FirePro W2100 vs Radeon HD 8500M/8700M

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 W2100 vs Radeon HD 8500M/8700M FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

FirePro W2100 vs Radeon HD 8500M/8700M: 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 W2100

2014

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 6.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($139 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Draws 26W instead of 50W, a 24W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌2014 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌16700% longer card at 168mm vs 1mm.

Radeon HD 8500M/8700M

2013

Why buy it

✅Measures 1mm instead of 168mm, a 167mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2013 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 $139 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 50W vs 26W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 8500M/8700M is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.2% in PassMark G3D (853 vs 851), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

FirePro W2100 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM and a newer 2014 generation instead of 2013. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

FirePro W2100 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. Radeon HD 8500M/8700M still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

FirePro W2100 vs Radeon HD 8500M/8700M Technical Specifications

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

FirePro W2100

The FirePro W2100 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in August 12 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 630 MHz to 680 MHz. It has 320 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 26W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 851 points.

Radeon HD 8500M/8700M

The Radeon HD 8500M/8700M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 1 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 725 MHz to 775 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 853 points.

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Graphics Performance

The FirePro W2100 scores 851 and the Radeon HD 8500M/8700M reaches 853 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro W2100 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon HD 8500M/8700M uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 320 (FirePro W2100) vs 640 (Radeon HD 8500M/8700M). Raw compute: 0.4352 TFLOPS (FirePro W2100) vs 0.992 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8500M/8700M). Boost clocks: 680 MHz vs 775 MHz.

Feature	FirePro W2100	Radeon HD 8500M/8700M
G3D Mark Score	851	853
Architecture	GCN 1.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	320	640+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.4352 TFLOPS	0.992 TFLOPS+128%
Boost Clock	680 MHz	775 MHz+14%
ROPs	8	16+100%
TMUs	20	40+100%
L1 Cache	80 KB	160 KB+100%
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	FirePro W2100	Radeon HD 8500M/8700M
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The FirePro W2100 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8500M/8700M carries 512 MB. FirePro W2100 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 W2100 and System on the Radeon HD 8500M/8700M.

Feature	FirePro W2100	Radeon HD 8500M/8700M
VRAM Capacity	2 GB+300%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Bus Width	64-bit	System
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FirePro W2100) vs 12 (Radeon HD 8500M/8700M). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 0.

Feature	FirePro W2100	Radeon HD 8500M/8700M
DirectX	12	12
Max Displays	2	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (FirePro W2100) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 8500M/8700M). Decoder: UVD 4.0 vs UVD 3.

Feature	FirePro W2100	Radeon HD 8500M/8700M
Encoder	VCE 1.0	VCE 1.0
Decoder	UVD 4.0	UVD 3
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2,MVC	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro W2100 draws 26W versus the Radeon HD 8500M/8700M's 50W — a 63.2% difference. The FirePro W2100 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro W2100) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8500M/8700M). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 168mm vs 1mm, occupying 1 vs 0 slots.

Feature	FirePro W2100	Radeon HD 8500M/8700M
TDP	26W-48%	50W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	1x 6-pin
Length	168mm	1mm
Height	69mm	—
Slots	1	0-100%
Temp (Load)	65°C	—
Perf/Watt	32.7+91%	17.1

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is FirePro W2100 (2014 vs 2013).

Feature	FirePro W2100	Radeon HD 8500M/8700M
MSRP	$139	—
Codename	Oland	Venus
Release	August 12 2014	April 1 2013
Ranking	#910	#745

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