NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti and the NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M represent two distinct eras of mobile and small-form-factor graphics. The data shows the GTX 1050 Ti, a Pascal-generation part, holds a commanding lead over the older Kepler-based GT 755M in every benchmark where both were tested. While the GT 755M was once a capable option for its time, the benchmark results indicate the GTX 1050 Ti delivers a generational leap in raw compute and graphics performance, making it the clear choice for any modern workload.

Where Each One Wins

The performance split between these two GPUs is one-sided, with the GTX 1050 Ti winning both head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The data shows no benchmark where the GT 755M comes out ahead. This is not a close contest; it is a decisive victory for the newer architecture. The GTX 1050 Ti’s wins are substantial, with a 150.1% advantage in the Geekbench Metal test and a staggering 267.4% advantage in the Geekbench OpenCL test.

The GTX 1050 Ti’s dominance is rooted in its hardware specifications. It features double the shading units (768 vs 384), 50% more texture mapping units (48 vs 32), and double the ROPs (32 vs 16) compared to the GT 755M. These architectural advantages translate directly to higher fill rates and compute throughput. The GTX 1050 Ti also operates at significantly higher clocks, with a base clock of 1291 MHz and a boost clock of 1392 MHz, compared to the GT 755M’s 980 MHz base and 1020 MHz boost.

Furthermore, the GTX 1050 Ti benefits from a more efficient 14 nm process node (Samsung) versus the 28 nm node (TSMC) used for the GT 755M. This allows the GTX 1050 Ti to pack 3,300 million transistors into a 132 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 25.0M / mm², compared to the GT 755M’s 1,270 million transistors on a 118 mm² die (10.8M / mm²). The newer process also enables higher clock speeds without a massive increase in power draw, as evidenced by the 75 W TDP for the GTX 1050 Ti versus the 50 W TDP for the GT 755M.

The GT 755M’s only potential advantage lies in its lower power consumption and historical context. As an MXM module with a 50 W TDP, it was designed for thinner, lighter laptops that prioritized battery life over performance. However, its performance ceiling is far lower. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the GTX 1050 Ti scores 18129 points, while the GT 755M manages only 4934 points. This indicates that the GTX 1050 Ti is not just faster; it is in a different performance class entirely, despite having a higher power draw.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unequivocal. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is the superior product for any user prioritizing performance. Its average benchmark score of 4193 places it in the 25th percentile of all GPUs, while the GT 755M’s average score of 4033 places it in the 24th percentile. Although the percentile rankings are close, the head-to-head results reveal the true gap. The GTX 1050 Ti is 150.1% faster in Metal and 267.4% faster in OpenCL, making it the only rational choice for gaming, content creation, or any GPU-accelerated task.

For users who require the absolute maximum performance from a low-profile or mobile graphics solution, the GTX 1050 Ti is the clear winner. Its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory (versus 2 GB on the GT 755M) and 112.1 GB/s of memory bandwidth (versus 86.40 GB/s) provide a significant advantage for modern textures and higher resolutions. The GTX 1050 Ti also supports a more modern DirectX 12 (12_1) feature set, whereas the GT 755M is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0). This means the GTX 1050 Ti is better prepared for future game titles that leverage advanced DirectX 12 features.

The GT 755M, while trailing in every metric, is not without a niche. It is an end-of-life product that was designed for a specific era of laptops. Its 50 W TDP makes it a lower-power option, which could be relevant for legacy systems that cannot supply more power. However, for any new purchase or upgrade, the GTX 1050 Ti is the only sensible choice based on the data. The performance difference is too large to ignore, and the GTX 1050 Ti offers a more future-proof feature set.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data provides a clear picture of the performance hierarchy. In the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark, the GTX 1050 Ti scores 18129, which is 267.4% higher than the GT 755M’s score of 4934. This is the single largest performance gap between the two cards. It indicates that the GTX 1050 Ti is exceptionally well-suited for compute-heavy workloads that leverage OpenCL, such as video encoding, physics simulations, and certain productivity applications. The massive delta is likely due to the GTX 1050 Ti’s doubled shading unit count and higher clock speeds, which scale almost linearly in parallel compute tasks.

The second benchmark, Geekbench Metal, shows a smaller but still enormous gap. The GTX 1050 Ti scores 7834, while the GT 755M scores 3132, resulting in a 150.1% delta. Metal is Apple’s graphics API, and this test is likely more representative of gaming and general graphics performance than raw compute. The 150.1% advantage in Metal suggests that the GTX 1050 Ti will deliver more than double the frame rates in games that use this API. This is further supported by the GTX 1050 Ti’s superior pixel rate of 44.54 GPixel/s, compared to the GT 755M’s 8.160 GPixel/s, and its texture rate of 66.82 GTexel/s, versus 32.64 GTexel/s.

