GeForce GTX 745 vs Radeon 550

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 745

2014Core: 1020 MHzBoost: 1085 MHz
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VS
AMD

Radeon 550

2017Core: 1100 MHzBoost: 1183 MHz
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GeForce GTX 745 vs Radeon 550 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 745 vs Radeon 550 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 745 vs Radeon 550: 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 745

2014

Why buy it

  • 35.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 1.3% HIGHER MSRP
    $80 MSRPvs$79 MSRP

Radeon 550

2017

Why buy it

  • Costs $1 less on MSRP ($79 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).
  • More future proof: GCN 4.0 (2016−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 745 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2017 hardware with 2 GB 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 GTX 745 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 35.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon 550 instead at 2,140 vs 2,126, 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?
GeForce GTX 745 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon 550 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1 cheaper on MSRP at $79 vs $80, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1.9% (27.1 vs 26.6), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon 550 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 745 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 745 vs Radeon 550 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 745

The GeForce GTX 745 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 18 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1020 MHz to 1085 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 55W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,126 points. Launch price was $119.

AMD

Radeon 550

The Radeon 550 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 20 2017. 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: 2,140 points. Launch price was $79.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 745 scores 2,126 and the Radeon 550 reaches 2,140 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 745 is built on Maxwell while the Radeon 550 uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 512 (GeForce GTX 745) vs 512 (Radeon 550). Raw compute: 1.111 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 745) vs 1.211 TFLOPS (Radeon 550). Boost clocks: 1085 MHz vs 1183 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 745Radeon 550
G3D Mark Score
2,126
2,140
Architecture
Maxwell
GCN 4.0
Process Node
28 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
512
512
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.111 TFLOPS
1.211 TFLOPS+9%
Boost Clock
1085 MHz
1183 MHz+9%
ROPs
16
16
TMUs
32
32
L1 Cache
256 KB+100%
128 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB+700%
0.25 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 745 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon 550 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce GTX 745Radeon 550
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 745 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon 550 carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 745 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 745 and 64-bit on the Radeon 550. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 745) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon 550) — the GeForce GTX 745 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 745Radeon 550
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+100%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+700%
0.25 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 745 draws 55W versus the Radeon 550's 50W — a 9.5% difference. The Radeon 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 745) vs 300W (Radeon 550). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs None.

FeatureGeForce GTX 745Radeon 550
TDP
55W
50W-9%
Recommended PSU
300W
300W
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
None
Length
145mm
Height
69mm
Slots
1
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
38.7
42.8+11%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 745 came in at $80, while the Radeon 550 launched at $79. On MSRP, Radeon 550 was 1.3% cheaper ($1 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 26.6 (GeForce GTX 745) vs 27.1 (Radeon 550) — the Radeon 550 offers 1.9% better value. The newer card here is Radeon 550 (2017 vs 2014).

FeatureGeForce GTX 745Radeon 550
MSRP
$80
$79-1%
Performance per Dollar
26.6
27.1+2%
Codename
GM107
Lexa
Release
February 18 2014
April 20 2017
Ranking
#559
#668

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