AMD Radeon RX 550X vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M Comparison

# GPU Comparison: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M vs AMD Radeon RX 550X

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M and AMD Radeon RX 550X represent two very different eras of mobile and small-form-factor graphics. The GTX 780M, built on Kepler for the GeForce 700M generation, and the RX 550X, built on GCN 4.0 for the Polaris RX 500X generation, target distinct use cases despite both being end-of-life products. Benchmark data shows the GTX 780M holds a clear performance lead in the two available head-to-head tests, with a 32.2% advantage in Geekbench OpenCL and a 12.4% advantage in Geekbench Vulkan. However, the RX 550X counters with significantly lower power consumption, a smaller physical footprint, and more modern API support.

Where Each One Wins

The data splits these two GPUs along predictable lines: raw compute versus efficiency and modern feature support. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M wins both head-to-head benchmark tests decisively. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 12,769 against the RX 550X's 9,662, a 32.2% margin. In Geekbench Vulkan, the GTX 780M scores 12,696 versus 11,299, a 12.4% advantage. These are not marginal differences; the GTX 780M delivers substantially higher throughput in both compute and graphics API workloads.

The AMD Radeon RX 550X wins in every category related to power efficiency and physical design. Its TDP is 50 W compared to the GTX 780M's 122 W, meaning it draws less than half the power. The RX 550X is a dual-slot card at 145 mm in length, while the GTX 780M is an MXM module, a form factor designed for laptop upgrades rather than desktop use. The RX 550X also supports newer API versions, with DirectX 12 (12_0) versus the GTX 780M's DirectX 12 (11_0), and Vulkan 1.3 versus 1.2.175. For systems constrained by power budgets or physical space, the RX 550X is the more practical choice, even though it loses on raw performance.

The GTX 780M's wins are concentrated in compute-heavy tasks. Its texture rate of 102.0 GTexel/s is more than 2.5 times the RX 550X's 37.86 GTexel/s, and its pixel rate of 25.50 GPixel/s outpaces the RX 550X's 18.93 GPixel/s. The FP32 throughput of 2.448 TFLOPS nearly doubles the RX 550X's 1,211.4 GFLOPS. These numbers indicate the GTX 780M is better suited for workloads that scale with shading units and memory bandwidth, such as rendering, simulation, and compute offload.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is substantial, reflecting a five-year difference in release dates. The GTX 780M uses the GK104 chip on a 28 nm process at TSMC, with 3,540 million transistors on a 294 mm² die. The RX 550X uses the Lexa chip on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, packing 2,200 million transistors into a 103 mm² die. The transistor density tells the story: the RX 550X achieves 21.4 million transistors per mm², nearly double the GTX 780M's 12.0 million per mm².

The GTX 780M is built on the Kepler architecture, which prioritized raw throughput through a wide design. It features 1,536 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The memory subsystem is equally broad: a 256-bit bus carrying 4 GB of GDDR5 at 160.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 550X, on the other hand, uses the GCN 4.0 architecture with a leaner configuration: 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. Its memory interface is 128-bit with the same 4 GB GDDR5 capacity but only 96.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Clock speeds favor the RX 550X in raw frequency. Its base clock is 1100 MHz with a boost of 1183 MHz, while the GTX 780M runs at 771 MHz base and 797 MHz boost. The RX 550X also runs its memory at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective) versus the GTX 780M's 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective). However, the GTX 780M's wider execution resources and memory bus more than compensate for the frequency disadvantage, as the benchmark results confirm.

API support differs meaningfully. The RX 550X supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the GTX 780M is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6, but the RX 550X supports Vulkan 1.3 versus the GTX 780M's Vulkan 1.2.175. Neither GPU has ray tracing or tensor cores. The RX 550X also offers FP16 at the same rate as FP32 (1,211.4 GFLOPS), while the GTX 780M has no listed FP16 capability.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two available head-to-head benchmarks show a consistent pattern: the GTX 780M leads in both, but the margin varies significantly by workload. In Geekbench OpenCL, the GTX 780M scores 12,769 against the RX 550X's 9,662, a 32.2% delta. This is the GTX 780M's largest win and reflects its advantage in compute-oriented tasks. The OpenCL benchmark stresses raw floating-point throughput and memory bandwidth, both areas where the GTX 780M's 256-bit bus and 2.448 TFLOPS FP32 performance dominate.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the gap narrows considerably. The GTX 780M scores 12,696, while the RX 550X scores 11,299, a 12.4% delta. Vulkan is a lower-level API that can more efficiently utilize the RX 550X's newer architecture, partially mitigating the GTX 780M's hardware advantages. Still, the GTX 780M wins by a comfortable margin, showing that its Kepler design remains competitive even against a newer GCN implementation.