Looking at the broader benchmark suite for the GTX 1050 Ti, it shows a strong performance profile across different DirectX versions. It scores 104 in Passmark DirectX 9, 45 in DirectX 11, and 26 in DirectX 12. While these scores are not directly comparable to the GT 755M (which lacks these specific benchmarks), they demonstrate that the GTX 1050 Ti can handle a wide range of legacy and modern graphics APIs. Its Passmark G3D score of 6340 and G2D score of 651 further indicate a well-rounded performer. The GTX 1050 Ti’s FP32 compute of 2.138 TFLOPS is nearly three times the GT 755M’s 783.4 GFLOPS, confirming its superiority in general-purpose computing.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti has an average benchmark score of 4193, while the NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M has an average score of 4033.

Q: How much faster is the GTX 1050 Ti in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The GTX 1050 Ti scores 18129, which is 267.4% higher than the GT 755M’s score of 4934.

Q: What is the difference in memory size between the two cards?

A: The GTX 1050 Ti comes with 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the GT 755M has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory.

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The GTX 1050 Ti has a boost clock of 1392 MHz, compared to the GT 755M’s boost clock of 1020 MHz.

Q: What are the nearest rivals to the GTX 1050 Ti based on average score?

A: The nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon R5 M330 (4170, 0.6% slower), the NVIDIA Quadro K2100M (4151, 1% slower), and the NVIDIA Quadro K3000M (4241, 1.1% faster).

Q: What is the TDP of each GPU?

A: The GTX 1050 Ti has a TDP of 75 W, while the GT 755M has a lower TDP of 50 W.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures. The GTX 1050 Ti uses the Pascal architecture, specifically the GP107 chip, manufactured on a 14 nm process at Samsung. This is a modern, efficient design that allows for high clock speeds and excellent performance per watt. The GT 755M, on the other hand, uses the older Kepler architecture, built on the GK107 chip, manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. This older process is less efficient and limits the achievable clock speeds and transistor density.

The transistor counts and die sizes reflect the generational gap. The GTX 1050 Ti packs 3,300 million transistors into a 132 mm² die, achieving a density of 25.0M / mm². The GT 755M has 1,270 million transistors on a larger 118 mm² die, resulting in a much lower density of 10.8M / mm². This difference in density is a direct result of the manufacturing process and is a key reason for the GTX 1050 Ti’s superior performance.

Architecturally, the GTX 1050 Ti has double the shading units (768 vs 384), more TMUs (48 vs 32), and double the ROPs (32 vs 16). This means it can process twice as many pixels and textures per clock cycle. The GTX 1050 Ti also supports a newer version of DirectX (12_1 vs 11_0) and a newer version of Vulkan (1.4 vs 1.2.175), providing access to more advanced rendering features. Both support OpenGL 4.6, but the GTX 1050 Ti’s newer architecture is likely to execute these APIs more efficiently. The GTX 1050 Ti also has a significantly higher FP32 compute rating of 2.138 TFLOPS versus 783.4 GFLOPS for the GT 755M, indicating a much greater capacity for general-purpose compute tasks.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets highlight the substantial differences between these two GPUs. The most obvious is the memory configuration: the GTX 1050 Ti has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the GT 755M has only 2 GB. Both use a 128-bit memory bus, but the GTX 1050 Ti achieves a higher memory bandwidth of 112.1 GB/s, compared to the GT 755M’s 86.40 GB/s. This is due to the GTX 1050 Ti’s faster memory clock of 1752 MHz (7 Gbps effective) versus the GT 755M’s 1350 MHz (5.4 Gbps effective).

Clock speeds also differ significantly. The GTX 1050 Ti has a base clock of 1291 MHz and a boost clock of 1392 MHz. The GT 755M is slower, with a base clock of 980 MHz and a boost clock of 1020 MHz. This clock advantage, combined with the architectural advantages, explains the large performance gap.

The physical and power characteristics also differ. The GTX 1050 Ti has a TDP of 75 W, while the GT 755M has a TDP of 50 W. The GTX 1050 Ti is a dual-slot card that requires no power connectors and is 145 mm long and 111 mm high. The GT 755M is an MXM module, which is a different form factor designed for laptops, and its display outputs are listed as “Portable Device Dependent.” The GTX 1050 Ti offers a standard set of display outputs (1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4a), whereas the GT 755M relies on the host laptop’s outputs. The GTX 1050 Ti also suggests a 250 W power supply, while the GT 755M has no such recommendation. Finally, the GTX 1050 Ti was released on 2016-10-24, while the GT 755M is much older, with a release date of 2013-06-24, and its launch MSRP is not provided, unlike the GTX 1050 Ti’s launch MSRP of 139 USD.