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AMD Radeon 550X Review | 118 Data compared

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  • Avg. price: ~£35
  • VRAM: 4 GB
  • Memory bus width: 128 bit
  • Thermal Design Power (TDP): 50 W

AMD Radeon 550X review. Compare 118 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among graphics cards and if it is worth buying.

3.0

Overall score

What it is: An overall evaluation of the graphics card's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.

When it matters: When you need a quick reference to identify the best graphics cards on the market.

Score components:

90.0%

2.7

Technical Score

10.0%

5.5

User score

Poor
2.7

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

1.3

Performance

24.0%

1.8

Memory

12.0%

4.5

Power & Cooling

11.0%

6.1

Platform & Features

5.0%

5.8

Design

4.0%

5.8

Connectivity & Media

Very poor
5.5

User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

7.0

User reviews

30.0%

2.1

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
3.5
(9)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
3.5
(9)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

Good
  • 6.4
    Gaming

    Score components:

    45.0%

    ?

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    1.6

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 5.7
    Video editing

    Score components:

    35.0%

    7.0

    AV1 encode

    30.0%

    1.6

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Floating-point performance

    15.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 6.4
    1080p

    Score components:

    55.0%

    ?

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    1.6

    VRAM

    10.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 6.1
    1440p

    Score components:

    50.0%

    ?

    Floating-point performance

    30.0%

    1.6

    VRAM

    15.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 5.7
    4K

    Score components:

    40.0%

    ?

    Floating-point performance

    35.0%

    1.6

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • amd-radeon-550x
amd-radeon-550x

Best prices in UK

Best rankings

?

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).
All: ranking among all products in the database.

Verdict

The AMD Radeon 550X is an entry-level graphics card based on the GCN 4.0 (Polaris) architecture, built on a 14 nm process with 2,200 million transistors. Key specifications include 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, 16 ROPs, and up to 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit interface. It features a base clock of 1100 MHz and a boost frequency of up to 1287 MHz, providing a floating-point performance of approximately 1.65 TFLOPS. Its main advantages are its low power consumption, with a 50W TDP that requires no external power connectors, and its compact dual-slot design that fits well in small-form-factor office PCs. However, it is primarily intended for office use and entry-level gaming, struggling with modern AAA titles even at low settings, and it uses a limited PCIe 3.0 x8 interface which can bottleneck performance in certain configurations.

Technical Specifications of AMD Radeon 550X

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

1.3

Performance

24.0%

1.8

Memory

12.0%

4.5

Power & Cooling

11.0%

6.1

Platform & Features

5.0%

5.8

Design

4.0%

5.8

Connectivity & Media

2.7
AMD Radeon 550X has a technical score of 2.73 points, which is lower than that of 99% of products in this category.
User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

7.0

User reviews

30.0%

2.1

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
3.5
(9)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
3.5
(9)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

5.5
AMD Radeon 550X has a user score of 5.54 points, which is lower than that of 99.1% of products in this category.
Popularity
What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you prefer a graphics card that has already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
2.1
AMD Radeon 550X has a popularity of 2.1 points, which is lower than 50.5% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price

What it is: An indicator that combines the graphics card's overall rating with its cost.

When it matters: When you are looking for a graphics card that offers a strong balance of performance, features, and price.

Score components:

60.0%

3.0

Overall score

40.0%

10

Price

5.1
AMD Radeon 550X has a quality-to-price ratio of 5.1 points, which is lower than 95.9% of products in this category.
3DMark Time Spy benchmark score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Time Spy, a synthetic DirectX 12 test often used as a quick gaming-performance reference.
When it matters: When you need a fast rough performance sort before digging into game-specific reviews and frame-rate data.

Importance: LOW

?
3DMark Port Royal score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Port Royal, a synthetic test focused on ray tracing performance.
When it matters: When ray tracing matters in the games you actually play and you want one quick way to separate stronger and weaker RT cards.

Importance: LOW

N/A
PassMark (G3D) result
What it is: Overall GPU performance score in PassMark G3D benchmark
When it matters: When you need one broad score to sort cards into rough performance tiers.

Importance: LOW

?
PassMark (DirectCompute) result
What it is: PassMark score for DirectCompute performance tests
When it matters: When compute workloads matter alongside gaming performance.

