AMD FireStream 9270
AMD graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
AMDAMD FireStream 9270 Specifications
GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The AMD FireStream 9270 GPU core specifications define its raw processing power for graphics and compute workloads. Shading units (also called CUDA cores, stream processors, or execution units depending on manufacturer) handle the parallel calculations required for rendering. TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) process texture data, while ROPs (Render Output Units) handle final pixel output. Higher shader counts generally translate to better GPU benchmark performance, especially in demanding games and 3D applications.
FireStream 9270 Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the FireStream 9270's performance in GPU benchmarks and real-world gaming. The base clock represents the minimum guaranteed frequency, while the boost clock indicates peak performance under optimal thermal conditions. Memory clock speed affects texture loading and frame buffer operations. The FireStream 9270 by AMD dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
AMD's FireStream 9270 Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The FireStream 9270's memory capacity determines how well it handles high-resolution textures and multiple displays. Memory bandwidth, measured in GB/s, affects how quickly data moves between the GPU and VRAM. Higher bandwidth improves performance in memory-intensive scenarios like 4K gaming. The memory bus width and type (GDDR6, GDDR6X, HBM) significantly influence overall GPU benchmark scores.
FireStream 9270 by AMD Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the FireStream 9270, reducing the need to fetch data from slower VRAM. L1 and L2 caches store frequently accessed data close to the compute units. AMD's Infinity Cache (L3) dramatically increases effective bandwidth, improving GPU benchmark performance without requiring wider memory buses. Larger cache sizes help maintain high frame rates in memory-bound scenarios and reduce power consumption by minimizing VRAM accesses.
FireStream 9270 Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the AMD FireStream 9270 against other graphics cards. FP32 (single-precision) performance, measured in TFLOPS, indicates compute capability for gaming and general GPU workloads. FP64 (double-precision) matters for scientific computing. Pixel and texture fill rates determine how quickly the GPU can render complex scenes. While real-world GPU benchmark results depend on many factors, these specifications help predict relative performance levels.
TeraScale Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The AMD FireStream 9270 is built on AMD's TeraScale architecture, which defines how the GPU processes graphics and compute workloads. The manufacturing process node affects power efficiency, thermal characteristics, and maximum clock speeds. Smaller process nodes pack more transistors into the same die area, enabling higher performance per watt. Understanding the architecture helps predict how the FireStream 9270 will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the AMD FireStream 9270 determine PSU requirements and thermal management needs. TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates the heat output under typical loads, guiding cooler selection. Power connector requirements ensure adequate power delivery for stable operation during demanding GPU benchmarks. The suggested PSU wattage accounts for the entire system, not just the graphics card. Efficient power delivery enables the FireStream 9270 to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
FireStream 9270 by AMD Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the AMD FireStream 9270 are critical for case compatibility. Card length, height, and slot width determine whether it fits in your chassis. The PCIe interface version affects bandwidth for communication with the CPU. Display outputs define monitor connectivity options, with modern cards supporting multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously. Verify these specifications against your case and motherboard before purchasing to ensure a proper fit.
AMD API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the AMD FireStream 9270. DirectX 12 Ultimate enables advanced features like ray tracing and variable rate shading. Vulkan provides cross-platform graphics capabilities with low-level hardware access. OpenGL remains important for professional applications and older games. CUDA (NVIDIA) and OpenCL enable GPU compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific applications. Higher API versions unlock newer graphical features in GPU benchmarks and games.
FireStream 9270 Product Information
Release and pricing details
The AMD FireStream 9270 is manufactured by AMD as part of their graphics card lineup. Release date and launch pricing provide context for comparing GPU benchmark results with competing products from the same era. Understanding the product lifecycle helps evaluate whether the FireStream 9270 by AMD represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
About AMD FireStream 9270
The AMD FireStream 9270 is a compute-oriented workstation card built on the RV770 chip and the TeraScale architecture, manufactured on TSMC's 55 nm process. It packs 956 million transistors into a 256 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 3.7M per mm². The card features 800 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output pipelines, with a memory subsystem comprising 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus. The data shows this is an end-of-life product from the FireStream generation, released in November 2008, and it holds a 50th percentile ranking across all GPUs in the database.
