AMD FirePro W4190M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB and the AMD FirePro W4190M represent two extremes of the graphics hardware spectrum, separated by nearly seven years of architectural evolution. The RTX 3080 is a desktop-class powerhouse built for high-end gaming and compute, while the FirePro W4190M is a low-power mobile workstation part from a bygone era. The data shows a stark generational divide, with the RTX 3080 dominating in nearly every measurable category, yet the W4190M still holds relevance in specific legacy applications where its GCN architecture and mobile form factor remain adequate.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The raw benchmark data illustrates a clear hierarchy, but the specific scores require careful interpretation due to differing test methodologies. The RTX 3080 12 GB achieves an average benchmark score of 4791 in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, a modern, demanding test. The FirePro W4190M scores 4505 in Geekbench OpenCL, an older compute-oriented benchmark. While the numerical gap appears modest at just 286 points, the tests themselves are not directly comparable; the RTX 3080 is running a much more strenuous workload.

The RTX 3080 sits at the 28th percentile of all GPUs, placing it in the upper-midrange of the entire database. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce 940MX (avg score 4844, delta -1.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560M (avg score 4855, delta -1.3%). This indicates that the RTX 3080, despite its high-end positioning, is statistically clustered within a 1.3% performance window of these older mobile parts in this specific 3DMark test. The data suggests that the RTX 3080 is only 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon R5 M255 (avg score 4788) and 0.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon R5 M335 (avg score 4752). This clustering is unusual and likely reflects the test's ability to measure specific DX12 features where these diverse cards converge.

The FirePro W4190M, at the 26th percentile, sits just two percentile points below the RTX 3080. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R7 M260 (avg score 4499, delta 0.1%), Intel HD Graphics P530 (avg score 4560, delta -1.2%), and AMD Radeon RX 560 (avg score 4569, delta -1.4%). The W4190M is effectively tied with the R7 M260, while trailing the Intel integrated solution by 1.2%. The most striking comparison is against the AMD Radeon RX 560, a desktop part, where the FirePro is 1.4% slower despite being a mobile chip. This shows that the W4190M was competitive with entry-level desktop GPUs of its era.

What the head-to-head data does not show is any direct comparison test between the two parts. The benchmarks used are different (3DMark vs. Geekbench) and measure distinct aspects of performance. Therefore, the raw scores should be viewed as independent data points rather than direct competitors. The RTX 3080's 4791 score in a modern DX12 test is a far more demanding achievement than the W4190M's 4505 in a legacy OpenCL test. In absolute terms, the RTX 3080 delivers over 44 times the FP32 compute throughput (30.64 TFLOPS vs. 691.2 GFLOPS), a figure that dwarfs the benchmark score differences.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two GPUs is immense. The RTX 3080 is built on NVIDIA's Ampere architecture, fabricated on Samsung's 8 nm process node. It packs 28,300 million transistors onto a 628 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 45.1 million per square millimeter. In contrast, the FirePro W4190M uses AMD's GCN 1.0 architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 28 nm node. It contains just 950 million transistors on a 77 mm² die, with a density of 12.3 million per square millimeter. This represents a 3.7x increase in transistor density for the RTX 3080, enabling far more complex logic and specialized hardware.

The RTX 3080 features 8960 shading units, 280 texture mapping units, and 96 raster output units. Critically, it includes 70 dedicated ray tracing cores and 280 tensor cores, enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing and AI-driven features like DLSS. The FirePro W4190M has 384 shading units, 24 TMUs, and only 8 ROPs. It has no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, reflecting its 2015-era design focused on traditional rasterization and compute workloads.

Memory architecture further separates the two. The RTX 3080 uses 12 GB of GDDR6X memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 912.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The FirePro W4190M uses 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 64.00 GB/s. The RTX 3080's bandwidth advantage is 14.3x, which is critical for high-resolution textures and large datasets. Clock speeds also differ: the RTX 3080 boosts to 1710 MHz from a 1260 MHz base, while the FirePro boosts to 900 MHz from 825 MHz. The RTX 3080's memory runs at 19 Gbps effective, versus 4 Gbps for the FirePro.

API support shows the generational leap. The RTX 3080 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The FirePro W4190M supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. While both support OpenGL 4.6, the DirectX and Vulkan version differences mean the RTX 3080 can run modern titles with advanced features that the FirePro cannot. The RTX 3080 also uses PCIe 4.0 x16, while the FirePro uses PCIe 3.0 x8, halving the available bus bandwidth for data transfers.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute performance?

A: The RTX 3080 12 GB delivers 30.64 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the FirePro W4190M delivers 691.2 GFLOPS. The RTX 3080 is over 44 times faster in raw floating-point throughput.

Q: Do both GPUs support hardware ray tracing?

A: No. The RTX 3080 includes 70 dedicated ray tracing cores, enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The FirePro W4190M has no ray tracing cores at all, relying solely on traditional rasterization.

Q: What is the memory capacity and bandwidth difference?

A: The RTX 3080 has 12 GB of GDDR6X memory with 912.4 GB/s bandwidth on a 384-bit bus. The FirePro W4190M has 2 GB of GDDR5 with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth on a 128-bit bus.

Q: Which GPU is more power-efficient per transistor?

