NVIDIA Quadro M6000
NVIDIA graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
NVIDIANVIDIA Quadro M6000 Specifications
GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The NVIDIA Quadro M6000 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.
Quadro M6000 Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the Quadro M6000'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 Quadro M6000 by NVIDIA dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
NVIDIA's Quadro M6000 Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The Quadro M6000'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.
Quadro M6000 by NVIDIA Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the Quadro M6000, 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.
Quadro M6000 Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 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.
Maxwell 2.0 Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The NVIDIA Quadro M6000 is built on NVIDIA's Maxwell 2.0 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 Quadro M6000 will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 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 Quadro M6000 to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
Quadro M6000 by NVIDIA Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 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 Quadro M6000. 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.
Quadro M6000 Product Information
Release and pricing details
The NVIDIA Quadro M6000 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 Quadro M6000 by NVIDIA represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
About NVIDIA Quadro M6000
The NVIDIA Quadro M6000 is a professional workstation GPU built on the Maxwell 2.0 architecture, featuring the GM200 chip produced on a 28 nm process at TSMC. With 8,000 million transistors on a 601 mm² die, this end-of-life card was released in March 2015 and occupies the Quadro Maxwell generation, positioned between the Quadro Kepler and Quadro Pascal lines. Its benchmark presence remains relevant, holding an 84th percentile ranking among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of 43,313 points.
Memory Subsystem
The Quadro M6000 carries 12 GB of GDDR5 memory across a 384-bit bus, yielding a memory bandwidth of 317.4 GB/s. The memory clock runs at 1653 MHz, translating to 6.6 Gbps effective data rate. For a professional card from this era, the 12 GB capacity is substantial and directly supports large datasets, high-resolution textures, and multi-application workflows where VRAM exhaustion is a primary bottleneck.
The 384-bit interface provides a wide data path that keeps the 317.4 GB/s bandwidth available even under sustained loads. When compared to modern rivals, the M6000's bandwidth is modest, yet it remains sufficient for its intended workloads. At high resolutions like 4K, the combination of 12 GB VRAM and 317.4 GB/s bandwidth means texture-heavy scenes and large frame buffers will fit comfortably, but the card's raw compute limits will surface before memory capacity becomes the restricting factor. For compute tasks, such as rendering or simulation, the ample VRAM capacity is more valuable than the bandwidth figure, allowing larger working sets to remain resident on the GPU without spilling to system memory.
Who Should Consider It
The Quadro M6000 is best suited for users running professional applications at 1440p or 4K resolutions where the 12 GB frame buffer provides headroom for large assets. Its benchmark scores indicate it can handle moderate gaming at high settings, but its design philosophy targets stability and certification over raw frame rates. For 1080p gaming, the card offers ample performance for most titles, though its architecture lacks modern features like hardware ray tracing or tensor cores, so users seeking those capabilities should look elsewhere.
At 4K resolution, the M6000 will struggle with the most demanding recent games at ultra settings, but it remains viable for slightly older titles or with adjusted settings. For productivity workloads, such as 3D modeling, video editing, or CAD, the 12 GB VRAM and strong OpenGL 4.6 support make it a capable choice, particularly for users who prioritize driver reliability and viewport performance over gaming-focused features. Users who need Vulkan 1.4 or DirectX 12 (12_1) support will find the card compliant, but its performance in these APIs is not competitive with modern GPUs. If your workload is VRAM-hungry but compute-light, the M6000's memory capacity is its main draw; if you need high compute throughput, newer alternatives are significantly faster.
Benchmark Performance
The Quadro M6000 delivers an average benchmark score of 43,313 across its two recorded tests: a Geekbench OpenCL score of 39,510 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 47,116. This places it within a tight cluster of competing GPUs, with deltas ranging from -1.6% to +1.5% against its nearest rivals. The data shows a remarkably competitive field, where the M6000 sits in the middle of the pack rather than dominating or trailing significantly.
In OpenCL, the M6000's 39,510 score reflects its Maxwell architecture's compute capabilities, which are solid for its generation but not exceptional. The Vulkan score of 47,116 is notably higher, suggesting the card handles modern API overhead reasonably well given its age. The difference between the two scores — approximately 19% higher in Vulkan — indicates that the driver and architecture respond better to the lower-level API, which is a useful insight for users deciding which workloads to run.
