NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti vs NVIDIA Quadro K1200 Comparison

The NVIDIA Quadro K1200 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti are both end-of-life graphics cards from NVIDIA, but they target different segments of the market. The data in the FACT PACK shows a split decision across the two available benchmarks, with the Quadro K1200 taking the OpenCL test and the GTX 650 Ti taking the Vulkan test. The average benchmark scores are close, with the Quadro K1200 at 8265 and the GTX 650 Ti at 8053, a difference of roughly 2.6% in favor of the Quadro. This page analyzes the benchmark results, architectural differences, and specification gaps to determine which card holds the advantage in various scenarios.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data presents a clear split: each card wins one of the two benchmark tests. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the NVIDIA Quadro K1200 scores 8831, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti scores 7877. This gives the Quadro K1200 a decisive 12.1% lead. This is a significant margin, suggesting that the Quadro's architecture and driver optimizations provide a substantial advantage in compute workloads that leverage OpenCL.

The Geekbench Vulkan test tells a different story. Here, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti scores 8229, while the NVIDIA Quadro K1200 scores 7698. The GTX 650 Ti wins this round by 6.5%. This indicates that in graphics-heavy, low-level API workloads, the GeForce card holds the edge, likely due to its higher shading unit count and texture fillrate.

Looking at the overall averages, the Quadro K1200 has an average benchmark score of 8265, which places it in the 43rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival, the AMD Radeon R9 M375X, scores 8325, which is only 0.7% higher. The Quadro K1200 also edges out the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980, which scores 8167, a 1.2% difference, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M, which scores 8135, a 1.6% difference. This shows that the Quadro K1200's average performance is competitive with a range of other cards, both newer and older.

The GTX 650 Ti's average benchmark score is 8053, placing it in the 42nd percentile of all GPUs. Its closest rivals are tightly grouped: the NVIDIA GRID K2 scores 8080, a 0.3% difference; the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost scores 8067, a 0.2% difference; and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 880M scores 8040, a 0.2% difference. The NVIDIA Quadro P5000 scores 8039, also a 0.2% difference. This indicates that the GTX 650 Ti sits at a performance level that is very consistent with its immediate peers.

The benchmark results show a clear performance split. The Quadro K1200 is the stronger card for OpenCL compute tasks, while the GTX 650 Ti is better for Vulkan-based graphics workloads. The overall average scores are close, but the application-specific performance varies significantly.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA Quadro K1200 has an average benchmark score of 8265, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti has an average benchmark score of 8053.

Q: How does the Quadro K1200 perform in the OpenCL benchmark compared to the GTX 650 Ti?

A: The Quadro K1200 scores 8831 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 12.1% higher than the GTX 650 Ti's score of 7877.

Q: What is the result of the Vulkan benchmark between these two cards?

A: The GTX 650 Ti wins the Geekbench Vulkan test with a score of 8229, which is 6.5% higher than the Quadro K1200's score of 7698.

Q: What is the difference in memory size between the two cards?

A: The Quadro K1200 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the GTX 650 Ti has 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor density?

A: The Quadro K1200, built on the GM107 chip, has a transistor density of 12.6M / mm², while the GTX 650 Ti, using the GK106S chip, has a density of 11.5M / mm².

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two cards?

A: The Quadro K1200 has a TDP of 45 W, while the GTX 650 Ti has a TDP of 110 W.

Architecture Differences

The two cards are built on different NVIDIA architectures and chips. The Quadro K1200 uses the GM107 chip based on the Maxwell architecture, while the GTX 650 Ti uses the GK106S chip based on the older Kepler architecture. This generational difference is significant, as Maxwell was designed to improve performance-per-watt over its predecessor.

The manufacturing process is the same for both: 28 nm at TSMC. However, the transistor count and die size differ. The GTX 650 Ti's GK106S chip contains 2,540 million transistors on a 221 mm² die, while the Quadro K1200's GM107 chip contains 1,870 million transistors on a smaller 148 mm² die. This leads to a higher transistor density for the Quadro K1200 at 12.6M / mm², compared to the GTX 650 Ti's 11.5M / mm². The higher density on a smaller die suggests a more efficient design.

The core configurations also differ. The GTX 650 Ti has 768 shading units and 64 texture mapping units (TMUs), while the Quadro K1200 has 512 shading units and 32 TMUs. Both cards have 16 raster operation units (ROPs). The GTX 650 Ti's higher count of shading units and TMUs explains its higher theoretical texture fillrate of 59.39 GTexel/s, compared to the Quadro K1200's 33.06 GTexel/s.

