GeForce GTX 550 Ti vs 970M
Aggregated performance score
970M outperforms 550 Ti by 270% based on our aggregated benchmark results.
Primary details
GPU architecture, market segment, value for money and other general parameters compared.
| Place in performance ranking | 329 | 650 |
| Place by popularity | not in top-100 | 66 |
| Cost-effectiveness evaluation | 3.95 | 0.28 |
| Architecture | Maxwell (2014−2018) | Fermi (2010−2014) |
| GPU code name | GM204 | GF116 |
| Market segment | Laptop | Desktop |
| Release date | 7 October 2014 (9 years ago) | 15 March 2011 (13 years ago) |
| Launch price (MSRP) | $2,560.89 | $149 |
| Current price | $848 (0.3x MSRP) | $197 (1.3x MSRP) |
Cost-effectiveness evaluation
Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.
GTX 970M has 1311% better value for money than GTX 550 Ti.
Detailed specifications
General performance parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. These parameters indirectly speak of performance, but for precise assessment you have to consider their benchmark and gaming test results. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.
| Pipelines / CUDA cores | 1280 | 192 |
| CUDA cores | 1280 | 192 |
| Core clock speed | 924 MHz | 900 MHz |
| Boost clock speed | 1038 MHz | no data |
| Number of transistors | 5,200 million | 1,170 million |
| Manufacturing process technology | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Power consumption (TDP) | unknown | 116 Watt |
| Maximum GPU temperature | no data | 100 °C |
| Texture fill rate | 83.04 | 28.8 billion/sec |
| Floating-point performance | 2,657 gflops | 691.2 gflops |
Form factor & compatibility
Information on GeForce GTX 970M and GeForce GTX 550 Ti compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop video cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility). For notebook video cards it's notebook size, connection slot and bus, if the video card is inserted into a slot instead of being soldered to the notebook motherboard.
| Laptop size | large | no data |
| Bus support | PCI Express 3.0 | 16x PCI-E 2.0 |
| Interface | MXM-B (3.0) | PCIe 2.0 x16 |
| Length | no data | 8.25" (21 cm) |
| Height | no data | 4.376" (11.1 cm) |
| Width | no data | 2-slot |
| Supplementary power connectors | None | One 6-pin |
| SLI options | + | + |
VRAM capacity and type
Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.
| Memory type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Maximum RAM amount | 6 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory bus width | 192 Bit | 192 Bit |
| Memory clock speed | 2500 MHz | 4.1 GB/s |
| Memory bandwidth | 120 GB/s | 98.4 GB/s |
| Shared memory | - | no data |
Connectivity and outputs
Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.
| Display Connectors | No outputs | Two Dual Link DVI-IMini HDMI |
| Multi monitor support | no data | + |
| VGA аnalog display support | + | no data |
| DisplayPort Multimode (DP++) support | + | no data |
| HDMI | + | + |
| Maximum VGA resolution | no data | 2048x1536 |
| G-SYNC support | + | no data |
| Audio input for HDMI | no data | Internal |
Supported technologies
Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.
| GameStream | + | no data |
| GeForce ShadowPlay | + | no data |
| GPU Boost | 2.0 | no data |
| GameWorks | + | no data |
| H.264, VC1, MPEG2 1080p video decoder | + | no data |
| Optimus | + | no data |
| BatteryBoost | + | no data |
| Ansel | + | no data |
API compatibility
List of supported graphics and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.
| DirectX | 12 (12_1) | 12 (11_0) |
| Shader Model | 6.4 | 5.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.5 | 4.2 |
| OpenCL | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Vulkan | 1.1.126 | N/A |
| CUDA | + | + |
Synthetic benchmark performance
Non-gaming benchmark performance comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.
Combined synthetic benchmark score
This is our combined benchmark performance score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.
970M outperforms 550 Ti by 270% based on our aggregated benchmark results.
Passmark
This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark, part of Passmark PerformanceTest suite. It gives the graphics card a thorough evaluation under various types of load, providing four separate benchmarks for Direct3D versions 9, 10, 11 and 12 (the last being done in 4K resolution if possible), and few more tests engaging DirectCompute capabilities.
