NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data shows a single decisive comparison: the Geekbench OpenCL test. In this measurement, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M scores 6513 points, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti scores 5731 points. The delta between them is 13.6%, with the GTX 670M taking the win. This is the only benchmark result captured in the database for these two parts, so the head-to-head analysis rests entirely on this one performance metric.

The 13.6% lead is substantial, but context from the nearest rivals clarifies how each card sits in the broader landscape. The GTX 670M's score of 6513 places it 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M (avg score 6493), 0.5% ahead of the NVIDIA Quadro M5000M (6481), and 0.6% ahead of the AMD Radeon Vega 10 Mobile (6476). However, it trails the Intel UHD Graphics P750 by 0.6% (that chip scores 6554). The GTX 670M sits at the 38th percentile of all GPUs, meaning roughly 38% of recorded GPUs score lower in this test.

The GTX 550 Ti, by contrast, scores 5731, which places it at the 33rd percentile. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670MX (avg score 5721, delta 0.2%), the Intel Iris Pro Graphics P6300 (5712, delta 0.3%), and the AMD Radeon HD 8790M (5691, delta 0.7%). The GTX 550 Ti is 1.9% behind the AMD Radeon R7 M465, which scores 5841. So while the GTX 550 Ti wins narrowly against three of its four closest competitors, the GTX 670M is competitive with a slightly faster peer group overall.

The 13.6% gap between the two cards in question is larger than any delta found in either card's nearest-rival list. This indicates the performance difference between the GTX 670M and GTX 550 Ti is meaningful, not marginal. The GTX 670M's higher percentile ranking (38 vs 33) reinforces that it belongs in a higher performance tier.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M wins with a score of 6513, compared to the GTX 550 Ti's 5731, a 13.6% advantage.

Q: How does the GTX 670M compare to its closest rivals?

A: The GTX 670M is 0.3% ahead of the GT 555M, 0.5% ahead of the Quadro M5000M, and 0.6% ahead of the Radeon Vega 10 Mobile, but it is 0.6% behind the Intel UHD Graphics P750.

Q: What rival does the GTX 550 Ti beat, and by how much?

A: The GTX 550 Ti is 0.2% ahead of the GTX 670MX, 0.3% ahead of the Iris Pro P6300, and 0.7% ahead of the Radeon HD 8790M. It trails the Radeon R7 M465 by 1.9%.

Q: What are the percentile rankings for these two GPUs?

A: The GTX 670M sits at the 38th percentile of all GPUs, while the GTX 550 Ti sits at the 33rd percentile.

Q: Do both cards support the same DirectX and OpenGL versions?

A: Yes, both report DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6 in the database.

Q: Which card has a higher memory clock speed?

A: The GTX 550 Ti has a higher memory clock at 1026 MHz (4.1 Gbps effective), while the GTX 670M runs at 750 MHz (3 Gbps effective).

Where Each One Wins

Based on the available data, the GTX 670M wins in raw compute performance. Its OpenCL score of 6513 exceeds the GTX 550 Ti's 5731 by 13.6%. The GTX 670M also has a higher pixel rate (8.372 GPixel/s vs 7.200 GPixel/s), a higher texture rate (33.49 GTexel/s vs 28.80 GTexel/s), and higher FP32 throughput (803.7 GFLOPS vs 691.2 GFLOPS). These figures collectively indicate that the GTX 670M is better suited for tasks that stress shader and texture processing, such as general-purpose compute workloads or modern game rendering that leverages these units.

The GTX 550 Ti, however, wins in memory bandwidth. It achieves 98.50 GB/s compared to the GTX 670M's 72.00 GB/s, a difference driven by its higher memory clock (1026 MHz vs 750 MHz) despite both cards using a 192-bit bus. This bandwidth advantage could translate to better performance in memory-bound scenarios, such as high-resolution texture streaming or certain compute kernels that are bottlenecked by data transfer rather than arithmetic throughput. The GTX 550 Ti also has a smaller memory footprint (1024 MB vs 1536 MB), which may matter in constrained environments, though the GTX 670M offers more capacity.

In terms of thermal design, the GTX 670M has a lower TDP of 75 W versus 116 W for the GTX 550 Ti. This makes the GTX 670M more power-efficient per unit of performance, which could be a deciding factor in mobile or compact systems where heat dissipation is limited. The GTX 550 Ti, with its dual-slot design and 6-pin power connector, requires a 300 W suggested PSU, indicating it is meant for a desktop chassis with more power headroom.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across several key specifications. The GTX 670M uses the GF114 chip, while the GTX 550 Ti uses the GF116 chip. Both are built on a 40 nm process at TSMC, but the GTX 670M packs 1,950 million transistors on a 332 mm² die, whereas the GTX 550 Ti contains 1,170 million transistors on a 238 mm² die. Transistor density is 5.9M per mm² for the GTX 670M versus 4.9M per mm² for the GTX 550 Ti.

