GTX 550 Ti: specifications and reviews

With the release of the latest innovations in the video card market, significant price changes occurred. First of all, it touched on devices of budget class. Dear video devices, which few could afford, fell into the lower class. In the focus of the article one of the most popular video cards on the gaming market is the GTX 550 Ti, the characteristics of which still allow playing in any games available on the market.

Basic characteristics of the device

When evaluating any video card, the first place is the characteristics. The GTX 550 Ti is based on a GF116 chip with 40nm technical process. Accordingly, the power consumption is 116 W in normal mode. The bus width is 192 bits and the modern type of video memory GDDR5 is used. These two indicators dictate the conditions in the market for performance video adapters. In addition, the core frequency is 900 MHz, and the shader frequency is 1800 MHz. Naturally, all available technologies are supported, such as DirectX 11, 3D Vision Surround, PhysX, CUDA, HDMI 1.4a and others. It is interesting that in this video adapter with a bit width of 192 bits, 1 GB of video memory is installed. After all, according to the logic should be either 768 MB or 1536 MB. As it turned out, the manufacturer made a symbiosis, providing the board with chips of different density - 32 and 64 MB each. It's bad or good, they'll show synthetic tests.

Substitution in the market?

There are persistent rumors that the product nVidia GTX 550 Ti, the characteristics of which slightly upgraded, is nothing more than the overclocked GeForce GTS 450, although the manufacturer claims that this is a completely new product and as a proof leads to a mismatch in the architecture of the chips. If you make a comparison between 450 and 550 models of all existing motherboards from different manufacturers, the fact of modernization will be confirmed. On GeForce GTS 450 one can find one empty connector for a chip that increases the bit capacity, and the technologies supported are the same. In any case, the GTX 550 Ti performance characteristics are significantly higher than those of the lower class, which is already an indicator. It remains only to understand whether it makes sense to switch to a newer chip and what its potential is for overclocking. After all, in most cases, judging by the numerous reviews, any modernization is always preceded by overclocking, which lasts until the new device is more productive with factory settings.

In the focus of the leading video card manufacturers

Such an interesting product did not go unheeded in the market, immediately all the leaders in the production of computer components made their version of the GTX 550 Ti. The characteristics of all devices differ slightly, but the cooling system, equipment and warranty service each manufacturer provided at its best. Following the trend of selling high-end video adapters with a lifetime warranty, it is important for the buyer to know that such a gift includes all devices that were not subject to overclocking by the end manufacturer. That is, if the core frequency of 900 MHz is a lifetime warranty. All that is higher - according to the guarantee obligations existing in the market of the country in which the goods are sold.

Otherwise, it can not and can not

Zotac GTX 550 Ti, whose characteristics were still improved to combat competitors, has taken a leading position in the video card market, as evidenced by numerous reviews of owners and potential buyers. Overclocking affected not only the core, which began to work at a frequency of 1GHz. Shaders began to operate at a frequency of 2GHz, and the memory received 4.4GHz. Naturally, thanks to this overclocking in the market, it has no equal. But, having such potential, the video adapter simply must have a powerful cooling system. And the manufacturer tried. A powerful cooler is built into the radiator, which covers the entire adapter board. The outer trim of black plastic is decorated with a golden grid. As a result, the card received not only good cooling, but it also looked beautiful. Completion Zotac, as always, pleased. The instruction, the driver, the additional cable, the sticker on the case and the proprietary overclocking utility, because the board is positioned on the market as an overlay.

No cyclone in any way

It is clear that for MSI GTX 550 Ti cooling characteristics come first, so the leader of the IT market with overclocking also did not stand on ceremony. The graphics core operates at a frequency of 950 MHz, shaders at 1900 MHz, and memory - 4300 MHz. With the proprietary cooling system called "Cyclone", MSI underestimated its abilities and could knock out any competitor from the first place, but did not do it. Cooling is very effective, all owners of video cards with old chips based on GTS 450 or GTX 260 were convinced of this. The base of the radiator from nickel-plated plates fits snugly to all the chips on the board, and the powerful cooler with its own radiator system rises above the base. Warm air is pushed out of the hull with a strong stream without any noise. The MSI package contains instructions, a brand drive and a number of adapters, which, judging by the numerous reviews, often do not get out of the box. Of course, installing such a cooler, the manufacturer provided the video card with a proprietary overclocking utility that has voltage control. But now a happy owner will resort to dispersal - this is a question without an answer.

