FirePro V8700 vs GeForce GTX 550 Ti

FirePro V8700

2011Core: 725 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 550 Ti

2011Core: 900 MHz
Similar parts
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FirePro V8700 vs GeForce GTX 550 Ti 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 V8700 vs GeForce GTX 550 Ti: 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 V8700

2011

Why buy it

  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).
  • More future proof: TeraScale 3 (2010−2013) on 40nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 2011 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 906% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,499 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.0 vs 10.5 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
  • 29.3% higher power demand at 150W vs 116W.

GeForce GTX 550 Ti

2011

Why buy it

  • Costs $1,350 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
  • Delivers 918.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 10.5 vs 1.0 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
  • Draws 116W instead of 150W, a 34W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2011 hardware with 3 GB 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?
GeForce GTX 550 Ti is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.2% in PassMark G3D (1,558 vs 1,539), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
FirePro V8700 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 3 GB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce GTX 550 Ti makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,350 cheaper on MSRP at $149 vs $1,499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 918.5% (10.5 vs 1.0), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GTX 550 Ti is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, FirePro V8700 has the stronger long-term case.

FirePro V8700 vs GeForce GTX 550 Ti Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FirePro V8700

The FirePro V8700 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 24 2011. It features the TeraScale 3 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,539 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 550 Ti

The GeForce GTX 550 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 15 2011. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 900 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 116W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,558 points. Launch price was $149.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro V8700 scores 1,539 and the GeForce GTX 550 Ti reaches 1,558 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro V8700 is built on TeraScale 3 while the GeForce GTX 550 Ti uses Fermi 2.0, both on a 40 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (FirePro V8700) vs 192 (GeForce GTX 550 Ti). Raw compute: 1.856 TFLOPS (FirePro V8700) vs 0.6912 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 550 Ti).

FeatureFirePro V8700GeForce GTX 550 Ti
G3D Mark Score
1,539
1,558+1%
Architecture
TeraScale 3
Fermi 2.0
Process Node
40 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
1280+567%
192
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.856 TFLOPS+169%
0.6912 TFLOPS
ROPs
32+33%
24
TMUs
80+150%
32
L1 Cache
320 KB+25%
256 KB
L2 Cache
512 KB+33%
384 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 550 Ti gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The FirePro V8700 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureFirePro V8700GeForce GTX 550 Ti
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 V8700 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 550 Ti carries 3 GB. FirePro V8700 gives you 33.3% 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 V8700 and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 550 Ti. L2 Cache: 512 KB (FirePro V8700) vs 384 KB (GeForce GTX 550 Ti) — the FirePro V8700 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureFirePro V8700GeForce GTX 550 Ti
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+33%
3 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
128-bit+100%
L2 Cache
512 KB+33%
384 KB
🎬

Media & Encoding

Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (FirePro V8700) vs H.264 (GeForce GTX 550 Ti).

FeatureFirePro V8700GeForce GTX 550 Ti
Encoder
None
Decoder
UVD 2.0
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
H.264
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro V8700 draws 150W versus the GeForce GTX 550 Ti's 116W — a 25.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 550 Ti is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro V8700) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 550 Ti). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureFirePro V8700GeForce GTX 550 Ti
TDP
150W
116W-23%
Recommended PSU
350W-13%
400W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
1x 6-pin
Length
254mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
60
Perf/Watt
10.3
13.4+30%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro V8700 came in at $1499, while the GeForce GTX 550 Ti launched at $149. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 550 Ti was 90.1% cheaper ($1350 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.0 (FirePro V8700) vs 10.5 (GeForce GTX 550 Ti) — the GeForce GTX 550 Ti offers 950% better value.

FeatureFirePro V8700GeForce GTX 550 Ti
MSRP
$1499
$149-90%
Performance per Dollar
1.0
10.5+950%
Codename
Cayman
GF116
Release
May 24 2011
March 15 2011
Ranking
#656
#761

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