Difference between Quadro & Geforce

[HeXploiT]

...or cad and a gaming card. Looking to find some sort of specs on two similar cards where one is built for cad and the other gaming.

Also can someone please explain the fundamental difference in these cards? Is it primarily hardware, software or both?

 

[Ferzerp]

...or cad and a gaming card. Looking to find some sort of specs on two similar cards where one is built for cad and the other gaming.

Also can someone please explain the fundamental difference in these cards? Is it primarily hardware, software or both?

Same card with a different bios in most cases. In games they perform identically, based on specs, though I know one of my quadro laptops had and ~10% more shaders than the top of the line geforce at the time (128 vs 112) so it was slightly faster. You just can't use the ISV drivers on a geforce.

 

[jaychen]

Quadro has software and hardware to ensure its calcuation is as accurate as possible, these type of precision is typically not needed on the GeForce products... So, more expensive technology like ECC memory are used for Quadro that will not needed with GeForce.

Also, Quadro cards I believe go through more QC to ensure quality... but again, you have to pay for all these "Extras"


Directly from Nvidia
For high-precision, data-sensitive applications, Quadro is the only professional graphics solution with ECC memory and fast double precision capabilities to ensure the accuracy and fidelity of your results. From medical imaging to structural analysis applications, data integrity and precision is assured, without sacrificing performance.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/quadro-fermi-overview.html

 

[poofyhairguy]

A change in the driver/firmware and hundreds of $.

 

[djsb]

Much like business class internet, a big difference is an experienced tech who will work through any issues you're having, as well as a direct phone number to reach their department; rather than a labyrinthine phone tree ending with an under-trained newbie reading off a script.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Much like business class internet, a big difference is an experienced tech who will work through any issues you're having, as well as a direct phone number to reach their department; rather than a labyrinthine phone tree ending with an under-trained newbie reading off a script.

Yep...I remember when we setup the T1 at work. I had to call them quite a few times to get everything squared away with IP addresses and opening up ports for our FTP server (we don't own the router so I can't get access). Each time I had a direct line of contact to the person assigned to our account. They in turn could at any time call up someone more technical to diagnose other problems that were more in depth and put us on conference call. It's pretty nice when I'm used to calling Comcast at home and explaining how the modem doesn't have all the lights on while they tell me to restart my PC *roll eyes*.

I can assume Nvidia's support for Quadro customers is about the same.