Window in the last century

The video card Asus GTX 550 Ti, the characteristics of which do not differ much from competitors, is created for players who do not wish for any reasons to switch to modern monitors with a digital input. At least this manufacturer dared to leave on the board a connector from the last century - analog D-SUB. In other respects, the video adapter, like other competitors' models, has factory overclocking and a proprietary cooling system. Taking the video card in hand, it seems that the manufacturer did not regret the metal for the radiators. And this is a fact. By removing the protective plastic cover of the cooler, you can find a powerful system of radiators covering the entire surface of the board. Copper tubes for better heat transfer are transferred to the graphical core. The delivery kit is poor, in addition to the device, instructions and a disk with drivers, there is a power adapter, which is not needed in gaming PCs, since powerful power supplies have the necessary connector. But, as they say, "a trifle, but nice."

Strange device

Judging by the numerous reviews of the fans, he summed up all the GTX 550 Ti Gigabyte video adapter. Characteristics, like those of competitors, are improved due to overclocking very effectively - 970 MHz graphics core, 1940 mHz shader unit and 4200 MHz effective memory frequency. But with the cooling system is a mess. Having made a beautiful radiator on a graphics chip, the manufacturer did not bother to provide additional memory blocks with cooling. Not to mention the complete absence of any cooling tubes. When you pick up a video adapter, you might get the impression that this device is not a gaming class, but some kind of budget employee with circumscribed capabilities. Fortunately, though the subsystem of power supply equipped with a radiator - already something. But with the bundling is completely the opposite. She is very rich. Huge instruction, a branded drive with drivers and a lot of different adapters. Judging by the reviews, in numerous synthetic tests to identify performance Gigabyte GTX 550 Ti shows decent results, but all recommend changing the standard cooling system to something more powerful.

Honest player with a lifetime warranty

At first, it seems that Palit GTX 550 Ti, whose characteristics have not been factory overclocked, is an ideal purchase. Lifetime warranty from the seller, the lowest price among all competitors, a convenient set of video outputs, including D-SUB, worthy indicators in synthetic tests, an excellent bundle with a bunch of various adapters. What more could you ask for? The problem lies in the cooling system. With minimal load, the cooler is quickly gaining momentum, and the video controller's howl is audible even in the next room. The whine of the cooling system is accompanied by strong vibrations. Judging by the numerous reviews of the owners of this device, the problem lies in the improper arrangement of chips and capacitors on the adapter board - by their heap they cover the removal of warm air outside the enclosure. The output can serve as a replacement for the cooling system, but when buying, you need to pay attention to the direction of the air flow, it must go over the chips. Do not give rest to the newly-minted owners the question of why the manufacturer refused the factory overclocking, because if the problem is in cooling, what prevented the plant from putting an improved cooling system, like the models of the elite class? Something is wrong with the board ...

Finally

In any case, no matter which manufacturer is given a choice, the buyer will receive a decent product at a very good price. After all, in games, the main thing is the result, and not the appearance and bundling of the goods. Yes, some products require refining in the cooling system, but it will cost considerably less than repairing the video adapter. Judging by the results of synthetic tests, improving the characteristics of a video adapter based on the GTX 550 Ti at home does not lead to a significant increase in results. It turns out that the manufacturer has established the optimum frequencies at which the capacity is within the permissible limits with heat release. Then the question arises about providing devices with proprietary utilities for overclocking. Having studied the reviews of the owners of GTX 550 Ti video cards, the characteristics of which did not change at home, a full answer was not found.