Memory configurations differ notably. The GTX 670M has 1536 MB of GDDR5 on a 192-bit bus with memory clocked at 750 MHz (3 Gbps effective), yielding 72.00 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 550 Ti has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on the same 192-bit bus but at 1026 MHz (4.1 Gbps effective), delivering 98.50 GB/s. The GTX 670M has more shading units (336 vs 192), more texture mapping units (56 vs 32), and the same number of ROPs (24 on both).

The GTX 670M is an MXM Module with bus interface MXM-B (3.0) and no power connectors, drawing 75 W. The GTX 550 Ti is a dual-slot card with a 1x 6-pin power connector, a suggested PSU of 300 W, and a length of 210 mm (8.3 inches). Display outputs also differ: the GTX 670M is "Portable Device Dependent" while the GTX 550 Ti offers 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a.

Release dates differ by roughly a year: the GTX 550 Ti launched on 2011-03-14, while the GTX 670M launched on 2012-03-21. The GTX 550 Ti has a launch MSRP of 149 USD. The GTX 550 Ti's predecessor is GeForce 400 and successor is GeForce 600; the GTX 670M's predecessor is GeForce 500M and successor is GeForce 700M.

Architecture Differences

Both cards share the same Fermi 2.0 architecture and are manufactured by NVIDIA at TSMC on a 40 nm process. Both support DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, and neither lists Vulkan support. The core architectural difference lies in the chip design: the GTX 670M's GF114 is a larger, more fully featured implementation with 1,950 million transistors, while the GTX 550 Ti's GF116 is a smaller chip with 1,170 million transistors.

The GTX 670M's higher transistor count translates directly into more compute resources: 336 shading units versus 192, and 56 TMUs versus 32. The ROP count is identical at 24, meaning rasterization throughput is equal, but the additional shaders and texture units give the GTX 670M a clear architectural advantage in pixel and texture processing. The pixel rate is 8.372 GPixel/s for the GTX 670M versus 7.200 GPixel/s for the GTX 550 Ti, and the texture rate is 33.49 GTexel/s versus 28.80 GTexel/s.

The GTX 670M's FP32 throughput of 803.7 GFLOPS exceeds the GTX 550 Ti's 691.2 GFLOPS by approximately 16%, which is consistent with the 13.6% OpenCL benchmark delta. The GTX 550 Ti compensates with a higher memory clock, but the bandwidth advantage (98.50 GB/s vs 72.00 GB/s) does not overcome the compute deficit in the recorded benchmark.

The GTX 670M belongs to the GeForce 600M mobile generation, while the GTX 550 Ti is part of the GeForce 500 desktop generation. This generational placement influences physical design (MXM vs dual-slot PCIe) and power characteristics (75 W vs 116 W). The GTX 670M's lower TDP, combined with higher compute performance, suggests a more efficient architecture implementation despite the larger die.

The Verdict

The data points to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M as the stronger performer in compute-bound workloads. Its 13.6% OpenCL lead, higher FP32 throughput, greater shader count, and superior texture and pixel rates make it the clear choice for tasks that rely on raw GPU compute. The 38th percentile ranking versus 33rd for the GTX 550 Ti confirms that the GTX 670M sits in a higher performance tier.

Users who prioritize memory bandwidth, however, may find the GTX 550 Ti appealing. Its 98.50 GB/s bandwidth is 36% higher than the GTX 670M's 72.00 GB/s, and its higher memory clock (1026 MHz vs 750 MHz) could be beneficial in scenarios where data throughput matters more than arithmetic processing. The GTX 550 Ti also offers a fixed desktop form factor with dual-slot cooling and a 300 W PSU recommendation, which may be easier to integrate into a traditional desktop build.

The GTX 670M is better suited for mobile or compact systems, given its MXM form factor, lack of external power connectors, and 75 W TDP. Its 1536 MB memory capacity also provides more headroom for texture-heavy applications compared to the GTX 550 Ti's 1024 MB.

In summary, the GTX 670M wins the benchmark comparison and offers superior compute architecture, while the GTX 550 Ti retains advantages in memory bandwidth and desktop integration. The GTX 670M is recommended for users seeking maximum performance per watt and higher compute capability; the GTX 550 Ti is the choice for those who need a standard desktop card with higher memory throughput and are willing to accept lower overall compute performance.