NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti vs NVIDIA Quadro K4100M Comparison

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti and NVIDIA Quadro K4100M are both Kepler-generation parts, but they target different corners of the market. The desktop GTX 650 Ti is a compact, end-of-life consumer card, while the K4100M is a mobile workstation GPU designed for MXM modules. Benchmark data from the database shows a clear performance gap, but the architectural differences between the two explain more than just raw scores.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available in the data is Geekbench OpenCL, and the results are decisive. The Quadro K4100M scores 9,149 points, while the GTX 650 Ti scores 7,877 points. That gives the Quadro a 13.9% lead in this compute-oriented test. The deltaPct of -13.9% is listed from the perspective of the GTX 650 Ti, meaning the desktop card trails by that margin. This is a substantial gap in raw compute throughput, and it aligns with the specification differences between the two chips.

Looking at the broader benchmark landscape, the GTX 650 Ti's average benchmark score is 8,053, which places it at the 42nd percentile of all GPUs. The Quadro K4100M averages 7,906, sitting at the 41st percentile. The average scores are close — a difference of only 147 points, or roughly 1.8% — but the OpenCL result tells a different story. The Geekbench OpenCL test is heavily weighted toward raw shader and memory performance, where the Quadro's larger GK104 chip has a clear advantage.

The nearest rival data for the GTX 650 Ti shows it trading blows with cards like the GeForce GTX 880M (average score 8,040, deltaPct 0.2%) and the GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost (average score 8,067, deltaPct -0.2%). The Quadro K4100M's nearest rivals include the GeForce GTX 460 (average score 7,925, deltaPct -0.2%) and the Quadro P5000 (average score 8,039, deltaPct -1.7%). Notably, the GTX 650 Ti appears in the K4100M's rival list with a deltaPct of -1.8%, confirming that the average scores are nearly identical, even though the OpenCL head-to-head favors the Quadro by a much wider margin.

The discrepancy between the average scores and the head-to-head OpenCL result suggests that the GTX 650 Ti may perform relatively better in other types of workloads not captured in this single test. However, based solely on the data provided, the Quadro K4100M is the clear winner in the one direct comparison available.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs are built on NVIDIA's Kepler architecture, fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process. The similarities end there. The GTX 650 Ti uses the GK106S chip, a smaller die measuring 221 mm² with 2,540 million transistors. The Quadro K4100M steps up to the GK104 chip, which is significantly larger at 294 mm² and packs 3,540 million transistors. That is a 1,000 million transistor difference, and the larger chip accounts for much of the Quadro's performance advantage.

The transistor density is nearly identical: 11.5M / mm² for the GTX 650 Ti versus 12.0M / mm² for the Quadro. This indicates that the process node is being used similarly, but the Quadro simply has more silicon to work with. The GK104's larger footprint enables more of everything — more shading units, more texture mapping units, more render output units.

Memory configurations diverge sharply. The GTX 650 Ti comes with 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 86.40 GB/s. The Quadro K4100M offers 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, doubling the bus width and pushing bandwidth to 102.4 GB/s. The Quadro's memory clock is lower at 800 MHz (3.2 Gbps effective) compared to the GTX 650 Ti's 1350 MHz (5.4 Gbps effective), but the wider bus more than compensates.

The API support is identical: both cards support DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. Neither has ray tracing or tensor cores, which is expected for Kepler-generation parts. The feature sets are otherwise similar, but the raw hardware resources differ substantially.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The Quadro K4100M has 1,152 shading units, while the GTX 650 Ti has 768. The Quadro also has 96 texture mapping units and 32 render output units, compared to 64 TMUs and 16 ROPs on the GTX 650 Ti.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The Quadro K4100M comes with 4 GB of GDDR5, which is four times the 1024 MB found on the GTX 650 Ti. The Quadro also has a 256-bit memory bus versus the 128-bit bus on the GTX 650 Ti.

Q: How does the OpenCL performance compare?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the Quadro K4100M scores 9,149, which is 13.9% higher than the GTX 650 Ti's score of 7,877. This is the only head-to-head benchmark result in the data.

