GeForce 945A vs FirePro M5100

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The GeForce 945A is positioned at rank #262 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce 945A

#252

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

586%

#254

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

531%

#255

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

530%

#259

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

482%

#260

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

479%

#262

GeForce 945A

MSRP: $100|Avg: $25

100%

#263

Intel UHD Graphics P630

MSRP: $100|Avg: $50

100%

#264

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

MSRP: $300|Avg: $75

99%

#265

Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

MSRP: $300|Avg: $100

99%

#270

GeForce GTX 960A

MSRP: $199|Avg: $60

94%

#271

Radeon HD 8770

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

94%

#273

Radeon R9 M295X

MSRP: $300|Avg: $150

93%

#274

GeForce GT 325M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $20

92%

#275

GeForce GTS 160M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $30

92%

#276

GeForce GTX 470M SLI

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $60

91%

#277

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 3 3200G

MSRP: $99|Avg: $70

91%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The FirePro M5100 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.2% higher G3D Mark score and 300% more VRAM (2 GB vs 512 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce 945A.

Insight	GeForce 945A	FirePro M5100
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.2%)	✅Leading raw performance (+1.2%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell (2014−2017))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+300%)
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

The GeForce 945A offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce 945A holds the technical lead. Priced at $25 (vs $30), it costs 17% less, resulting in a 18.6% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	GeForce 945A	FirePro M5100
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+18.6%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($25)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($30)

Performance Check

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce 945A Benchmark Check

FirePro M5100 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce 945A and FirePro M5100

GeForce 945A

The GeForce 945A is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1006 MHz to 1189 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,852 points.

FirePro M5100

The FirePro M5100 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 16 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 725 MHz to 775 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,874 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 945A scores 1,852 and the FirePro M5100 reaches 1,874 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 945A is built on Maxwell while the FirePro M5100 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 945A) vs 640 (FirePro M5100). Raw compute: 0.9132 TFLOPS (GeForce 945A) vs 0.992 TFLOPS (FirePro M5100). Boost clocks: 1189 MHz vs 775 MHz.

Feature	GeForce 945A	FirePro M5100
G3D Mark Score	1,852	1,874+1%
Architecture	Maxwell	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	384	640+67%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.9132 TFLOPS	0.992 TFLOPS+9%
Boost Clock	1189 MHz+53%	775 MHz
ROPs	8	16+100%
TMUs	24	40+67%
L1 Cache	192 KB+20%	160 KB
L2 Cache	1 MB+300%	0.25 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce 945A	FirePro M5100
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 945A comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the FirePro M5100 has 2 GB. The FirePro M5100 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 945A) vs 0.25 MB (FirePro M5100) — the GeForce 945A has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce 945A	FirePro M5100
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	2 GB+300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	1 MB+300%	0.25 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce 945A) vs 12 (FL11_1) (FirePro M5100). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 1.

Feature	GeForce 945A	FirePro M5100
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 (FL11_1)
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	2+100%	1

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 4th Gen NVENC (Maxwell) (GeForce 945A) vs VCE 1.0 (FirePro M5100). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs UVD 4.0. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC (GeForce 945A) vs H.264,VC-1 (FirePro M5100).

Feature	GeForce 945A	FirePro M5100
Encoder	4th Gen NVENC (Maxwell)	VCE 1.0
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	UVD 4.0
Codecs	H.264,HEVC	H.264,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 945A draws 33W versus the FirePro M5100's 150W — a 127.9% difference. The GeForce 945A is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 945A) vs 350W (FirePro M5100). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce 945A	FirePro M5100
TDP	33W-78%	150W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	—	82mm
Height	—	70mm
Slots	0-100%	1
Temp (Load)	80°C	75°C-6%
Perf/Watt	56.1+349%	12.5

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce 945A launched at $100 MSRP and currently averages $25, while the FirePro M5100 launched at $0 and now averages $30. The GeForce 945A costs 16.7% less ($5 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 74.1 (GeForce 945A) vs 62.5 (FirePro M5100) — the GeForce 945A offers 18.6% better value. The GeForce 945A is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2013).