AMD Radeon R7 Graphics vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded database contains a single head-to-head benchmark between these two graphics solutions, and it is a decisive one. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti scores 5,731 points, while the AMD Radeon R7 Graphics scores 4,015 points. This yields a delta of 42.7% in favor of the NVIDIA part. That is a substantial margin, roughly equivalent to the difference between a dedicated entry-level discrete GPU and an integrated processor graphics unit.

The 42.7% advantage is not a narrow win. It places the GTX 550 Ti in a different performance tier for compute workloads. The AMD Radeon R7 Graphics, despite having a higher raw shading unit count (384 vs. 192), falls behind significantly in this OpenCL test. The data suggests that architectural efficiency and memory bandwidth play a decisive role here, as the NVIDIA part has a dedicated 192-bit GDDR5 interface with 98.50 GB/s of bandwidth, while the AMD part relies on system shared memory with bandwidth described as "System Dependent."

Looking at the broader benchmark context, the GTX 550 Ti has an average benchmark score of 5,731, which places it at the 33rd percentile among all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670MX (5,721, a 0.2% difference), the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P6300 (5,712, a 0.3% difference), and the AMD Radeon HD 8790M (5,691, a 0.7% difference). The only rival that beats it is the AMD Radeon R7 M465, which scores 5,841, a 1.9% advantage. These numbers indicate that the GTX 550 Ti, despite its age, sits in a competitive cluster of mid-range mobile and entry-level desktop parts.

The AMD Radeon R7 Graphics, on the other hand, has a different profile. Its average benchmark score is 4,998, placing it at the 29th percentile. The nearest rivals for the R7 Graphics are the NVIDIA Quadro 4000 (4,979, a 0.4% difference), the AMD Radeon R5 M430 (5,018, a 0.4% deficit), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB (4,970, a 0.6% difference), and the AMD FirePro W4170M (5,034, a 0.7% deficit). The inclusion of the RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB in this list is notable, but the delta of 0.6% means they are statistically nearly identical in this particular benchmark, which is an artifact of the database's scoring method rather than a reflection of real-world gaming performance.

The AMD part also has a Vulkan score of 5,980, which is not directly comparable to the NVIDIA OpenCL result, but it does show that the R7 Graphics is not uniformly weak. In Vulkan, the AMD part scores higher than its own OpenCL result by a significant margin, indicating that the GCN 2.0 architecture responds well to newer APIs. However, since the only shared test is OpenCL, the head-to-head comparison remains firmly in NVIDIA's favor.

The Verdict

The data clearly indicates that the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti is the superior choice for any workload that relies on OpenCL compute. The 42.7% lead in the head-to-head benchmark is decisive, and the GTX 550 Ti's percentile rank of 33 versus the R7 Graphics' rank of 29 reinforces this. The GTX 550 Ti's dedicated memory subsystem, with its 192-bit bus and 98.50 GB/s bandwidth, provides a structural advantage that the AMD Radeon R7 Graphics cannot overcome with its system-shared memory architecture.

For users who need a discrete GPU with stable, predictable performance in legacy applications, the GTX 550 Ti is the clear pick. Its 1,024 MB of GDDR5 memory is fixed and dedicated, whereas the R7 Graphics must compete with the CPU for system memory bandwidth, which is described as "System Dependent." That dependency introduces variability that the GTX 550 Ti does not suffer from.

However, the AMD Radeon R7 Graphics has its own merits. It is an integrated graphics processor with a 25 W TDP, meaning it requires no additional power connectors and fits into an IGP slot. For a system builder who wants to avoid a discrete card entirely, the R7 Graphics offers a Vulkan 1.2.170 API capability that the GTX 550 Ti lacks (the NVIDIA part has no Vulkan support listed). The GTX 550 Ti, by contrast, is a dual-slot card requiring a 6-pin power connector and a 300 W suggested PSU.

The verdict from the data is straightforward: if you need raw OpenCL performance and have the power budget for a discrete card, choose the GTX 550 Ti. If you need a low-power, integrated solution with modern API support, the R7 Graphics is the only option between the two. The R7 Graphics also has a newer release date (2014-02-16 versus 2011-03-14), which means it benefits from a more modern architecture in terms of API compatibility, even if its raw compute score is lower.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from fundamentally different design philosophies and process nodes. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti is built on the GF116 chip using the Fermi 2.0 architecture, manufactured on a 40 nm process at TSMC. It contains 1,170 million transistors on a die size of 238 mm², yielding a transistor density of 4.9 million transistors per square millimeter. The AMD Radeon R7 Graphics, in contrast, uses the Spectre Lite chip based on the GCN 2.0 architecture, manufactured on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 2,410 million transistors into a 245 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 9.8 million per square millimeter, exactly double that of the NVIDIA chip.

