NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 vs NVIDIA Quadro K4200 Comparison

The NVIDIA Quadro K4200 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 represent two distinct approaches to GPU design from different eras, with the former being a professional Kepler-based workstation card and the latter a high-end Fermi-based consumer gaming card. The benchmark data reveals a surprising outcome: the older GTX 570, despite its earlier release, holds a lead in the available compute test, while the Quadro counters with architectural advantages and a much larger memory pool. This comparison dissects their performance, features, and positioning to clarify which GPU serves different workloads best.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 achieves an average benchmark score of 13515, which is higher than the NVIDIA Quadro K4200's average score of 12398. This represents a 8.9% lead for the GTX 570 in the Geekbench OpenCL test.

Q: How do these GPUs compare in terms of memory capacity?

A: The Quadro K4200 comes with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, offering 172.8 GB/s of bandwidth. In contrast, the GTX 570 has 1280 MB (1.25 GB) of GDDR5 memory on a wider 320-bit bus, providing 152.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Quadro has significantly more memory capacity, while the GTX 570 has a slightly wider memory bus.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The Quadro K4200 has a TDP of 108 W and requires a single 6-pin power connector, with a suggested PSU of 300 W. The GTX 570 has a much higher TDP of 219 W, needs two 6-pin power connectors, and the suggested PSU is 550 W.

Q: Which card supports the Vulkan API?

A: The Quadro K4200 supports Vulkan version 1.2.175, as listed in its API specifications. The GTX 570 does not have a Vulkan version listed, indicating it likely lacks Vulkan support in this data set.

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

A: The Quadro K4200's GK104 chip has a transistor density of 12.0M / mm², while the GTX 570's GF110 chip has a density of 5.8M / mm². This shows the Quadro's chip is much more densely packed, despite having fewer total transistors per square millimeter.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The two cards are nearly identical in pixel fill rate. The Quadro K4200 achieves 21.95 GPixel/s, while the GTX 570 achieves 21.96 GPixel/s, making the difference negligible at 0.01 GPixel/s.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental architectural divide between the Quadro K4200 and the GTX 570 is stark. The Quadro K4200 is built on the Kepler architecture, using the GK104 chip, and was released as part of the Quadro Kepler (Kx200) generation. In contrast, the GTX 570 uses the older Fermi 2.0 architecture with the GF110 chip, hailing from the GeForce 500 generation. This generational gap is reflected in their manufacturing processes: the Quadro uses a modern 28 nm node at TSMC, while the GTX 570 uses a larger 40 nm node at the same foundry. The newer process allows the Quadro's chip to pack 3,540 million transistors into a die size of 294 mm², resulting in a transistor density of 12.0M / mm². The GTX 570's chip, while containing 3,000 million transistors, is spread across a much larger 520 mm² die, yielding a lower density of 5.8M / mm².

The compute core configurations differ substantially. The Quadro K4200 features 1344 shading units, 112 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 ROPs. The GTX 570, despite having a larger die, is configured with only 480 shading units, 60 TMUs, and 40 ROPs. This means the Quadro has nearly three times the shading units and almost double the TMUs, which are key for certain parallel workloads. The GTX 570's advantage lies in its ROP count, which is 25% higher, affecting pixel processing. The clock speeds also differ, with the Quadro running at a base of 771 MHz and a boost of 784 MHz, while the GTX 570's base and boost clocks are not listed in the data, leaving its core frequency unspecified.

Memory architectures also diverge. The Quadro K4200 uses 4 GB of GDDR5 with a 256-bit bus, running at 1350 MHz (5.4 Gbps effective) to deliver 172.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 570 uses 1280 MB of GDDR5 on a 320-bit bus, at 950 MHz (3.8 Gbps effective), resulting in 152.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Quadro's higher effective memory speed and larger capacity compensate for its narrower bus. For API support, the Quadro lists DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The GTX 570 also lists DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but notably has no Vulkan version listed, marking a significant feature gap for modern compute frameworks.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear split personality between these two cards. For raw compute performance in the tested Geekbench OpenCL workload, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 is the winner, scoring 13515 compared to the Quadro K4200's 12313, a 8.9% advantage. This result is surprising given the Quadro's newer architecture and higher core counts, suggesting that the GTX 570's driver optimizations or the specific workload favor its design. For users prioritizing raw compute throughput in legacy applications, the GTX 570 appears to have the edge.

However, the Quadro K4200 is the more versatile and future-proof option for professional work. Its 4 GB memory capacity is over three times larger than the GTX 570's 1280 MB, which is critical for large datasets, high-resolution textures, and multi-display setups. The Quadro also offers Vulkan 1.2.175 support, a modern API that the GTX 570 lacks entirely. Additionally, the Quadro's power efficiency is exceptional, with a TDP of 108 W compared to the GTX 570's 219 W, making it far easier to cool and integrate into a workstation without a high-wattage PSU. The Quadro's single-slot design and lower power draw make it a more practical choice for dense systems.

