FirePro V9800 vs GRID M10-2Q

FirePro V9800

2011Core: 725 MHz
Similar parts
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VS

GRID M10-2Q

2015Core: 557 MHzBoost: 1178 MHz
Similar parts
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FirePro V9800 vs GRID M10-2Q 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 V9800 vs GRID M10-2Q: 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 V9800

2011

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Draws 150W instead of 225W, a 75W reduction.

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.
  • 40% HIGHER MSRP
    $3,499 MSRPvs$2,500 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.8 vs 1.1 G3D/$ ($3,499 MSRP vs $2,500 MSRP).
  • 26600% longer card at 267mm vs 1mm.

GRID M10-2Q

2015

Why buy it

  • Costs $999 less on MSRP ($2,500 MSRP vs $3,499 MSRP).
  • Delivers 38.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 1.1 vs 0.8 G3D/$ ($2,500 MSRP vs $3,499 MSRP).
  • Measures 1mm instead of 267mm, a 266mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 50% higher power demand at 225W vs 150W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
FirePro V9800 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.3% in PassMark G3D (2,727 vs 2,692), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
FirePro V9800 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GRID M10-2Q makes the most sense to buy today. It is $999 cheaper on MSRP at $2,500 vs $3,499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 38.2% (1.1 vs 0.8), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GRID M10-2Q is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, FirePro V9800 has the stronger long-term case.

FirePro V9800 vs GRID M10-2Q Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FirePro V9800

The FirePro V9800 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: 2,727 points.

NVIDIA

GRID M10-2Q

The GRID M10-2Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 30 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 557 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,692 points.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro V9800 scores 2,727 and the GRID M10-2Q reaches 2,692 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro V9800 is built on TeraScale 3 while the GRID M10-2Q uses Maxwell 2.0, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (FirePro V9800) vs 2,048 (GRID M10-2Q). Raw compute: 1.856 TFLOPS (FirePro V9800) vs 4.825 TFLOPS (GRID M10-2Q).

FeatureFirePro V9800GRID M10-2Q
G3D Mark Score
2,727+1%
2,692
Architecture
TeraScale 3
Maxwell 2.0
Process Node
40 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
1280
2048+60%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.856 TFLOPS
4.825 TFLOPS+160%
ROPs
32
64+100%
TMUs
80
128+60%
L1 Cache
320 KB
768 KB+140%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureFirePro V9800GRID M10-2Q
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 V9800 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the GRID M10-2Q carries 2 GB. FirePro V9800 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 V9800 and 64-bit on the GRID M10-2Q. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (FirePro V9800) vs 2 MB (GRID M10-2Q) — the GRID M10-2Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureFirePro V9800GRID M10-2Q
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+100%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.2 (FirePro V9800) vs 12_1 (GRID M10-2Q). Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 0.

FeatureFirePro V9800GRID M10-2Q
DirectX
11.2
12_1+7%
Max Displays
6
0
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro V9800 draws 150W versus the GRID M10-2Q's 225W — a 40% difference. The FirePro V9800 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro V9800) vs 350W (GRID M10-2Q). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 267mm vs 1mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

FeatureFirePro V9800GRID M10-2Q
TDP
150W-33%
225W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
PCIe-powered
Length
267mm
1mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
85°C
Perf/Watt
18.2+52%
12.0
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro V9800 came in at $3499, while the GRID M10-2Q launched at $2500. On MSRP, GRID M10-2Q was 28.6% cheaper ($999 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.8 (FirePro V9800) vs 1.1 (GRID M10-2Q) — the GRID M10-2Q offers 37.5% better value. The newer card here is GRID M10-2Q (2015 vs 2011).

FeatureFirePro V9800GRID M10-2Q
MSRP
$3499
$2500-29%
Performance per Dollar
0.8
1.1+38%
Codename
Cayman
GM204
Release
May 24 2011
August 30 2015
Ranking
#656
#433

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