Technical Whitepaper – The professional advantage: Quadro versus Geforce

We often get asked about what video hardware is recommended for use with Autodesk software. Some programmes such as Inventor and Revit can place a large strain on the graphics card in your system.

Having a good card can not only increase display performance in large or complex models but can also give a big jump in productivity due to lost time associated with instability in the software.

It is not usual to get several support calls a day from customers that have multiple or individual machines in their office that show graphics glitches, sluggish performance or sudden crashes whilst using their Autodesk software.

Quadro cards are designed specifically to meet the specific requirements of high end 3D software. These cards are manufactured  to a much higher quality than those required in consumer grade graphics cards such as Geforce or those from other vendors. Furthermore, Nvidia works closely with software vendors such as Autodesk to make sure that their drivers (the interface between the software, the operating system and the hardware) work in an optimum way.

One barrier in the past to companies or individuals using a Quadro card over consumer grade cards has been the price. In recent years, the price difference has dropped considerably to the point where a good entry level Quadro card can be cheaper than some gaming cards.

As part of testing for their White paper, HP concluded that the typical lifespan for a Quadro card was 3 times that of a Geforce card. This will offset any additional capitol investment in the hardware. In addition to this, Warranties for the Quadro cards are typically 3 times that of the consumer grade card. This points towards a greater ROI for the Quadro cards.

The whitepaper can be viewed here:  http://h20195.www2.hp.com/v2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA5-0490ENW.pdf

If you already have a Quadro card or plan on picking one up here are some tips for optimisation of your graphics in Autodesk applications: http://h20195.www2.hp.com/V2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA5-6219ENW.pdf