The pick depends on the use case. If the workload is strictly legacy compute benchmarks and the user can tolerate the high power draw and dual-slot footprint, the GTX 570 offers a performance edge. For modern professional workloads, larger memory demands, and API compatibility, the Quadro K4200 is the superior choice, despite its lower raw benchmark score. The GTX 570's 52nd percentile vs all GPUs versus the Quadro's 54th percentile suggests the GTX 570 is actually ranked slightly higher in the overall database, but this is based on a single benchmark test.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ on nearly every core specification. The Quadro K4200 uses the Kepler architecture and the GK104 chip, while the GTX 570 uses Fermi 2.0 and the GF110 chip. The manufacturing process is a major split: 28 nm for the Quadro versus 40 nm for the GTX 570, leading to different transistor counts (3,540 million vs 3,000 million) and die sizes (294 mm² vs 520 mm²). The transistor density is 12.0M / mm² for the Quadro versus 5.8M / mm² for the GTX 570, a 2x difference in packing efficiency.

The core configurations are drastically different. The Quadro has 1344 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, while the GTX 570 has 480 shading units, 60 TMUs, and 40 ROPs. Clock speeds are only listed for the Quadro (base 771 MHz, boost 784 MHz), while the GTX 570's clocks are absent from the data. Memory specs differ significantly: the Quadro has 4 GB at 1350 MHz (5.4 Gbps effective) on a 256-bit bus for 172.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the GTX 570 has 1280 MB at 950 MHz (3.8 Gbps effective) on a 320-bit bus for 152.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Power and physical specs are also divergent. The Quadro's TDP is 108 W with a single 6-pin connector and a 300 W suggested PSU, while the GTX 570's TDP is 219 W with two 6-pin connectors and a 550 W suggested PSU. The Quadro is a single-slot card measuring 241 mm in length and 111 mm in height, while the GTX 570 is a dual-slot card measuring 267 mm in length with no height listed. Display outputs are different: the Quadro has 1x DVI and 2x DisplayPort 1.2, while the GTX 570 has 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a. For APIs, the Quadro supports Vulkan 1.2.175 while the GTX 570 has no Vulkan version, though both list DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. The release dates are far apart, with the Quadro launching on 2014-07-21 and the GTX 570 on 2010-12-06.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct head-to-head benchmark available is the Geekbench OpenCL test. In this test, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 scores 13515, while the NVIDIA Quadro K4200 scores 12313, giving the GTX 570 a win with a deltaPct of -8.9% (meaning the Quadro is 8.9% behind). This is a substantial margin in favor of the older card, and it is the sole determinant of the wins count, which stands at 0 wins for the Quadro and 1 win for the GTX 570.

The benchmark results imply that the GTX 570's compute performance is not to be underestimated, despite its older architecture and lower core counts. The GTX 570's average benchmark score of 13515 puts it at the 54th percentile of all GPUs, while the Quadro's average of 12398 lands at the 52nd percentile. This means the GTX 570 ranks higher in the overall database. Looking at the nearest rivals, the GTX 570 is within 0.2% of the AMD Radeon HD 7770M and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, and just 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA P106-090. The Quadro, on the other hand, is 1.8% behind the NVIDIA Tesla K20Xm and 2.5% behind the AMD Radeon RX 7600M XT, while being 3.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960A. This data suggests the GTX 570 is more competitive in its performance bracket.

The deltaPct of -8.9% is the largest gap in the head-to-head comparison, indicating that the GTX 570 is clearly the stronger performer in this specific OpenCL workload. For users relying on OpenCL compute, this is a decisive data point, showing that the Quadro's architectural advantages do not translate into higher scores in this test. The GTX 570's higher ROP count and potentially different driver scheduling may contribute to its lead, but the data does not specify the exact cause.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 wins decisively in the compute benchmark arena. Based on the Geekbench OpenCL score of 13515 versus the Quadro's 12313, the GTX 570 is 8.9% faster in this generic compute test. This suggests that for applications that rely heavily on OpenCL for general-purpose GPU computing, such as certain physics simulations, video encoding, or scientific calculations, the GTX 570 offers better raw throughput. Its higher average benchmark score and higher percentile ranking (54th vs 52nd) also indicate that it is the more performant card in the database's overall assessment. For users who prioritize compute performance above all else and can handle the card's dual-slot size and 219 W power draw, the GTX 570 is the clear winner.

The NVIDIA Quadro K4200 wins in several qualitative and specification-based categories. The most significant advantage is memory capacity: 4 GB versus 1280 MB gives the Quadro a 3.2x larger frame buffer, which is essential for professional workloads like 3D rendering with large textures, CAD models, or multi-monitor setups. The Quadro also wins on power efficiency, with a 108 W TDP versus the GTX 570's 219 W, meaning it generates less heat and requires a less powerful PSU. Its single-slot form factor is a win for space-constrained workstations. The Quadro's support for Vulkan 1.2.175 is a major win for modern API compatibility, as the GTX 570 has no Vulkan support listed. In terms of texture processing, the Quadro's 87.81 GTexel/s texture rate is double the GTX 570's 43.92 GTexel/s, indicating a win for texture-bound workloads. The Quadro also has a higher FP32 throughput of 2.107 TFLOPS versus 1,405.4 GFLOPS for the GTX 570, suggesting better floating-point performance in tasks that utilize its higher shading unit count. Finally, the Quadro's bus interface and display outputs (2x DisplayPort 1.2) are more modern than the GTX 570's mini-HDMI 1.3a, making it a better fit for contemporary displays.