GeForce 820A vs GeForce GT 550M
GeForce 820A
Popular choices:
GeForce GT 550M
Popular choices:
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 820A is positioned at rank 452 and the GeForce GT 550M is on rank 125, so the GeForce GT 550M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 820A
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GT 550M
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GT 550M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.9% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (1 GB vs 512 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce 820A.
| Insight | GeForce 820A | GeForce GT 550M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.9%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / Kepler (2012−2018)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce GT 550M offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GT 550M holds the technical lead. Priced at $30 (vs $30), it costs 0% less, resulting in a 0.9% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce 820A | GeForce GT 550M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+0.9%) |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 820A and GeForce GT 550M
GeForce 820A
The GeForce 820A is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 22 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1082 MHz to 1150 MHz. It has 256 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 556 points.
GeForce GT 550M
The GeForce GT 550M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 25 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 980 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 561 points.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce 820A scores 556 and the GeForce GT 550M reaches 561 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 820A is built on Maxwell while the GeForce GT 550M uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 256 (GeForce 820A) vs 384 (GeForce GT 550M). Raw compute: 0.5888 TFLOPS (GeForce 820A) vs 0.7526 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 550M).
| Feature | GeForce 820A | GeForce GT 550M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 556 | 561 |
| Architecture | Maxwell | Kepler |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 256 | 384+50% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.5888 TFLOPS | 0.7526 TFLOPS+28% |
| ROPs | 8 | 16+100% |
| TMUs | 16 | 32+100% |
| L1 Cache | 128 KB+300% | 32 KB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce 820A | GeForce GT 550M |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce 820A comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GT 550M has 1 GB. The GeForce GT 550M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 820A) vs 0.25 MB (GeForce GT 550M) — the GeForce 820A has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce 820A | GeForce GT 550M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 1 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce 820A) vs 11.0 (GeForce GT 550M). Vulkan: N/A vs None. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.0. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 1.
| Feature | GeForce 820A | GeForce GT 550M |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_0)+9% | 11.0 |
| Vulkan | N/A | None |
| OpenGL | 4.6+15% | 4.0 |
| Max Displays | 2+100% | 1 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: N/A (GeForce 820A) vs No (GeForce GT 550M). Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP5) vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce 820A) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 550M).
| Feature | GeForce 820A | GeForce GT 550M |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | N/A | No |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD (VP5) | PureVideo HD VP4 |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce 820A draws 33W versus the GeForce GT 550M's 50W — a 41% difference. The GeForce 820A is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 820A) vs 350W (GeForce GT 550M). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 0mm vs 0mm, occupying 0 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 70 vs 85°C.
| Feature | GeForce 820A | GeForce GT 550M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 33W-34% | 50W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | Legacy | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 0mm | 0mm |
| Height | 0mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 0 | 0 |
| Temp (Load) | 70-18% | 85°C |
| Perf/Watt | 16.8+50% | 11.2 |
Value Analysis
Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 18.5 (GeForce 820A) vs 18.7 (GeForce GT 550M) — the GeForce GT 550M offers 1.1% better value. The GeForce 820A is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).
| Feature | GeForce 820A | GeForce GT 550M |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $100 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $30 | $30 |
| Performance per Dollar | 18.5 | 18.7+1% |
| Codename | GM108 | GK107 |
| Release | July 22 2014 | June 25 2013 |
| Ranking | #832 | #726 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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