Radeon HD 8550D vs GeForce GTS 250
Radeon HD 8550D
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GeForce GTS 250
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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. The Radeon HD 8550D is positioned at rank 111 and the GeForce GTS 250 is on rank 246, so the Radeon HD 8550D 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 8550D
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTS 250
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GTS 250 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.4% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (1 GB vs 512 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 8550D.
| Insight | Radeon HD 8550D | GeForce GTS 250 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.4%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / Fermi (2010−2014)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce GTS 250 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTS 250 holds the technical lead. Priced at $20 (vs $50), it costs 60% less, resulting in a 150.9% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 8550D | GeForce GTS 250 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+150.9%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50) | ✅More affordable ($20) |
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 8550D and GeForce GTS 250
Radeon HD 8550D
The Radeon HD 8550D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 5 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 567 points. Launch price was $249.
GeForce GTS 250
The GeForce GTS 250 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 13 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 783 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 106W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 569 points. Launch price was $129.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 8550D scores 567 and the GeForce GTS 250 reaches 569 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8550D is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTS 250 uses Fermi, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (Radeon HD 8550D) vs 192 (GeForce GTS 250). Raw compute: 1.761 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8550D) vs 0.6013 TFLOPS (GeForce GTS 250).
| Feature | Radeon HD 8550D | GeForce GTS 250 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 567 | 569 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Fermi |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 1024+433% | 192 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.761 TFLOPS+193% | 0.6013 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 32+100% | 16 |
| TMUs | 64+100% | 32 |
| L1 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 8550D | GeForce GTS 250 |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
The Radeon HD 8550D comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTS 250 has 1 GB. The GeForce GTS 250 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon HD 8550D) vs 256 KB (GeForce GTS 250) — the Radeon HD 8550D has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8550D | GeForce GTS 250 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 1 GB+100% |
| 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 8550D draws 130W versus the GeForce GTS 250's 106W — a 20.3% difference. The GeForce GTS 250 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8550D) vs 450W (GeForce GTS 250). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8550D | GeForce GTS 250 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 130W | 106W-18% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-22% | 450W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | — | 229mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | — | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 90°C |
| Perf/Watt | 4.4 | 5.4+23% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 8550D launched at $50 MSRP and currently averages $50, while the GeForce GTS 250 launched at $129 and now averages $20. The GeForce GTS 250 costs 60% less ($30 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 11.3 (Radeon HD 8550D) vs 28.4 (GeForce GTS 250) — the GeForce GTS 250 offers 151.3% better value. The Radeon HD 8550D is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2010).
| Feature | Radeon HD 8550D | GeForce GTS 250 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $50-61% | $129 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $50 | $20-60% |
| Performance per Dollar | 11.3 | 28.4+151% |
| Codename | Pitcairn | GF106 |
| Release | March 5 2012 | September 13 2010 |
| Ranking | #503 | #791 |
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