FirePro M40003 vs FireStream 9270

FirePro M40003

2012Core: 675 MHz
VS

FireStream 9270

2008Core: 750 MHz
Similar parts
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FirePro M40003 vs FireStream 9270 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 M40003 vs FireStream 9270: 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 M40003

2012

Why buy it

  • Costs $1,349 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
  • Delivers 916.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 9.1 vs 0.9 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Draws 33W instead of 160W, a 127W reduction.
  • Measures 82mm instead of 241mm, a 159mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • 2012 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

FireStream 9270

2008

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2008 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 899.3% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,499 MSRPvs$150 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.9 vs 9.1 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • 384.8% higher power demand at 160W vs 33W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
FirePro M40003 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.7% in PassMark G3D (1,364 vs 1,341), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
FirePro M40003 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, a 28nm process instead of 55nm, and a newer 2012 generation instead of 2008. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
FirePro M40003 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,349 cheaper on MSRP at $150 vs $1,499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 916.5% (9.1 vs 0.9), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

FirePro M40003 vs FireStream 9270 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FirePro M40003

The FirePro M40003 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 27 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 675 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,364 points.

AMD

FireStream 9270

The FireStream 9270 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 13 2008. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 750 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,341 points.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro M40003 scores 1,364 and the FireStream 9270 reaches 1,341 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro M40003 is built on GCN 1.0 while the FireStream 9270 uses TeraScale, both on 28 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 512 (FirePro M40003) vs 800 (FireStream 9270). Raw compute: 0.6912 TFLOPS (FirePro M40003) vs 1.2 TFLOPS (FireStream 9270).

FeatureFirePro M40003FireStream 9270
G3D Mark Score
1,364+2%
1,341
Architecture
GCN 1.0
TeraScale
Process Node
28 nm
55 nm
Shading Units
512
800+56%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.6912 TFLOPS
1.2 TFLOPS+74%
ROPs
16
16
TMUs
32
40+25%
L1 Cache
128 KB
160 KB+25%
L2 Cache
256 KB
256 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureFirePro M40003FireStream 9270
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The FirePro M40003 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the FireStream 9270 carries 2 GB. FirePro M40003 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 M40003 and 64-bit on the FireStream 9270.

FeatureFirePro M40003FireStream 9270
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+100%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
L2 Cache
256 KB
256 KB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FirePro M40003) vs 10.1 (FireStream 9270). OpenGL: 4.6 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 1.

FeatureFirePro M40003FireStream 9270
DirectX
12+19%
10.1
OpenGL
4.6+39%
3.3
Max Displays
6+500%
1
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (FirePro M40003) vs None (FireStream 9270). Decoder: UVD 4.0 vs UVD 2.2. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (FirePro M40003) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (FireStream 9270).

FeatureFirePro M40003FireStream 9270
Encoder
VCE 1.0
None
Decoder
UVD 4.0
UVD 2.2
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro M40003 draws 33W versus the FireStream 9270's 160W — a 131.6% difference. The FirePro M40003 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro M40003) vs 350W (FireStream 9270). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 82mm vs 241mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85°C.

FeatureFirePro M40003FireStream 9270
TDP
33W-79%
160W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
PCIe-powered
Length
82mm
241mm
Height
0mm
111mm
Slots
1-50%
2
Temp (Load)
75°C-12%
85°C
Perf/Watt
41.3+392%
8.4
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro M40003 came in at $150, while the FireStream 9270 launched at $1499. On MSRP, FirePro M40003 was 90% cheaper ($1349 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 9.1 (FirePro M40003) vs 0.9 (FireStream 9270) — the FirePro M40003 offers 911.1% better value. The newer card here is FirePro M40003 (2012 vs 2008).

FeatureFirePro M40003FireStream 9270
MSRP
$150-90%
$1499
Performance per Dollar
9.1+911%
0.9
Codename
Chelsea
RV770
Release
June 27 2012
November 13 2008
Ranking
#752
#790

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