CPU
GPU
GeForce GT 420M
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 6550D
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 GT 420M is positioned at rank 113 and the Radeon HD 6550D is on rank 207, so the GeForce GT 420M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GT 420M
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 6550D
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 6550D is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GT 420M.
| Insight | GeForce GT 420M | Radeon HD 6550D |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+2%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / Kepler (2012−2018)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / TeraScale 3 (2010−2013)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD 6550D remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
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 GT 420M and Radeon HD 6550D
GeForce GT 420M
The GeForce GT 420M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 22 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from Up to 625 MHz to 645 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 32W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 392 points.
Radeon HD 6550D
The Radeon HD 6550D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 14 2010. It features the TeraScale 3 architecture. The boost clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 400 points. Launch price was $299.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GT 420M scores 392 and the Radeon HD 6550D reaches 400 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 420M is built on Kepler while the Radeon HD 6550D uses TeraScale 3, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 420M) vs 1,408 (Radeon HD 6550D). Raw compute: 0.48 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 420M) vs 2.253 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6550D). Boost clocks: 645 MHz vs 800 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GT 420M | Radeon HD 6550D |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 392 | 400+2% |
| Architecture | Kepler | TeraScale 3 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 384 | 1408+267% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.48 TFLOPS | 2.253 TFLOPS+369% |
| Boost Clock | 645 MHz | 800 MHz+24% |
| ROPs | 16 | 32+100% |
| TMUs | 32 | 88+175% |
| L1 Cache | 32 KB | 352 KB+1000% |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GT 420M | Radeon HD 6550D |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 512 MB of GDDR5. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 256 KB (GeForce GT 420M) vs 512 KB (Radeon HD 6550D) — the Radeon HD 6550D has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GT 420M | Radeon HD 6550D |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GT 420M draws 32W versus the Radeon HD 6550D's 200W — a 144.8% difference. The GeForce GT 420M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 420M) vs 350W (Radeon HD 6550D). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.
| Feature | GeForce GT 420M | Radeon HD 6550D |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 32W-84% | 200W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 0mm | — |
| Height | 0mm | — |
| Slots | 0 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 75°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 12.3+515% | 2.0 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GT 420M is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2010).
| Feature | GeForce GT 420M | Radeon HD 6550D |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $70 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $70 |
| Codename | GK107 | Cayman |
| Release | March 22 2012 | December 14 2010 |
| Ranking | #909 | #623 |
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