NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 vs NVIDIA Quadro M6000 Comparison

The NVIDIA Quadro M6000 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 represent two distinct eras of GPU design. The M6000, built on Maxwell 2.0 architecture, was a professional workstation card from 2015. The RTX 4070, based on Ada Lovelace, arrived in 2023 as a mainstream consumer offering. The recorded benchmark data shows a clear generational gap, but the analysis goes beyond raw speed. Each card has specific strengths tied to its architecture, memory subsystem, and feature set. This comparison walks through the recorded measurements, architectural differences, and practical implications for different workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head benchmark results in the database show a decisive victory for the RTX 4070 in both recorded tests. The GeForce card wins two tests, the Quadro wins zero. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the RTX 4070 scores 154858 points, while the Quadro M6000 scores 39688 points. That is a difference of 74.4 percent in favor of the RTX 4070. The Vulkan test tells a similar story: the RTX 4070 reaches 174152 points, the Quadro manages 46913, a 73.1 percent gap. For compute-oriented tasks that use these APIs, the RTX 4070 is the clear choice.

However, the Quadro M6000 is not without merit. Its average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 43301, which places it in the 84th percentile of all GPUs in the database. The RTX 4070 has an average score of 37648, putting it in the 81st percentile. This is a notable inversion: the older Quadro has a higher overall percentile despite losing both head-to-head tests. The reason is that the Quadro's recorded benchmarks include only two tests, both of which are relatively modest scores. The RTX 4070 has ten recorded tests, including several Passmark entries with lower scores (such as 103 in DirectX 12 and 139 in DirectX 10), which drag down its average. The database treats these averages as the primary ranking metric, so the Quadro appears higher in the percentile distribution.

For raw compute throughput in OpenCL and Vulkan, the RTX 4070 wins decisively. For overall standing in the database's aggregate ranking, the Quadro M6000 holds a higher percentile. The practical takeaway: if you rely on OpenCL or Vulkan workloads, the RTX 4070 is vastly faster. If you care about the aggregate benchmark profile, the Quadro's limited test set gives it an edge in percentile ranking, but that edge does not reflect real-world performance in the recorded tests.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from completely different architectural lineages. The Quadro M6000 uses the GM200 chip, built on Maxwell 2.0 architecture, manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It contains 8,000 million transistors on a die size of 601 mm², giving a transistor density of 13.3 million per square millimeter. The RTX 4070 uses the AD104 chip, based on Ada Lovelace architecture, manufactured on a 5 nm process, also at TSMC. It packs 35,800 million transistors into a 294 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 121.8 million per square millimeter. The density difference is stark: the newer process allows nearly ten times more transistors per area.

Clock speeds differ substantially. The Quadro runs at a base clock of 988 MHz and a boost clock of 1114 MHz. The RTX 4070 has a base clock of 1920 MHz and a boost clock of 2475 MHz. The RTX 4070's boost clock is more than double the Quadro's base clock. Memory clocks also reflect the generational leap: the Quadro uses 1653 MHz memory (6.6 Gbps effective), while the RTX 4070 uses 1313 MHz memory (21 Gbps effective). The effective data rate is over three times higher on the newer card.

Shader resources are vastly different. The Quadro has 3072 shading units, 192 texture mapping units, and 96 render output units. The RTX 4070 has 5888 shading units, 184 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The RTX 4070 has nearly double the shaders, slightly fewer TMUs, and fewer ROPs. The RTX 4070 also includes 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores, features that do not exist on the Maxwell-based Quadro. These dedicated cores enable hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI-based workloads, which the Quadro cannot perform.

Memory subsystems differ in type and bandwidth. The Quadro has 12 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus, delivering 317.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 4070 also has 12 GB, but uses GDDR6X on a 192-bit bus, delivering 504.2 GB/s. The RTX 4070 achieves 59 percent more bandwidth despite a narrower bus, thanks to the faster memory type. The Quadro's wider bus (384 vs 192 bit) suggests it was designed for high-bandwidth professional workloads, but the newer memory technology wins in practice.

