FirePro W7170M vs Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire

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 W7170M vs Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire 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 W7170M vs Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire: 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 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

❌2015 hardware with 4 GB 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 5.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 100W vs 50W.

Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire

2011

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 50W instead of 100W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2011 hardware with 2 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?

FirePro W7170M is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 3% in PassMark G3D (3,605 vs 3,500), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

FirePro W7170M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, a 28nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2015 generation instead of 2011. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, FirePro W7170M has the stronger long-term case.

FirePro W7170M vs Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire Technical Specifications

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

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.

Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire

The Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire is manufactured by AMD. It was released in July 12 2011. It features the Terascale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 715 MHz. It has 2240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,500 points.

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Graphics Performance

The FirePro W7170M scores 3,605 and the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire 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 Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire uses Terascale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (FirePro W7170M) vs 2,240 (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire).

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
G3D Mark Score	3,605+3%	3,500
Architecture	GCN 3.0	Terascale 2
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	2048	2240+9%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The FirePro W7170M has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire carries 2 GB. FirePro W7170M 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 W7170M and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire.

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FirePro W7170M) vs 11.0 (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire). Vulkan: 1.2 vs N/A. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 6.

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
DirectX	12+9%	11.0
Vulkan	1.2	N/A
OpenGL	4.6+5%	4.4
Max Displays	3	6+100%

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 3.1 (FirePro W7170M) vs None (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire). Decoder: UVD 6.0 vs UVD 3.0. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,HEVC (FirePro W7170M) vs MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire).

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
Encoder	VCE 3.1	None
Decoder	UVD 6.0	UVD 3.0
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,HEVC	MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC

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Power & Dimensions

The FirePro W7170M draws 100W versus the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire's 50W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro W7170M) vs 350W (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 0mm, occupying 1 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 90.

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
TDP	100W	50W-50%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	1x 6-pin
Length	0mm	0mm
Height	0mm	0mm
Slots	1	0-100%
Temp (Load)	85°C-6%	90
Perf/Watt	36.0	70.0+94%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is FirePro W7170M (2015 vs 2011).

Feature	FirePro W7170M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
MSRP	—	$699
Codename	Amethyst	Blackcomb XTX
Release	October 2 2015	July 12 2011
Ranking	#533	#517

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