GeForce RTX 3070 vs RADEON X550

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz
RTX family
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VS
AMD

RADEON X550

2017Core: 1100 MHzBoost: 1183 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3070 vs RADEON X550 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 RTX 3070 vs RADEON X550 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 RTX 3070 vs RADEON X550: 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 RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • 18222.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 5127.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 0.8 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 3100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 256 MB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 340% higher power demand at 220W vs 50W.

RADEON X550

2017

Why buy it

  • Costs $439 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • Draws 50W instead of 220W, a 170W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 256 MB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
  • 2017 hardware with 256 MB 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 0.8 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($60 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 18222.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 43374.5% in PassMark G3D (22,172 vs 51), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 256 MB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 14nm, 46 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2020 generation instead of 2017. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3070 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $439 more expensive on MSRP at $499 vs $60, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 5127.4% (44.4 vs 0.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs RADEON X550 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

AMD

RADEON X550

The RADEON X550 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: 51 points. Launch price was $79.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the RADEON X550's 51 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 43374.5%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the RADEON X550 uses GCN 4.0, both on 8 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 512 (RADEON X550). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1.211 TFLOPS (RADEON X550). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 1183 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070RADEON X550
G3D Mark Score
22,172+43375%
51
Architecture
Ampere
GCN 4.0
Process Node
8 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
5888+1050%
512
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS+1577%
1.211 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1725 MHz+46%
1183 MHz
ROPs
96+500%
16
TMUs
184+475%
32
L1 Cache
5.8 MB+4362%
0.13 MB
L2 Cache
4 MB+1500%
0.25 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The RADEON X550 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070RADEON X550
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
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 RTX 3070 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the RADEON X550 carries 256 MB. GeForce RTX 3070 gives you 3100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3070 and 64-bit on the RADEON X550. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.25 MB (RADEON X550) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070RADEON X550
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+3100%
0.25 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Bus Width
256-bit+300%
64-bit
L2 Cache
4 MB+1500%
0.25 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the RADEON X550's 50W — a 125.9% difference. The RADEON X550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 350W (RADEON X550). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Legacy.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070RADEON X550
TDP
220W
50W-77%
Recommended PSU
650W
350W-46%
Power Connector
8-pin
Legacy
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
100.8+9980%
1.0
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3070 came in at $499, while the RADEON X550 launched at $60. On MSRP, RADEON X550 was 88% cheaper ($439 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.8 (RADEON X550) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 5450% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3070 (2020 vs 2017).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070RADEON X550
MSRP
$499
$60-88%
Performance per Dollar
44.4+5450%
0.8
Codename
GA104
Lexa
Release
September 1 2020
April 20 2017
Ranking
#63
#668

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