FirePro W9100 vs Radeon RX 6500

FirePro W9100

2014Core: 930 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon RX 6500

RX family
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FirePro W9100 vs Radeon RX 6500 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 W9100 vs Radeon RX 6500: 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 W9100

2014

Why buy it

  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 4 GB).
  • More future proof: GCN 2.0 (2013−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • 2014 hardware with 16 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 1910.1% HIGHER MSRP
    $4,000 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.9 vs 38.2 G3D/$ ($4,000 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
  • 266.7% higher power demand at 275W vs 75W.

Radeon RX 6500

Why buy it

  • Costs $3,801 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $4,000 MSRP).
  • Delivers 1874.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 38.2 vs 1.9 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $4,000 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • Better long-term bet: Unknown architecture on Unknown node gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 75W instead of 275W, a 200W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
FirePro W9100 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.8% in PassMark G3D (7,748 vs 7,610), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon RX 6500 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer feature stack, with FSR 3 (2023) and FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023), while FirePro W9100 is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support. That still leaves it as the safer long-term option on hardware alone.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon RX 6500 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $3,801 cheaper on MSRP at $199 vs $4,000, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1874.2% (38.2 vs 1.9), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. FirePro W9100 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

FirePro W9100 vs Radeon RX 6500 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FirePro W9100

The FirePro W9100 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 26 2014. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 930 MHz. It has 2816 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 275W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,748 points.

AMD

Radeon RX 6500

The Radeon RX 6500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in sem dados. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,610 points.

Graphics Performance

The FirePro W9100 scores 7,748 and the Radeon RX 6500 reaches 7,610 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance.

FeatureFirePro W9100Radeon RX 6500
G3D Mark Score
7,748+2%
7,610

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 6500 is support for FSR Frame Generation + AFMF. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The FirePro W9100 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.

FeatureFirePro W9100Radeon RX 6500
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR 3
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation + AFMF
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The FirePro W9100 has 16 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 6500 carries 4 GB. FirePro W9100 gives you 300% 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 W9100 and 64-bit on the Radeon RX 6500.

FeatureFirePro W9100Radeon RX 6500
VRAM Capacity
16 GB+300%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Bus Width
256-bit+300%
64-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (FirePro W9100) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 6500). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 2.

FeatureFirePro W9100Radeon RX 6500
DirectX
12
12.2+2%
Vulkan
1.2
1.3+8%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
6+200%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 2.0 (FirePro W9100) vs None (Radeon RX 6500). Decoder: UVD 4.2 vs VCN 3.0. Supported codecs: H.264 (FirePro W9100) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 6500).

FeatureFirePro W9100Radeon RX 6500
Encoder
VCE 2.0
None
Decoder
UVD 4.2
VCN 3.0
Codecs
H.264
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FirePro W9100 draws 275W versus the Radeon RX 6500's 75W — a 114.3% difference. The Radeon RX 6500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FirePro W9100) vs 400W (Radeon RX 6500). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 275mm vs 172mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 93 vs 85°C.

FeatureFirePro W9100Radeon RX 6500
TDP
275W
75W-73%
Recommended PSU
350W-13%
400W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
1x 6-pin
Length
275mm
172mm
Height
111mm
112mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
93
85°C-9%
Perf/Watt
28.2
101.5+260%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FirePro W9100 came in at $4000, while the Radeon RX 6500 launched at $199. On MSRP, Radeon RX 6500 was 95% cheaper ($3801 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.9 (FirePro W9100) vs 38.2 (Radeon RX 6500) — the Radeon RX 6500 offers 1910.5% better value.

FeatureFirePro W9100Radeon RX 6500
MSRP
$4000
$199-95%
Performance per Dollar
1.9
38.2+1911%
Codename
Hawaii
Release
March 26 2014
sem dados
Ranking
#328
#335

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