Benchmark coverage: 25%
970M outperforms 550 Ti by 270% in Passmark.
3DMark Vantage Performance
3DMark Vantage is an outdated DirectX 10 benchmark using 1280x1024 screen resolution. It taxes the graphics card with two scenes, one depicting a girl escaping some militarized base located within a sea cave, the other displaying a space fleet attack on a defenseless planet. It was discontinued in April 2017, and Time Spy benchmark is now recommended to be used instead.
Benchmark coverage: 17%
970M outperforms 550 Ti by 182% in 3DMark Vantage Performance.
3DMark 11 Performance GPU
3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.
Benchmark coverage: 17%
970M outperforms 550 Ti by 335% in 3DMark 11 Performance GPU.
GeekBench 5 OpenCL
Geekbench 5 is a widespread graphics card benchmark combined from 11 different test scenarios. All these scenarios rely on direct usage of GPU's processing power, no 3D rendering is involved. This variation uses OpenCL API by Khronos Group.
Benchmark coverage: 9%
970M outperforms 550 Ti by 215% in GeekBench 5 OpenCL.
Octane Render OctaneBench
This is a special benchmark measuring graphics card performance in OctaneRender, which is a realistic GPU rendering engine by OTOY Inc., available either as a standalone program, or as a plugin for 3DS Max, Cinema 4D and many other apps. It renders four different static scenes, then compares render times with a reference GPU which is currently GeForce GTX 980. This benchmark has nothing to do with gaming and is aimed at professional 3D graphics artists.
Benchmark coverage: 4%
970M outperforms 550 Ti by 155% in Octane Render OctaneBench.
Gaming performance
Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.
Average FPS across all PC games
Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:
| 900p | 136
+258%
| 38
−258%
|
| Full HD | 58
+56.8%
| 37
−56.8%
|
| 1440p | 27
+286%
| 7−8
−286%
|
| 4K | 21
+320%
| 5−6
−320%
|
FPS performance in popular games
Full HD
Low Preset
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 21−24
+229%
|
7−8
−229%
|
Full HD
Medium Preset
| Assassin's Creed Odyssey | 42
+500%
|
7−8
−500%
|
| Assassin's Creed Valhalla | 24−27
+1150%
|
2−3
−1150%
|
| Battlefield 5 | 66
+500%
|
10−12
−500%
|
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare | 35−40
+171%
|
14−16
−171%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 21−24
+229%
|
7−8
−229%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 46
+557%
|
7−8
−557%
|
| Far Cry New Dawn | 41
+413%
|
8−9
−413%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 61
+408%
|
12−14
−408%
|
| Hitman 3 | 40−45
+413%
|
8−9
−413%
|
| Horizon Zero Dawn | 30−35
+343%
|
7−8
−343%
|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 24−27
+213%
|
8−9
−213%
|
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 40
+264%
|
10−12
−264%
|
| Watch Dogs: Legion | 27−30
+600%
|
4−5
−600%
|
Full HD
High Preset
| Assassin's Creed Odyssey | 36
+414%
|
7−8
−414%
|
| Assassin's Creed Valhalla | 24−27
+1150%
|
2−3
−1150%
|
| Battlefield 5 | 54
+391%
|
10−12
−391%
|
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare | 35−40
+171%
|
14−16
−171%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 21−24
+229%
|
7−8
−229%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 43
+514%
|
7−8
−514%
|
| Far Cry New Dawn | 38
+375%
|
8−9
−375%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 53
+342%
|
12−14
−342%
|
| Hitman 3 | 40−45
+413%
|
8−9
−413%
|
| Horizon Zero Dawn | 30−35
+343%
|
7−8
−343%
|
| Metro Exodus | 24
+300%
|
6−7
−300%
|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 24−27
+213%
|
8−9
−213%
|
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 34
+209%
|
10−12
−209%
