AMD Radeon RX 6550M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Comparison

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 and AMD Radeon RX 6550M occupy opposite ends of the graphics hardware spectrum, and the benchmark data reflects this divide with stark clarity. The RTX 4080 is a 320 W desktop flagship built on the Ada Lovelace architecture, while the RX 6550M is an 80 W mobile IGP-grade part based on RDNA 2.0. Across the two shared benchmark results, the RTX 4080 wins outright in both tests, with margins exceeding 400%. The data shows no scenario where the RX 6550M takes the lead in raw compute or API performance.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 dominates every measurable category in the head-to-head data. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 4080 scores 214,739 against the RX 6550M’s 42,536, a delta of 404.8%. In Geekbench Vulkan, the RTX 4080 posts 263,779 versus 50,867, a delta of 418.6%. This is a complete sweep in the two tests where both GPUs have recorded scores. The RTX 4080 also holds a broader benchmark portfolio with 10 recorded tests, including 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 (6,567), Passmark G3D (34,457), and Passmark GPU Compute (20,671). The RX 6550M has only two recorded benchmarks, both in Geekbench, limiting any analysis of its strengths to those two API workloads.

The RX 6550M does not win any benchmark in the shared data set. Its wins, if any, would have to be inferred from its architectural positioning rather than actual scores. As a 6 nm mobile part with a 64-bit memory bus and 4 GB of GDDR6, its design targets power efficiency and compact form factors, not peak throughput. The data shows the RTX 4080 as the unequivocal performance leader, with the RX 6550M’s only consolation being its 85th percentile rank among all GPUs, which is only one percentage point below the RTX 4080’s 86th percentile. That percentile proximity suggests the RX 6550M performs well relative to the broader GPU landscape, even if it cannot compete with the RTX 4080 directly.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs share a foundry — TSMC — but diverge on nearly every other architectural axis. The RTX 4080 uses a 5 nm process with 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 121.1M per mm². The RX 6550M uses a 6 nm process with 5,400 million transistors on a 107 mm² die, for a density of 50.5M per mm². The RTX 4080’s die is 3.5 times larger and packs 8.5 times more transistors, which explains its massive compute advantage. The RTX 4080’s FP32 throughput is 48.74 TFLOPS, while the RX 6550M delivers 5.816 TFLOPS — an 8.4x gap. In FP16, the RTX 4080 maintains 48.74 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), whereas the RX 6550M doubles its FP32 rate to 11.63 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), yet still trails by 4.2x.

Memory subsystems further separate the two. The RTX 4080 has 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus, delivering 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 6550M has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, with 144.0 GB/s — a 5x bandwidth deficit. The RTX 4080’s memory clock is 1400 MHz (22.4 Gbps effective) versus the RX 6550M’s 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective). Shader resources are equally lopsided: the RTX 4080 has 9,728 shading units, 304 TMUs, and 112 ROPs, while the RX 6550M has 1,024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The RTX 4080 also features 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores; the RX 6550M has 16 RT cores and no tensor cores, reflecting its RDNA 2.0 design without dedicated AI acceleration hardware.

The power envelope is a critical differentiator. The RTX 4080 has a 320 W TDP and requires a triple-slot cooler with a 16-pin connector and a 700 W suggested PSU. The RX 6550M has an 80 W TDP, is classified as an IGP (integrated graphics processor), and requires no power connectors. The RTX 4080 is end-of-life, released in 2022, while the RX 6550M is active and launched in 2023. The RTX 4080’s predecessor is GeForce 30 and its successor is GeForce 50; the RX 6550M’s predecessor is Polaris Mobile and it has no successor listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Geekbench OpenCL shows the RTX 4080 with a score of 214,739 versus 42,536 for the RX 6550M, a 404.8% advantage. This is not a close contest; the RTX 4080 outperforms by a factor of 5.05x. In Geekbench Vulkan, the RTX 4080 scores 263,779 against 50,867, a 418.6% delta — a factor of 5.19x. The Vulkan margin is slightly larger than OpenCL, suggesting the RTX 4080’s architecture scales better with lower-level API overhead. Both results are consistent with the FP32 and bandwidth ratios, confirming that the performance gap is proportional to raw hardware resources.