A: The RTX 3080 packs 45.1 million transistors per square millimeter, while the FirePro W4190M has 12.3 million per square millimeter. The RTX 3080's newer 8 nm process allows for significantly denser integration.

Q: Are both GPUs still in production?

A: No. Both the RTX 3080 12 GB and the FirePro W4190M are marked as end-of-life production status. The RTX 3080 was released on 2022-01-10, while the FirePro was released on 2015-11-11.

Q: What are the form factor differences?

A: The RTX 3080 is a dual-slot desktop card measuring 285 mm in length, 112 mm in height, and 40 mm in width. The FirePro W4190M is an MXM module with no listed dimensions, designed for mobile workstations.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification field:

• Process Node: RTX 3080 uses 8 nm (Samsung); FirePro W4190M uses 28 nm (TSMC)
• Transistors: RTX 3080 has 28,300 million; FirePro W4190M has 950 million
• Die Size: RTX 3080 is 628 mm²; FirePro W4190M is 77 mm²
• Transistor Density: RTX 3080 has 45.1M / mm²; FirePro W4190M has 12.3M / mm²
• Base Clock: RTX 3080 at 1260 MHz; FirePro W4190M at 825 MHz
• Boost Clock: RTX 3080 at 1710 MHz; FirePro W4190M at 900 MHz
• Memory Clock: RTX 3080 at 19 Gbps effective; FirePro W4190M at 4 Gbps effective
• Memory Size: RTX 3080 has 12 GB GDDR6X; FirePro W4190M has 2 GB GDDR5
• Memory Bus Width: RTX 3080 at 384 bit; FirePro W4190M at 128 bit
• Memory Bandwidth: RTX 3080 at 912.4 GB/s; FirePro W4190M at 64.00 GB/s
• Shading Units: RTX 3080 has 8960; FirePro W4190M has 384
• TMUs: RTX 3080 has 280; FirePro W4190M has 24
• ROPs: RTX 3080 has 96; FirePro W4190M has 8
• Ray Tracing Cores: RTX 3080 has 70; FirePro W4190M has none
• Tensor Cores: RTX 3080 has 280; FirePro W4190M has none
• Pixel Rate: RTX 3080 at 164.2 GPixel/s; FirePro W4190M at 7.200 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: RTX 3080 at 478.8 GTexel/s; FirePro W4190M at 21.60 GTexel/s
• FP32 Performance: RTX 3080 at 30.64 TFLOPS; FirePro W4190M at 691.2 GFLOPS
• FP16 Performance: RTX 3080 at 30.64 TFLOPS (1:1); FirePro W4190M has none listed
• TDP: RTX 3080 at 350 W; FirePro W4190M has no listed TDP
• Slot Width: RTX 3080 is dual-slot; FirePro W4190M is MXM Module
• Power Connectors: RTX 3080 uses 1x 12-pin; FirePro W4190M uses none
• Suggested PSU: RTX 3080 recommends 750 W; FirePro W4190M has none listed
• Bus Interface: RTX 3080 is PCIe 4.0 x16; FirePro W4190M is PCIe 3.0 x8
• Display Outputs: RTX 3080 has 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a; FirePro W4190M is portable device dependent
• DirectX Support: RTX 3080 at 12 Ultimate (12_2); FirePro W4190M at 12 (11_1)
• Vulkan Support: RTX 3080 at 1.4; FirePro W4190M at 1.2.170
• Release Date: RTX 3080 on 2022-01-10; FirePro W4190M on 2015-11-11
• Launch MSRP: RTX 3080 at 799 USD; FirePro W4190M has no listed MSRP

The Verdict

The data presents a clear verdict for any modern use case: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB is the definitive choice. Its 30.64 TFLOPS FP32 performance, 912.4 GB/s memory bandwidth, and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4 make it suitable for contemporary gaming, content creation, and compute workloads. The inclusion of 70 ray tracing cores and 280 tensor cores adds capabilities that the FirePro W4190M fundamentally lacks, enabling features like DLSS and hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The RTX 3080's 28th percentile standing, despite being clustered near older mobile parts in one specific test, reflects its strong overall position against the entire GPU landscape.

The AMD FirePro W4190M is a product of its time. Its 26th percentile ranking and 4505 Geekbench OpenCL score show that it was a capable entry-level mobile workstation GPU in 2015. Its 2 GB of GDDR5 memory and 64.00 GB/s bandwidth are sufficient for legacy CAD applications and basic compute tasks. The MXM form factor and lack of power connectors make it suitable for thin-and-light mobile workstations. However, its GCN 1.0 architecture lacks modern features like ray tracing, tensor cores, and full DirectX 12 Ultimate support. Its 691.2 GFLOPS FP32 performance is a fraction of the RTX 3080's output.

For a user building a new system or upgrading an existing desktop, the RTX 3080 is the only rational choice. Its 799 USD launch MSRP, while substantial, buys a GPU that will remain relevant for years. For someone maintaining a legacy mobile workstation where the FirePro W4190M is already installed, the data shows no reason to upgrade to another GPU of its class; the performance ceiling is simply too low. The RTX 3080's 8 nm process, 28,300 million transistors, and 384-bit memory bus represent a generational leap that the FirePro W4190M cannot approach. In every measurable specification, from shading units to memory bandwidth, the RTX 3080 is superior.