The core configurations differ significantly. The GTX 550 Ti has 192 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 24 raster output units. The R7 Graphics has 384 shading units (double the NVIDIA count), but only 24 TMUs and 8 ROPs. This creates an interesting imbalance: the AMD part has more compute units but far fewer ROPs, which likely explains its lower pixel rate of 5.760 GPixel/s versus the GTX 550 Ti's 7.200 GPixel/s. Similarly, the texture rate favors NVIDIA at 28.80 GTexel/s versus AMD's 17.28 GTexel/s. The FP32 throughput also favors NVIDIA, at 691.2 GFLOPS versus 553.0 GFLOPS.

Memory architecture is where the two diverge most sharply. The GTX 550 Ti has a fixed 1,024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 192-bit bus, delivering 98.50 GB/s of bandwidth. The R7 Graphics has no dedicated memory at all; it uses system shared memory, with the bus width and memory type also listed as "System Shared," and bandwidth described as "System Dependent." This is a critical distinction. The GTX 550 Ti's memory clock is 1,026 MHz (4.1 Gbps effective), while the R7 Graphics has no listed memory clock because it relies on the host system's RAM.

In terms of API support, the AMD part is more modern. It supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The NVIDIA part supports DirectX 12 (11_0), OpenGL 4.6, but has no Vulkan support listed. This means the R7 Graphics can run Vulkan applications natively, while the GTX 550 Ti cannot. The GTX 550 Ti also uses PCIe 2.0 x16, while the R7 Graphics is an IGP with no bus interface beyond the motherboard integration.

Power and physical characteristics differ as well. The GTX 550 Ti has a TDP of 116 W, requires a 6-pin power connector, and is a dual-slot card measuring 210 mm (8.3 inches) in length. It has display outputs of 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a. The R7 Graphics has a TDP of just 25 W, requires no power connectors, and is an IGP with motherboard-dependent display outputs. The GTX 550 Ti is end-of-life, as is the R7 Graphics, but the NVIDIA part had a launch MSRP of 149 USD, while the AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher OpenCL score in the head-to-head benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti scores 5,731 points, which is 42.7% higher than the AMD Radeon R7 Graphics' score of 4,015 points in the Geekbench OpenCL test.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon R7 Graphics support Vulkan?

A: Yes, the AMD Radeon R7 Graphics supports Vulkan 1.2.170, along with DirectX 12 (12_0) and OpenGL 4.6. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti does not have Vulkan support listed, only DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two cards?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti has a dedicated memory bandwidth of 98.50 GB/s over a 192-bit GDDR5 interface with 1,024 MB of memory. The AMD Radeon R7 Graphics has no dedicated memory; its bandwidth is listed as "System Dependent" because it uses system shared memory.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel rate?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti has a pixel rate of 7.200 GPixel/s, which is higher than the AMD Radeon R7 Graphics' pixel rate of 5.760 GPixel/s.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in terms of transistor count?

A: The AMD Radeon R7 Graphics has 2,410 million transistors on a 245 mm² die, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti has 1,170 million transistors on a 238 mm² die. Despite having fewer transistors, the GTX 550 Ti achieves a higher FP32 throughput of 691.2 GFLOPS versus 553.0 GFLOPS.

Q: What is the TDP of each GPU?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti has a TDP of 116 W and requires a 6-pin power connector with a suggested PSU of 300 W. The AMD Radeon R7 Graphics has a TDP of 25 W and requires no external power connectors.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti wins decisively in OpenCL compute performance, with a 42.7% lead in the head-to-head test. It also wins on memory bandwidth (98.50 GB/s dedicated versus system dependent), pixel rate (7.200 GPixel/s versus 5.760 GPixel/s), texture rate (28.80 GTexel/s versus 17.28 GTexel/s), and FP32 throughput (691.2 GFLOPS versus 553.0 GFLOPS). For any application that relies on these metrics, whether it is OpenCL acceleration, legacy DirectX 11 workloads, or tasks that benefit from fixed memory latency, the GTX 550 Ti is the stronger performer.

The AMD Radeon R7 Graphics wins on power efficiency, with a TDP of 25 W versus 116 W. It also wins on API modernity, supporting DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170, whereas the GTX 550 Ti only supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and has no Vulkan support. The R7 Graphics also has double the shading units (384 versus 192), which could benefit workloads that are compute-bound but not memory-bound, though the OpenCL data does not reflect such an advantage. The R7 Graphics is the clear choice for a low-power, integrated system where a discrete GPU is not an option.

In terms of use cases, the GTX 550 Ti suits a legacy desktop build where dedicated graphics are needed for OpenCL-based productivity tasks or older games that do not require Vulkan. The R7 Graphics suits a compact, power-efficient system where the motherboard provides the display outputs and the user values modern API support over raw compute performance. The data shows no scenario where the R7 Graphics outperforms the GTX 550 Ti in the shared OpenCL test, but the R7 Graphics' Vulkan score of 5,980 suggests it has strengths in newer API environments that the GTX 550 Ti cannot access at all.