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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

FirePro W7170M

2015

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: GCN 3.0 (2014−2019) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 23.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
❌233.3% higher power demand at 100W vs 30W.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 23.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 30W instead of 100W, a 70W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.

FirePro W7170M

2015

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

2015

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: GCN 3.0 (2014−2019) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 23.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 30W instead of 100W, a 70W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 23.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
❌233.3% higher power demand at 100W vs 30W.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.

Quick Answers

So, is FirePro W7170M better than Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)?

Yes, but this is not really about a huge raw performance gap. The broader synthetic picture is also very close at 3,605 vs 3,500 in G3D Mark. The bigger reason to prefer FirePro W7170M is the overall package: you are getting no meaningful modern upscaling stack.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

FirePro W7170M is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more VRAM at 4 GB instead of 2 GB. That extra memory headroom makes it the safer pick for newer games, heavier textures, and higher settings over time.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

FirePro W7170M is the smarter buy by a wide margin. FirePro W7170M is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $150 MSRP, and you are getting 3.0% higher G3D Mark. Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is 2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM, 3,500 in G3D Mark, and no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

FirePro W7170M Benchmark Check

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	FirePro W7170M	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low	104 FPS	77 FPS
medium	89 FPS	65 FPS
high	73 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	28 FPS
1440p
low	91 FPS	61 FPS
medium	80 FPS	51 FPS
high	58 FPS	31 FPS
ultra	33 FPS	19 FPS
4K
low	29 FPS	22 FPS
medium	27 FPS	21 FPS
high	18 FPS	13 FPS
ultra	16 FPS	11 FPS

Open FirePro W7170M Open Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	FirePro W7170M	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low	96 FPS	97 FPS
medium	74 FPS	68 FPS
high	60 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	31 FPS
1440p
low	57 FPS	53 FPS
medium	40 FPS	31 FPS
high	31 FPS	22 FPS
ultra	23 FPS	15 FPS
4K
low	24 FPS	18 FPS
medium	17 FPS	11 FPS
high	13 FPS	9 FPS
ultra	10 FPS	7 FPS

Open FirePro W7170M Open Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	FirePro W7170M	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low	162 FPS	158 FPS
medium	130 FPS	126 FPS
high	108 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	79 FPS
1440p
low	122 FPS	118 FPS
medium	97 FPS	94 FPS
high	81 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	61 FPS	59 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	79 FPS
medium	65 FPS	63 FPS
high	54 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	41 FPS	39 FPS

Open FirePro W7170M Open Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	FirePro W7170M	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
1080p
low	162 FPS	157 FPS
medium	130 FPS	126 FPS
high	108 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	79 FPS
1440p
low	122 FPS	110 FPS
medium	97 FPS	88 FPS
high	81 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	61 FPS	59 FPS
4K
low	75 FPS	64 FPS
medium	58 FPS	50 FPS
high	47 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	31 FPS	30 FPS

Open FirePro W7170M Open Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of FirePro W7170M and Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

FirePro W7170M

The FirePro W7170M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 2 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 723 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,605 points.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is manufactured by an unknown manufacturer. It was released in October 1 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,500 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The FirePro W7170M scores 3,605 and the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) reaches 3,500 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro W7170M is built on GCN 3.0 while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) uses Maxwell, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (FirePro W7170M) vs 384 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)).

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
G3D Mark Score	3,605+3%	3,500
Architecture	GCN 3.0	Maxwell
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2048+433%	384

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
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 W7170M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) has 2 GB. The FirePro W7170M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FirePro W7170M) vs 12 (11_0) (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 2.

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
DirectX	12	12 (11_0)
Vulkan	1.2+9%	1.1
OpenGL	4.6+2%	4.5
Max Displays	3+50%	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Decoder: UVD 6.0 vs NVDEC 1st Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,HEVC (FirePro W7170M) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)).

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
Encoder	VCE 3.1	—
Decoder	UVD 6.0	NVDEC 1st Gen
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,HEVC	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro W7170M draws 100W versus the Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)'s 30W — a 107.7% difference. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro W7170M) vs 350W (Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75.

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Maxwell GPU Surface Book (940M, GDDR5)
TDP	100W	30W-70%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	PCIe-powered
Length	0mm	—
Height	0mm	—
Slots	1	0-100%
Temp (Load)	85°C	75-12%
Perf/Watt	36.0	116.7+224%