FireStream 9170 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

FireStream 9170

2010Core: 825 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

FireStream 9170 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.

FireStream 9170 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.

FireStream 9170

2010

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($1,999 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (647 vs 13,170).
  • 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.
  • 32.4% higher power demand at 225W vs 170W.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

  • +1935.5% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 170W instead of 225W, a 55W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 0.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $1,999 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 1935.5% in PassMark G3D (13,170 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 3060 Laptop GPU 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 28 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?
FireStream 9170 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, FireStream 9170 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.

FireStream 9170 vs GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 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 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 FireStream 9170 scores 647 versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 13,170 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 1935.5%. The FireStream 9170 is built on TeraScale 2 while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU uses Ampere, both on 40 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,600 (FireStream 9170) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Raw compute: 2.64 TFLOPS (FireStream 9170) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
G3D Mark Score
647
13,170+1936%
Architecture
TeraScale 2
Ampere
Process Node
40 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
1600
3584+124%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.64 TFLOPS
12.74 TFLOPS+383%
ROPs
32
48+50%
TMUs
80
112+40%
L1 Cache
0.16 MB
3.5 MB+2088%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
3 MB+500%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 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 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 FireStream 9170 has 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU carries 6 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 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 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (FireStream 9170) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
VRAM Capacity
0.5 GB
6 GB+1100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Bus Width
64-bit
192-bit+200%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
3 MB+500%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.1 (FireStream 9170) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
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 (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Decoder: UVD+ vs NVDEC (5th Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (FireStream 9170) vs H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU).

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
Encoder
None
NVENC (7th Gen)
Decoder
UVD+
NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FireStream 9170 draws 225W versus the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU's 170W — a 27.8% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FireStream 9170) vs 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75°C.

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
TDP
225W
170W-24%
Recommended PSU
350W-30%
500W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
Mobile
Length
241mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
85°C
75°C-12%
Perf/Watt
2.9
77.5+2572%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU (2022 vs 2010).

FeatureFireStream 9170GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
MSRP
$1999
Codename
Cypress
GA106
Release
June 23 2010
October 12 2022
Ranking
#631
#147

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