Other differences: the Quadro uses PCIe 3.0 x16, the RTX 4070 uses PCIe 4.0 x16. The Quadro's display outputs include 1x DVI and 4x DisplayPort 1.2. The RTX 4070 has 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. The Quadro supports DirectX 12 (12_1), the RTX 4070 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.4. Power consumption: the Quadro has a 250 W TDP with a 1x 8-pin connector, while the RTX 4070 has a 200 W TDP with a 1x 16-pin connector. The RTX 4070 delivers more performance at lower power draw.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion for compute-heavy workloads. In OpenCL and Vulkan, the RTX 4070 outperforms the Quadro M6000 by margins of 74.4 percent and 73.1 percent respectively. These are not small gaps; they represent a fundamental generational improvement in raw compute throughput. Anyone choosing between these two for OpenCL or Vulkan tasks should pick the RTX 4070 without hesitation.

The Quadro M6000 does have one statistical advantage: its aggregate percentile ranking. With an average benchmark score of 43301 and an 84th percentile placement, it sits above the RTX 4070, which averages 37648 and ranks in the 81st percentile. This is because the Quadro's benchmark set is limited to two tests, both of which are relatively high for that card. The RTX 4070's ten-test suite includes several low-scoring Passmark entries that pull its average down. If the database's percentile ranking is your primary metric, the Quadro looks better, but this is an artifact of test selection, not a reflection of actual capability.

For professional users who need workstation-class features, the Quadro M6000 offers a 384-bit memory bus and 96 ROPs, which historically suited certain rendering workloads. However, the RTX 4070's higher bandwidth, higher clocks, and dedicated ray tracing and tensor cores make it more capable for modern applications. The Quadro's Maxwell architecture lacks hardware ray tracing and tensor core support, which are now standard in consumer and professional software.

The RTX 4070 also consumes less power (200 W vs 250 W) and requires a smaller suggested PSU (550 W vs 600 W). It is physically shorter (240 mm vs 267 mm) and slightly less tall (110 mm vs 111 mm). It has a higher transistor density, newer process node, and faster memory. The only areas where the Quadro leads are ROP count, TMU count, memory bus width, and aggregate percentile ranking.

For a user prioritizing compute performance in OpenCL or Vulkan, the RTX 4070 is the only logical choice. For a user who values the database's percentile ranking or needs the Quadro's specific professional feature set (which the data does not detail), the Quadro has a niche. But the recorded benchmark results leave no ambiguity: the RTX 4070 is the faster card in every direct comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Quadro M6000 has an average benchmark score of 43301, while the RTX 4070 averages 37648. The Quadro also ranks in the 84th percentile of all GPUs, compared to the RTX 4070's 81st percentile.

Q: What is the performance gap in OpenCL?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the RTX 4070 scores 154858, while the Quadro M6000 scores 39688. The RTX 4070 is 74.4 percent faster.

Q: Does the RTX 4070 have ray tracing cores?

A: Yes, the RTX 4070 includes 46 ray tracing cores and 184 tensor cores. The Quadro M6000 has no dedicated ray tracing or tensor cores.

Q: How does memory bandwidth compare?

A: The Quadro M6000 has 317.4 GB/s of bandwidth from 12 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus. The RTX 4070 has 504.2 GB/s from 12 GB of GDDR6X on a 192-bit bus.

Q: Which card consumes more power?

A: The Quadro M6000 has a TDP of 250 W and requires a 600 W suggested PSU. The RTX 4070 has a TDP of 200 W and requires a 550 W suggested PSU.

Q: Are there any tests where the Quadro wins?

A: In the head-to-head benchmark data, the Quadro M6000 wins zero tests. The RTX 4070 wins both recorded tests (OpenCL and Vulkan).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records two direct comparisons between these cards. The first is Geekbench OpenCL. The Quadro M6000 scores 39688 points. The RTX 4070 scores 154858 points. The RTX 4070 leads by 74.4 percent. This is a massive margin, indicating that the newer architecture's shader count (5888 vs 3072) and higher clocks (2475 MHz boost vs 1114 MHz boost) translate directly into compute performance. The Quadro's 384-bit memory bus does not compensate for its older, slower memory and lower clock speeds.

