FirePro W5170M vs Radeon R9 280X

When comparing FirePro W5170M and Radeon R9 280X, we look primarily at benchmarks and game tests. But it is not only about the numbers. Often you can find third-party models with higher clock speeds, better cooling, or a customizable RGB lighting. Not all of them will have all the features you need. Another thing to consider is the port selection. Most graphics cards have at least one DisplayPort and HDMI interface, but some monitors require DVI. Before you buy, check the TDP of the graphics card - this characteristic will help you estimate the consumption of the graphics card. You may even have to upgrade your PSU to meet its requirements. An important factor when choosing between FirePro W5170M and Radeon R9 280X is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

FirePro W5170M is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: FirePro W5170M is only used in laptop graphics. It has lower GPU clock speed compared to the desktop variant, which results in lower power consumption, but also 10-30% lower gaming performance. Check available laptop models with FirePro W5170M here:

Main Specs

  FirePro W5170M Radeon R9 280X
Power consumption (TDP) 250 Watt
Interface MXM-A (3.0) PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors None 1 x 6-pin + 1 x 8-pin
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 2 GB 3 GB
Display Connectors No outputs 2x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
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  • FirePro W5170M is connected by MXM-A (3.0), and Radeon R9 280X uses PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.
  • Radeon R9 280X has 1 GB more memory, than FirePro W5170M.
  • FirePro W5170M is used in Mobile workstations, and Radeon R9 280X - in Desktops.
  • FirePro W5170M and Radeon R9 280X are build with GCN architecture.
  • FirePro W5170M and Radeon R9 280X are manufactured by 28 nm process technology.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 10−12 35−40
ultra / 1080p 6−7 21−24
QHD / 1440p 1−2 16−18
4K / 2160p 10−11
low / 720p 24−27 60−65
medium / 1080p 12−14 40−45
The average gaming FPS of Radeon R9 280X in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 227% more, than FirePro W5170M.

Full Specs

  FirePro W5170M Radeon R9 280X
Architecture GCN GCN
Code name Tropo Thaiti XTL
Type Mobile workstation Desktop
Release date 2 October 2015 8 October 2013
Pipelines 640 2048
Boost Clock 925 MHz 1000 MHz
Transistor count 1,500 million 4,313 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 37.00 128.0
Floating-point performance 1,184 gflops 4,096 gflops
Length 275 mm
Memory bus width 128 Bit 384 Bit
Memory clock speed 4500 MHz
Memory bandwidth 72 GB/s 288 GB/s
Shared memory - -
DirectX 12 (11_1)
Shader Model 5.1 5.1
OpenGL 4.6 4.6
OpenCL 1.2 1.2
Vulkan 1.2.131 +
Monero / XMR (CryptoNight) 0.5 kh/s
FreeSync +
Bus support PCIe 3.0
HDMI +
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 494 Mh/s
Laptop size large
Eyefinity + +
HD3D +
TrueAudio +
Design reference
DisplayPort support +
CrossFire +
DDMA audio +
Decred / DCR (Decred) 1.07 Gh/s
Ethereum / ETH (DaggerHashimoto) 14.42 Mh/s
Zcash / ZEC (Equihash) 285 Sol/s
AppAcceleration + +
LiquidVR +
TressFX +
UVD +
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