How It Compares
The nearestRivals field is empty for this entry, so no direct competitor comparison data is available from the benchmark database. The percentileVsAllGpus value of 50 places the FireStream 9270 squarely in the middle of the entire GPU landscape, meaning half of all recorded graphics cards score higher and half score lower. This is a meaningful anchor point: it is neither a top-tier performer nor a bottom-feeder, but a solid mid-pack option. Without specific rival deltas, the interpretation relies on that percentile alone. The card's absolute performance figures — 1,200.0 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, 30.00 GTexel/s texture fill, and 12.00 GPixel/s pixel throughput — do not include a benchmark score, as avgBenchmarkScore is 0, so ranking position is the only comparative metric available. In practical terms, a 50th percentile placement suggests it trades blows with a wide range of contemporary and slightly newer cards, though the absence of rival data means no exact percentage leads or deficits can be stated. The architecture is old, but the compute throughput was respectable for its era, and the mid-pack percentile reflects that balance of age and raw capability.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
There are no RT cores or tensor cores listed in the fact pack, which means the FireStream 9270 lacks dedicated hardware for ray tracing and AI-accelerated tensor operations. This is consistent with its TeraScale architecture, which predates those specialized units entirely. The API support is limited to DirectX 10.1 with a shader model of 10_1, and OpenGL 3.3. There is no Vulkan support listed, so modern cross-platform graphics APIs are off the table. The display output is a single DVI port, which is minimal even for its time, and the card is not designed around gaming features like variable rate shading or mesh shaders — none of those are present in the fact pack. The compute-oriented nature is evident: 800 shading units and 1,200.0 GFLOPS FP32 throughput are the headline numbers, not graphics-centric features. For workloads that rely on DX10.1 or OpenGL 3.3, this card can function, but any ray-traced or tensor-based workload is impossible due to the absence of the required cores. The lack of Vulkan also means no access to modern low-overhead rendering or compute APIs. The 2 GB GDDR5 frame buffer with 115.2 GB/s bandwidth is the memory side of the feature set, and it is sufficient for compute tasks that fit within that capacity, but not for large datasets. The PCIe 2.0 x16 bus interface is another legacy constraint; it provides less bandwidth than PCIe 3.0 or 4.0, which could bottleneck data transfer in a modern system.
Benchmark Performance
The benchmark section shows a zero average score and no individual benchmark entries, so the FireStream 9270 has no recorded performance data in this database beyond its raw theoretical specs. The percentileVsAllGpus of 50 is the sole performance indicator, and it suggests the card performs at the median level. Given the FP32 throughput of 1,200.0 GFLOPS, the card can handle compute workloads that are not overly demanding by modern standards, but the 16 ROPs and 30.00 GTexel/s texture rate limit graphics-heavy tasks. The pixel rate of 12.00 GPixel/s is low by contemporary measures, meaning fill-rate-bound scenarios will struggle. The memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, derived from the 900 MHz memory clock running at 3.6 Gbps effective on a 256-bit bus, is a bottleneck for data-intensive workloads. In the absence of rival deltas, a builder can infer that the 50th percentile placement means it will be outpaced by the upper half of the GPU market, but it will also outrun the lower half. For compute tasks like early GPGPU experiments or legacy OpenCL-style workloads, the 1,200.0 GFLOPS is usable, but it is nowhere near competitive with even entry-level modern cards. The lack of benchmark scores is a critical gap: there is no way to state a percentage lead or deficit against any specific rival, so all performance analysis must rest on the theoretical figures and the percentile rank. The fact that avgBenchmarkScore is exactly 0 suggests either no standardized tests were run or the data was not migrated into this database, so treat the theoretical numbers as the best available estimate.
