NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 vs NVIDIA Quadro M2000 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clear winner in every measured category. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 outperforms the NVIDIA Quadro M2000 in both benchmark tests included in the database. In Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 690 scores 17,399 against the Quadro M2000's 14,588, a 19.3% advantage. In Geekbench Vulkan, the margin narrows slightly but remains decisive: 16,675 versus 14,475, a 15.2% lead. Across both tests, the GTX 690 wins 2 out of 2 comparisons, while the Quadro M2000 records no victories.

The average benchmark score reinforces this gap. The GTX 690 posts an average of 17,037, placing it in the 60th percentile of all GPUs in the database. The Quadro M2000 averages 14,532, sitting in the 56th percentile. That percentile difference is modest, but the raw score gap is substantial. The GTX 690 sits within a tight cluster of rivals: the AMD Radeon HD 7970M trails by just 0.1%, the NVIDIA Tesla M4 is 0.6% behind, the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is 0.3% ahead, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 1%. The Quadro M2000's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M at 0.9% behind, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 at 1% behind, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN at 1.1% behind, with the AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 1.1% ahead. The data indicates the GTX 690 competes at a higher performance tier overall, while the Quadro M2000 is positioned closer to mid-range mobile and older desktop parts.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different NVIDIA generations and architectures. The GeForce GTX 690 uses the GK104 chip, built on the Kepler architecture, and belongs to the GeForce 600 generation. The Quadro M2000 uses the GM206 chip, built on Maxwell 2.0, part of the Quadro Maxwell (Mx000) line. Both are manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process, but the transistor counts and die sizes differ. The GTX 690 packs 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 12.0M per mm². The Quadro M2000 has 2,940 million transistors on a 228 mm² die, with a density of 12.9M per mm². The Maxwell chip is denser per square millimeter, but the Kepler chip is larger overall.

The compute resources diverge sharply. The GTX 690 has 1,536 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The Quadro M2000 has 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. That means the GTX 690 has twice as many shaders and more than double the texture units. The pixel rate tells a different story: the Quadro M2000 achieves 37.22 GPixel/s, while the GTX 690 reaches 32.61 GPixel/s, a 14% advantage for the Quadro in raw pixel throughput. The texture rate, however, heavily favors the GTX 690 at 130.4 GTexel/s versus 55.82 GTexel/s. Floating point performance follows the same pattern: the GTX 690 delivers 3.130 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the Quadro M2000 delivers 1.786 TFLOPS, a 75% advantage for the GTX 690. Neither card supports ray tracing or tensor cores, and both lack FP16 data in the records.

Clock speeds show a mixed profile. The GTX 690 has a higher base clock at 915 MHz versus 796 MHz, but the Quadro M2000 boosts higher, reaching 1163 MHz against 1019 MHz. Memory clocks also differ: the GTX 690 runs at 1502 MHz with 6 Gbps effective, while the Quadro M2000 runs at 1653 MHz with 6.6 Gbps effective. The GTX 690 has twice the memory bus width at 256 bit versus 128 bit, which is why its bandwidth reaches 192.3 GB/s compared to 105.8 GB/s for the Quadro M2000.

Memory capacity favors the Quadro M2000 in absolute size, with 4 GB versus the GTX 690's 2 GB, but the GTX 690 has a wider bus and over 80% more bandwidth. The GTX 690 also draws far more power: its TDP is 300 W versus 75 W, and it requires a 700 W suggested PSU along with two 8-pin power connectors, while the Quadro M2000 has no power connectors and a 250 W suggested PSU. The GTX 690 is a dual-slot card measuring 279 mm in length and 38 mm in width, while the Quadro M2000 is single-slot at 201 mm long and 111 mm high with no recorded width. Display outputs differ: the GTX 690 offers three DVI ports and one mini-DisplayPort 1.2, while the Quadro M2000 has four DisplayPort 1.2 outputs.

API support shows a notable difference. The GTX 690 supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The Quadro M2000 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The Maxwell card has a higher DirectX feature level and a newer Vulkan version. Both are listed as end-of-life products, with the GTX 690 released in May 2012 and the Quadro M2000 in April 2016. The GTX 690's successor is the GeForce 700 series, while the Quadro M2000 follows Quadro Kepler and precedes Quadro Pascal.

The Verdict

The data points to two very different tools. The GeForce GTX 690 is the faster card in every benchmark recorded. Its 19.3% OpenCL lead and 15.2% Vulkan lead over the Quadro M2000 are substantial. It delivers more than double the shading units, over double the texture rate, and 75% higher FP32 throughput. For workloads that stress raw compute, shader count, or texture fill, the GTX 690 is the clear choice from the recorded measurements.

The Quadro M2000 wins where efficiency and output matter. It consumes 75 W versus 300 W, requires no auxiliary power connectors, fits in a single slot, and is 78 mm shorter. It offers double the memory capacity at 4 GB, a higher pixel rate at 37.22 GPixel/s, and newer API support with DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4. It also has four DisplayPort outputs instead of the GTX 690's three DVI and one mini-DisplayPort. For systems with power or space constraints, or for direct display connectivity, the Quadro M2000 is the practical option.

