FirePro W8000 vs Radeon R9 270

FirePro W8000

2012Core: 900 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon R9 270

2013Boost: 925 MHz
Similar parts
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FirePro W8000 vs Radeon R9 270 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 W8000 vs Radeon R9 270 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.

No benchmark data available yet.

FirePro W8000 vs Radeon R9 270: 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 W8000

2012

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 2012 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 793.3% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,599 MSRPvs$179 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.7 vs 24.1 G3D/$ ($1,599 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).
  • 50% higher power demand at 225W vs 150W.

Radeon R9 270

2013

Why buy it

  • Costs $1,420 less on MSRP ($179 MSRP vs $1,599 MSRP).
  • Delivers 803.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 24.1 vs 2.7 G3D/$ ($179 MSRP vs $1,599 MSRP).
  • Draws 150W instead of 225W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2013 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?
Radeon R9 270 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.1% in PassMark G3D (4,306 vs 4,259), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
FirePro W8000 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?
Radeon R9 270 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,420 cheaper on MSRP at $179 vs $1,599, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 803.2% (24.1 vs 2.7), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R9 270 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, FirePro W8000 has the stronger long-term case.

FirePro W8000 vs Radeon R9 270 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FirePro W8000

The FirePro W8000 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 14 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 900 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,259 points. Launch price was $1,599.

AMD

Radeon R9 270

The Radeon R9 270 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 13 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 925 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,306 points. Launch price was $179.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro W8000 scores 4,259 and the Radeon R9 270 reaches 4,306 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FirePro W8000 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon R9 270 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,792 (FirePro W8000) vs 1,280 (Radeon R9 270). Raw compute: 3.226 TFLOPS (FirePro W8000) vs 2.368 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 270).

FeatureFirePro W8000Radeon R9 270
G3D Mark Score
4,259
4,306+1%
Architecture
GCN 1.0
GCN 1.0
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
1792+40%
1280
Compute (TFLOPS)
3.226 TFLOPS+36%
2.368 TFLOPS
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
112+40%
80
L1 Cache
448 KB+40%
320 KB
L2 Cache
512 KB
512 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureFirePro W8000Radeon R9 270
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 W8000 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 270 carries 2 GB. FirePro W8000 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 W8000 and 256-bit on the Radeon R9 270.

FeatureFirePro W8000Radeon R9 270
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+100%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
256-bit+300%
L2 Cache
512 KB
512 KB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro W8000 draws 225W versus the Radeon R9 270's 150W — a 40% difference. The Radeon R9 270 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro W8000) vs 500W (Radeon R9 270). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureFirePro W8000Radeon R9 270
TDP
225W
150W-33%
Recommended PSU
350W-30%
500W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
1x 6-pin
Length
279mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
58°C
Perf/Watt
18.9
28.7+52%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro W8000 came in at $1599, while the Radeon R9 270 launched at $179. On MSRP, Radeon R9 270 was 88.8% cheaper ($1420 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.7 (FirePro W8000) vs 24.1 (Radeon R9 270) — the Radeon R9 270 offers 792.6% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R9 270 (2013 vs 2012).

FeatureFirePro W8000Radeon R9 270
MSRP
$1599
$179-89%
Performance per Dollar
2.7
24.1+793%
Codename
Tahiti
Curacao
Release
June 14 2012
November 13 2013
Ranking
#481
#476

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