GeForce GT 550M vs GeForce 820A
GeForce GT 550M
Popular choices:
GeForce 820A
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 550M is positioned at rank 125 and the GeForce 820A is on rank 452, 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 GT 550M
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 820A
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 GT 550M | GeForce 820A |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.9%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / Kepler (2012−2018)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| 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 GT 550M | GeForce 820A |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+0.9%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| 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 GT 550M and GeForce 820A
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.
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.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GT 550M scores 561 and the GeForce 820A reaches 556 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 550M is built on Kepler while the GeForce 820A uses Maxwell, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 550M) vs 256 (GeForce 820A). Raw compute: 0.7526 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 550M) vs 0.5888 TFLOPS (GeForce 820A).
| Feature | GeForce GT 550M | GeForce 820A |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 561 | 556 |
| Architecture | Kepler | Maxwell |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 384+50% | 256 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.7526 TFLOPS+28% | 0.5888 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 16+100% | 8 |
| TMUs | 32+100% | 16 |
| L1 Cache | 32 KB | 128 KB+300% |
| L2 Cache | 0.25 MB | 1 MB+300% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GT 550M | GeForce 820A |
|---|---|---|
| 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 GT 550M comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce 820A has 512 MB. 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: 0.25 MB (GeForce GT 550M) vs 1 MB (GeForce 820A) — the GeForce 820A has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GT 550M | GeForce 820A |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB+100% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 0.25 MB | 1 MB+300% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GT 550M) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce 820A). Vulkan: None vs N/A. OpenGL: 4.0 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce GT 550M | GeForce 820A |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.0 | 12 (11_0)+9% |
| Vulkan | None | N/A |
| OpenGL | 4.0 | 4.6+15% |
| Max Displays | 1 | 2+100% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: No (GeForce GT 550M) vs N/A (GeForce 820A). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs PureVideo HD (VP5). Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 550M) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce 820A).
| Feature | GeForce GT 550M | GeForce 820A |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | No | N/A |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP4 | PureVideo HD (VP5) |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GT 550M draws 50W versus the GeForce 820A's 33W — a 41% difference. The GeForce 820A is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 550M) vs 350W (GeForce 820A). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Legacy. Card length: 0mm vs 0mm, occupying 0 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 70.
| Feature | GeForce GT 550M | GeForce 820A |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 50W | 33W-34% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | Legacy |
| Length | 0mm | 0mm |
| Height | 0mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 0 | 0 |
| Temp (Load) | 85°C | 70-18% |
| Perf/Watt | 11.2 | 16.8+50% |
Value Analysis
Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 18.7 (GeForce GT 550M) vs 18.5 (GeForce 820A) — the GeForce GT 550M offers 1.1% better value. The GeForce 820A is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).
| Feature | GeForce GT 550M | GeForce 820A |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $100 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $30 | $30 |
| Performance per Dollar | 18.7+1% | 18.5 |
| Codename | GK107 | GM108 |
| Release | June 25 2013 | July 22 2014 |
| Ranking | #726 | #832 |
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