FirePro M6000 vs GeForce GTX 580M SLI

FirePro M6000

2012Core: 800 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 580M SLI

2011Core: 620 MHz
Similar parts
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FirePro M6000 vs GeForce GTX 580M SLI 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 M6000 vs GeForce GTX 580M SLI: 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 M6000

2012

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 6.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).
  • Draws 43W instead of 100W, a 57W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 2012 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce GTX 580M SLI

2011

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2011 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 6.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
  • 132.6% higher power demand at 100W vs 43W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
FirePro M6000 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.8% in PassMark G3D (1,820 vs 1,771), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
FirePro M6000 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, a 28nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2012 generation instead of 2011. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
FirePro M6000 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

FirePro M6000 vs GeForce GTX 580M SLI Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FirePro M6000

The FirePro M6000 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in July 1 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 43W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,820 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 580M SLI

The GeForce GTX 580M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 6 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 620 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,771 points.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro M6000 scores 1,820 and the GeForce GTX 580M SLI reaches 1,771 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro M6000 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 580M SLI uses Fermi, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 640 (FirePro M6000) vs 768 (GeForce GTX 580M SLI).

FeatureFirePro M6000GeForce GTX 580M SLI
G3D Mark Score
1,820+3%
1,771
Architecture
GCN 1.0
Fermi
Process Node
28 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
640
768+20%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 580M SLI gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The FirePro M6000 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureFirePro M6000GeForce GTX 580M SLI
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 M6000 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 580M SLI carries 512 MB. FirePro M6000 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 M6000 and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 580M SLI.

FeatureFirePro M6000GeForce GTX 580M SLI
VRAM Capacity
2 GB+300%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
128-bit+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (FirePro M6000) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 580M SLI). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.0. Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 2.

FeatureFirePro M6000GeForce GTX 580M SLI
DirectX
11.1
12 (11_0)+8%
Vulkan
N/A
1.2
OpenGL
4.6+15%
4.0
Max Displays
6+200%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (FirePro M6000) vs PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTX 580M SLI). Decoder: UVD 4.0 vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4 (FirePro M6000) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 580M SLI).

FeatureFirePro M6000GeForce GTX 580M SLI
Encoder
VCE 1.0
PureVideo HD VP4
Decoder
UVD 4.0
PureVideo HD VP4
Codecs
MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro M6000 draws 43W versus the GeForce GTX 580M SLI's 100W — a 79.7% difference. The FirePro M6000 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro M6000) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 580M SLI). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 85 vs 90°C.

FeatureFirePro M6000GeForce GTX 580M SLI
TDP
43W-57%
100W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
1x 6-pin
Length
0mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0
0
Temp (Load)
85-6%
90°C
Perf/Watt
42.3+139%
17.7
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is FirePro M6000 (2012 vs 2011).

FeatureFirePro M6000GeForce GTX 580M SLI
MSRP
$300
Codename
Heathrow
N12E-GTX2
Release
July 1 2012
January 6 2011
Ranking
#710
#509

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