In terms of API support, both cards support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6. However, the Vulkan support differs: the Quadro K1200 supports Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 650 Ti supports Vulkan 1.2.175. This newer Vulkan version on the Quadro could contribute to its performance in modern compute and graphics workloads.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets show several key differences between the two cards. The most obvious is memory capacity: the Quadro K1200 has 4 GB of GDDR5, which is four times the GTX 650 Ti's 1024 MB. Despite this, the GTX 650 Ti has a slightly higher memory bandwidth of 86.40 GB/s, compared to the Quadro K1200's 80.19 GB/s, due to its higher memory clock of 1350 MHz (5.4 Gbps effective) versus 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective). Both use a 128-bit memory bus.

Clock speeds also differ. The Quadro K1200 has a base clock of 954 MHz and a boost clock of 1033 MHz. The GTX 650 Ti's base and boost clocks are not provided in the data. The Quadro's clocks give it a pixel rate of 16.53 GPixel/s, which is higher than the GTX 650 Ti's 14.85 GPixel/s.

The power requirements are vastly different. The Quadro K1200 has a TDP of 45 W and requires no power connectors, with a suggested PSU of 200 W. The GTX 650 Ti has a TDP of 110 W, requires one 6-pin power connector, and has a suggested PSU of 300 W. This makes the Quadro K1200 far more power-efficient and easier to integrate into a system.

The bus interface also differs: the Quadro K1200 uses PCIe 2.0 x16, while the GTX 650 Ti uses the newer PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs are also different, with the Quadro offering 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, while the GTX 650 Ti offers 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.4a. The physical dimensions differ as well, with the Quadro being longer at 160 mm (6.3 inches) compared to the GTX 650 Ti's 145 mm (5.7 inches). The Quadro has a defined height of 69 mm (2.7 inches), while the GTX 650 Ti's height is not listed.

The Verdict

The data presents a nuanced picture. The Quadro K1200 wins the OpenCL benchmark by a significant 12.1% margin, while the GTX 650 Ti wins the Vulkan benchmark by a solid 6.5%. The average benchmark scores favor the Quadro K1200, which is 2.6% higher overall. The Quadro also has a higher percentile ranking at 43, compared to the GTX 650 Ti's 42.

From a pure performance standpoint, the choice depends on the workload. For compute-heavy tasks that use OpenCL, the Quadro K1200 is clearly the superior card. For graphics tasks that use Vulkan, the GTX 650 Ti is the better option. The Quadro K1200's 4 GB of memory is a significant advantage for large datasets, while the GTX 650 Ti's higher texture fillrate and shading unit count benefit certain rendering tasks.

Power consumption is a major differentiator. The Quadro K1200's 45 W TDP is less than half of the GTX 650 Ti's 110 W, making it a far more efficient solution. This lower power draw also means no additional power connectors are needed, simplifying installation. The GTX 650 Ti also has a higher suggested PSU requirement of 300 W versus 200 W.

The GTX 650 Ti has a stated launch MSRP of 149 USD. The Quadro K1200's launch MSRP is not listed. Ultimately, the Quadro K1200 is the better choice for users who need a low-power card with strong compute performance and a large memory buffer. The GTX 650 Ti is the better choice for users who need the highest possible performance in Vulkan-based graphics workloads and have the power budget to accommodate it.

Where Each One Wins

The Quadro K1200 wins in scenarios that leverage its strengths. Its 12.1% lead in the OpenCL benchmark makes it the clear winner for general-purpose compute tasks, such as scientific simulations, data analysis, and video encoding that rely on OpenCL. The 4 GB memory capacity is also a significant win for workloads that require large textures or datasets that exceed the 1024 MB capacity of the GTX 650 Ti. Its 45 W TDP is a win for compact systems or those with limited power supply headroom, and the lack of power connectors makes it easier to install.

The GTX 650 Ti wins in scenarios that favor its architecture. Its 6.5% lead in the Vulkan benchmark makes it the better choice for modern gaming or graphics applications that use the Vulkan API. The higher texture fillrate of 59.39 GTexel/s, compared to the Quadro's 33.06 GTexel/s, suggests an advantage in texture-heavy rendering workloads. The higher shading unit count of 768 versus 512 also provides more raw shader processing power for certain effects. The GTX 650 Ti's PCIe 3.0 x16 interface is a win for systems that support it, offering more bandwidth than the Quadro's PCIe 2.0 x16 interface.