AMD Radeon 550X vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Comparison

The data shows a decisive matchup between two GPUs from different eras and performance classes. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070, a 2016 enthusiast-class card built on Pascal, utterly outclasses the AMD Radeon 550X, a 2019 entry-level part based on GCN 4.0. In the only two directly comparable benchmark tests, the GTX 1070 wins both by enormous margins, but a deeper look at the specifications reveals why these cards are not just different in speed, but fundamentally different in design goals.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are unambiguous. In Geekbench OpenCL, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 achieves a score of 44,700, while the AMD Radeon 550X manages only 8,866. This translates to a delta of 404.2% in favor of the GTX 1070. To put that in perspective, the GTX 1070 is roughly five times faster in raw compute throughput as measured by this test. The gap is not a slight edge; it is a chasm that separates a card capable of high-resolution gaming from one intended for basic display output.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the story remains the same, though the margin narrows slightly in relative terms. The GTX 1070 scores 22,121, against the Radeon 550X's 8,970. That is a 146.6% advantage for the NVIDIA card. While the Vulkan test shows the AMD part performs relatively better than it does in OpenCL, it still trails by a factor of nearly 2.5. This suggests the 550X's architecture is not completely obsolete, but its hardware resources are simply too limited to compete at the same level.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this hierarchy. The GTX 1070 has an average score of 9,780 across all its tested workloads, placing it in the 47th percentile of all GPUs. The Radeon 550X, with an average score of only 8,918, sits at the 45th percentile. While the percentile difference is small—just two points—the raw score difference of 862 points is significant at this performance tier. Looking at the nearest rivals confirms the positioning: the GTX 1070 trades blows with professional workstation cards like the AMD FirePro W5000 (delta -0.2%) and the NVIDIA Quadro M2000M (delta -0.5%), while the Radeon 550X sits alongside much older gaming hardware like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 (delta -1.2%) and even the NVIDIA TITAN V CEO Edition (delta -1.3%), the latter being a statistical anomaly rather than a real-world comparison.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two cards is vast. The GTX 1070 uses the GP104 chip, built on NVIDIA's Pascal architecture, fabricated on a 16 nm process at TSMC. This is a large, complex die measuring 314 mm² and containing 7,200 million transistors, resulting in a transistor density of 22.9M per mm². In contrast, the Radeon 550X uses the Lexa chip, based on AMD's GCN 4.0 architecture from the Polaris family. It is manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with a much smaller die of 103 mm² and just 2,200 million transistors, giving a density of 21.4M per mm². The GTX 1070 has over three times the transistor count of the 550X, which is the primary driver behind its massive performance lead.

The compute resources differ accordingly. The GTX 1070 is equipped with 1,920 shading units, 120 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 64 render output units (ROPs). The Radeon 550X, by contrast, has just 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. This is a 3.75x difference in shading units and a 4x difference in both TMUs and ROPs. The pixel fill rate of the GTX 1070 is 107.7 GPixel/s, versus a paltry 19.49 GPixel/s for the 550X. Texture rate similarly favors the NVIDIA card at 202.0 GTexel/s against 38.98 GTexel/s. These figures directly translate to the benchmark results, as the GTX 1070 can fill the screen with far more detailed geometry and effects.

Memory architecture is another fundamental split. The GTX 1070 uses an 8 GB frame buffer of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 256.3 GB/s. The 550X has only 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, providing 112.0 GB/s. The GTX 1070's memory clock is also higher, at 2002 MHz (8 Gbps effective), versus 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective) for the AMD part. The combination of a wider bus and faster memory means the GTX 1070 can feed its powerful GPU with data far more efficiently, avoiding bottlenecks in high-resolution textures and complex scenes.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in compute workloads?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is overwhelmingly faster. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 44,700 versus 8,866 for the AMD Radeon 550X, a 404.2% difference. In FP32 compute, the GTX 1070 delivers 6.463 TFLOPS, while the 550X manages just 1,247.2 GFLOPS.

Q: How do their memory capacities and bandwidth compare?

A: The GTX 1070 has 8 GB of GDDR5 with a 256-bit bus and 256.3 GB/s bandwidth. The Radeon 550X has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, with 112.0 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 1070 has over twice the bandwidth and four times the memory capacity.

Q: Is the Radeon 550X better at anything compared to the GTX 1070?

A: In the head-to-head benchmark data, the Radeon 550X wins zero tests. However, it has a significantly lower TDP of 50 W (versus 150 W for the GTX 1070) and requires no external power connectors, whereas the GTX 1070 needs a single 8-pin connector.

