FireStream 9170 vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

FireStream 9170

2010Core: 825 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024Core: 1042 MHzBoost: 1470 MHz
RTX family
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FireStream 9170 vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB 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.

FireStream 9170 vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

FireStream 9170

2010

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (647 vs 10,749).
  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
  • 2010 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 1082.8% HIGHER MSRP
    $1,999 MSRPvs$169 MSRP

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

  • +1561.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $1,830 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
  • Delivers 19551.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 0.3 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $1,999 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

  • Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1561.4% in PassMark G3D (10,749 vs 647), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 8nm process instead of 40nm, and 18 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,830 cheaper on MSRP at $169 vs $1,999, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 19551.2% (63.6 vs 0.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

FireStream 9170 vs GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Technical Specifications

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

AMD

FireStream 9170

The FireStream 9170 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 23 2010. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 825 MHz. It has 1600 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 647 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 2 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1042 MHz to 1470 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 18 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,749 points. Launch price was $179.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the FireStream 9170 scores 647 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 10,749 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 1561.4%. The FireStream 9170 is built on TeraScale 2 while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB uses Ampere, both on 40 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,600 (FireStream 9170) vs 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Raw compute: 2.64 TFLOPS (FireStream 9170) vs 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
G3D Mark Score
647
10,749+1561%
Architecture
TeraScale 2
Ampere
Process Node
40 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
1600
2304+44%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.64 TFLOPS
6.774 TFLOPS+157%
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
80+11%
72
L1 Cache
0.16 MB
2.3 MB+1337%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The FireStream 9170 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
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 FireStream 9170 has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gives you 1100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the FireStream 9170 and 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (FireStream 9170) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
VRAM Capacity
0.5 GB
6 GB+1100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Bus Width
64-bit
96-bit+50%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.1 (FireStream 9170) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
DirectX
10.1
12 Ultimate+19%
OpenGL
3.3
4.6+39%
Max Displays
2
4+100%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (FireStream 9170) vs NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Decoder: UVD+ vs NVDEC (7th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (FireStream 9170) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB).

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Encoder
None
NVENC (5th Gen)
Decoder
UVD+
NVDEC (7th Gen)
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FireStream 9170 draws 225W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB's 70W — a 105.1% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FireStream 9170) vs 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs None. Card length: 241mm vs 160mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75°C.

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
TDP
225W
70W-69%
Recommended PSU
350W
300W-14%
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
None
Length
241mm
160mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
85°C
75°C-12%
Perf/Watt
2.9
153.6+5197%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FireStream 9170 came in at $1999, while the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB was 91.5% cheaper ($1830 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.3 (FireStream 9170) vs 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 21100% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2010).

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
MSRP
$1999
$169-92%
Performance per Dollar
0.3
63.6+21100%
Codename
Cypress
GA107
Release
June 23 2010
February 2 2024
Ranking
#631
#252

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