Q: Are the average benchmark scores similar?

A: Yes. The GTX 650 Ti has an average benchmark score of 8,053, while the Quadro K4100M averages 7,906. The difference is only 1.8%, despite the larger OpenCL gap.

Q: What are the power requirements?

A: The GTX 650 Ti has a TDP of 110 W and requires a 300 W power supply with a single 6-pin connector. The Quadro K4100M has a lower TDP of 100 W and uses an MXM Module form factor with no power connectors listed.

Q: Which card has a higher pixel rate?

A: The Quadro K4100M achieves a pixel rate of 16.94 GPixel/s, slightly higher than the GTX 650 Ti's 14.85 GPixel/s. The texture rate is also higher on the Quadro at 67.78 GTexel/s versus 59.39 GTexel/s.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ on nearly every measurable specification. The chip is the most fundamental divergence: GK106S for the GTX 650 Ti versus GK104 for the Quadro K4100M. The die size is 221 mm² versus 294 mm², and transistor count is 2,540 million versus 3,540 million. The Quadro's transistor density is slightly higher at 12.0M / mm² compared to 11.5M / mm².

Clock speeds are structured differently. The GTX 650 Ti has no base or boost clock listed, but its memory clock is 1350 MHz (5.4 Gbps effective). The Quadro K4100M has a base clock of 706 MHz and a boost clock of 706 MHz, with a memory clock of 800 MHz (3.2 Gbps effective). The GTX 650 Ti's memory runs at a much higher frequency, but the Quadro's wider bus compensates.

Compute resources favor the Quadro: 1,152 shading units versus 768, 96 TMUs versus 64, and 32 ROPs versus 16. Peak FP32 performance is 1.627 TFLOPS on the Quadro versus 1,425.4 GFLOPS on the GTX 650 Ti. Pixel rate is 16.94 GPixel/s versus 14.85 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 67.78 GTexel/s versus 59.39 GTexel/s.

Memory is a major differentiator. The Quadro has 4 GB, 256-bit bus, and 102.4 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 650 Ti has 1024 MB, 128-bit bus, and 86.40 GB/s bandwidth. TDP is 110 W for the GTX 650 Ti and 100 W for the Quadro. The GTX 650 Ti is a single-slot card with a 1x 6-pin power connector and requires a 300 W PSU; the Quadro is an MXM Module with no power connectors.

The GTX 650 Ti measures 145 mm (5.7 inches) in length and outputs to 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.4a. The Quadro's display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent." The GTX 650 Ti uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, while the Quadro uses MXM-B (3.0). Release dates differ by over nine months: the GTX 650 Ti launched on 2012-10-08, and the Quadro on 2013-07-22.

Where Each One Wins

The Quadro K4100M wins on raw compute and memory capacity. Its 13.9% OpenCL lead over the GTX 650 Ti is backed by a larger chip, more shading units, and quadruple the memory. The 4 GB frame buffer and 256-bit bus make it better suited for workloads that need to hold large datasets, such as professional 3D rendering, scientific compute, or CAD applications. Its higher pixel rate and texture rate also give it an edge in fill-rate-bound scenarios. The lower TDP of 100 W, despite having more hardware, is notable for a mobile workstation platform.

The GTX 650 Ti wins on average benchmark score, albeit by a slim margin. Its average of 8,053 beats the Quadro's 7,906, and it sits one percentile higher. This suggests that in a broader mix of tests, the desktop card holds its own. The GTX 650 Ti also has a higher memory clock, which can help in latency-sensitive tasks. Its compact single-slot design and standard PCIe interface make it easier to install in a desktop system.

For desktop gaming, the GTX 650 Ti is the natural choice given its form factor and consumer-oriented display outputs. For mobile workstations requiring certified drivers and large memory pools, the Quadro K4100M is the clear winner. The data shows the Quadro is the more powerful part in compute-heavy workloads, while the GTX 650 Ti's superior average score indicates it is not entirely outclassed in general-purpose tasks. The choice ultimately comes down to platform and workload, with the Quadro delivering more raw performance where it counts.