Radeon HD 7870 XT vs GeForce MX550
Radeon HD 7870 XT
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GeForce MX550
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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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar GeForce MX550
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce MX550 is significantly newer (2021 vs 2012). The GeForce MX550 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 7870 XT lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce MX550 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.2% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 7870 XT.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7870 XT | GeForce MX550 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.2%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.2%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | Turing (2018−2022) (12nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (267mm) | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce MX550 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $150 versus $270 for the Radeon HD 7870 XT, it costs 44% less. While it maintains competitive performance, this results in a 80.4% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7870 XT | GeForce MX550 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+80.4%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($270) | ✅More affordable ($150) |
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 7870 XT and GeForce MX550
Radeon HD 7870 XT
The Radeon HD 7870 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 19 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 925 MHz to 975 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 185W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,470 points. Launch price was $270.
GeForce MX550
The GeForce MX550 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 17 2021. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1065 MHz to 1320 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,480 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 7870 XT scores 4,470 and the GeForce MX550 reaches 4,480 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7870 XT is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce MX550 uses Turing, both on 28 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 1,536 (Radeon HD 7870 XT) vs 1,024 (GeForce MX550). Raw compute: 2.995 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7870 XT) vs 2.703 TFLOPS (GeForce MX550). Boost clocks: 975 MHz vs 1320 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7870 XT | GeForce MX550 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 4,470 | 4,480 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Turing |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 12 nm |
| Shading Units | 1536+50% | 1024 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.995 TFLOPS+11% | 2.703 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 975 MHz | 1320 MHz+35% |
| ROPs | 32+100% | 16 |
| TMUs | 96+200% | 32 |
| L1 Cache | 0.38 MB | 2 MB+426% |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 2 MB+300% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 7870 XT | GeForce MX550 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 2 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (Radeon HD 7870 XT) vs 80 GB/s (GeForce MX550) — a 140% advantage for the Radeon HD 7870 XT. Bus width: 256-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 7870 XT) vs 2 MB (GeForce MX550) — the GeForce MX550 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7870 XT | GeForce MX550 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 192 GB/s+140% | 80 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 256-bit+300% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 2 MB+300% |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 7870 XT draws 185W versus the GeForce MX550's 25W — a 152.4% difference. The GeForce MX550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 7870 XT) vs 350W (GeForce MX550). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs Mobile.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7870 XT | GeForce MX550 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 185W | 25W-86% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 350W-30% |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | Mobile |
| Length | 267mm | — |
| Height | 111mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 80 | — |
| Perf/Watt | 24.2 | 179.2+640% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 7870 XT launched at $270 MSRP and currently averages $270, while the GeForce MX550 launched at $150 and now averages $150. The GeForce MX550 costs 44.4% less ($120 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 16.6 (Radeon HD 7870 XT) vs 29.9 (GeForce MX550) — the GeForce MX550 offers 80.1% better value. The GeForce MX550 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2012).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7870 XT | GeForce MX550 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $270 | $150-44% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $270 | $150-44% |
| Performance per Dollar | 16.6 | 29.9+80% |
| Codename | Tahiti | TU117S |
| Release | November 19 2012 | December 17 2021 |
| Ranking | #469 | #468 |
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