CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 6550D
Popular choices:
GeForce GT 420M
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Radeon HD 6550D is positioned at rank 207 and the GeForce GT 420M is on rank 113, so the GeForce GT 420M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 6550D
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GT 420M
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 6550D is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GT 420M.
| Insight | Radeon HD 6550D | GeForce GT 420M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+2%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / TeraScale 3 (2010−2013)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / Kepler (2012−2018)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD 6550D remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 6550D and GeForce GT 420M
Radeon HD 6550D
The Radeon HD 6550D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 14 2010. It features the TeraScale 3 architecture. The boost clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 400 points. Launch price was $299.
GeForce GT 420M
The GeForce GT 420M 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: 392 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 6550D scores 400 and the GeForce GT 420M reaches 392 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 6550D is built on TeraScale 3 while the GeForce GT 420M uses Kepler, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,408 (Radeon HD 6550D) vs 384 (GeForce GT 420M). Raw compute: 2.253 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6550D) vs 0.48 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 420M). Boost clocks: 800 MHz vs 645 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6550D | GeForce GT 420M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 400+2% | 392 |
| Architecture | TeraScale 3 | Kepler |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1408+267% | 384 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.253 TFLOPS+369% | 0.48 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 800 MHz+24% | 645 MHz |
| ROPs | 32+100% | 16 |
| TMUs | 88+175% | 32 |
| L1 Cache | 352 KB+1000% | 32 KB |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 6550D | GeForce GT 420M |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 512 MB of GDDR5. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon HD 6550D) vs 256 KB (GeForce GT 420M) — the Radeon HD 6550D has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6550D | GeForce GT 420M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 6550D draws 200W versus the GeForce GT 420M's 32W — a 144.8% difference. The GeForce GT 420M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 6550D) vs 350W (GeForce GT 420M). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6550D | GeForce GT 420M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 32W-84% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | — | 0mm |
| Height | — | 0mm |
| Slots | — | 0 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 75°C |
| Perf/Watt | 2.0 | 12.3+515% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GT 420M is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2010).
| Feature | Radeon HD 6550D | GeForce GT 420M |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $70 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $70 | — |
| Codename | Cayman | GK107 |
| Release | December 14 2010 | March 22 2012 |
| Ranking | #623 | #909 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on Radeon HD 6550D and GeForce GT 420M
