GeForce GTX 485M vs Radeon RX 550X

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 485M

2011Core: 1150 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon RX 550X

2018Core: 1100 MHzBoost: 1183 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce GTX 485M vs Radeon RX 550X 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 GTX 485M vs Radeon RX 550X 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 GTX 485M vs Radeon RX 550X: 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 GTX 485M

2011

Why buy it

  • 66.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • 2011 hardware with 2 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 21.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $109 MSRP).
  • 100% higher power demand at 100W vs 50W.

Radeon RX 550X

2018

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 21.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($109 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • GeForce GTX 485M is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon RX 550X is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 50W instead of 100W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 485M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 2018 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce GTX 485M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 66.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon RX 550X instead at 2,381 vs 2,360, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon RX 550X is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, the newer feature stack, with FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) and FSR Frame Generation (2023), while GeForce GTX 485M is limited to no meaningful modern upscaling stack and no comparable frame-generation support, a 14nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2018 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 RX 550X makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. GeForce GTX 485M still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 485M vs Radeon RX 550X Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 485M

The GeForce GTX 485M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 5 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 1150 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,360 points.

AMD

Radeon RX 550X

The Radeon RX 550X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 16 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1100 MHz to 1183 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,381 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 485M scores 2,360 and the Radeon RX 550X reaches 2,381 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 485M is built on Fermi while the Radeon RX 550X uses GCN 4.0, both on 40 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GTX 485M) vs 512 (Radeon RX 550X). Raw compute: 0.8832 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 485M) vs 1.211 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 550X).

FeatureGeForce GTX 485MRadeon RX 550X
G3D Mark Score
2,360
2,381
Architecture
Fermi
GCN 4.0
Process Node
40 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
384
512+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.8832 TFLOPS
1.211 TFLOPS+37%
ROPs
32+100%
16
TMUs
64+100%
32
L1 Cache
512 KB+300%
128 KB
L2 Cache
512 KB
512 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 550X is support for FSR Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce GTX 485M does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce GTX 485M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon RX 550X leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 485MRadeon RX 550X
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 485M has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 550X carries 4 GB. Radeon RX 550X 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 GTX 485M and 128-bit on the Radeon RX 550X.

FeatureGeForce GTX 485MRadeon RX 550X
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
4 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
128-bit
128-bit
L2 Cache
512 KB
512 KB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 485M) vs 12 (Radeon RX 550X). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.0 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce GTX 485MRadeon RX 550X
DirectX
12 (11_0)
12
Vulkan
1.2
1.3+8%
OpenGL
4.0
4.6+15%
Max Displays
2
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTX 485M) vs UVD (Radeon RX 550X). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs VCE. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 485M) vs H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 550X).

FeatureGeForce GTX 485MRadeon RX 550X
Encoder
PureVideo HD VP4
UVD
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP4
VCE
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP
H.264,HEVC,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 485M draws 100W versus the Radeon RX 550X's 50W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon RX 550X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 485M) vs 300W (Radeon RX 550X). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs None. Typical load temperature: 90°C vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 485MRadeon RX 550X
TDP
100W
50W-50%
Recommended PSU
350W
300W-14%
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
None
Length
145mm
Height
111mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
90°C
85°C-6%
Perf/Watt
23.6
47.6+102%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon RX 550X (2018 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce GTX 485MRadeon RX 550X
MSRP
$109
Codename
GF104
Lexa
Release
January 5 2011
December 16 2018
Ranking
#645
#642

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