NVIDIA GRID K520Q
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA GRID K520Q Specifications
GRID K520Q GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA GRID K520Q GPU core specifications define its raw processing power for graphics and compute workloads. Shading units (also called CUDA cores, stream processors, or execution units depending on manufacturer) handle the parallel calculations required for rendering. TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) process texture data, while ROPs (Render Output Units) handle final pixel output. Higher shader counts generally translate to better GPU benchmark performance, especially in demanding games and 3D applications.
GRID K520Q Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the GRID K520Q's performance in GPU benchmarks and real-world gaming. The base clock represents the minimum guaranteed frequency, while the boost clock indicates peak performance under optimal thermal conditions. Memory clock speed affects texture loading and frame buffer operations. The GRID K520Q by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's GRID K520Q Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The GRID K520Q's memory capacity determines how well it handles high-resolution textures and multiple displays. Memory bandwidth, measured in GB/s, affects how quickly data moves between the GPU and VRAM. Higher bandwidth improves performance in memory-intensive scenarios like 4K gaming. The memory bus width and type (GDDR6, GDDR6X, HBM) significantly influence overall GPU benchmark scores.
GRID K520Q by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the GRID K520Q, reducing the need to fetch data from slower VRAM. L1 and L2 caches store frequently accessed data close to the compute units. AMD's Infinity Cache (L3) dramatically increases effective bandwidth, improving GPU benchmark performance without requiring wider memory buses. Larger cache sizes help maintain high frame rates in memory-bound scenarios and reduce power consumption by minimizing VRAM accesses.
GRID K520Q Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA GRID K520Q against other graphics cards. FP32 (single-precision) performance, measured in TFLOPS, indicates compute capability for gaming and general GPU workloads. FP64 (double-precision) matters for scientific computing. Pixel and texture fill rates determine how quickly the GPU can render complex scenes. While real-world GPU benchmark results depend on many factors, these specifications help predict relative performance levels.
Kepler Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA GRID K520Q is built on NVIDIA's Kepler architecture, which defines how the GPU processes graphics and compute workloads. The manufacturing process node affects power efficiency, thermal characteristics, and maximum clock speeds. Smaller process nodes pack more transistors into the same die area, enabling higher performance per watt. Understanding the architecture helps predict how the GRID K520Q will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
NVIDIA's GRID K520Q Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA GRID K520Q determine PSU requirements and thermal management needs. TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates the heat output under typical loads, guiding cooler selection. Power connector requirements ensure adequate power delivery for stable operation during demanding GPU benchmarks. The suggested PSU wattage accounts for the entire system, not just the graphics card. Efficient power delivery enables the GRID K520Q to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
GRID K520Q by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA GRID K520Q are critical for case compatibility. Card length, height, and slot width determine whether it fits in your chassis. The PCIe interface version affects bandwidth for communication with the CPU. Display outputs define monitor connectivity options, with modern cards supporting multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously. Verify these specifications against your case and motherboard before purchasing to ensure a proper fit.
NVIDIA API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the NVIDIA GRID K520Q. DirectX 12 Ultimate enables advanced features like ray tracing and variable rate shading. Vulkan provides cross-platform graphics capabilities with low-level hardware access. OpenGL remains important for professional applications and older games. CUDA (NVIDIA) and OpenCL enable GPU compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific applications. Higher API versions unlock newer graphical features in GPU benchmarks and games.
GRID K520Q Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA GRID K520Q is manufactured by NVIDIA as part of their graphics card lineup. Release date and launch pricing provide context for comparing GPU benchmark results with competing products from the same era. Understanding the product lifecycle helps evaluate whether the GRID K520Q by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
GRID K520Q Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About NVIDIA GRID K520Q
NVIDIA GRID K520Q is an end-of-life server-side graphics solution built on the Kepler architecture, using the GK104 chip fabricated on TSMC's 28 nm process. It integrates 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.0M per mm². The card is configured with 1,536 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 raster output units, with a pixel rate of 23.84 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 95.36 GTexel/s. Its FP32 compute throughput is 2.289 TFLOPS, and it carries a 225 W TDP with a suggested 550 W power supply, occupying a dual-slot form factor at 267 mm (10.5 inches) in length.
How It Compares
The FACT PACK lists no nearest rivals for the NVIDIA GRID K520Q, and its benchmark array is empty. Consequently, there is no direct comparative data against other specific graphics cards in this database entry. The percentile score of 50 against all GPUs indicates that the K520Q sits at the median of the entire GPU population tracked by this database, meaning half of all GPUs benchmarked perform better and half perform worse. Without rival names or deltaPct values, the analysis cannot position this card relative to specific competing products, only within the broader distribution. The absence of benchmark scores (avgBenchmarkScore of 0) further limits any quantitative comparison to other hardware.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The NVIDIA GRID K520Q does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as both fields are null in the specifications. This is consistent with its Kepler architecture, which predates hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI-accelerated tensor operations found in later NVIDIA generations. The card's API support includes DirectX 12 (with feature level 11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The DirectX 12 support is explicitly limited to the 11_0 feature level, which means it can run DirectX 12 titles but only with the feature set available in DirectX 11-class hardware — no mesh shaders, variable rate shading, or other modern DirectX 12 Ultimate features. OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.175 provide current API access for cross-platform workloads, but the underlying hardware lacks the specialized units for ray-traced effects or tensor-based operations like DLSS. The card has no display outputs, indicating it is designed for virtualized or remote graphics workloads rather than direct display connection.
