FireStream 9250 vs Radeon R9 M265X

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 9250 vs Radeon R9 M265X 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.

FireStream 9250 vs Radeon R9 M265X: 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 9250

2008

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2008 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
399.5% HIGHER MSRP
$999 MSRPvs$200 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.2 vs 5.8 G3D/$ ($999 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 150W vs 75W.

Radeon R9 M265X

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $799 less on MSRP ($200 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 400.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.8 vs 1.2 G3D/$ ($200 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 1 GB).
✅Draws 75W instead of 150W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌2014 hardware with 4 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 M265X is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.2% in PassMark G3D (1,167 vs 1,165), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

FireStream 9250 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon R9 M265X makes the most sense to buy today. It is $799 cheaper on MSRP at $200 vs $999, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 400.4% (5.8 vs 1.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R9 M265X is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, FireStream 9250 has the stronger long-term case.

FireStream 9250 vs Radeon R9 M265X Technical Specifications

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

FireStream 9250

The FireStream 9250 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 16 2008. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 625 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,165 points.

Radeon R9 M265X

The Radeon R9 M265X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 21 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 575 MHz to 625 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,167 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The FireStream 9250 scores 1,165 and the Radeon R9 M265X reaches 1,167 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FireStream 9250 is built on TeraScale while the Radeon R9 M265X uses GCN 1.0, both on 55 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 800 (FireStream 9250) vs 640 (Radeon R9 M265X). Raw compute: 1 TFLOPS (FireStream 9250) vs 0.8 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M265X).

Feature	FireStream 9250	Radeon R9 M265X
G3D Mark Score	1,165	1,167
Architecture	TeraScale	GCN 1.0
Process Node	55 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	800+25%	640
Compute (TFLOPS)	1 TFLOPS+25%	0.8 TFLOPS
ROPs	16	16
TMUs	40	40
L1 Cache	160 KB	160 KB
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	FireStream 9250	Radeon R9 M265X
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 FireStream 9250 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M265X carries 4 GB. Radeon R9 M265X gives you 300% 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 9250 and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M265X.

Feature	FireStream 9250	Radeon R9 M265X
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	4 GB+300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FireStream 9250 draws 150W versus the Radeon R9 M265X's 75W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon R9 M265X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FireStream 9250) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M265X). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Mobile.

Feature	FireStream 9250	Radeon R9 M265X
TDP	150W	75W-50%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	Mobile
Length	234mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	1	—
Temp (Load)	Unknown	—
Perf/Watt	7.8	15.6+100%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FireStream 9250 came in at $999, while the Radeon R9 M265X launched at $200. On MSRP, Radeon R9 M265X was 80% cheaper ($799 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.2 (FireStream 9250) vs 5.8 (Radeon R9 M265X) — the Radeon R9 M265X offers 383.3% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R9 M265X (2014 vs 2008).

Feature	FireStream 9250	Radeon R9 M265X
MSRP	$999	$200-80%
Performance per Dollar	1.2	5.8+383%
Codename	RV770	Venus
Release	June 16 2008	March 21 2014
Ranking	#840	#839

Search FireStream 9250 on Amazon

Search Radeon R9 M265X on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.