Most of the pro-level graphics cards are variations of consumer-level cards.  They excel at 2D redraws, but don't do much with regards to 3D engine redraw speed (compared to high end consumer cards).  Rendering a final scene -- for print or an animation file, is processor FPU intensive – GPUs do nothing to accelerate such renders.  Real time rendering is GPU intensive, which is what I was discussing as redraw speed.

One of the main differences is that the pro-level card use optimized drivers for stability and screen-draw accuracy.  Also, they generally use “hand-picked” hardware components.  This is where the pro-level cards excel.  Often, the hardware differences are quite small, and you can sometimes use the pro-level card drivers on the consumer-level card.

Unless you are designing cars, airplanes, or bridges for a living, I would simply buy the best high-end consumer card.  You will get the best bang-for-the-buck.