NVIDIA GeForce MX550 vs NVIDIA Tesla M60 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a split decision between these two NVIDIA parts, with each claiming one benchmark win. The largest margin belongs to the NVIDIA Tesla M60 in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where it scores 29,506 against the MX550's 20,372. That is a 44.8% advantage, a substantial gap that reflects the Tesla M60's much larger compute configuration. The GeForce MX550, however, strikes back in the Geekbench Vulkan test, scoring 32,469 versus the Tesla M60's 31,473, a 3.1% edge. The Vulkan result is notable because the MX550 is a low-power mobile chip, yet it outpaces a dual-slot accelerator in a modern graphics API.

Looking at the broader database context, the Tesla M60 holds an average benchmark score of 30,490, placing it in the 75th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are tightly clustered: the NVIDIA CMP 70HX sits at an average score of 30,476 (a 0% delta), the AMD Radeon RX 6700 scores 30,433 (0.2% behind), the AMD Radeon RX 6800 reaches 30,095 (1.3% behind), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti manages 29,945 (1.8% behind). The Tesla M60 essentially trades blows with these modern cards, despite its age and server-oriented design.

The MX550, by comparison, achieves an average benchmark score of 26,421, placing it in the 72nd percentile. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 860M at 26,401 (0.1% behind), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 at 26,331 (0.3% behind), the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary at 26,553 (0.5% ahead), and the NVIDIA RTX A4000 at 26,683 (1% ahead). The MX550's average score is 15.4% lower than the Tesla M60's, a meaningful gap, but the Vulkan win shows that API-specific behavior can flip the expected order.

Interpreting the head-to-head numbers, the OpenCL result aligns with raw compute resources: the Tesla M60 has double the shading units, four times the texture units, and four times the ROPs. The Vulkan result, however, suggests that architectural efficiency and driver optimization for newer APIs can overcome a massive hardware deficit. The MX550's newer Turing architecture and higher clock speeds likely contribute to its Vulkan performance, though the database does not record per-clock efficiency metrics.

Architecture Differences

The Tesla M60 is built on the GM204 chip using the Maxwell 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The MX550 uses the TU117SB chip with the Turing architecture, also from TSMC but on a 12 nm process. The process node difference is substantial: 28 nm versus 12 nm, which explains the MX550's higher transistor density of 23.5 million transistors per square millimeter versus the Tesla M60's 13.1 million per square millimeter. The Tesla M60 packs 5,200 million transistors across a 398 mm² die, while the MX550 contains 4,700 million transistors on a much smaller 200 mm² die.

Clock speeds tell a similar story of generational improvement. The Tesla M60 runs at a base clock of 557 MHz with a boost of 1178 MHz, while the MX550 operates at 1065 MHz base and 1320 MHz boost. The MX550's base clock is nearly double the Tesla M60's, a direct consequence of the more efficient manufacturing process and newer architecture. Memory clocks also favor the MX550: its memory runs at 1500 MHz with 12 Gbps effective speed, compared to the Tesla M60's 1253 MHz with 5 Gbps effective. The MX550 uses GDDR6 memory, while the Tesla M60 relies on GDDR5.

Memory capacity and bus width, however, heavily favor the Tesla M60. It offers 8 GB of memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 160.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The MX550 provides only 2 GB on a 64-bit bus, yielding 96.00 GB/s. That is a 67% bandwidth advantage for the Tesla M60, which matters for workloads that stream large datasets. The compute configurations diverge sharply: the Tesla M60 has 2,048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, while the MX550 has 1,024 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. Pixel rate and texture rate follow suit: the Tesla M60 achieves 75.39 GPixel/s and 150.8 GTexel/s, versus 21.12 GPixel/s and 42.24 GTexel/s for the MX550.

The Tesla M60 supports FP32 at 4.825 TFLOPS, while the MX550 reaches 2.703 TFLOPS. The MX550 does support FP16 at 2.703 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio, a feature the database does not list for the Tesla M60. Neither card includes ray tracing cores or tensor cores, so both rely on traditional rasterization and compute paths. Both support DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, so API compatibility is identical.

Power and physical design differ dramatically. The Tesla M60 consumes 300 W, requires a dual-slot cooler, uses a single 8-pin power connector, and needs a 700 W suggested power supply. It has no display outputs, as it is designed for server installations. The MX550 draws only 25 W, uses no power connector, is an IGP form factor, and has display outputs described as portable device dependent. The Tesla M60 measures 267 mm (10.5 inches) in length; the MX550's dimensions are not recorded. The Tesla M60 uses a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, while the MX550 uses PCIe 4.0 x8.

Where Each One Wins

The Tesla M60 wins decisively in OpenCL compute workloads. Its 44.8% lead in that benchmark aligns with its larger shader count, wider memory bus, and higher memory bandwidth. Tasks that stress raw parallel throughput, such as OpenCL-based rendering, scientific simulation, or data processing, would favor the Tesla M60. Its 8 GB memory capacity also suits datasets that exceed the MX550's 2 GB limit. The Tesla M60's 4.825 TFLOPS FP32 performance is 78.6% higher than the MX550's 2.703 TFLOPS, reinforcing its compute advantage.

