FirePro S9050 vs Quadro

FirePro S9050

2014Core: 900 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

Quadro

1999Core: 135 MHz

FirePro S9050 vs Quadro 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 S9050 vs Quadro: 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 S9050

2014

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • More future proof: GCN 1.0 (2012−2020) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 99.9% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,999 MSRPvs$1,000 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.5 vs 5.0 G3D/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs $1,000 MSRP).
  • 200% higher power demand at 225W vs 75W.

Quadro

1999

Why buy it

  • Costs $999 less on MSRP ($1,000 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
  • Delivers 103.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.0 vs 2.5 G3D/$ ($1,000 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
  • FirePro S9050 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Quadro is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 75W instead of 225W, a 150W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 1999 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Quadro is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2% in PassMark G3D (5,000 vs 4,901), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Quadro is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Quadro makes the most sense to buy today. It is $999 cheaper on MSRP at $1,000 vs $1,999, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 103.9% (5.0 vs 2.5), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

FirePro S9050 vs Quadro Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FirePro S9050

The FirePro S9050 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in August 7 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 900 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,901 points.

NVIDIA

Quadro

The Quadro is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in 1999. It features the Celsius architecture. The core clock speed is 135 MHz. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 220 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,000 points.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro S9050 scores 4,901 and the Quadro reaches 5,000 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro S9050 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Quadro uses Celsius, both on 28 nm vs 220 nm.

FeatureFirePro S9050Quadro
G3D Mark Score
4,901
5,000+2%
Architecture
GCN 1.0
Celsius
Process Node
28 nm
220 nm
ROPs
32+700%
4
TMUs
112+2700%
4

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureFirePro S9050Quadro
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 S9050 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Quadro carries 2 GB. FirePro S9050 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 S9050 and 64-bit on the Quadro.

FeatureFirePro S9050Quadro
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+100%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 1.

FeatureFirePro S9050Quadro
Max Displays
1
1
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (FirePro S9050) vs None (Quadro). Decoder: UVD 3.2 vs MPEG-2 Acceleration. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (FirePro S9050) vs MPEG-2 (Quadro).

FeatureFirePro S9050Quadro
Encoder
VCE 1.0
None
Decoder
UVD 3.2
MPEG-2 Acceleration
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
MPEG-2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro S9050 draws 225W versus the Quadro's 75W — a 100% difference. The Quadro is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro S9050) vs 350W (Quadro). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureFirePro S9050Quadro
TDP
225W
75W-67%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
PCIe-powered
Length
254mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
1-50%
Temp (Load)
90°C
Perf/Watt
21.8
66.7+206%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro S9050 came in at $1999, while the Quadro launched at $1000. On MSRP, Quadro was 50% cheaper ($999 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.5 (FirePro S9050) vs 5.0 (Quadro) — the Quadro offers 100% better value. The newer card here is FirePro S9050 (2014 vs 1999).

FeatureFirePro S9050Quadro
MSRP
$1999
$1000-50%
Performance per Dollar
2.5
5.0+100%
Codename
Tahiti
NV10
Release
August 7 2014
1999
Ranking
#446
#900

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.