FirePro V3800 vs GeForce 9600 GSO

FirePro V3800

2010Core: 690 MHz
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce 9600 GSO

2008Core: 500 MHz
Similar parts
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FirePro V3800 vs GeForce 9600 GSO 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 V3800 vs GeForce 9600 GSO: 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 V3800

2010

Why buy it

  • 166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Draws 74W instead of 150W, a 76W reduction.
  • Measures 168mm instead of 229mm, a 61mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • 2010 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

GeForce 9600 GSO

2008

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2008 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 102.7% higher power demand at 150W vs 74W.
  • 36.3% longer card at 229mm vs 168mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce 9600 GSO is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.6% in PassMark G3D (323 vs 321), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
FirePro V3800 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, a 40nm process instead of 65nm, and a newer 2010 generation instead of 2008. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce 9600 GSO makes the most sense to buy today. It is priced the same on MSRP at $129 vs $129, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 0.6% (2.5 vs 2.5), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce 9600 GSO is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, FirePro V3800 has the stronger long-term case.

FirePro V3800 vs GeForce 9600 GSO Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FirePro V3800

The FirePro V3800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 26 2010. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 690 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 74W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 321 points. Launch price was $479.

NVIDIA

GeForce 9600 GSO

The GeForce 9600 GSO is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 15 2008. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 500 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 323 points.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro V3800 scores 321 and the GeForce 9600 GSO reaches 323 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro V3800 is built on TeraScale 2 while the GeForce 9600 GSO uses G9x, both on 40 nm vs 65 nm. Shader units: 800 (FirePro V3800) vs 224 (GeForce 9600 GSO).

FeatureFirePro V3800GeForce 9600 GSO
G3D Mark Score
321
323
Architecture
TeraScale 2
G9x
Process Node
40 nm
65 nm
Shading Units
800+257%
224

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce 9600 GSO gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The FirePro V3800 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureFirePro V3800GeForce 9600 GSO
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 V3800 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce 9600 GSO carries 2 GB. FirePro V3800 gives you 166.7% 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 V3800 and 64-bit on the GeForce 9600 GSO.

FeatureFirePro V3800GeForce 9600 GSO
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+167%
1.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.2 (FirePro V3800) vs 10.0 (GeForce 9600 GSO). Vulkan: N/A vs None. OpenGL: 4.4 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

FeatureFirePro V3800GeForce 9600 GSO
DirectX
11.2+12%
10.0
Vulkan
N/A
None
OpenGL
4.4+33%
3.3
Max Displays
2
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (FirePro V3800) vs No (GeForce 9600 GSO). Decoder: UVD 2.3 vs PureVideo HD VP2. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (FirePro V3800) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (GeForce 9600 GSO).

FeatureFirePro V3800GeForce 9600 GSO
Encoder
None
No
Decoder
UVD 2.3
PureVideo HD VP2
Codecs
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1
MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro V3800 draws 74W versus the GeForce 9600 GSO's 150W — a 67.9% difference. The FirePro V3800 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro V3800) vs 350W (GeForce 9600 GSO). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Legacy. Card length: 168mm vs 229mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 90°C.

FeatureFirePro V3800GeForce 9600 GSO
TDP
74W-51%
150W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
Legacy
Length
168mm
229mm
Height
69mm
111mm
Slots
1
1
Temp (Load)
80-11%
90°C
Perf/Watt
4.3+95%
2.2
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro V3800 came in at $129, while the GeForce 9600 GSO launched at $129. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.5 (FirePro V3800) vs 2.5 (GeForce 9600 GSO) — the GeForce 9600 GSO offers 0% better value. The newer card here is FirePro V3800 (2010 vs 2008).

FeatureFirePro V3800GeForce 9600 GSO
MSRP
$129
$129
Performance per Dollar
2.5
2.5
Codename
Juniper
NB9E-GTX
Release
April 26 2010
July 15 2008
Ranking
#780
#825

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