GeForce GT 1030 vs Radeon RX 550X

CPU

GPU

GeForce GT 1030

2017Core: 1228 MHzBoost: 1468 MHz

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Radeon RX 550X

2018Core: 1100 MHzBoost: 1183 MHz

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GeForce GT 1030 vs Radeon RX 550X Performance Spectrum

GeForce GT 1030

2 GB 30

2,407

+1.1%

GeForce GTX 1650 (móvel)

GeForce RTX 2060 (Mobile)

RTX 3000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU

RTX 5000 Ada Generation Embedded GPU

Radeon RX 550X

4 GB 50

2,381

0.0%

Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB

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.

GeForce GT 1030 vs Radeon RX 550X FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GT 1030 vs Radeon RX 550X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GT 1030

2017

Why buy it

✅4.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($79 MSRP vs $109 MSRP).
✅Delivers 39.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 30.5 vs 21.8 G3D/$ ($79 MSRP vs $109 MSRP).
✅Draws 30W instead of 50W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌2017 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Radeon RX 550X

2018

Why buy it

✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
✅GeForce GT 1030 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon RX 550X is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GT 1030 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2018 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
38% HIGHER MSRP
$109 MSRPvs$79 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 21.8 vs 30.5 G3D/$ ($109 MSRP vs $79 MSRP).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 50W vs 30W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GT 1030 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 4.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.1% in PassMark G3D (2,407 vs 2,381), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon RX 550X is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) and FSR Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce GT 1030 is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, and a newer 2018 generation instead of 2017. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GT 1030 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $30 cheaper on MSRP at $79 vs $109, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 39.5% (30.5 vs 21.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GT 1030 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon RX 550X has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GT 1030 vs Radeon RX 550X Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce GT 1030

The GeForce GT 1030 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 17 2017. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1228 MHz to 1468 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,407 points. Launch price was $79.

Radeon RX 550X

The Radeon RX 550X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 16 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1100 MHz to 1183 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,381 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GT 1030 scores 2,407 and the Radeon RX 550X reaches 2,381 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 1030 is built on Pascal while the Radeon RX 550X uses GCN 4.0, both on a 14 nm process. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 1030) vs 512 (Radeon RX 550X). Raw compute: 1.127 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 1030) vs 1.211 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 550X). Boost clocks: 1468 MHz vs 1183 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	Radeon RX 550X
G3D Mark Score	2,407+1%	2,381
Architecture	Pascal	GCN 4.0
Process Node	14 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	384	512+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.127 TFLOPS	1.211 TFLOPS+7%
Boost Clock	1468 MHz+24%	1183 MHz
ROPs	16	16
TMUs	24	32+33%
L1 Cache	144 KB+13%	128 KB
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 550X is support for FSR Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce GT 1030 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce GT 1030 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon RX 550X leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	Radeon RX 550X
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GT 1030 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 550X carries 4 GB. Radeon RX 550X gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce GT 1030 and 128-bit on the Radeon RX 550X.

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	Radeon RX 550X
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	4 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GT 1030) vs 12 (Radeon RX 550X). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	Radeon RX 550X
DirectX	12	12
Vulkan	1.2	1.3+8%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	2	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce GT 1030) vs UVD (Radeon RX 550X). Decoder: NVDEC 4th gen vs VCE. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP9 (GeForce GT 1030) vs H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 550X).

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	Radeon RX 550X
Encoder	None	UVD
Decoder	NVDEC 4th gen	VCE
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP9	H.264,HEVC,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 1030 draws 30W versus the Radeon RX 550X's 50W — a 50% difference. The GeForce GT 1030 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GT 1030) vs 300W (Radeon RX 550X). Power connectors: None vs None. Card length: 145mm vs 145mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	Radeon RX 550X
TDP	30W-40%	50W
Recommended PSU	300W	300W
Power Connector	None	None
Length	145mm	145mm
Height	69mm	111mm
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	80°C-6%	85°C
Perf/Watt	80.2+68%	47.6

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GT 1030 came in at $79, while the Radeon RX 550X launched at $109. On MSRP, GeForce GT 1030 was 27.5% cheaper ($30 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 30.5 (GeForce GT 1030) vs 21.8 (Radeon RX 550X) — the GeForce GT 1030 offers 39.9% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX 550X (2018 vs 2017).

Feature	GeForce GT 1030	Radeon RX 550X
MSRP	$79-28%	$109
Performance per Dollar	30.5+40%	21.8
Codename	GP108	Lexa
Release	May 17 2017	December 16 2018
Ranking	#641	#642

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