Workstation and Desktop GPU ???

[Platform]

What is the differnce between a Workstation GPU and Desktop/gaming GPU ??

Why would you not use a Nvidia Quadro for gaming but a 7800....also any specific reason why the PM does not have Quadros or FireGL

Thanks

 

[robbieduncan]

Workstation GPUs are tending to be very simialr to gaming ones these days, but with extra support and features turned on via the drivers (often in conjuntion with the card). This has, in the past, made it possible to hack a GeForce series card into reporting itself to the drivers as a Quadra.

The additional features tend to be specific to the Workstation market, i.e. hardware anti-aliased lines for CAD usage.

 

[Platform]

Ohh OK.....so people are just paying for software

Well better start hacking then....hehe...just kidding Got a 5200

 

[robbieduncan]

Ohh OK.....so people are just paying for software

Well better start hacking then....hehe...just kidding Got a 5200

More or less. This is hardly the only area of the computing industry where very similar products are sold with different labels at different price points. CPUs are another good example. If the manufacturer is getting better than expected yields on their CPUs (i.e. more dies on the waffer happily run at higher speeds) it is common to mark some as a lower clock speed despite the fact that they will run faster (currently the Athlon 3200+ Venice core CPUs appear to be able to run at least as fast a 3500+s).