
Radeon R7 260 vs FirePro 3D V9800

Radeon R7 260
Popular choices:

FirePro 3D V9800
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar FirePro 3D V9800
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R7 260 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.8% higher G3D Mark score. However, the FirePro 3D V9800 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon R7 260 | FirePro 3D V9800 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.8%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.8%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / TeraScale 3 (2010−2013)) |
| 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 | Standard Size (267mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
The FirePro 3D V9800 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the FirePro 3D V9800 holds the technical lead. Priced at $80 (vs $110), it costs 27% less, resulting in a 33.7% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon R7 260 | FirePro 3D V9800 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+33.7%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($110) | ✅More affordable ($80) |
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R7 260 and FirePro 3D V9800

Radeon R7 260
The Radeon R7 260 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 17 2013. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1100 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 95W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,892 points. Launch price was $109.

FirePro 3D V9800
The FirePro 3D V9800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 24 2011. It features the TeraScale 3 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,812 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R7 260 scores 2,892 and the FirePro 3D V9800 reaches 2,812 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R7 260 is built on GCN 2.0 while the FirePro 3D V9800 uses TeraScale 3, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 768 (Radeon R7 260) vs 1,280 (FirePro 3D V9800). Raw compute: 1.536 TFLOPS (Radeon R7 260) vs 1.856 TFLOPS (FirePro 3D V9800).
| Feature | Radeon R7 260 | FirePro 3D V9800 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 2,892+3% | 2,812 |
| Architecture | GCN 2.0 | TeraScale 3 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 768 | 1280+67% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.536 TFLOPS | 1.856 TFLOPS+21% |
| ROPs | 16 | 32+100% |
| TMUs | 48 | 80+67% |
| L1 Cache | 192 KB | 320 KB+67% |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon R7 260 | FirePro 3D V9800 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon R7 260 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the FirePro 3D V9800 has 4 GB. The FirePro 3D V9800 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 256 KB (Radeon R7 260) vs 512 KB (FirePro 3D V9800) — the FirePro 3D V9800 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon R7 260 | FirePro 3D V9800 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB | 4 GB+300% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (12_0) (Radeon R7 260) vs 11.2 (FirePro 3D V9800). Vulkan: 1.2 vs None. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 6.
| Feature | Radeon R7 260 | FirePro 3D V9800 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (12_0)+7% | 11.2 |
| Vulkan | 1.2 | None |
| OpenGL | 4.6+5% | 4.4 |
| Max Displays | 3 | 6+100% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 2.0 (Radeon R7 260) vs None (FirePro 3D V9800). Decoder: UVD 4.2 vs UVD 2.3. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MVC (Radeon R7 260) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (FirePro 3D V9800).
| Feature | Radeon R7 260 | FirePro 3D V9800 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 2.0 | None |
| Decoder | UVD 4.2 | UVD 2.3 |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MVC | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon R7 260 draws 95W versus the FirePro 3D V9800's 150W — a 44.9% difference. The Radeon R7 260 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (Radeon R7 260) vs 350W (FirePro 3D V9800). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 170mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 90.
| Feature | Radeon R7 260 | FirePro 3D V9800 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 95W-37% | 150W |
| Recommended PSU | 400W | 350W-13% |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 170mm | 267mm |
| Height | 112mm | 111mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80-11% | 90 |
| Perf/Watt | 30.4+63% | 18.7 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon R7 260 launched at $109 MSRP and currently averages $110, while the FirePro 3D V9800 launched at $3499 and now averages $80. The FirePro 3D V9800 costs 27.3% less ($30 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 26.3 (Radeon R7 260) vs 35.1 (FirePro 3D V9800) — the FirePro 3D V9800 offers 33.5% better value. The Radeon R7 260 is the newer GPU (2013 vs 2011).
| Feature | Radeon R7 260 | FirePro 3D V9800 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $109-97% | $3499 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $110 | $80-27% |
| Performance per Dollar | 26.3 | 35.1+33% |
| Codename | Bonaire | Cayman |
| Release | December 17 2013 | May 24 2011 |
| Ranking | #591 | #656 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.