The MX550 wins in Vulkan, which is increasingly the API of choice for gaming and real-time graphics. Its 3.1% lead in that test suggests that architectural efficiency in the Turing generation, combined with higher clocks, translates to better performance in modern graphics workloads. The MX550's 12 nm process and 1,320 MHz boost clock give it a per-clock efficiency edge that the database's raw compute numbers do not fully capture. For portable devices, the MX550's 25 W power draw and IGP form factor make it feasible in thin laptops, whereas the Tesla M60's 300 W requirement and dual-slot design limit it to servers or workstations with dedicated power delivery.

The database shows one win each, so the choice depends on the workload. OpenCL-heavy tasks favor the Tesla M60; Vulkan-based applications favor the MX550. The Tesla M60's lack of display outputs means it cannot drive a monitor, so any use case requiring direct visual output automatically points to the MX550 or another card. Conversely, the MX550's 2 GB memory capacity and 64-bit bus may bottleneck large compute tasks, regardless of its API efficiency.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla M60 has an average benchmark score of 30,490, compared to the NVIDIA GeForce MX550's 26,421, a gap of about 15.4%.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in OpenCL performance?

A: The Tesla M60 scores 29,506 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 44.8% higher than the MX550's 20,372.

Q: Does the MX550 win any benchmark against the Tesla M60?

A: Yes, the MX550 scores 32,469 in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 3.1% higher than the Tesla M60's 31,473.

Q: What are the memory specifications of each GPU?

A: The Tesla M60 has 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 160.4 GB/s bandwidth. The MX550 has 2 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus with 96.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two?

A: The Tesla M60 uses a 28 nm TSMC process, while the MX550 uses a 12 nm TSMC process.

Q: Which GPU has higher power consumption?

A: The Tesla M60 draws 300 W and requires a 700 W suggested power supply, while the MX550 draws only 25 W and needs no power connector.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification category. The Tesla M60 uses the GM204 chip with Maxwell 2.0 architecture, while the MX550 uses the TU117SB chip with Turing architecture. The process node moves from 28 nm to 12 nm, and transistor density rises from 13.1 million per square millimeter to 23.5 million. The Tesla M60 has 5,200 million transistors on a 398 mm² die; the MX550 has 4,700 million on 200 mm².

Base clocks are 557 MHz for the Tesla M60 and 1065 MHz for the MX550. Boost clocks are 1178 MHz versus 1320 MHz. Memory clocks are 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective) for the Tesla M60 and 1500 MHz (12 Gbps effective) for the MX550. Memory capacity is 8 GB versus 2 GB, bus width is 256-bit versus 64-bit, and bandwidth is 160.4 GB/s versus 96.00 GB/s. Shading units are 2,048 versus 1,024, TMUs are 128 versus 32, and ROPs are 64 versus 16.

Pixel rate is 75.39 GPixel/s versus 21.12 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 150.8 GTexel/s versus 42.24 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 4.825 TFLOPS versus 2.703 TFLOPS. The MX550 lists FP16 at 2.703 TFLOPS (1:1), while the Tesla M60 has no recorded FP16 figure. TDP is 300 W versus 25 W. The Tesla M60 is dual-slot with a single 8-pin power connector and a 700 W suggested PSU; the MX550 is an IGP with no power connector and no suggested PSU. The Tesla M60 uses PCIe 3.0 x16, the MX550 uses PCIe 4.0 x8. The Tesla M60 has no display outputs; the MX550 has portable device dependent outputs. The Tesla M60 is 267 mm long; the MX550 has no recorded dimensions. Release dates are August 29, 2015 for the Tesla M60 and December 16, 2021 for the MX550. Both are end-of-life, and neither has a launch MSRP in the database.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture of two GPUs designed for different worlds. The NVIDIA Tesla M60, released in 2015, is a server accelerator built for compute density. Its 44.8% OpenCL lead, 8 GB memory capacity, and 160.4 GB/s bandwidth make it the stronger choice for OpenCL-based workloads that fit within its power envelope. Its 75th percentile ranking and proximity to modern cards like the RTX 3070 Ti (within 1.8%) show that raw compute remains competitive even years later. However, the 300 W power draw, dual-slot size, and absence of display outputs restrict it to server racks or workstations with dedicated power.

The NVIDIA GeForce MX550, released in 2021, is a low-power mobile GPU. Its 3.1% Vulkan win indicates better modern graphics API performance, and its 25 W power draw, IGP form factor, and portable device dependent outputs make it suitable for laptops. The 12 nm process and higher clocks (1,065 MHz base, 1,320 MHz boost) give it an efficiency edge, but the 2 GB memory and 64-bit bus limit its ceiling for memory-intensive tasks. Its 72nd percentile ranking and closeness to the RTX 5060 (0.3% delta) suggest it competes well within its mobile segment.

For users prioritizing raw compute throughput and memory capacity, the Tesla M60 is the data-backed choice. For users needing a modern, low-power GPU for Vulkan-based graphics on portable devices, the MX550 wins. The split benchmark results mean neither card dominates outright; the selection hinges on the target workload and physical constraints. The Tesla M60's 8 GB GDDR5 and 256-bit bus are decisive for large datasets, while the MX550's Vulkan efficiency and minimal power requirements are decisive for battery-powered systems. Choose accordingly based on the recorded metrics.