GeForce GT 550M vs GeForce GT 720A

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 550M vs GeForce GT 720A 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 550M vs GeForce GT 720A: 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 550M

2013

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GT 720A across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2013 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 14.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $40 MSRP).

GeForce GT 720A

2014

Why buy it

✅43.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 14.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($40 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2014 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GT 720A is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 43.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.1% in PassMark G3D (567 vs 561), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce GT 550M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GT 720A makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce GT 720A is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GT 550M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GT 550M vs GeForce GT 720A Technical Specifications

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

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.

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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	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GT 550M has 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GT 720A carries 512 MB. GeForce GT 550M gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GT 550M and 64-bit on the GeForce GT 720A.

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

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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 newer card here is GeForce GT 720A (2014 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce GT 550M	GeForce GT 720A
MSRP	—	$40
Codename	GK107	GK106
Release	June 25 2013	March 17 2014
Ranking	#726	#813

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