|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 45
+400%
|
9−10
−400%
|
| Watch Dogs: Legion | 27−30
+600%
|
4−5
−600%
|
Full HD
Ultra Preset
| Assassin's Creed Odyssey | 21
+200%
|
7−8
−200%
|
| Assassin's Creed Valhalla | 24−27
+1150%
|
2−3
−1150%
|
| Battlefield 5 | 49
+345%
|
10−12
−345%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 21−24
+229%
|
7−8
−229%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 39
+457%
|
7−8
−457%
|
| Far Cry New Dawn | 35
+338%
|
8−9
−338%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 36
+200%
|
12−14
−200%
|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 26
+189%
|
9−10
−189%
|
| Watch Dogs: Legion | 27−30
+600%
|
4−5
−600%
|
1440p
High Preset
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare | 21−24
+267%
|
6−7
−267%
|
| Hitman 3 | 21−24
+229%
|
7−8
−229%
|
| Horizon Zero Dawn | 21−24
+110%
|
10−11
−110%
|
| Metro Exodus | 14
+600%
|
2−3
−600%
|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 10−12
+450%
|
2−3
−450%
|
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 20
+186%
|
7−8
−186%
|
1440p
Ultra Preset
| Assassin's Creed Odyssey | 17
+750%
|
2−3
−750%
|
| Assassin's Creed Valhalla | 12−14
+300%
|
3−4
−300%
|
| Battlefield 5 | 33
+313%
|
8−9
−313%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 8−9
+300%
|
2−3
−300%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 27
+350%
|
6−7
−350%
|
| Far Cry New Dawn | 25
+1150%
|
2−3
−1150%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 23
+475%
|
4−5
−475%
|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 14−16
+275%
|
4−5
−275%
|
| Watch Dogs: Legion | 9−10
+350%
|
2−3
−350%
|
4K
High Preset
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare | 10−11
+233%
|
3−4
−233%
|
| Hitman 3 | 14−16
+250%
|
4−5
−250%
|
| Horizon Zero Dawn | 10−11
+42.9%
|
7−8
−42.9%
|
| Metro Exodus | 7
+600%
|
1−2
−600%
|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | 8−9
+300%
|
2−3
−300%
|
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 9
+800%
|
1−2
−800%
|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 16
+300%
|
4−5
−300%
|
4K
Ultra Preset
| Assassin's Creed Odyssey | 9−10
+350%
|
2−3
−350%
|
| Assassin's Creed Valhalla | 7−8
+600%
|
1−2
−600%
|
| Battlefield 5 | 15
+275%
|
4−5
−275%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 2−3 | 0−1 |
| Far Cry 5 | 13
+225%
|
4−5
−225%
|
| Far Cry New Dawn | 12
+71.4%
|
7−8
−71.4%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 6
+500%
|
1−2
−500%
|
| Watch Dogs: Legion | 6−7
+500%
|
1−2
−500%
|
This is how GTX 970M and GTX 550 Ti compete in popular games:
- GTX 970M is 258% faster than GTX 550 Ti in 900p
- GTX 970M is 56.8% faster than GTX 550 Ti in 1080p
- GTX 970M is 286% faster than GTX 550 Ti in 1440p
- GTX 970M is 320% faster than GTX 550 Ti in 4K
Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:
- in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, with 1080p resolution and the Medium Preset, the GTX 970M is 1150% faster than the GTX 550 Ti.
All in all, in popular games:
- Without exception, GTX 970M surpassed GTX 550 Ti in all 60 of our tests.
Pros & cons summary
| Performance score | 14.79 | 4.00 |
| Recency | 7 October 2014 | 15 March 2011 |
| Cost | $2560.89 | $149 |
| Maximum RAM amount | 6 GB | 2 GB |
| Chip lithography | 28 nm | 40 nm |
The GeForce GTX 970M is our recommended choice as it beats the GeForce GTX 550 Ti in performance tests.
Be aware that GeForce GTX 970M is a notebook card while GeForce GTX 550 Ti is a desktop one.
Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.
Comparisons with similar GPUs
We selected several comparisons of graphics cards with performance close to those reviewed, providing you with more options to consider.
