FirePro 3D V9800 vs Radeon HD 8950

FirePro 3D V9800

2011Core: 725 MHz

Radeon HD 8950

2012Boost: 1250 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

FirePro 3D V9800

150

2,812

0.0%

2,828

+0.6%

Radeon R9 M275X / M375

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The FirePro 3D V9800 is positioned at rank #365 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar FirePro 3D V9800

#349

Tesla K20m

MSRP: $3199|Avg: $55

18466%

#364

FirePro 3D V8700

MSRP: $1499|Avg: $1229

100%

#365

FirePro 3D V9800

MSRP: $3499|Avg: $80

100%

#366

Quadro 5000

MSRP: $2499|Avg: $100

99%

#367

FirePro V5700

MSRP: $599|Avg: $20

98%

#368

FirePro V9800

MSRP: $3499|Avg: $250

98%

#369

FirePro 3D V8750

MSRP: $1799|Avg: $500

89%

#370

FirePro 3D V7750

MSRP: $799|Avg: $20

85%

#371

GRID M10-2B

MSRP: $2500|Avg: $80

83%

#372

Quadro FX 370

MSRP: $129|Avg: $500

81%

#373

RTXA5000-6Q

MSRP: $2500|Avg: $2500

76%

#374

GRID M6-0B

MSRP: $1500|Avg: $100

76%

#375

Quadro 6000

MSRP: $4399|Avg: $150

76%

#376

GRID M10-1B

MSRP: $2500|Avg: $150

75%

#377

Tesla K40c

MSRP: $7699|Avg: $500

72%

#378

Quadro FX 4800

MSRP: $1799|Avg: $80

70%

#379

Tesla M2090

MSRP: $2500|Avg: $40

70%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 8950 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.6% higher G3D Mark score. However, the FirePro 3D V9800 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	FirePro 3D V9800	Radeon HD 8950
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.6%)	✅Leading raw performance (+0.6%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / TeraScale 3 (2010−2013))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	Standard Size (267mm)	Standard Size (267mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The FirePro 3D V9800 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the FirePro 3D V9800 holds the technical lead. Priced at $80 (vs $499), it costs 84% less, resulting in a 520.2% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	FirePro 3D V9800	Radeon HD 8950
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+520.2%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($80)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($499)

Performance Check

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

FirePro 3D V9800 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 8950 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of FirePro 3D V9800 and Radeon HD 8950

FirePro 3D V9800

The FirePro 3D V9800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 24 2011. It features the TeraScale 3 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,812 points.

Radeon HD 8950

The Radeon HD 8950 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 31 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1250 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,828 points. Launch price was $449.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The FirePro 3D V9800 scores 2,812 and the Radeon HD 8950 reaches 2,828 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro 3D V9800 is built on TeraScale 3 while the Radeon HD 8950 uses GCN 1.0, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (FirePro 3D V9800) vs 1,792 (Radeon HD 8950). Raw compute: 1.856 TFLOPS (FirePro 3D V9800) vs 2.867 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8950).

Feature	FirePro 3D V9800	Radeon HD 8950
G3D Mark Score	2,812	2,828
Architecture	TeraScale 3	GCN 1.0
Process Node	40 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1280	1792+40%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.856 TFLOPS	2.867 TFLOPS+54%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	80	112+40%
L1 Cache	320 KB	448 KB+40%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	FirePro 3D V9800	Radeon HD 8950
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The FirePro 3D V9800 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8950 has 3 GB. The FirePro 3D V9800 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (FirePro 3D V9800) vs 768 KB (Radeon HD 8950) — the Radeon HD 8950 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	FirePro 3D V9800	Radeon HD 8950
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+33%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	256-bit+300%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.2 (FirePro 3D V9800) vs 12_0 (Radeon HD 8950). Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 4.

Feature	FirePro 3D V9800	Radeon HD 8950
DirectX	11.2	12_0+7%
Max Displays	6+50%	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (FirePro 3D V9800) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 8950). Decoder: UVD 2.3 vs UVD 3.1.

Feature	FirePro 3D V9800	Radeon HD 8950
Encoder	None	VCE 1.0
Decoder	UVD 2.3	UVD 3.1
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro 3D V9800 draws 150W versus the Radeon HD 8950's 200W — a 28.6% difference. The FirePro 3D V9800 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro 3D V9800) vs 500W (Radeon HD 8950). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	FirePro 3D V9800	Radeon HD 8950
TDP	150W-25%	200W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	267mm	267mm
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	90	—
Perf/Watt	18.7+33%	14.1

💰

Value Analysis

The FirePro 3D V9800 launched at $3499 MSRP and currently averages $80, while the Radeon HD 8950 launched at $499 and now averages $499. The FirePro 3D V9800 costs 84% less ($419 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 35.1 (FirePro 3D V9800) vs 5.7 (Radeon HD 8950) — the FirePro 3D V9800 offers 515.8% better value. The Radeon HD 8950 is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2011).