FirePro M40003 vs GeForce GTS 450

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 GeForce GTS 450 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.

FirePro M40003 vs GeForce GTS 450: 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

✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 1 GB).
✅Draws 33W instead of 106W, a 73W reduction.
✅More future proof: GCN 1.0 (2012−2020) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

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.
❌
16.3% HIGHER MSRP
$150 MSRPvs$129 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 9.1 vs 10.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).

GeForce GTS 450

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $21 less on MSRP ($129 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅Delivers 14% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 10.4 vs 9.1 G3D/$ ($129 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2010 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌221.2% higher power demand at 106W 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 2% in PassMark G3D (1,364 vs 1,337), 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 1 GB of VRAM, a 28nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2012 generation instead of 2010. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTS 450 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $21 cheaper on MSRP at $129 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 14% (10.4 vs 9.1), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTS 450 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, FirePro M40003 has the stronger long-term case.

FirePro M40003 vs GeForce GTS 450 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.

GeForce GTS 450

The GeForce GTS 450 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 13 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 783 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 106W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,337 points. Launch price was $129.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The FirePro M40003 scores 1,364 and the GeForce GTS 450 reaches 1,337 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro M40003 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTS 450 uses Fermi, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 512 (FirePro M40003) vs 192 (GeForce GTS 450). Raw compute: 0.6912 TFLOPS (FirePro M40003) vs 0.6013 TFLOPS (GeForce GTS 450).

Feature	FirePro M40003	GeForce GTS 450
G3D Mark Score	1,364+2%	1,337
Architecture	GCN 1.0	Fermi
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	512+167%	192
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.6912 TFLOPS+15%	0.6013 TFLOPS
ROPs	16	16
TMUs	32	32
L1 Cache	128 KB	256 KB+100%
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTS 450 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The FirePro M40003 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	FirePro M40003	GeForce GTS 450
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 M40003 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTS 450 carries 1 GB. FirePro M40003 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 M40003 and 128-bit on the GeForce GTS 450.

Feature	FirePro M40003	GeForce GTS 450
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+300%	1 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

🎬

Media & Encoding

Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (FirePro M40003) vs H.264 (GeForce GTS 450).

Feature	FirePro M40003	GeForce GTS 450
Encoder	VCE 1.0	—
Decoder	UVD 4.0	—
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4	H.264

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro M40003 draws 33W versus the GeForce GTS 450's 106W — a 105% difference. The FirePro M40003 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro M40003) vs 400W (GeForce GTS 450). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	FirePro M40003	GeForce GTS 450
TDP	33W-69%	106W
Recommended PSU	350W-13%	400W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	1x 6-pin
Length	82mm	—
Height	0mm	—
Slots	1	—
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	41.3+228%	12.6

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro M40003 came in at $150, while the GeForce GTS 450 launched at $129. On MSRP, GeForce GTS 450 was 14% cheaper ($21 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 9.1 (FirePro M40003) vs 10.4 (GeForce GTS 450) — the GeForce GTS 450 offers 14.3% better value. The newer card here is FirePro M40003 (2012 vs 2010).

Feature	FirePro M40003	GeForce GTS 450
MSRP	$150	$129-14%
Performance per Dollar	9.1	10.4+14%
Codename	Chelsea	GF106
Release	June 27 2012	September 13 2010
Ranking	#752	#791

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