 3,540 million to 3,300 million. The die size drops even more dramatically, from 294 mm² to 132 mm², which means the GTX 1050 packs nearly double the transistor density (25.0M per mm² versus 12.0M per mm²). This density improvement is a direct result of the more advanced 14 nm process.

Clock speeds also differ substantially. The Quadro K3000M runs at a base clock of 654 MHz with a boost clock of 654 MHz, meaning it does not dynamically overclock. The GeForce GTX 1050 runs at a base clock of 1,354 MHz and a boost clock of 1,455 MHz, more than double the Quadro's clock speed. This clock advantage, combined with the architectural improvements in Pascal, helps explain the large performance gap.

The memory subsystems also differ. The Quadro K3000M uses GDDR5 memory at 700 MHz, which translates to 2.8 Gbps effective, on a 256-bit bus, yielding 89.60 GB/s of bandwidth. The GeForce GTX 1050 also uses GDDR5, but at 1,752 MHz (7 Gbps effective), on a narrower 128-bit bus, yielding 112.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 1050 achieves higher bandwidth despite half the bus width, thanks to much faster memory clocks.

Specification Differences

Several recorded specifications differ between the two cards, and these differences help explain the benchmark results.

The most striking difference is in shading units. The Quadro K3000M has 576 shading units, while the GeForce GTX 1050 has 640. The texture mapping units differ as well: 48 on the Quadro versus 40 on the GTX 1050. Both have 32 ROPs.

Pixel rate and texture rate amplify the clock speed differences. The Quadro K3000M achieves 7.848 GPixel/s and 31.39 GTexel/s. The GeForce GTX 1050 achieves 46.56 GPixel/s and 58.20 GTexel/s. The pixel rate gap is particularly large, nearly 6 times higher on the GTX 1050, which directly impacts fill-rate-bound workloads.

FP32 performance shows the compute gap clearly. The Quadro K3000M delivers 753.4 GFLOPS, while the GeForce GTX 1050 delivers 1.862 TFLOPS. The GTX 1050 also records FP16 performance of 29.10 GFLOPS (1:64 ratio), while the Quadro K3000M has no recorded FP16 capability.

The process node and foundry differ: 28 nm TSMC for the Quadro, 14 nm Samsung for the GTX 1050. Transistor density is 12.0M/mm² versus 25.0M/mm².

Bus interface differs: the Quadro K3000M uses MXM-B (3.0), while the GTX 1050 uses PCIe 3.0 x16. The Quadro is an MXM Module with no power connectors, while the GTX 1050 is a Dual-slot card with no power connectors but a suggested PSU of 250 W. Both have a TDP of 75 W.

Display outputs differ: the Quadro K3000M has "Portable Device Dependent" outputs, while the GTX 1050 has 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a. The GTX 1050 is 145 mm long and 111 mm tall.

API support differs. The Quadro K3000M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The GeForce GTX 1050 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The higher DirectX feature level and newer Vulkan version on the GTX 1050 reflect its more modern architecture.

Release dates differ: the Quadro K3000M launched on May 31, 2012, while the GeForce GTX 1050 launched on October 24, 2016. The GTX 1050 has a launch MSRP of 109 USD.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in OpenCL compute workloads?

A: The GeForce GTX 1050 is significantly faster, scoring 15,233 in Geekbench OpenCL compared to the Quadro K3000M's 4,241, a delta of 72.2% in favor of the GTX 1050.

Q: How does the Quadro K3000M compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Quadro K3000M is tightly clustered with its nearest rivals. It scores 0.6% lower than the AMD Radeon Vega 3, 1% lower than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M, 1.2% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, and 1.3% lower than the AMD FirePro W2100.

Q: What is the transistor density difference between the two GPUs?

A: The Quadro K3000M has a transistor density of 12.0 million transistors per square millimeter, while the GeForce GTX 1050 has a density of 25.0 million per square millimeter, nearly double.

Q: Do both GPUs have the same TDP?

A: Yes, both the Quadro K3000M and the GeForce GTX 1050 are rated at 75 W TDP.

Q: How does memory bandwidth compare?

A: Despite having a 256-bit bus, the Quadro K3000M achieves 89.60 GB/s, while the GeForce GTX 1050 achieves 112.1 GB/s on a 128-bit bus due to faster memory clocks (7 Gbps effective versus 2.8 Gbps effective).

Q: What DirectX versions do the two cards support?

A: The Quadro K3000M supports DirectX 12 (11_0), while the GeForce GTX 1050 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), indicating a higher feature level on the GTX 1050.