GPU Comparison

Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.

Quick Verdict

On raw speed the GeForce GTX 980 Ti comes out dramatically faster — about 900% ahead of the Radeon RX 550. It also wins on performance-per-dollar, making it the cleaner choice when you can afford it.

Maximum Capacity Reached. Remove a model to add another. (2/2)

VS
NVIDIA
GeForce GTX 980 Ti
Price
$115 USD
Performance
10%
VRAM
6 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+340% CUDA Cores (2,816 vs 640)
+251% Bandwidth (336.5 GB/s vs 96 GB/s)
+200% Memory Bus (384-bit vs 128-bit)
Price
$76 USD
Performance
1%
VRAM
2 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+10% Boost Clock (1,183 MHz vs 1,075 MHz)

GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs Radeon RX 550: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs Radeon RX 550

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is dramatically faster, around 900% ahead of the Radeon RX 550. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.

Price & Value

The Radeon RX 550 currently lists from $76 USD, $39 USD less than the GeForce GTX 980 Ti at $115 USD. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti wins on performance-per-dollar by about 561%. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is trading below its $649 USD MSRP — a genuine deal.

Power & Efficiency

On power, the Radeon RX 550 is the gentler choice at 50W versus 250W. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is more efficient per watt because it's faster, but its higher 250W draw means more heat and a bigger PSU.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti carries 6GB versus 2GB on the Radeon RX 550. The extra 4GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers.

Generation & Longevity

The Radeon RX 550 is roughly 2 years newer than the GeForce GTX 980 Ti (GCN 4.0 (Polaris) vs Maxwell), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon RX 550 offers AMD FSR upscaling and strong rasterization value. If you lean on upscaling or ray tracing, that ecosystem difference can matter as much as the frame-rate gap.

Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 980 Ti or Radeon RX 550?

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the Radeon RX 550 if you find it at a steep discount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the GeForce GTX 980 Ti better than the Radeon RX 550?

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is dramatically faster, roughly 900% ahead. If your budget allows, it's the stronger pick.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti or the Radeon RX 550?

Neither is a dedicated 4K card; both are best at entry-level 1080p. For 4K you'd want a faster GPU, or lean on upscaling.

Is the GeForce GTX 980 Ti worth the extra $39 USD over the Radeon RX 550?

Often yes — despite the higher price the GeForce GTX 980 Ti delivers better performance-per-dollar here.

Does the GeForce GTX 980 Ti have enough VRAM advantage to matter?

Its 6GB (vs 2GB) gives real headroom for 4K, heavy texture mods, and creative/AI work. At 1080p the gap matters less.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

SpecificationGeForce GTX 980 TiRadeon RX 550
ArchitectureMaxwellGCN 4.0 (Polaris)
Process NodeTSMC 28nmGloFo 14nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors)2,816640

Clock Speeds

SpecificationGeForce GTX 980 TiRadeon RX 550
Base Clock1,000 MHz1,019 MHz
Boost Clock1,075 MHz1,183 MHz

Memory

SpecificationGeForce GTX 980 TiRadeon RX 550
VRAM Capacity6 GB2 GB
Memory TypeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory Bus384-bit128-bit
Memory Speed7 Gbps6 Gbps
Bandwidth336.5 GB/s96 GB/s

Connectivity & Power

SpecificationGeForce GTX 980 TiRadeon RX 550
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x8
TDP250 W50 W
Power Connectors1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pinNone
ReleasedJun 2015Apr 2017