NVDA vs. AMD: Returns, Risk and $10,000 Compared

NVDA vs. AMD Calculator

Spreadsheet

Free calculator by ROI.fyi

What would $10,000 in NVDA vs. AMD be worth?

Invested	NVDA	AMD	NVDA per year	AMD per year
1 year	$11,443	$21,461	+14.4%	+114.6%
3 years	$43,332	$38,531	+63.0%	+56.8%
5 years	$62,108	$29,478	+44.1%	+24.1%
10 years	$891,940	$523,951	+56.7%	+48.6%
15 years	$5,652,028	$820,457	+52.6%	+34.2%
20 years	$3,582,624	$216,430	+34.2%	+16.6%
25 years	$4,850,216	$344,277	+28.1%	+15.2%

NVDA vs. AMD returns by year

Year	NVDA	AMD	Ahead
2026 (so far)	+8.6%	+118.0%	AMD
2025	+38.9%	+77.3%	AMD
2024	+171.2%	-18.1%	NVDA
2023	+239.0%	+127.6%	NVDA
2022	-50.3%	-55.0%	NVDA
2021	+125.5%	+56.9%	NVDA
2020	+122.3%	+100.0%	NVDA
2019	+76.9%	+148.4%	AMD
2018	-30.8%	+79.6%	AMD
2017	+82.0%	-9.3%	NVDA
2016	+226.9%	+295.1%	AMD
2015	+67.1%	+7.5%	NVDA
2014	+27.4%	-31.0%	NVDA
2013	+33.5%	+61.3%	AMD
2012	-11.0%	-55.6%	NVDA

Prices run through 2026-11-02, with dividends reinvested.

Which has returned more, NVDA or AMD?

Over the last 10 years, NVDA returned 56.7% a year and AMD returned 48.6%, with dividends reinvested. So $10,000 in NVDA would be worth about $891,940 now, against $523,951 in AMD. Over 25 years, the longest stretch both have prices for, the yearly figures are 28.1% for NVDA and 15.2% for AMD. We use month-end prices through November 2026, adjusted for splits and dividends, before taxes and fees.

The ride matters as much as the result. NVDA's monthly returns swung about 58.3% a year, measured as annualized standard deviation, against 66.3% for AMD, so NVDA has been the calmer of the two. NVDA's largest fall from a high was 87.2%, from December 2001 to September 2002. AMD's was 96.1%, from April 2000 to September 2015.

Year by year, NVDA beat AMD in 15 of 26 full calendar years. NVDA's best year was 2001, at 308.3%, and AMD's was 2009, at 348.1%. Their worst years were 2002 for NVDA, at -82.8%, and 2008 for AMD, at -71.2%. Month to month, they moved fairly independently, with a correlation of 0.53. That difference is why some investors hold both: one can soften the other's bad stretches, though not always.

Buying a little each month narrows the gap from timing. Putting $100 a month into each for the last 10 years would have cost $12,000 and be worth about $252,950 in NVDA and $146,087 in AMD. These results are historical and hypothetical, and past performance doesn't indicate future results. A single company can fall far more than the market and may never recover, so most investors keep any one stock to a small part of their portfolio. See each on its own on our NVDA calculator and AMD calculator.

How we compare NVDA and AMD

We line up both histories by month, starting December 1999, the first month both have prices. The calculator above runs any amount and period for NVDA, and shows the same money in AMD beside it. Price data from Alpha Vantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is NVDA or AMD better?

Neither is better for everyone. NVDA has returned more over the last 10 years, 56.7% a year against 48.6%, while swinging less. Consider what you already own, how long you'll stay invested and how you'd handle a large drop. Nothing here is investment advice.

What is the 10-year return of NVDA vs. AMD?

Over the last 10 years, NVDA returned 56.7% a year and AMD returned 48.6% a year, with dividends reinvested. That's a total return of 8819.4% for NVDA and 5139.5% for AMD. The table above shows other periods, and the calculator runs any dates you choose.

How much would $10,000 in NVDA vs. AMD be worth today?

Invested 25 years ago, $10,000 would be worth about $4,850,216 in NVDA and $344,277 in AMD, as of November 2026. Over 10 years, it's $891,940 and $523,951. These assume dividends were reinvested, and leave out taxes and fees.

Which is riskier, NVDA or AMD?

By how much each swung, AMD has been riskier: about 66.3% a year against 58.3%. AMD has had the deeper fall, 96.1% from its high, measured at month ends. Higher swings mean a wider range of outcomes, so the dates you buy and sell matter more.

How did NVDA and AMD do in their worst years?

NVDA's worst full calendar year in our data was 2002, at -82.8%, when AMD returned -59.3%. AMD's worst was 2008, at -71.2%, when NVDA returned -76.3%. Bad years tend to arrive together for investments that move fairly independently.

How often has NVDA beaten AMD?

NVDA came out ahead in 15 of 26 full calendar years, or 58% of the time, and AMD in the rest. So far in 2026, through November 2026, NVDA is up 8.6% and AMD is up 118.0%. Leadership often changes from year to year, which is hard to predict ahead of time.

Should I invest in both NVDA and AMD?

It depends on how much they overlap. Their monthly returns have a correlation of 0.53, where 1 means they move exactly together. That's low enough that owning both has spread your risk somewhat, since one hasn't always fallen when the other did. Check what each holds before splitting your money.

What if I invested $100 a month in NVDA or AMD?

Over the last 10 years, $100 at each month end would have cost $12,000 and be worth about $252,950 in NVDA and $146,087 in AMD, with dividends reinvested. Monthly buying spreads your entry prices, so the result depends less on one lucky or unlucky start date. Use the Buying option above to test it.

Are NVDA and AMD the same kind of investment?

They're both stocks. NVIDIA trades as NVDA, and AMD trades as AMD. Their returns have often differed, which suggests different holdings or strategies. Read each one's prospectus or annual report for fees and holdings, which we don't cover here.

Do these returns include dividends?

Yes. We use prices adjusted for splits and dividends, which assumes every dividend was reinvested. That matters most when one pays out more than the other, because a plain price chart would understate its return. Our figures leave out brokerage fees and the tax you'd owe on dividends in a regular account.

How are gains on NVDA and AMD taxed?

In a taxable US account, you owe capital gains tax when you sell at a profit, at long-term rates of 0%, 15% or 20% if you held for more than a year. Dividends are usually taxed in the year you receive them. In a Roth IRA or 401(k), different rules apply. Check IRS guidance or ask a tax professional about your situation.