The second test is Geekbench Vulkan. The Quadro scores 46913, while the RTX 4070 scores 174152. The RTX 4070 leads by 73.1 percent. Vulkan is a low-level API that benefits from modern architecture features. The RTX 4070's dedicated ray tracing and tensor cores do not directly affect Vulkan compute, but the higher shader count and clock speeds do. The Quadro's Maxwell architecture, while competent in its time, lacks the throughput of Ada Lovelace.

The overall win count is 2 for the RTX 4070, 0 for the Quadro. The average benchmark scores tell a different story, as mentioned: the Quadro's 43301 average exceeds the RTX 4070's 37648. But that average includes the RTX 4070's Passmark results, which are low (e.g., 103 in DirectX 12, 139 in DirectX 10, 244 in DirectX 11). These Passmark tests are not part of the head-to-head comparison, so they do not affect the win count. The head-to-head data is unambiguous: the RTX 4070 dominates in every recorded direct comparison.

The nearest rivals for each card provide context. The Quadro M6000's closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 Mobile, with an average score of 43268, a 0.1 percent difference. The RTX 4070's closest rival is the NVIDIA Tesla P4, with an average score of 37628, also a 0.1 percent difference. These proximity scores show that each card sits near other GPUs in the database's aggregate ranking, but the head-to-head tests reveal the true performance gap.

Specification Differences

The table below highlights where the two cards differ based on recorded specifications.

| Specification | Quadro M6000 | RTX 4070 |

|----------------|--------------|----------|

| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 | Ada Lovelace |

| Process node | 28 nm | 5 nm |

| Transistors | 8,000 million | 35,800 million |

| Die size | 601 mm² | 294 mm² |

| Transistor density | 13.3M / mm² | 121.8M / mm² |

| Base clock | 988 MHz | 1920 MHz |

| Boost clock | 1114 MHz | 2475 MHz |

| Memory clock | 1653 MHz (6.6 Gbps effective) | 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) |

| Memory type | GDDR5 | GDDR6X |

| Memory bus width | 384 bit | 192 bit |

| Memory bandwidth | 317.4 GB/s | 504.2 GB/s |

| Shading units | 3072 | 5888 |

| TMUs | 192 | 184 |

| ROPs | 96 | 64 |

| Ray tracing cores | None | 46 |

| Tensor cores | None | 184 |

| Pixel rate | 106.9 GPixel/s | 158.4 GPixel/s |

| Texture rate | 213.9 GTexel/s | 455.4 GTexel/s |

| FP32 performance | 6.844 TFLOPS | 29.15 TFLOPS |

| FP16 performance | Not recorded | 29.15 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 250 W | 200 W |

| Power connector | 1x 8-pin | 1x 16-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 600 W | 550 W |

| Bus interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |

| Display outputs | 1x DVI, 4x DisplayPort 1.2 | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| DirectX support | 12 (12_1) | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |

| Length | 267 mm (10.5 inches) | 240 mm (9.4 inches) |

| Height | 111 mm (4.4 inches) | 110 mm (4.3 inches) |

| Width | Not recorded | 40 mm (1.6 inches) |

| Release date | 2015-03-20 | 2023-04-11 |

| Predecessor | Quadro Kepler | GeForce 30 |

| Successor | Quadro Pascal | GeForce 50 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | 599 USD |

The RTX 4070 leads in nearly every performance-related specification. The only areas where the Quadro M6000 has higher numbers are TMU count (192 vs 184), ROP count (96 vs 64), memory bus width (384 vs 192 bit), die size, and TDP. The Quadro's wider memory bus and higher ROP count suggest a design optimized for certain rasterization tasks, but the RTX 4070's higher bandwidth, more shaders, and much higher clocks overcome those advantages. The launch MSRP of the RTX 4070 is 599 USD, stated once here. The Quadro's launch MSRP is not recorded.