NVIDIA Quadro K1000M

The NVIDIA Quadro K1000M is a mobile workstation GPU built on the 28 nm Kepler architecture, featuring the GK107 chip with 1,270 million transistors on a 118 mm² die. It carries 2 GB of DDR3 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 28.80 GB/s of bandwidth, and its benchmark data places it firmly in the entry-level segment of the mobile professional graphics market.

Benchmark Performance

The Quadro K1000M’s average benchmark score of 1632 positions it at the 8th percentile of all GPUs, indicating that it sits near the bottom of the performance hierarchy. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 1754 and Vulkan score of 1509 show a modest capability gap between compute and graphics workloads, with the Vulkan result trailing the OpenCL figure by roughly 14%.

Against its nearest rivals, the K1000M’s performance is tightly clustered. It trails the NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 (average score 1665) by 2%, a difference of 33 points that is effectively negligible in real-world terms. Similarly, the GeForce 810M (1666) and the Quadro K610M (1671) both sit just ahead, with the K1000M lagging by 2% and 2.3% respectively. These deltas are within the margin of benchmark variance, meaning the K1000M is functionally equivalent to these cards in raw compute throughput.

The only rival it beats is the older NVIDIA Quadro K600, which scores 1590. Here, the K1000M holds a 2.6% advantage, translating to 42 points. This is a modest but consistent lead, suggesting that the K1000M’s Kepler architecture offers a slight generational improvement over its predecessor in the Quadro lineup. The data shows a card that is not competitive with modern GPUs but is also not a complete outlier — it sits in a narrow performance band where 2-3% swings separate it from its closest competitors.

The FP32 compute rating of 326.4 GFLOPS, combined with a pixel rate of 3.400 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 13.60 GTexel/s, reinforces the entry-level positioning. These figures are consistent with a GPU designed for basic CAD visualization and light professional workloads rather than heavy 3D rendering or simulation.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Quadro K1000M does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as these features were absent from the Kepler architecture generation. Its API support is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.175. The DirectX 12 support is noteworthy because it is listed as "12 (11_0)", meaning the hardware is technically capable of running DX12 titles but only at the feature level of DirectX 11.0 — a limitation that excludes modern DX12 features like mesh shaders or variable rate shading.

Vulkan 1.2.175 support provides a degree of forward compatibility with cross-platform graphics APIs, but without hardware-accelerated ray tracing, the card cannot leverage any of the RTX-specific features that have become standard in newer workloads. The absence of tensor cores also rules out any AI-accelerated features such as DLSS or denoising.

For professional applications, the K1000M relies on its 192 shading units, 16 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output pipelines. These are the core building blocks for traditional rasterization workloads. The GK107 chip’s architecture is well-understood in this regard: it is a small, efficient design that prioritizes power economy over raw throughput. The display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent", which means the actual ports vary by laptop manufacturer — a common situation for MXM-based mobile GPUs.

The lack of RT and tensor hardware is not a flaw in context; it is simply a product of the 2012 design era. However, for any modern workload that leverages ray tracing or AI inference, this card is entirely unsuitable. Its feature set is strictly traditional rasterization, with API compatibility that covers older titles and basic professional applications.

Power and Cooling

The Quadro K1000M has a TDP of 45 W, which classifies it as a low-power mobile GPU suitable for thin-and-light workstations. It uses an MXM Module slot width with an MXM-A (3.0) bus interface, and it requires no external power connectors — it draws all its power from the MXM slot itself. There is no suggested PSU rating provided, which is typical for mobile parts where the laptop’s power adapter is the limiting factor.

The 45 W TDP is remarkably modest by modern standards, and it directly contributes to the card’s thermal profile. A 45 W GPU can be cooled with a simple heatpipe and fan solution, and it generates far less heat than desktop counterparts. The absence of power connectors simplifies installation in laptops, as there is no additional cabling to route.

For system integrators, the 28 nm process node from TSMC is the key enabler of this efficiency. The 1,270 million transistors packed into 118 mm² yield a transistor density of 10.8M per mm², which was competitive for the time. The memory runs at 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective), and the power draw for the 2 GB DDR3 frame buffer is included within the 45 W envelope.

The practical implication is that the K1000M can sustain its rated clocks under load without aggressive throttling, provided the laptop’s cooling solution is functional. The lack of a boost clock or game clock in the specifications suggests a fixed-frequency design, which simplifies thermal management. End-of-life production status means replacement parts are scarce, but for legacy systems, the power characteristics remain easy to accommodate.

FAQ

Q: Does the NVIDIA Quadro K1000M support DirectX 12 Ultimate?

A: No. The card supports DirectX 12 only at the 11_0 feature level, which excludes modern DX12 features like ray tracing and mesh shaders.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the Quadro K1000M?

A: The card has a 128-bit memory bus with 2 GB of DDR3 memory, providing a peak bandwidth of 28.80 GB/s.

Q: How does the Quadro K1000M compare to the Quadro K600?

A: The K1000M averages 1632 in benchmarks, which is 2.6% higher than the K600’s 1590. This equates to a 42-point advantage.

Q: Does the Quadro K1000M require an external power connector?

A: No. It draws power solely from the MXM-A (3.0) slot and lists "None" for power connectors, with a 45 W TDP.

Q: Is the Quadro K1000M capable of hardware ray tracing?

A: No. It has no RT cores and no tensor cores, as both features were unavailable in the Kepler architecture.

Q: What is the production status of the Quadro K1000M?

A: The card is end-of-life, with a release date of May 31, 2012. Its predecessor is the Quadro Fermi-M and its successor is the Quadro Maxwell-M.

How It Compares

vs. NVIDIA GeForce GT 710: The K1000M trails the GT 710 by 2% in average benchmark score (1632 vs. 1665). This is a 33-point gap that falls within typical run-to-run variance. The GT 710 is a desktop part, while the K1000M is mobile, but their compute performance is statistically indistinguishable.

vs. NVIDIA GeForce 810M: The 810M scores 1666, just one point higher than the GT 710, and the K1000M trails by the same 2%. The 810M is another entry-level mobile chip, and the data shows no meaningful performance separation between these two GPUs in synthetic benchmarks.

vs. NVIDIA Quadro K610M: The K610M is the closest rival, scoring 1671, which puts the K1000M 2.3% behind. This is the largest deficit among the rivals listed, but the 39-point difference is still small. Both are Quadro mobile parts from the same generation, so the slight edge for the K610M likely comes from minor clock or memory configuration differences.

vs. NVIDIA Quadro K600: The K600 is the only rival the K1000M beats, with the K1000M holding a 2.6% advantage (1632 vs. 1590). The 42-point lead suggests the K1000M’s Kepler architecture and higher transistor count (1,270 million vs. the K600’s older design) translate into a measurable, if modest, performance improvement. This is the clearest differentiator in the rival set.