FirePro M40003 vs Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

FirePro M40003

2012Core: 675 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

2020Boost: 2100 MHz
Similar parts
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FirePro M40003 vs Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C 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 Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C: 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

  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).

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.
  • 51.5% HIGHER MSRP
    $150 MSRPvs$99 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 9.1 vs 14.2 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
  • 120% higher power demand at 33W vs 15W.
  • 8100% longer card at 82mm vs 1mm.

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

2020

Why buy it

  • Costs $51 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • Delivers 56.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 14.2 vs 9.1 G3D/$ ($99 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • Draws 15W instead of 33W, a 18W reduction.
  • Measures 1mm instead of 82mm, a 81mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2020 hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 3.4% in PassMark G3D (1,410 vs 1,364), 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 Unknown of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C makes the most sense to buy today. It is $51 cheaper on MSRP at $99 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 56.6% (14.2 vs 9.1), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p, Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C 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 Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C 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

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C

The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 7 2020. It features the Vega architecture. The boost clock speed is 2100 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,410 points.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro M40003 scores 1,364 and the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C reaches 1,410 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro M40003 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C uses Vega, both on 28 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 512 (FirePro M40003) vs 512 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C).

FeatureFirePro M40003Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
G3D Mark Score
1,364
1,410+3%
Architecture
GCN 1.0
Vega
Process Node
28 nm
7 nm
Shading Units
512
512

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureFirePro M40003Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
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 M40003 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C carries 0 MB. 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 System on the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C.

FeatureFirePro M40003Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
VRAM Capacity
4 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR5
Shared
Bus Width
64-bit
System
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FirePro M40003) vs 12_1 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C). Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 0.

FeatureFirePro M40003Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
DirectX
12
12_1
Max Displays
6
0
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (FirePro M40003) vs VCN 1.0 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C). Decoder: UVD 4.0 vs VCN 1.0.

FeatureFirePro M40003Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
Encoder
VCE 1.0
VCN 1.0
Decoder
UVD 4.0
VCN 1.0
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro M40003 draws 33W versus the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C's 15W — a 75% difference. The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro M40003) vs 1W (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Integrated. Card length: 82mm vs 1mm, occupying 1 vs 0 slots.

FeatureFirePro M40003Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
TDP
33W
15W-55%
Recommended PSU
350W
1W-100%
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
Integrated
Length
82mm
1mm
Height
0mm
Slots
1
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
41.3
94.0+128%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro M40003 came in at $150, while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C launched at $99. On MSRP, Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C was 34% cheaper ($51 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 9.1 (FirePro M40003) vs 14.2 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C) — the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C offers 56% better value. The newer card here is Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C (2020 vs 2012).

FeatureFirePro M40003Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
MSRP
$150
$99-34%
Performance per Dollar
9.1
14.2+56%
Codename
Chelsea
Vega
Release
June 27 2012
January 7 2020
Ranking
#752
#545

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