NVIDIA GeForce MX550 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark database records two head-to-head compute tests between the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile. In both, the RTX 4060 Mobile is the clear winner, and the margins are substantial.

In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the MX550 scores 20,372, while the RTX 4060 Mobile scores 89,420. That is a delta of -77.2% for the MX550, meaning the RTX 4060 Mobile is roughly 4.4 times faster in raw compute throughput. The gap is not a minor generational step; it is a chasm. The OpenCL workload stresses general-purpose shader compute, and the RTX 4060 Mobile's 3,072 shading units versus the MX550's 1,024 explains the magnitude of the difference.

The Vulkan test tells a similar story. The MX550 records 32,469, while the RTX 4060 Mobile reaches 89,569. The delta is -63.7%, meaning the RTX 4060 Mobile leads by a factor of about 2.8 times. Vulkan is a lower-overhead API that often scales more efficiently with core count, so the smaller but still massive gap reflects the architectural advantage of the Ada Lovelace part, not just raw core count.

Across the two recorded head-to-head benchmarks, the RTX 4060 Mobile wins both. The MX550 does not secure a single victory in any recorded test. The average benchmark score in the database tells a broader story: the MX550 averages 26,421 across all tests, while the RTX 4060 Mobile averages 22,729. That is an odd inversion, and it is worth explaining. The MX550's average is pulled up by its relatively narrow set of recorded benchmarks (only OpenCL and Vulkan), while the RTX 4060 Mobile is tested across a wider range including DirectX 9, 10, 11, 12, and 2D/3D workloads. The PassMark G3D score for the RTX 4060 Mobile is 17,469, and its PassMark GPU Compute score is 6,816; these additional tests are not part of the MX550's recorded set, so the averages are not directly comparable. The head-to-head results are the reliable apples-to-apples comparison, and they show a dominant RTX 4060 Mobile.

Looking at the nearest rivals in the database, the RTX 4060 Mobile sits extremely close to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080, with a delta of -0.7% (the RTX 4060 Mobile is marginally slower). It is also within 0.8% of the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT, and 1.3% faster than the Intel Arc B580. The MX550, by contrast, is nearly tied with the AMD Radeon 860M (delta 0.1%) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (delta 0.3%). So while the MX550 competes with integrated and entry-level discrete parts, the RTX 4060 Mobile is in the conversation with desktop-class GPUs from the prior generation.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile is the superior product in every recorded head-to-head benchmark, and by a wide margin. In OpenCL, it is 77.2% ahead of the MX550; in Vulkan, it is 63.7% ahead. If the workload involves general compute or modern graphics APIs, the RTX 4060 Mobile is the only rational choice.

Who should pick the MX550? The database shows it as an end-of-life product with a 72nd percentile rank among all GPUs. It is a low-power, integrated-class part (25 W TDP, IGP slot width, no power connectors) that appears in thin-and-light laptops. If the task is light 2D work, basic media playback, or legacy DirectX 11/12 titles at modest settings, the MX550 can suffice. Its average benchmark score of 26,421 is within 0.1% of the AMD Radeon 860M, meaning it is competitive with modern integrated graphics. It is not a gaming GPU by any stretch of the data.

Who should pick the RTX 4060 Mobile? Anyone whose workload includes serious 3D rendering, GPU compute, or modern game titles. The 67th percentile rank is lower than the MX550's 72nd, but that percentile is computed against all GPUs, and the RTX 4060 Mobile is being compared against desktop parts and high-end mobile parts. Its average score of 22,729 includes DirectX 9 (score 216), DirectX 10 (107), DirectX 11 (157), and DirectX 12 (73) tests, which are not present for the MX550. The PassMark G3D score of 17,469 and GPU Compute score of 6,816 indicate strong real-world rasterization and compute headroom. The RTX 4060 Mobile also carries ray tracing cores (24) and tensor cores (96), which the MX550 lacks entirely. For any modern workload, the RTX 4060 Mobile is the data-backed winner.

The verdict is simple: the MX550 is an entry-level, end-of-life mobile part; the RTX 4060 Mobile is an active, high-performance mobile GPU that trades blows with desktop-class rivals. Choose the MX550 only when power budget and cost constraints are absolute, and even then, the database suggests integrated alternatives like the Radeon 860M are equivalent. Choose the RTX 4060 Mobile for any serious performance requirement.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations and are built on different process nodes. The MX550 uses the TU117SB chip, which is based on the Turing architecture, fabricated on a 12 nm process at TSMC. The RTX 4060 Mobile uses the AD107 chip, based on Ada Lovelace, fabricated on a 5 nm process, also at TSMC. The node shrink is significant: the MX550 packs 4,700 million transistors into a 200 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 23.5 million per mm². The RTX 4060 Mobile packs 18,900 million transistors into a smaller 159 mm² die, achieving a density of 118.9 million per mm², over five times higher.