FAQ
Q: Does the AMD FireStream 9270 support ray tracing?
A: No. The fact pack lists no RT cores for this card, so dedicated ray tracing hardware is absent.
Q: What is the memory bandwidth of this card?
A: The memory bandwidth is 115.2 GB/s, based on 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with an effective memory clock of 3.6 Gbps.
Q: What DirectX version does it support?
A: It supports DirectX 10.1 with a shader model of 10_1, along with OpenGL 3.3.
Q: How many shading units does it have?
A: It has 800 shading units, along with 40 texture mapping units and 16 ROPs.
Q: Is Vulkan supported?
A: No, the fact pack lists no Vulkan API support for this card.
Q: What is the FP32 compute performance?
A: The FP32 performance is rated at 1,200.0 GFLOPS, with no FP16 performance listed.
Power and Cooling
The FireStream 9270 carries a TDP of 160 W, which is moderate by historical standards but requires attention in a modern build. The power connectors are two 6-pin PCIe power inputs, and the suggested PSU rating is 450 W. This means a builder needs a power supply that can deliver at least that wattage, and the two 6-pin connectors must be available on the PSU's cables. The cooling solution is a dual-slot design, which occupies two expansion slots in a chassis; the card is 241 mm long (9.5 inches), 111 mm tall (4.4 inches), and 38 mm wide (1.5 inches). The dual-slot width indicates a substantial heatsink and fan assembly, which is necessary to dissipate the 160 W of heat. The lack of a base or boost clock in the fact pack means no dynamic clock behavior is specified, but the memory runs at 900 MHz. For a system builder, the 450 W PSU recommendation is a hard floor, not a suggestion — a lower-wattage unit risks instability under load. The two 6-pin connectors are mandatory; adapters from Molex or SATA are not listed as options, so the PSU must have native connectors. The PCIe 2.0 x16 interface draws power from the motherboard slot as well, but the bulk comes from the external connectors. The 38 mm width is a reminder to check case clearance, as some compact cases may not fit a dual-slot card of this length. The 160 W TDP also means the card will exhaust heat into the case, so adequate case airflow is recommended, though no specific cooling performance numbers are available.
Who Should Consider It
The FireStream 9270 is a candidate for builders running legacy compute workloads that rely on OpenGL 3.3 or DirectX 10.1, given the 1,200.0 GFLOPS FP32 throughput. At a 50th percentile ranking, it is not suited for modern gaming at any resolution — the 12.00 GPixel/s pixel rate and 30.00 GTexel/s texture rate are too low for 1080p high settings on contemporary titles. The 2 GB GDDR5 frame buffer is a further limitation; even at 1080p, many games will exceed that capacity, causing texture thrashing or out-of-memory errors. Instead, this card fits a niche: compute tasks that are single-threaded or lightly threaded and do not require large memory footprints. A builder with an older workstation or a retro compute rig could use it for early GPGPU experiments or software that targets the TeraScale architecture specifically. The 50th percentile placement means it will beat the bottom half of all GPUs, so it is not useless, but the top half will outrun it. For resolution-specific guidance, the data suggests avoiding 1440p or 4K entirely; even 1080p is marginal. The memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s is a clear bottleneck for any workload that streams data, so compute tasks with small working sets are the only sensible use. The lack of Vulkan and RT cores further restricts it to older software stacks. In short, only a builder with a specific legacy compute need should consider this card; anyone else should look at newer options. The dual-slot cooler and 160 W TDP are manageable, but the performance ceiling is low. The 450 W PSU requirement is easy to meet in most builds, but the card's age and end-of-life status mean driver support and availability are concerns. If the workload fits the TeraScale feature set and the 2 GB memory limit, it can serve, but expectations must be anchored to its 2008 origins and mid-pack percentile.
Detailed benchmark scores and charts for the AMD FireStream 9270 are below.
Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
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