There is no scenario in the recorded data where the Quadro M2000 beats the GTX 690 in compute benchmarks. The GTX 690 sits in the 60th percentile of all GPUs, the Quadro M2000 in the 56th. The GTX 690's nearest rivals include the RTX 3070 within 1%, while the Quadro M2000's closest competitors are older or lower-tier parts. The verdict is straightforward: pick the GTX 690 for performance, pick the Quadro M2000 for power efficiency, memory capacity, and modern API features.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in benchmarks?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 wins both recorded tests. It scores 17,399 in Geekbench OpenCL versus 14,588 for the Quadro M2000, a 19.3% lead, and 16,675 in Geekbench Vulkan versus 14,475, a 15.2% lead.

Q: Does the Quadro M2000 have any performance advantage?

A: Yes, in one specific metric: pixel rate. The Quadro M2000 achieves 37.22 GPixel/s, while the GTX 690 achieves 32.61 GPixel/s. It also has a higher boost clock at 1163 MHz versus 1019 MHz.

Q: How do their memory configurations compare?

A: The GTX 690 has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256 bit bus with 192.3 GB/s bandwidth. The Quadro M2000 has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 128 bit bus with 105.8 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 690 has over 80% more bandwidth, but the Quadro M2000 has double the capacity.

Q: What are the power requirements?

A: The GTX 690 has a TDP of 300 W, requires two 8-pin power connectors, and a suggested PSU of 700 W. The Quadro M2000 has a TDP of 75 W, requires no power connectors, and a suggested PSU of 250 W.

Q: Which card supports newer graphics APIs?

A: The Quadro M2000. It supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 690 supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Q: What are the physical size differences?

A: The GTX 690 is a dual-slot card at 279 mm long and 38 mm wide. The Quadro M2000 is a single-slot card at 201 mm long and 111 mm high, with no recorded width.

Where Each One Wins

The GeForce GTX 690 wins in raw compute performance. Its 1,536 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 3.130 TFLOPS FP32 throughput make it dominant in shader-heavy and texture-heavy workloads. The 192.3 GB/s memory bandwidth supports data-intensive tasks, and the 32.61 GPixel/s pixel rate handles high-resolution rendering. Its 60th percentile standing among all GPUs places it in a league with the RTX 3070, which is only 1% ahead. The GTX 690 also leads in both benchmark categories, making it the performance pick for any compute-driven application.

The Quadro M2000 wins on efficiency and practicality. Its 75 W TDP means it can run in systems with a 250 W PSU, and its single-slot design fits where the dual-slot GTX 690 cannot. The 4 GB memory capacity handles larger datasets than the GTX 690's 2 GB, and the 37.22 GPixel/s pixel rate gives it an edge in fill-rate-bound scenarios. The four DisplayPort 1.2 outputs provide flexible multi-display connectivity, and the DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4 support future-proofs API compatibility. For professional environments that prioritize stability, power budgets, and modern interfaces over raw speed, the Quadro M2000 is the appropriate choice.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two cards. The GTX 690 uses the GK104 chip with Kepler architecture, while the Quadro M2000 uses GM206 with Maxwell 2.0. Transistor counts are 3,540 million versus 2,940 million, and die sizes are 294 mm² versus 228 mm². Transistor density is 12.0M per mm² versus 12.9M per mm². Base clocks are 915 MHz versus 796 MHz; boost clocks are 1019 MHz versus 1163 MHz. Memory clocks are 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective) versus 1653 MHz (6.6 Gbps effective). Memory size is 2 GB versus 4 GB, with bus widths of 256 bit versus 128 bit and bandwidths of 192.3 GB/s versus 105.8 GB/s. Shading units are 1,536 versus 768, TMUs are 128 versus 48, and ROPs are identical at 32. Pixel rates are 32.61 GPixel/s versus 37.22 GPixel/s, while texture rates are 130.4 GTexel/s versus 55.82 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is 3.130 TFLOPS versus 1.786 TFLOPS. TDP is 300 W versus 75 W, slot width is dual-slot versus single-slot, and power connectors are two 8-pin versus none. Suggested PSU is 700 W versus 250 W. Display outputs are three DVI and one mini-DisplayPort 1.2 versus four DisplayPort 1.2. DirectX support is 12 (11_0) versus 12 (12_1), and Vulkan support is 1.2.175 versus 1.4. Dimensions differ: 279 mm by 111 mm by 38 mm versus 201 mm by 111 mm with no recorded width. Release dates are May 2012 versus April 2016, predecessors are GeForce 500 versus Quadro Kepler, and successors are GeForce 700 versus Quadro Pascal. The launch MSRP for the GTX 690 is 999 USD; the Quadro M2000 has no recorded launch MSRP.