NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M and GTX 770M are both end-of-life mobile graphics processors, but they belong to different eras and performance classes. The data shows the GTX 770M is the clear winner in raw compute, yet the GT 555M holds a higher percentile ranking. This creates a nuanced choice depending on the workload and the software environment.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits the two GPUs by workload type. The GTX 770M wins the only head-to-head compute test, scoring 8,552 in Geekbench OpenCL against the GT 555M’s 6,493. That is a 24.1% advantage, making the GTX 770M the definitive pick for OpenCL-accelerated tasks like video encoding, physics simulations, and productivity applications that leverage GPU compute. The GT 555M does not win any direct benchmark comparisons, but its percentile ranking tells a different story: it sits at the 37th percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 770M sits at the 35th percentile. This implies the GT 555M outperforms a larger share of the overall GPU landscape, despite losing the direct head-to-head. For legacy applications that rely on older driver paths or specific Fermi-era optimizations, the GT 555M may be the more reliable choice, even if its absolute performance is lower.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from distinct architectural generations. The GT 555M is built on the Fermi architecture with the GF106 chip, manufactured on a 40 nm process at TSMC. It packs 1,170 million transistors into a 238 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 4.9 million per square millimeter. The GTX 770M uses the newer Kepler architecture with the GK106 chip, also from TSMC but on a 28 nm process. This smaller node allows 2,540 million transistors in a 221 mm² die, giving a density of 11.5 million per square millimeter—more than double the GT 555M’s density. The GTX 770M also has a defined base clock of 706 MHz and a boost clock of 797 MHz, while the GT 555M does not list any base or boost clock values. The GT 555M’s memory runs at 900 MHz (1,800 Mbps effective), whereas the GTX 770M’s memory runs at 1,002 MHz (4 Gbps effective). The GTX 770M supports Vulkan 1.2.175, while the GT 555M does not list Vulkan support. Both share the same DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6 feature levels.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test. The GTX 770M scores 8,552, while the GT 555M scores 6,493. The delta is -24.1% from the GTX 770M’s perspective, meaning the GT 555M trails by roughly a quarter. In practical terms, this means a task that takes 10 minutes on the GTX 770M would take about 13.2 minutes on the GT 555M. The GTX 770M’s advantage comes from its substantially larger compute resources: it has 960 shading units, 80 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 24 render output units (ROPs), compared to the GT 555M’s 144 shading units, 24 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The GTX 770M’s pixel rate of 15.94 GPixel/s is 4.5 times higher than the GT 555M’s 3.540 GPixel/s, and its texture rate of 63.76 GTexel/s is also 4.5 times higher than the GT 555M’s 14.16 GTexel/s. Floating-point performance tells a similar story: the GTX 770M delivers 1.530 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the GT 555M delivers 339.8 GFLOPS—a 4.5x gap. These architectural advantages translate directly into the benchmark win, though neither GPU is a modern powerhouse by current standards.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The GT 555M has an average benchmark score of 6,493, while the GTX 770M’s average is 6,000. This is because the GTX 770M’s average includes a Geekbench Metal score of 3,448, which drags down its average, whereas the GT 555M only has the OpenCL score of 6,493.

Q: Does the GTX 770M support Vulkan?

A: Yes, the GTX 770M supports Vulkan 1.2.175. The GT 555M does not list any Vulkan support, so it is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6.

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The GTX 770M has 96.19 GB/s of bandwidth, compared to the GT 555M’s 28.80 GB/s. This is due to the GTX 770M’s wider 192-bit bus and faster GDDR5 memory, versus the GT 555M’s 128-bit DDR3 bus.

Q: What is the transistor density difference between the two chips?

A: The GTX 770M’s GK106 chip has a transistor density of 11.5 million per mm², while the GT 555M’s GF106 chip has 4.9 million per mm². The 28 nm process enables this higher density despite the GTX 770M’s smaller die size of 221 mm² versus 238 mm² for the GT 555M.

Q: Which GPU has a higher pixel fill rate?

A: The GTX 770M has a pixel rate of 15.94 GPixel/s, which is over four times higher than the GT 555M’s 3.540 GPixel/s. This makes the GTX 770M better suited for high-resolution rendering tasks.

Q: What are the power requirements for each GPU?

A: The GT 555M has a TDP of 35 W, while the GTX 770M has a TDP of 75 W. The GTX 770M uses an MXM-B (3.0) interface and an MXM Module slot width, while the GT 555M uses PCIe 2.0 x16 and is listed as "Portable Device Dependent" for its interface.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two GPUs, based solely on the data provided:

| Specification | GT 555M | GTX 770M |

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

| Architecture | Fermi | Kepler |

| Chip | GF106 | GK106 |

| Generation | GeForce 500M | GeForce 700M |

| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 1,170 million | 2,540 million |

| Die Size | 238 mm² | 221 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 4.9M / mm² | 11.5M / mm² |

| Base Clock | — | 706 MHz |

| Boost Clock | — | 797 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 900 MHz / 1800 Mbps effective | 1002 MHz / 4 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 1024 MB | 3 GB |

| Memory Type | DDR3 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 192 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 28.80 GB/s | 96.19 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 144 | 960 |

| TMUs | 24 | 80 |

| ROPs | 16 | 24 |

| Pixel Rate | 3.540 GPixel/s | 15.94 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 14.16 GTexel/s | 63.76 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 339.8 GFLOPS | 1.530 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 35 W | 75 W |

| Slot Width | — | MXM Module |

| Power Connectors | — | None |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 2.0 x16 | MXM-B (3.0) |

| Vulkan Support | — | 1.2.175 |

| Release Date | 2011-07-01 | 2013-05-29 |

| Predecessor | GeForce 400M | GeForce 600M |

| Successor | GeForce 600M | GeForce 800M |

| Benchmark Scores | Geekbench OpenCL: 6,493 | Geekbench Metal: 3,448; Geekbench OpenCL: 8,552 |

| Average Benchmark Score | 6,493 | 6,000 |

| Percentile vs All GPUs | 37 | 35 |

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split decision. For any workload that uses OpenCL, the GTX 770M is the superior part—it leads by 24.1% in the only direct head-to-head benchmark, and its architectural specifications (960 shading units, 80 TMUs, 24 ROPs, 96.19 GB/s bandwidth) dwarf the GT 555M’s in every measurable category. If you are running modern compute tasks or games that scale with raw shading power, the GTX 770M is the only reasonable choice. However, the GT 555M’s higher percentile ranking (37th vs 35th) and its higher average benchmark score (6,493 vs 6,000) suggest it punches above its weight in the broader GPU ecosystem. This is likely because the GTX 770M’s average is dragged down by its weak Metal score of 3,448, which is not a meaningful metric for most PC workloads. The GT 555M also has a much lower TDP of 35 W versus 75 W, making it more suitable for thin-and-light laptops where thermal headroom is scarce. The GTX 770M’s 3 GB GDDR5 frame buffer and 192-bit bus give it a massive memory advantage for modern game textures, but the GT 555M’s 1 GB DDR3 is adequate for older titles. In short: pick the GTX 770M for performance-critical applications, pick the GT 555M for compatibility with a wider range of legacy systems and lower power draw. The data does not support any other conclusion.