GeForce 7900 GTX vs Radeon HD 5550
GeForce 7900 GTX
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Radeon HD 5550
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The GeForce 7900 GTX is positioned at rank 711 and the Radeon HD 5550 is on rank 224, so the Radeon HD 5550 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 7900 GTX
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 5550
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce 7900 GTX is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon HD 5550 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | GeForce 7900 GTX | Radeon HD 5550 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / G9x (2007−2010)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+300%) |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | Normal Efficiency |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce 7900 GTX offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce 7900 GTX holds the technical lead. Priced at $40 (vs $75), it costs 47% less, resulting in a 89.5% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce 7900 GTX | Radeon HD 5550 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+89.5%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($40) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($75) |
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce 7900 GTX and Radeon HD 5550
GeForce 7900 GTX
The GeForce 7900 GTX is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 15 2008. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 500 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 388 points.
Radeon HD 5550
The Radeon HD 5550 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 30 2009. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 1440 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 151W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 384 points. Launch price was $299.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce 7900 GTX scores 388 and the Radeon HD 5550 reaches 384 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 7900 GTX is built on G9x while the Radeon HD 5550 uses TeraScale 2, both on 65 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 7900 GTX) vs 1,440 (Radeon HD 5550).
| Feature | GeForce 7900 GTX | Radeon HD 5550 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 388+1% | 384 |
| Architecture | G9x | TeraScale 2 |
| Process Node | 65 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 224 | 1440+543% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce 7900 GTX | Radeon HD 5550 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce 7900 GTX comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 5550 has 2 GB. The Radeon HD 5550 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 128-bit.
| Feature | GeForce 7900 GTX | Radeon HD 5550 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 2 GB+300% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 128-bit+100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 9.0c (GeForce 7900 GTX) vs 11.2 (11_0) (Radeon HD 5550). Vulkan: N/A vs N/A. OpenGL: 2.1 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 3.
| Feature | GeForce 7900 GTX | Radeon HD 5550 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 9.0c | 11.2 (11_0)+24% |
| Vulkan | N/A | N/A |
| OpenGL | 2.1 | 4.4+110% |
| Max Displays | 2 | 3+50% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 7900 GTX) vs None (Radeon HD 5550). Decoder: PureVideo VP1 vs UVD 2.2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,WMV9,H.264 (GeForce 7900 GTX) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (Radeon HD 5550).
| Feature | GeForce 7900 GTX | Radeon HD 5550 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | None | None |
| Decoder | PureVideo VP1 | UVD 2.2 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,WMV9,H.264 | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce 7900 GTX draws 150W versus the Radeon HD 5550's 151W — a 0.7% difference. The GeForce 7900 GTX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 7900 GTX) vs 200W (Radeon HD 5550). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs None. Card length: 229mm vs 168mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 70.
| Feature | GeForce 7900 GTX | Radeon HD 5550 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 150W | 151W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 200W-43% |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | None |
| Length | 229mm | 168mm |
| Height | 111mm | 69mm |
| Slots | 2 | 1-50% |
| Temp (Load) | 80 | 70-13% |
| Perf/Watt | 2.6+4% | 2.5 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce 7900 GTX launched at $499 MSRP and currently averages $40, while the Radeon HD 5550 launched at $75 and now averages $75. The GeForce 7900 GTX costs 46.7% less ($35 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 9.7 (GeForce 7900 GTX) vs 5.1 (Radeon HD 5550) — the GeForce 7900 GTX offers 90.2% better value. The Radeon HD 5550 is the newer GPU (2009 vs 2008).
| Feature | GeForce 7900 GTX | Radeon HD 5550 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $499 | $75-85% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $40-47% | $75 |
| Performance per Dollar | 9.7+90% | 5.1 |
| Codename | NB9E-GTX | Cypress |
| Release | July 15 2008 | September 30 2009 |
| Ranking | #825 | #682 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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