Q: What are the API support differences?

A: Both cards support DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.6. The GTX 1070 supports DirectX 12_1 and Vulkan 1.4, while the Radeon 550X supports DirectX 12_0 and Vulkan 1.3. The GTX 1070 also has a higher FP16 compute rate of 101.0 GFLOPS (1:64), whereas the 550X has an FP16 rate of 1,247.2 GFLOPS (1:1).

Q: How do the cards compare in size and power requirements?

A: The GTX 1070 is 267 mm long, 112 mm tall, and 40 mm wide, with a suggested PSU of 450 W. The Radeon 550X is only 145 mm long, with no height or width dimensions listed, and its suggested PSU is 250 W. The GTX 1070 is dual-slot, as is the 550X.

Q: Which card sits higher in the overall GPU hierarchy?

A: The GTX 1070 has an average benchmark score of 9,780 and is in the 47th percentile of all GPUs. The Radeon 550X has an average score of 8,918 and sits in the 45th percentile. The GTX 1070's nearest rivals include professional cards like the FirePro W5000, while the 550X's rivals are older gaming GPUs like the GTX 660.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two cards:

• Process Node: 16 nm (NVIDIA) vs 14 nm (AMD)
• Transistors: 7,200 million vs 2,200 million
• Die Size: 314 mm² vs 103 mm²
• Transistor Density: 22.9M / mm² vs 21.4M / mm²
• Base Clock: 1506 MHz vs 1082 MHz
• Boost Clock: 1683 MHz vs 1218 MHz
• Memory Clock: 2002 MHz (8 Gbps effective) vs 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective)
• Memory Size: 8 GB vs 2 GB
• Memory Bus Width: 256 bit vs 128 bit
• Memory Bandwidth: 256.3 GB/s vs 112.0 GB/s
• Shading Units: 1,920 vs 512
• TMUs: 120 vs 32
• ROPs: 64 vs 16
• Pixel Rate: 107.7 GPixel/s vs 19.49 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: 202.0 GTexel/s vs 38.98 GTexel/s
• FP32 Performance: 6.463 TFLOPS vs 1,247.2 GFLOPS
• FP16 Performance: 101.0 GFLOPS (1:64) vs 1,247.2 GFLOPS (1:1)
• TDP: 150 W vs 50 W
• Power Connectors: 1x 8-pin vs None
• Suggested PSU: 450 W vs 250 W
• Bus Interface: PCIe 3.0 x16 vs PCIe 3.0 x8
• Display Outputs: 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a vs 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DisplayPort 1.4a
• DirectX Support: 12 (12_1) vs 12 (12_0)
• Vulkan Support: 1.4 vs 1.3
• Dimensions: 267 mm x 112 mm x 40 mm vs 145 mm length only
• Release Date: 2016-06-09 vs 2019-03-26

The Verdict

The data presents a clear choice for any builder. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is a far superior performer in every head-to-head benchmark, with a 404.2% lead in OpenCL and a 146.6% lead in Vulkan. Its larger memory pool, wider memory bus, and higher compute throughput make it suitable for gaming at high resolutions and settings, as well as compute tasks. The AMD Radeon 550X, however, is a low-power solution with a 50 W TDP and no external power connector, making it ideal for slim, low-cost systems where power draw and physical size are primary concerns. The GTX 1070's launch MSRP was 379 USD, but its performance class is far above the 550X's. The Radeon 550X wins no benchmarks, so the only reason to select it is for its minimal power footprint and compact length of 145 mm.

Where Each One Wins

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070: This is the winner for any application requiring graphical horsepower. It wins all benchmark tests, offers 8 GB of VRAM for modern high-resolution textures, and provides sufficient bandwidth (256.3 GB/s) to avoid stuttering in demanding titles. Its FP32 performance of 6.463 TFLOPS makes it a viable option for entry-level compute tasks, and its support for DirectX 12_1 and Vulkan 1.4 ensures compatibility with the latest APIs. The GTX 1070 is the choice for a gaming rig or a workstation that needs reliable, fast rendering.

AMD Radeon 550X: The 550X's advantage lies entirely in its physical and electrical specifications. With a TDP of just 50 W, it can be powered by the motherboard's PCIe slot alone, requiring no external power connectors. Its 145 mm length makes it suitable for small form factor cases where space is at a premium. It also offers a 1:1 FP16 ratio (1,247.2 GFLOPS), which could be useful in specific compute workloads that leverage half-precision math, though its overall compute is far lower than the GTX 1070. The 550X is a card for basic display output, HTPCs, or legacy system upgrades, not for competitive gaming.