FirePro M5950 vs FireStream 9270

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 M5950 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.

FirePro M5950 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 M5950

2011

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,299 less on MSRP ($200 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 634.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 6.6 vs 0.9 G3D/$ ($200 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 160W, a 125W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2011 hardware with 1 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

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 1 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2008 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
649.5% HIGHER MSRP
$1,499 MSRPvs$200 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.9 vs 6.6 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
❌357.1% higher power demand at 160W vs 35W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

FireStream 9270 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.1% in PassMark G3D (1,341 vs 1,314), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

FirePro M5950 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 40nm process instead of 55nm and a newer 2011 generation instead of 2008. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

FirePro M5950 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,299 cheaper on MSRP at $200 vs $1,499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 634.4% (6.6 vs 0.9), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. FireStream 9270 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

FirePro M5950 vs FireStream 9270 Technical Specifications

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

FirePro M5950

The FirePro M5950 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2011. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 480 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 35W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,314 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 M5950 scores 1,314 and the FireStream 9270 reaches 1,341 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro M5950 is built on TeraScale 2 while the FireStream 9270 uses TeraScale, both on 40 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 480 (FirePro M5950) vs 800 (FireStream 9270). Raw compute: 0.696 TFLOPS (FirePro M5950) vs 1.2 TFLOPS (FireStream 9270).

Feature	FirePro M5950	FireStream 9270
G3D Mark Score	1,314	1,341+2%
Architecture	TeraScale 2	TeraScale
Process Node	40 nm	55 nm
Shading Units	480	800+67%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.696 TFLOPS	1.2 TFLOPS+72%
ROPs	8	16+100%
TMUs	24	40+67%
L1 Cache	48 KB	160 KB+233%
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	FirePro M5950	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 M5950 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the FireStream 9270 carries 2 GB. FireStream 9270 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 M5950 and 64-bit on the FireStream 9270.

Feature	FirePro M5950	FireStream 9270
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	2 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	64-bit
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.2 (FirePro M5950) vs 10.1 (FireStream 9270). OpenGL: 4.1 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 5 vs 1.

Feature	FirePro M5950	FireStream 9270
DirectX	11.2+11%	10.1
OpenGL	4.1+24%	3.3
Max Displays	5+400%	1

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (FirePro M5950) vs None (FireStream 9270). Decoder: UVD 3 vs UVD 2.2. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2 (FirePro M5950) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (FireStream 9270).

Feature	FirePro M5950	FireStream 9270
Encoder	None	None
Decoder	UVD 3	UVD 2.2
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro M5950 draws 35W versus the FireStream 9270's 160W — a 128.2% difference. The FirePro M5950 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro M5950) vs 350W (FireStream 9270). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 0mm vs 241mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85°C.

Feature	FirePro M5950	FireStream 9270
TDP	35W-78%	160W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	PCIe-powered
Length	0mm	241mm
Height	0mm	111mm
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	75°C-12%	85°C
Perf/Watt	37.5+346%	8.4

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro M5950 came in at $200, while the FireStream 9270 launched at $1499. On MSRP, FirePro M5950 was 86.7% cheaper ($1299 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 6.6 (FirePro M5950) vs 0.9 (FireStream 9270) — the FirePro M5950 offers 633.3% better value. The newer card here is FirePro M5950 (2011 vs 2008).

Feature	FirePro M5950	FireStream 9270
MSRP	$200-87%	$1499
Performance per Dollar	6.6+633%	0.9
Codename	Whistler	RV770
Release	January 4 2011	November 13 2008
Ranking	#795	#790

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