Who Should Consider It
Given the lack of benchmark scores and rival data, recommendations must be inferred from the raw specifications. The GRID K520Q's FP32 throughput of 2.289 TFLOPS and memory bandwidth of 160.0 GB/s place it in a performance tier suitable for older or less demanding workloads. The 4 GB GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus suggests it can handle 1080p gaming at medium settings for titles from its era, but modern high-resolution or high-refresh gaming will likely exceed its capabilities. The 50th percentile ranking indicates it is an average performer among all GPUs, which in practical terms means it is not competitive with current-generation cards. Its primary use case appears to be virtual desktop infrastructure or cloud gaming servers where multiple users share the GPU, given the "No outputs" display configuration and the GRID product family naming. Users with legacy applications that rely on Kepler-era compute or graphics, or those needing a low-cost virtualized GPU solution, may find it adequate — but the 2014 release date and end-of-life status suggest it is unsuitable for new builds.
FAQ
Q: Does the NVIDIA GRID K520Q support hardware ray tracing?
A: No. The card has no ray tracing cores (rtCores is null), and its Kepler architecture does not include hardware acceleration for ray-traced effects.
Q: What is the maximum DirectX version supported?
A: The card supports DirectX 12, but only at feature level 11_0, meaning it is limited to the feature set of DirectX 11-class hardware despite the API version number.
Q: Can this card output video to a display?
A: No. The display outputs field is listed as "No outputs," so the card is intended for server or virtualized environments where rendering is done remotely without direct display connection.
Q: How much memory does the GRID K520Q have and what type is it?
A: It has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 160.0 GB/s of memory bandwidth.
Q: What is the launch MSRP of this card?
A: The launch MSRP is 3,599 USD.
Q: What is the production status of the NVIDIA GRID K520Q?
A: The production status is end-of-life, and the release date was July 1, 2014.
Benchmark Performance
Benchmark results for the NVIDIA GRID K520Q are entirely absent from the FACT PACK — the benchmarks array is empty and the average benchmark score is zero. The only quantitative performance metric available is the percentile rank of 50 against all GPUs, which indicates a median position in the overall performance distribution. This percentile means that exactly half of all GPUs tracked in the database perform better, and half perform worse, placing the K520Q in the middle of the pack. Without specific scores or rival deltaPct values, it is impossible to quantify its performance gap to any particular competitor. The raw compute specifications provide some context: 2.289 TFLOPS FP32, 23.84 GPixel/s pixel fill rate, and 95.36 GTexel/s texture fill rate. These figures suggest a card that was mid-range at its 2014 launch, now far outpaced by modern GPUs that offer substantially higher TFLOPS and fill rates. The lack of a boost clock in the specs means the 2.289 TFLOPS figure is the peak FP32 performance, but sustained performance may be lower under load. The 225 W TDP relative to its modest compute output indicates power efficiency is not a strong suit by current standards.
Memory Subsystem
The memory subsystem of the NVIDIA GRID K520Q consists of 4 GB of GDDR5 memory operating at 1250 MHz, which translates to 5 Gbps effective data rate. The memory interface is 256 bits wide, yielding a total memory bandwidth of 160.0 GB/s. This bandwidth figure is modest by modern standards — contemporary mid-range cards often exceed 300 GB/s — but it is sufficient for the card's 2.289 TFLOPS compute throughput. For 1080p gaming at medium settings, 4 GB of VRAM is generally adequate for textures and frame buffers of the 2014 era, but modern games at 1440p or 4K with high-resolution texture packs will likely exceed this capacity, causing stuttering or texture pop-in. The 256-bit bus width is typical for a card of this class, but the 160.0 GB/s bandwidth limits fill-rate-heavy workloads such as high-resolution anti-aliasing or large compute buffers. The memory clock of 1250 MHz is fixed, with no boost or game clock specified, meaning the memory operates at a constant rate. For virtualized workloads, the 4 GB capacity can be partitioned across multiple virtual machines, but each VM would receive a fraction of the total, potentially limiting per-user performance. The GDDR5 type is older and slower than the GDDR6 or GDDR6X found in modern cards, but it is consistent with the Kepler generation's capabilities. The lack of any memory overclocking or alternative profiles in the specs suggests the card runs at reference memory speeds only.
The AMD Equivalent of GRID K520Q
Looking for a similar graphics card from AMD? The AMD Radeon RX 480 offers comparable performance and features in the AMD lineup.
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