The GTX 780M's average benchmark score of 11,261 places it at the 50th percentile among all GPUs, while the RX 550X's average of 10,481 sits at the 49th percentile. The nearest rivals for the GTX 780M include the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3200 (11,228, 0.3% behind) and the NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Max-Q (11,088, 1.6% behind). The RX 550X's rivals include the AMD Radeon R9 M275X (10,582, 1% ahead) and the AMD Radeon RX 6600S (10,629, 1.4% ahead). These rankings show both GPUs occupy a similar performance tier, despite the head-to-head delta favoring the GTX 780M.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in compute workloads?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M is significantly faster. It wins Geekbench OpenCL by 32.2% (12,769 vs 9,662) and Geekbench Vulkan by 12.4% (12,696 vs 11,299).

Q: Does the AMD Radeon RX 550X have any performance advantage?

A: No. The RX 550X loses both head-to-head benchmarks. Its only advantages are in power consumption (50 W vs 122 W TDP), physical size (145 mm dual-slot vs MXM module), and newer API support (DirectX 12_0, Vulkan 1.3).

Q: How do these GPUs compare in memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 780M has a 256-bit bus with 160.0 GB/s bandwidth, while the RX 550X has a 128-bit bus with 96.00 GB/s bandwidth. Both have 4 GB of GDDR5 memory.

Q: Which GPU is more power-efficient?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 550X is far more power-efficient, with a 50 W TDP compared to the GTX 780M's 122 W. The RX 550X also uses a more advanced 14 nm process versus the GTX 780M's 28 nm process.

Q: Can the GTX 780M be used in a desktop PC?

A: The GTX 780M uses an MXM module form factor with an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface, designed for laptops. The RX 550X is a dual-slot card with a PCIe 3.0 x8 interface and standard display outputs (1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DisplayPort 1.4a).

Q: Which GPU has better API support for modern games?

A: The RX 550X supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, while the GTX 780M supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175. The RX 550X also supports FP16 compute at 1:1 ratio, which the GTX 780M lacks.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear choice based on priorities. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M is the performance winner, taking both head-to-head benchmarks with margins of 32.2% in OpenCL and 12.4% in Vulkan. Its broader memory bus, higher texture and pixel rates, and nearly double FP32 throughput make it the superior choice for compute-heavy applications. Users who need maximum performance from a laptop MXM module and can tolerate 122 W power draw should select the GTX 780M.

The AMD Radeon RX 550X is the efficiency pick. Its 50 W TDP makes it suitable for systems with limited power delivery, and its 145 mm dual-slot design fits in standard desktop cases. The RX 550X also offers more modern API support, including Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12_0, which may matter for compatibility with newer software. For users building a low-power desktop system or upgrading an older machine with a PCIe slot, the RX 550X is the more practical option despite losing on raw performance.

Neither GPU is currently competitive at the high end; the GTX 780M sits at the 50th percentile and the RX 550X at the 49th percentile among all GPUs. The GTX 780M's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 3200, is within 0.3% of its average score, while the RX 550X's nearest rival, the AMD Radeon R9 M275X, is 1% faster. These are closely matched products in the mid-range tier, with the GTX 780M holding a consistent edge in direct comparison.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M | AMD Radeon RX 550X |

|---|---|---|

| Chip | GK104 | Lexa |

| Architecture | Kepler | GCN 4.0 |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | GlobalFoundries |

| Transistors | 3,540 million | 2,200 million |

| Die Size | 294 mm² | 103 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.0M / mm² | 21.4M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 771 MHz | 1100 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 797 MHz | 1183 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective) | 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 160.0 GB/s | 96.00 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1536 | 512 |

| TMUs | 128 | 32 |

| ROPs | 32 | 16 |

| Pixel Rate | 25.50 GPixel/s | 18.93 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 102.0 GTexel/s | 37.86 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 2.448 TFLOPS | 1,211.4 GFLOPS |

| FP16 | N/A | 1,211.4 GFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 122 W | 50 W |

| Slot Width | MXM Module | Dual-slot |

| Bus Interface | MXM-B (3.0) | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| DirectX | 12 (11_0) | 12 (12_0) |

| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |

| Vulkan | 1.2.175 | 1.3 |

| Length | N/A | 145 mm (5.7 inches) |

| Release Date | 2013-05-10 | 2018-12-15 |

| Predecessor | GeForce 600M | Polaris |

| Successor | GeForce 800M | Vega |