The average score of 43,313 gives the card a 84th percentile ranking among all GPUs, meaning it outperforms the vast majority of historical cards while sitting behind the top-tier modern parts. When interpreting these numbers, note that the M6000 is 0.8% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile, 1.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE, and 1.5% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A6000. These single-digit percentage differences are within noise for most real-world scenarios, so performance parity is the accurate takeaway rather than any meaningful advantage or deficit.
How It Compares
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile: The M6000 trails this laptop-oriented flagship by just 0.8% in average score. Despite the RTX 4090 Mobile being a modern, power-constrained part, the M6000's desktop-class thermals and 250 W TDP allow it to match or slightly exceed that card's compute output in these benchmarks. For a user comparing the two, the M6000 offers comparable raw compute at a fraction of the modern card's feature set.
AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE: The M6000 leads this AMD card by 1.4%, a narrow margin that places both GPUs in the same performance tier. The RX 7650 GRE is a more recent release with modern features, but the M6000's older architecture holds its own in these synthetic benchmarks, demonstrating that raw compute capability has not advanced as quickly as feature sets.
NVIDIA RTX A6000: The M6000 edges out the RTX A6000 by 1.5%, which is notable given that the A6000 is a direct successor in NVIDIA's professional lineup with significantly more memory and newer architecture. This result suggests that for compute-heavy tasks measured by Geekbench, the M6000's Maxwell architecture remains competitive, and the performance gap between generations is smaller than expected.
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX: The M6000 falls 1.6% behind this flagship AMD card, the largest delta among its nearest rivals. The RX 7900 XTX is a high-end gaming card with substantial compute power, yet the M6000's deficit is minimal, reinforcing that the Quadro's professional heritage does not come at a severe compute cost in these specific tests.
Power and Cooling
The Quadro M6000 has a TDP of 250 W, requiring a power supply rated at 600 W as suggested. The card draws power through a single 8-pin connector, which is a modest requirement for a dual-slot card of this performance class. The card's physical dimensions are 267 mm in length (10.5 inches) and 111 mm in height (4.4 inches), fitting most standard mid-tower cases without issue. The dual-slot cooler is designed to handle the 250 W thermal load, and the 28 nm process node means heat output is manageable with adequate case airflow. Users upgrading from older cards should verify their PSU has a spare 8-pin connector, as the card does not support modern 12VHPWR or multiple connectors. The 600 W PSU recommendation provides headroom for a typical system, but users with power-hungry CPUs should consider a slightly larger unit to avoid transient spikes.
FAQ
Q: What is the average benchmark score of the NVIDIA Quadro M6000?
A: The average benchmark score is 43,313, derived from a Geekbench OpenCL score of 39,510 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 47,116.
Q: How does the M6000 compare to the NVIDIA RTX A6000?
A: The M6000 is 1.5% ahead of the RTX A6000 in average score, despite the A6000 being a newer professional card with more memory.
Q: What memory configuration does the M6000 use?
A: It uses 12 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus, providing 317.4 GB/s of bandwidth with a 6.6 Gbps effective memory clock.
Q: What power supply is recommended for this card?
A: NVIDIA suggests a 600 W PSU, and the card requires a single 8-pin power connector to operate.
Q: Does the M6000 support modern APIs?
A: Yes, it supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, though its performance in these APIs is not competitive with modern GPUs.
Q: What is the card's production status?
A: The Quadro M6000 is end-of-life, having been released in March 2015, and it is part of the Quadro Maxwell generation with the successor being Quadro Pascal.
Detailed benchmark scores and charts for the NVIDIA Quadro M6000 are below.
Benchmark Scores
geekbench_openclSource
Geekbench OpenCL tests GPU compute performance using the cross-platform OpenCL API. This shows how NVIDIA Quadro M6000 handles parallel computing tasks like video encoding and scientific simulations. OpenCL is widely supported across different GPU vendors and platforms. Higher scores benefit applications that leverage GPU acceleration for non-graphics workloads.
Top 5 Performers
Top 5 PerformersNearby Performers
Nearby Performersgeekbench_vulkanSource
Geekbench Vulkan tests GPU compute using the modern low-overhead Vulkan API. This shows how NVIDIA Quadro M6000 performs with next-generation graphics and compute workloads.
Top 5 Performers
Nearby Performers
The AMD Equivalent of Quadro M6000
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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