The RTX 4080’s own benchmark suite provides additional context. Its 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 6,567 and Passmark G3D score of 34,457 are not directly comparable to the RX 6550M because the latter lacks those test results. However, the RTX 4080’s Passmark GPU Compute score of 20,671 and its average benchmark score of 54,247 indicate a GPU that sits at the 86th percentile of all GPUs. The RX 6550M’s average benchmark score is 46,702, which is 15.2% lower than the RTX 4080’s average, yet its percentile rank is only 1 point lower at 85. This discrepancy arises because the RX 6550M’s average is drawn from only two benchmarks, while the RTX 4080’s average spans ten tests, including compute-heavy workloads where the RTX 4080 excels.

The nearest rival data reinforces the RTX 4080’s positioning. The RTX 4080 SUPER scores 54,209 on average, just 0.1% higher than the RTX 4080’s 54,247. The AMD Radeon Pro W5700X scores 54,828, which is 1.1% higher than the RTX 4080, and the AMD Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12 GB scores 55,698, 2.6% higher. These sub-3% deltas place the RTX 4080 in a tightly clustered performance tier. The RX 6550M’s rivals are similarly close: Intel Arc A530M scores 46,614 (0.2% higher), AMD Radeon RX 5600M scores 46,601 (0.2% higher), NVIDIA RTX A2000 scores 46,043 (1.4% lower), and NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation scores 45,972 (1.6% lower). The RX 6550M is competitive within its own class, but that class is fundamentally different from the RTX 4080’s.

The Verdict

The data supports a simple conclusion: the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 is in a different performance league than the AMD Radeon RX 6550M. With a 404.8% lead in OpenCL and a 418.6% lead in Vulkan, the RTX 4080 is between 5.0x and 5.2x faster in the only directly comparable tests. This is not a marginal difference; it is an order-of-magnitude gap in compute capability, memory bandwidth, and shader throughput. The RTX 4080’s 48.74 TFLOPS of FP32, 716.8 GB/s of bandwidth, and 16 GB of VRAM make it suitable for high-end desktop gaming and professional workloads. The RX 6550M’s 5.816 TFLOPS, 144.0 GB/s, and 4 GB of VRAM position it as a power-efficient mobile solution for entry-level gaming or productivity.

The RX 6550M’s 85th percentile ranking shows it is not a weak GPU in absolute terms — it outperforms 85% of all GPUs in the database. But the head-to-head data leaves no room for nuance: the RTX 4080 wins both shared benchmarks decisively. For users requiring maximum performance per frame, the RTX 4080 is the clear choice. For users prioritizing low power draw and compact integration, the RX 6550M is a credible option, but they cannot expect desktop flagship performance from an 80 W mobile part. The architectural differences — 5 nm versus 6 nm, 45,900 million versus 5,400 million transistors, 256-bit versus 64-bit memory bus — explain the performance chasm. The RTX 4080 is a triple-slot, 320 W desktop behemoth; the RX 6550M is a power connector-free IGP. They serve different markets, and the data shows the RTX 4080 is the benchmark winner in every shared test.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 scores 214,739, which is 404.8% higher than the AMD Radeon RX 6550M’s 42,536.

Q: How large is the Vulkan performance gap?

A: In Geekbench Vulkan, the RTX 4080 scores 263,779 versus 50,867 for the RX 6550M, a 418.6% delta in favor of the RTX 4080.

Q: What are the memory configurations of each GPU?

A: The RTX 4080 has 16 GB of GDDR6X on a 256-bit bus with 716.8 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 6550M has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus with 144.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: How do their power requirements differ?

A: The RTX 4080 has a 320 W TDP, requires a triple-slot cooler, a 16-pin power connector, and a 700 W suggested PSU. The RX 6550M has an 80 W TDP, is an IGP, and requires no power connectors.

Q: What is the transistor count difference?

A: The RTX 4080 contains 45,900 million transistors on a 379 mm² die, while the RX 6550M contains 5,400 million transistors on a 107 mm² die.

Q: Which GPU has a higher percentile rank among all GPUs?

A: The RTX 4080 ranks in the 86th percentile, while the RX 6550M ranks in the 85th percentile — a difference of just one percentage point.