FirePro W8100 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

FirePro W8100

2014Core: 824 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz
RTX family
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FirePro W8100 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 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 W8100 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU: 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 W8100

2014

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,812 vs 13,170).
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 2014 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 29.4% higher power demand at 220W vs 170W.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

  • +93.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 170W instead of 220W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 2.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 93.3% in PassMark G3D (13,170 vs 6,812), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 28 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2022 generation instead of 2014. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
FirePro W8100 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, FirePro W8100 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and lighter 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has the stronger long-term case.

FirePro W8100 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FirePro W8100

The FirePro W8100 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 23 2014. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 824 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,812 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 12 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1320 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 170W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,170 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the FirePro W8100 scores 6,812 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 13,170 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 93.3%. The FirePro W8100 is built on GCN 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (FirePro W8100) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 4.219 TFLOPS (FirePro W8100) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).

FeatureFirePro W8100GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score
6,812
13,170+93%
Architecture
GCN 2.0
Ampere
Process Node
28 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
2560
3584+40%
Compute (TFLOPS)
4.219 TFLOPS
12.74 TFLOPS+202%
ROPs
64+33%
48
TMUs
160+43%
112
L1 Cache
0.63 MB
3.5 MB+456%
L2 Cache
1 MB
3 MB+200%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The FirePro W8100 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureFirePro W8100GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The FirePro W8100 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU carries 6 GB. FirePro W8100 gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the FirePro W8100 and 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. L2 Cache: 1 MB (FirePro W8100) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureFirePro W8100GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+33%
6 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Bus Width
256-bit+33%
192-bit
L2 Cache
1 MB
3 MB+200%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FirePro W8100) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 4.

FeatureFirePro W8100GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
DirectX
12
12 Ultimate
Vulkan
1.2
1.4+17%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
6+50%
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 2.0 (FirePro W8100) vs NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Decoder: UVD 4.2 vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2,MVC (FirePro W8100) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).

FeatureFirePro W8100GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Encoder
VCE 2.0
NVENC (7th Gen)
Decoder
UVD 4.2
NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2,MVC
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro W8100 draws 220W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 170W — a 25.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro W8100) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 87°C vs 75°C.

FeatureFirePro W8100GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
TDP
220W
170W-23%
Recommended PSU
350W-30%
500W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
Mobile
Length
241mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
87°C
75°C-14%
Perf/Watt
31.0
77.5+150%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU (2022 vs 2014).

FeatureFirePro W8100GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
MSRP
$2499
Codename
Hawaii
GA106
Release
June 23 2014
October 12 2022
Ranking
#361
#147

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