FirePro M2000 vs Radeon R5 M230

FirePro M2000

2012Core: 800 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon R5 M230

2015
Similar parts
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FirePro M2000 vs Radeon R5 M230 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 M2000 vs Radeon R5 M230: 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 M2000

2012

Why buy it

  • Draws 43W instead of 75W, a 32W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2012 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 275% HIGHER MSRP
    $300 MSRPvs$80 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.4 vs 5.3 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).

Radeon R5 M230

2015

Why buy it

  • Costs $220 less on MSRP ($80 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
  • Delivers 274.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.3 vs 1.4 G3D/$ ($80 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 1 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 74.4% higher power demand at 75W vs 43W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
FirePro M2000 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.2% in PassMark G3D (426 vs 425), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
FirePro M2000 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon R5 M230 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $220 cheaper on MSRP at $80 vs $300, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 274.1% (5.3 vs 1.4), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R5 M230 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, FirePro M2000 has the stronger long-term case.

FirePro M2000 vs Radeon R5 M230 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FirePro M2000

The FirePro M2000 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in July 1 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 43W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 426 points.

AMD

Radeon R5 M230

The Radeon R5 M230 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 9 2015. It features the GCN architecture. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 425 points.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro M2000 scores 426 and the Radeon R5 M230 reaches 425 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro M2000 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon R5 M230 uses GCN, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 640 (FirePro M2000) vs 1,024 (Radeon R5 M230).

FeatureFirePro M2000Radeon R5 M230
G3D Mark Score
426
425
Architecture
GCN 1.0
GCN
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
640
1024+60%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureFirePro M2000Radeon R5 M230
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The FirePro M2000 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R5 M230 carries 4 GB. Radeon R5 M230 gives you 300% 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 M2000 and 128-bit on the Radeon R5 M230.

FeatureFirePro M2000Radeon R5 M230
VRAM Capacity
1 GB
4 GB+300%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
128-bit+100%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro M2000 draws 43W versus the Radeon R5 M230's 75W — a 54.2% difference. The FirePro M2000 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro M2000) vs 350W (Radeon R5 M230). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Mobile.

FeatureFirePro M2000Radeon R5 M230
TDP
43W-43%
75W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
Mobile
Length
0mm
Height
0mm
Slots
1
Temp (Load)
65°C
Perf/Watt
9.9+74%
5.7
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro M2000 came in at $300, while the Radeon R5 M230 launched at $80. On MSRP, Radeon R5 M230 was 73.3% cheaper ($220 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.4 (FirePro M2000) vs 5.3 (Radeon R5 M230) — the Radeon R5 M230 offers 278.6% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R5 M230 (2015 vs 2012).

FeatureFirePro M2000Radeon R5 M230
MSRP
$300
$80-73%
Performance per Dollar
1.4
5.3+279%
Codename
Heathrow
Pitcairn
Release
July 1 2012
June 9 2015
Ranking
#710
#522

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