GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GB Specifications

As with the rest of Nvidia’s GeForce 500-series, the GF116 GPU of the GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GB is based on the Fermi architecture of its predecessor. In this case, that’s the GF106 architecture of the GeForce GTS 450 1GB. This design was essentially the GF104 of the GeForce GTX 460 range cut in half, with just one GPC (Graphics Processing Cluster) comprising four SMs (Streaming Multiprocessors). Each SM used the more efficient configuration of 48 stream processors, rather than the less efficient (bit more densely packed) design of Nvidia’s high-end GPUs.

As the GF106 GPU already had a full quotient of 192 stream processors, there are no more to be unlocked in the GF116 iteration. Instead, Nvidia has chosen to upgrade the GPU’s back-end, widening the memory controller from 128 bits wide to 192 bits wide and increasing the ROP count from 16 to 24.

The 1GB of GDDR5 memory fitted to the card also runs faster than that of the GTS 450 1GB, with a frequency of 1,026MHz (4,104MHz effective). Comparatively, the memory of the GTS 450 1GB operated at 900MHz (3.6GHz effective). All these improvements have considerably increased the GTX 550 Ti 1GB’s memory bandwidth in comparison to its predecessor, from 57.7GB/sec to 98.5GB/sec. The extra ROPs and memory bandwidth should mean that the GTX 550 Ti 1GB can handle post-processing effects such as AA more easily than the GTX 450 1GB.

Nvidia GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GB Review GTX 550 Ti 1GB Specifications
Despite an under strength GPU, the GTX 550 Ti 1GB makes up for it with high clock speeds

In addition to the re-jigged and more capable back-end, Nvidia has also used the same low-leakage transistors as the rest of the GeForce 500-series for the less performance-critical areas of the GTX 550 Ti 1GB. This has enabled Nvidia to ramp up the GPU's clock speeds. The GTX 550 Ti 1GB’s GPU core runs at 900MHz, 15 per cent faster than the GTS 450 1GB, meaning that those 192 stream processors operate at 1.8GHz. As the GTX 550 Ti 1GB is effectively half a GTX 560Ti 1GB, we’re also hopeful that it will have inherited its sibling’s superb overclocking potential.

Despite the extra frequency and enhanced back-end, the GTX 550 Ti 1GB requires just a single 6-pin PCI-E power cable, and has suitably diminutive power requirements. Nvidia recommends a 400W PSU, but with a maximum stated TDP of 116W, almost any PC sold in the last few years should handle a GTX 550 Ti 1GB upgrade.

 Nvidia GeForce GTX 550 Ti 1GBNvidia GeForce GTS 450 1GBAMD Radeon HD 5770 1GBNvidia GeForce GTX 460 1GBAMD Radeon HD 6850 1GB
GPU
CodenameGF116GF106Juniper XTGF104Barts Pro
Frequency900MHz783MHz850MHz675MHz775MHz
Stream Processors192 (1,800MHz)192 (1,566MHz)800 (850MHz)336 (1,350MHz)980 (775MHz)
Layout4 SMs, 1 GPC4 SMs, 1 GPC10 SIMD Engines7 SMs, 2 GPCs12 SIMD Engines
Rasterisers11222
Tessellation Units44171
Texture Units2828405648
ROPs2416162432
Transistors1.17bn1.17bn1.04bn1.95bn1.7bn
Size238mm2238mm2166mm2348mm2255mm2
Process40nm40nm40nm40nm40nm
Memory
Amount1GB GDDR51GB GDDR51GB GDDR51GB GDDR51GB GDDR5
Frequency1,026MHz (4,104MHz effective)902MHz (3,608MHz effective)1.2GHz (4.8GHz effective)900MHz (3.6GHz effective)1GHz (4GHz effective)
Interface192-bit128-bit128-bit256-bit256-bit
Bandwidth98.5GB/sec57.73GB/sec76.8GB/sec115GB/sec128GB/sec
Card Specifications
Power Connectors1 x 6-pin PCI-E1 x 6-pin PCI-E1 x 6-pin PCI-E2 x 6-pin PCI-E2 x 6-pin PCI-E
Maximum Power Draw116W106W108W160W127W
Idle Power DrawNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot SpecifiedNot Specified19W
Recommended PSU400W400W450W450WNot Specified
Typical Street Price£100£90£100£135£135

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