FirePro W7100 vs Radeon HD 8990

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 W7100 vs Radeon HD 8990 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 W7100 vs Radeon HD 8990: 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 W7100

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $200 less on MSRP ($799 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 21.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 6.3 vs 5.2 G3D/$ ($799 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 3 GB).
✅Draws 150W instead of 375W, a 225W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌2014 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Radeon HD 8990

2013

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2013 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
25% HIGHER MSRP
$999 MSRPvs$799 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 5.2 vs 6.3 G3D/$ ($999 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
❌150% higher power demand at 375W vs 150W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 8990 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.9% in PassMark G3D (5,214 vs 5,065), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

FirePro W7100 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 3 GB 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 W7100 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $200 cheaper on MSRP at $799 vs $999, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 21.5% (6.3 vs 5.2), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. Radeon HD 8990 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

FirePro W7100 vs Radeon HD 8990 Technical Specifications

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

FirePro W7100

The FirePro W7100 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in August 12 2014. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 920 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,065 points.

Radeon HD 8990

The Radeon HD 8990 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 950 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 375W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,214 points. Launch price was $999.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The FirePro W7100 scores 5,065 and the Radeon HD 8990 reaches 5,214 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro W7100 is built on GCN 3.0 while the Radeon HD 8990 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,792 (FirePro W7100) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 8990). Raw compute: 3.297 TFLOPS (FirePro W7100) vs 4.096 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 8990).

Feature	FirePro W7100	Radeon HD 8990
G3D Mark Score	5,065	5,214+3%
Architecture	GCN 3.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1792	2048 ×2+14%
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.297 TFLOPS	4.096 TFLOPS ×2+24%
ROPs	32	32 ×2
TMUs	112	128 ×2+14%
L1 Cache	448 KB	512 KB+14%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	FirePro W7100	Radeon HD 8990
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 W7100 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8990 carries 3 GB. FirePro W7100 gives you 166.7% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the FirePro W7100 and 384-bit x2 on the Radeon HD 8990. L2 Cache: 512 KB (FirePro W7100) vs 768 KB (Radeon HD 8990) — the Radeon HD 8990 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	FirePro W7100	Radeon HD 8990
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+167%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit	384-bit x2+200%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro W7100 draws 150W versus the Radeon HD 8990's 375W — a 85.7% difference. The FirePro W7100 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro W7100) vs 750W (Radeon HD 8990). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 8-pin.

Feature	FirePro W7100	Radeon HD 8990
TDP	150W-60%	375W
Recommended PSU	350W-53%	750W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	2x 8-pin
Length	241mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	1	—
Temp (Load)	95	—
Perf/Watt	33.8+143%	13.9

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro W7100 came in at $799, while the Radeon HD 8990 launched at $999. On MSRP, FirePro W7100 was 20% cheaper ($200 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 6.3 (FirePro W7100) vs 5.2 (Radeon HD 8990) — the FirePro W7100 offers 21.2% better value. The newer card here is FirePro W7100 (2014 vs 2013).

Feature	FirePro W7100	Radeon HD 8990
MSRP	$799-20%	$999
Performance per Dollar	6.3+21%	5.2
Codename	Tonga	Malta
Release	August 12 2014	April 24 2013
Ranking	#406	#412

Search FirePro W7100 on Amazon

Search Radeon HD 8990 on Amazon

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.