The core configuration differs as well. The MX550 has 1,024 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output units. The RTX 4060 Mobile has 3,072 shading units, 96 TMUs, and 48 ROPs, tripling the shader count and ROP count, and doubling the TMU count per shader. The RTX 4060 Mobile also has 24 ray tracing cores and 96 tensor cores, both of which are absent from the MX550. This is a fundamental feature gap: the MX550 cannot accelerate ray tracing or AI workloads in hardware.

The memory subsystem is also architecturally distinct. The MX550 uses 2 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, yielding 96.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 4060 Mobile uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 256.0 GB/s. That is more than double the bandwidth, which matters for high-resolution textures and compute workloads. The RTX 4060 Mobile also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the MX550 only supports DirectX 12 (12_1). Vulkan and OpenGL support are identical (1.4 and 4.6 respectively), but the DirectX feature level difference reflects the newer architecture's support for advanced rendering features.

Both GPUs use a PCIe 4.0 x8 bus interface, and both are listed as IGP slot width with portable-device-dependent display outputs. Neither has power connectors, though the TDPs differ dramatically: 25 W for the MX550 versus 115 W for the RTX 4060 Mobile. The production status also differs: the MX550 is end-of-life, while the RTX 4060 Mobile is active. The RTX 4060 Mobile has a predecessor (GeForce 30 Mobile) and a successor (GeForce 50 Mobile), while the MX550 has neither in the database.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two parts in the database:

• Process Node: 12 nm (MX550) vs 5 nm (RTX 4060 Mobile)
• Transistors: 4,700 million vs 18,900 million
• Die Size: 200 mm² vs 159 mm²
• Transistor Density: 23.5M / mm² vs 118.9M / mm²
• Base Clock: 1065 MHz vs 1545 MHz
• Boost Clock: 1320 MHz vs 1890 MHz
• Memory Clock: 1500 MHz, 12 Gbps effective vs 2000 MHz, 16 Gbps effective
• Memory Size: 2 GB vs 8 GB
• Memory Bus Width: 64 bit vs 128 bit
• Memory Bandwidth: 96.00 GB/s vs 256.0 GB/s
• Shading Units: 1,024 vs 3,072
• TMUs: 32 vs 96
• ROPs: 16 vs 48
• RT Cores: None vs 24
• Tensor Cores: None vs 96
• Pixel Rate: 21.12 GPixel/s vs 90.72 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: 42.24 GTexel/s vs 181.4 GTexel/s
• FP32 Performance: 2.703 TFLOPS vs 11.61 TFLOPS
• FP16 Performance: 2.703 TFLOPS (1:1) vs 11.61 TFLOPS (1:1)
• TDP: 25 W vs 115 W
• DirectX Support: 12 (12_1) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2)
• Production Status: End-of-life vs Active
• Release Date: 2021-12-16 vs 2023-01-02
• Predecessor: None vs GeForce 30 Mobile
• Successor: None vs GeForce 50 Mobile

Both share the same manufacturer (NVIDIA), bus interface (PCIe 4.0 x8), slot width (IGP), power connector type (None), display outputs (Portable Device Dependent), OpenGL version (4.6), and Vulkan version (1.4). Neither has a launch MSRP in the database, and neither has a suggested PSU value.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the recorded benchmarks?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Mobile wins both head-to-head tests. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 89,420 versus the MX550's 20,372, a delta of -77.2%. In Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 89,569 versus 32,469, a delta of -63.7%.

Q: Does the MX550 have any advantage in the data?

A: The MX550 has a lower TDP (25 W vs 115 W) and a higher percentile rank among all GPUs (72nd vs 67th). Its average benchmark score of 26,421 is also higher than the RTX 4060 Mobile's 22,729, though that average is based on a narrower set of tests (only OpenCL and Vulkan) compared to the RTX 4060 Mobile's broader suite.

Q: Does the RTX 4060 Mobile support ray tracing?

A: Yes. The RTX 4060 Mobile has 24 ray tracing cores, while the MX550 has none. This is a fundamental hardware feature difference.

Q: How do their memory configurations compare?

A: The MX550 has 2 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus with 96.00 GB/s bandwidth. The RTX 4060 Mobile has 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus with 256.0 GB/s bandwidth, more than double the bandwidth.

Q: Are these GPUs in the same performance class?

A: No. The database shows the RTX 4060 Mobile is closest to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 (delta -0.7%) and AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT (delta 0.8%). The MX550 is closest to the AMD Radeon 860M (delta 0.1%) and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (delta 0.3%).

Q: What is the production status of each GPU?

A: The MX550 is end-of-life, released on 2021-12-16. The RTX 4060 Mobile is active, released on 2023-01-02, with a predecessor (GeForce 30 Mobile) and a successor (GeForce 50 Mobile) listed in the database.