FirePro 3D V3800 vs GeForce 9800M GTX

FirePro 3D V3800

2010Core: 690 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce 9800M GTX

2008Core: 500 MHz
Similar parts
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FirePro 3D V3800 vs GeForce 9800M GTX Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

FirePro 3D V3800 vs GeForce 9800M GTX: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

FirePro 3D V3800

2010

Why buy it

  • Costs $171 less on MSRP ($129 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
  • Delivers 141.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 3.7 vs 1.5 G3D/$ ($129 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
  • Draws 74W instead of 150W, a 76W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2010 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce 9800M GTX

2008

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

  • 2008 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 132.6% HIGHER MSRP
    $300 MSRPvs$129 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.5 vs 3.7 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).
  • 102.7% higher power demand at 150W vs 74W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
FirePro 3D V3800 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 4% in PassMark G3D (472 vs 454), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
FirePro 3D V3800 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 40nm process instead of 65nm and a newer 2010 generation instead of 2008. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
FirePro 3D V3800 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $171 cheaper on MSRP at $129 vs $300, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 141.8% (3.7 vs 1.5), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

FirePro 3D V3800 vs GeForce 9800M GTX Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

AMD

FirePro 3D V3800

The FirePro 3D V3800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 26 2010. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 690 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 74W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 472 points. Launch price was $479.

NVIDIA

GeForce 9800M GTX

The GeForce 9800M GTX is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 15 2008. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 500 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 454 points.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro 3D V3800 scores 472 and the GeForce 9800M GTX reaches 454 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro 3D V3800 is built on TeraScale 2 while the GeForce 9800M GTX uses G9x, both on 40 nm vs 65 nm. Shader units: 800 (FirePro 3D V3800) vs 224 (GeForce 9800M GTX).

FeatureFirePro 3D V3800GeForce 9800M GTX
G3D Mark Score
472+4%
454
Architecture
TeraScale 2
G9x
Process Node
40 nm
65 nm
Shading Units
800+257%
224

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce 9800M GTX gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The FirePro 3D V3800 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureFirePro 3D V3800GeForce 9800M GTX
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The FirePro 3D V3800 has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce 9800M GTX carries 1 GB. GeForce 9800M GTX gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the FirePro 3D V3800 and 64-bit on the GeForce 9800M GTX.

FeatureFirePro 3D V3800GeForce 9800M GTX
VRAM Capacity
0.5 GB
1 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.2 (FirePro 3D V3800) vs 10.0 (GeForce 9800M GTX). Vulkan: None vs None. OpenGL: 4.4 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 1.

FeatureFirePro 3D V3800GeForce 9800M GTX
DirectX
11.2+12%
10.0
Vulkan
None
None
OpenGL
4.4+33%
3.3
Max Displays
2+100%
1
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: UVD 2.3 (FirePro 3D V3800) vs No (GeForce 9800M GTX). Decoder: UVD 2.3 vs PureVideo HD VP3. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (FirePro 3D V3800) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (GeForce 9800M GTX).

FeatureFirePro 3D V3800GeForce 9800M GTX
Encoder
UVD 2.3
No
Decoder
UVD 2.3
PureVideo HD VP3
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1
MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro 3D V3800 draws 74W versus the GeForce 9800M GTX's 150W — a 67.9% difference. The FirePro 3D V3800 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro 3D V3800) vs 350W (GeForce 9800M GTX). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 168mm vs 0mm, occupying 1 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 65°C vs 90°C.

FeatureFirePro 3D V3800GeForce 9800M GTX
TDP
74W-51%
150W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
PCIe-powered
Length
168mm
0mm
Height
64mm
0mm
Slots
1
0-100%
Temp (Load)
65°C-28%
90°C
Perf/Watt
6.4+113%
3.0
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro 3D V3800 came in at $129, while the GeForce 9800M GTX launched at $300. On MSRP, FirePro 3D V3800 was 57% cheaper ($171 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 3.7 (FirePro 3D V3800) vs 1.5 (GeForce 9800M GTX) — the FirePro 3D V3800 offers 146.7% better value. The newer card here is FirePro 3D V3800 (2010 vs 2008).

FeatureFirePro 3D V3800GeForce 9800M GTX
MSRP
$129-57%
$300
Performance per Dollar
3.7+147%
1.5
Codename
Juniper
NB9E-GTX
Release
April 26 2010
July 15 2008
Ranking
#780
#825

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