GeForce GT 640M LE vs Radeon HD 6550A

NVIDIA

GeForce GT 640M LE

2012Core: Up to 625 MHzBoost: 645 MHz
VS
AMD

Radeon HD 6550A

2011Core: 600 MHz

GeForce GT 640M LE vs Radeon HD 6550A Performance Spectrum

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 640M LE vs Radeon HD 6550A 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 640M LE vs Radeon HD 6550A: 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 640M LE

2012

Why buy it

  • βœ…300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).
  • βœ…Draws 32W instead of 45W, a 13W reduction.
  • βœ…More future proof: Kepler (2012βˆ’2018) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 6550A across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • ❌2012 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • ❌
    166.7% HIGHER MSRP
    $80 MSRPvs$30 MSRP
  • ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 8.7 vs 23.6 G3D/$ ($80 MSRP vs $30 MSRP).

Radeon HD 6550A

2011

Why buy it

  • βœ…1.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • βœ…Costs $50 less on MSRP ($30 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).
  • βœ…Delivers 170.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 23.6 vs 8.7 G3D/$ ($30 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • ❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • ❌2011 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • ❌40.6% higher power demand at 45W vs 32W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon HD 6550A is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 1.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.6% in PassMark G3D (708 vs 697), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce GT 640M LE is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, a 28nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2012 generation instead of 2011. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon HD 6550A makes the most sense to buy today. It is $50 cheaper on MSRP at $30 vs $80, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 170.9% (23.6 vs 8.7), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 6550A is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GT 640M LE has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GT 640M LE vs Radeon HD 6550A Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GT 640M LE

The GeForce GT 640M LE 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: 697 points.

AMD

Radeon HD 6550A

The Radeon HD 6550A is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 19 2011. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 600 MHz. It has 480 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 708 points.

⚑

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GT 640M LE scores 697 and the Radeon HD 6550A reaches 708 in the G3D Mark benchmark β€” just a 1.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 640M LE is built on Kepler while the Radeon HD 6550A uses TeraScale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 640M LE) vs 480 (Radeon HD 6550A). Raw compute: 0.48 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 640M LE) vs 0.576 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6550A).

FeatureGeForce GT 640M LERadeon HD 6550A
G3D Mark Score
697
708+2%
Architecture
Kepler
TeraScale 2
Process Node
28 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
384
480+25%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.48 TFLOPS
0.576 TFLOPS+20%
ROPs
16+100%
8
TMUs
32+33%
24
L1 Cache
32 KB
48 KB+50%
L2 Cache
256 KB
256 KB
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GT 640M LE gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 6550A leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GT 640M LERadeon HD 6550A
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
πŸ’Ύ

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GT 640M LE has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6550A carries 512 MB. GeForce GT 640M LE gives you 300% 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 640M LE and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 6550A.

FeatureGeForce GT 640M LERadeon HD 6550A
VRAM Capacity
2 GB+300%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
128-bit
128-bit
L2 Cache
256 KB
256 KB
πŸ”Œ

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 640M LE draws 32W versus the Radeon HD 6550A's 45W β€” a 33.8% difference. The GeForce GT 640M LE is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 640M LE) vs 350W (Radeon HD 6550A). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureGeForce GT 640M LERadeon HD 6550A
TDP
32W-29%
45W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
1x 6-pin
Length
0mm
β€”
Height
0mm
β€”
Slots
0
β€”
Temp (Load)
85
β€”
Perf/Watt
21.8+39%
15.7
πŸ’°

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GT 640M LE came in at $80, while the Radeon HD 6550A launched at $30. On MSRP, Radeon HD 6550A was 62.5% cheaper ($50 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 8.7 (GeForce GT 640M LE) vs 23.6 (Radeon HD 6550A) β€” the Radeon HD 6550A offers 171.3% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GT 640M LE (2012 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce GT 640M LERadeon HD 6550A
MSRP
$80
$30-63%
Performance per Dollar
8.7
23.6+171%
Codename
GK107
Onega
Release
March 22 2012
April 19 2011
Ranking
#909
#926

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