
FirePro M40003

FireStream 9270
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 FPS Benchmarks
Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.
Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends
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
2012Why 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
2008Why 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
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Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Which GPU is the better buy today?
FirePro M40003 vs FireStream 9270 Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

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).
| Feature | FirePro M40003 | FireStream 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)
| Feature | FirePro M40003 | FireStream 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.
| Feature | FirePro M40003 | FireStream 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.
| Feature | FirePro M40003 | FireStream 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).
| Feature | FirePro M40003 | FireStream 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.
| Feature | FirePro M40003 | FireStream 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).
| Feature | FirePro M40003 | FireStream 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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