GeForce GT 550M vs GeForce GT 720A

GeForce GT 550M

2013Core: 980 MHz

GeForce GT 720A

2014Core: 628 MHzBoost: 657 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce GT 550M

561

0.0%

GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB

GeForce GTX 1070 Ti

GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER

GeForce GT 720A

567

+1.1%

GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB

GeForce GTX 1070 Ti

GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER

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 GT 720A is on rank 314, so the GeForce GT 550M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GT 550M

#115

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

290%

#117

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

263%

#118

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

262%

#122

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

239%

#123

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

237%

#125

GeForce GT 550M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $30

100%

#131

GeForce GT 335M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $25

98%

#139

Iris Xe MAX Graphics

MSRP: $55|Avg: $40

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GT 720A

#63

RadeonT RX 6850M XT

MSRP: $1000|Avg: $600

99%

#304

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

766%

#306

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

694%

#307

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

692%

#311

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

629%

#312

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

625%

#314

GeForce GT 720A

MSRP: $40|Avg: $40

100%

#315

GeForce MX110

MSRP: $100|Avg: $40

100%

#321

GeForce 940A

MSRP: $80|Avg: $80

98%

#323

Radeon RX 640

MSRP: $159|Avg: $55

96%

#326

Iris Pro Graphics P580

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

95%

#327

Radeon E8870PCIe

MSRP: $250|Avg: $200

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce GT 720A is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.1% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GT 550M offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	GeForce GT 550M	GeForce GT 720A
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.1%)	✅Leading raw performance (+1.1%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / Kepler (2012−2018))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Kepler (2012−2018))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+100%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	Normal Efficiency	Normal Efficiency
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 $40), it costs 25% less, resulting in a 31.9% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	GeForce GT 550M	GeForce GT 720A
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+31.9%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($30)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($40)

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.

GeForce GT 550M Benchmark Check

GeForce GT 720A Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GT 550M and GeForce GT 720A

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 GT 720A

The GeForce GT 720A is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 17 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 628 MHz to 657 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 55W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 567 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GT 550M scores 561 and the GeForce GT 720A reaches 567 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 550M is built on Kepler while the GeForce GT 720A uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 550M) vs 768 (GeForce GT 720A). Raw compute: 0.7526 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 550M) vs 1.009 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 720A).

Feature	GeForce GT 550M	GeForce GT 720A
G3D Mark Score	561	567+1%
Architecture	Kepler	Kepler
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	384	768+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7526 TFLOPS	1.009 TFLOPS+34%
ROPs	16	16
TMUs	32	64+100%
L1 Cache	32 KB	64 KB+100%
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GT 550M	GeForce GT 720A
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 GT 720A has 512 MB. The GeForce GT 550M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit.

Feature	GeForce GT 550M	GeForce GT 720A
VRAM Capacity	1 GB+100%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GT 550M) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GT 720A). Vulkan: None vs 1.0. OpenGL: 4.0 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce GT 550M	GeForce GT 720A
DirectX	11.0	12 (11_0)+9%
Vulkan	None	1.0
OpenGL	4.0	4.6+15%
Max Displays	1	2+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (GeForce GT 550M) vs No NVENC (GeForce GT 720A). 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 GT 720A).

Feature	GeForce GT 550M	GeForce GT 720A
Encoder	No	No NVENC
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 GT 720A's 55W — a 9.5% difference. The GeForce GT 550M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 550M) vs 350W (GeForce GT 720A). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GT 550M	GeForce GT 720A
TDP	50W-9%	55W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	PCIe-powered
Length	0mm	—
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0	0
Temp (Load)	85°C	75°C-12%
Perf/Watt	11.2+9%	10.3

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GT 550M costs 25% less ($10 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 18.7 (GeForce GT 550M) vs 14.2 (GeForce GT 720A) — the GeForce GT 550M offers 31.7% better value. The GeForce GT 720A is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).