GeForce GTX 555 vs Radeon Vega 9

CPU

GPU

GeForce GTX 555

2011Core: 720 MHz

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Radeon Vega 9

2021Core: 300 MHzBoost: 1900 MHz

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GeForce GTX 555 vs Radeon Vega 9 Performance Spectrum

GeForce GTX 555

1 GB 70

1,604

+1.0%

RTX 2000E Ada Generation

TITAN V

Radeon Vega 9

Shared System RAM 45

1,588

0.0%

Radeon R5 430

Radeon R7 M465

Radeon HD 8670D + HD 6670 Dual

Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB

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 555 vs Radeon Vega 9 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 555 vs Radeon Vega 9: 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 555

2011

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 10.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs Unknown).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon Vega 9 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2011 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌55.6% higher power demand at 70W vs 45W.

Radeon Vega 9

2021

Why buy it

✅41.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅GeForce GTX 555 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon Vega 9 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 45W instead of 70W, a 25W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2021 hardware with Unknown 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 10.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $150 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon Vega 9 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 41.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 555 instead at 1,604 vs 1,588, 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 Vega 9 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 7nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2021 generation instead of 2011. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 555 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 GTX 555 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p headroom, Radeon Vega 9 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 555 vs Radeon Vega 9 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 555

The GeForce GTX 555 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 14 2011. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 720 MHz. It has 144 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,604 points. Launch price was $149.

Radeon Vega 9

The Radeon Vega 9 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 13 2021. It features the GCN 5.1 architecture. The core clock ranges from 300 MHz to 1900 MHz. It has 448 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,588 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 555 scores 1,604 and the Radeon Vega 9 reaches 1,588 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 555 is built on Fermi 2.0 while the Radeon Vega 9 uses GCN 5.1, both on 40 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 144 (GeForce GTX 555) vs 448 (Radeon Vega 9). Raw compute: 0.4147 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 555) vs 1.702 TFLOPS (Radeon Vega 9).

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	Radeon Vega 9
G3D Mark Score	1,604+1%	1,588
Architecture	Fermi 2.0	GCN 5.1
Process Node	40 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	144	448+211%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.4147 TFLOPS	1.702 TFLOPS+310%
ROPs	16+100%	8
TMUs	24	28+17%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 555 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon Vega 9 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	Radeon Vega 9
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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 555 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Vega 9 carries 0 MB. GeForce GTX 555 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 555 and System on the Radeon Vega 9.

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	Radeon Vega 9
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	System
Bus Width	128-bit	System

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 555) vs 12 (12_1) (Radeon Vega 9). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 3.

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	Radeon Vega 9
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 (12_1)
Vulkan	1.2	1.3+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	2	3+50%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTX 555) vs VCE 4.0 (Radeon Vega 9). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs UVD 7.0. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 555) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon Vega 9).

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	Radeon Vega 9
Encoder	PureVideo HD VP4	VCE 4.0
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP4	UVD 7.0
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP	H.264,H.265,VP9,MPEG-2,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 555 draws 70W versus the Radeon Vega 9's 45W — a 43.5% difference. The Radeon Vega 9 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce GTX 555) vs 1W (Radeon Vega 9). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated. Card length: 210mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75.

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	Radeon Vega 9
TDP	70W	45W-36%
Recommended PSU	450W	1W-100%
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	Integrated
Length	210mm	0mm
Height	111mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75°C	75
Perf/Watt	22.9	35.3+54%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 555 came in at $150, while the Radeon Vega 9 launched at $0. On MSRP, Radeon Vega 9 was 100+% cheaper ($150 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 10.7 (GeForce GTX 555) vs Infinity (Radeon Vega 9) — the Radeon Vega 9 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon Vega 9 (2021 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce GTX 555	Radeon Vega 9
MSRP	$150	$0-100%
Performance per Dollar	10.7	Infinity
Codename	GF116	Cezanne
Release	May 14 2011	April 13 2021
Ranking	#849	#601

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