Importance: LOW

?
Floating-point performance
What it is: Theoretical floating-point compute performance of the GPU.
When it matters: When rendering, AI, or heavy compute work needs strong single-precision throughput.

Importance: LOW

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VRAM
What it is: Total video memory available on the graphics card
When it matters: When you play at high settings, use texture mods, or work with large creative projects.

Importance: HIGH

4 GB
AMD Radeon 550X has 4 GB of VRAM, which is less than 88% of graphics cards and equal to 6% of graphics cards.
Memory type
What it is: Type of graphics memory used (GDDR6, HBM2e, etc.)
When it matters: When memory technology is part of the buying decision because it affects bandwidth class, power use, and product positioning.

Importance: LOW

GDDR5
GDDR version
What it is: Generation of GDDR memory used by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you want to separate older memory generations from newer ones before comparing bandwidth, power behavior, and market tier.

Importance: LOW

GDDR5
AMD Radeon 550X uses GDDR5 memory, which is older than on 85% of graphics cards and equal to 13.2% of graphics cards.
Memory bus width
What it is: Width of the memory interface bus in bits
When it matters: When you care about steadier performance at higher resolutions, heavier texture settings, or ray-traced workloads that stress memory traffic.

Importance: HIGH

128 bit
AMD Radeon 550X uses a 128 bit memory bus, which is narrower than that of 69.8% of graphics cards and equal to that of 26.1% of graphics cards.
Maximum memory bandwidth
What it is: Maximum data transfer rate between GPU and its memory
When it matters: When 4K gaming, ray tracing, or creator work can choke a slower memory subsystem.

Importance: HIGH

56 GB/s
AMD Radeon 550X reaches 56 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is lower than that of 98.3% of graphics cards.
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PCI Express (PCIe) version
What it is: Version of PCI Express interface supported
When it matters: When you are pairing the card with an older motherboard and want to avoid leaving bandwidth or future compatibility on the table.

Importance: LOW

3.0
AMD Radeon 550X supports PCIe 3.0, which is older than on 77.6% of graphics cards and equal to 20.3% of graphics cards.
PCIe lanes
What it is: Number of PCI Express lanes used for communication
When it matters: When limited lane width could bottleneck the card in some systems.

Importance: LOW

x8
AMD Radeon 550X uses x8 PCIe lanes, which is fewer than 68.6% of graphics cards and equal to 20.9% of graphics cards.
DirectX version
What it is: Highest supported DirectX API version
When it matters: When you play newer Windows games that depend on the latest graphics features.

Importance: LOW

?
Vulkan version
What it is: Highest supported Vulkan API version
When it matters: When modern games, emulators, or creative apps lean on Vulkan support.

Importance: LOW

1.3
AMD Radeon 550X supports Vulkan 1.3, which is older than on 73.5% of graphics cards and equal to 22.5% of graphics cards.
OpenGL version
What it is: Highest supported OpenGL API version
When it matters: When older games or pro apps still depend on OpenGL compatibility.

Importance: LOW

4.6
AMD Radeon 550X supports OpenGL 4.6, which is more advanced than on 4.8% of graphics cards and equal to 95.2% of graphics cards.
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Max displays supported
What it is: Total number of external displays supported simultaneously
When it matters: When you run a multi-monitor desk for sim racing, trading, or editing.

Importance: LOW

?
Max digital resolution
What it is: Maximum supported digital display resolution
When it matters: When you plan to drive 4K or 8K panels at their native resolution.

Importance: LOW

5120x2880
AMD Radeon 550X supports a maximum digital resolution of 5120x2880, which is lower than that of 55.7% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.6% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort outputs
What it is: Number of DisplayPort video outputs
When it matters: When your setup needs several high-refresh monitors without adapters.

Importance: LOW

1
AMD Radeon 550X offers 1 DisplayPort outputs, which is fewer than 89.5% of graphics cards and equal to 8.6% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort version
What it is: Version of DisplayPort standard supported
When it matters: When your monitor setup depends on newer DisplayPort features for higher refresh rates, higher resolution, or better cable flexibility.

Importance: LOW

1.4
AMD Radeon 550X supports DisplayPort 1.4, which is older than on 77.3% of graphics cards and equal to 16.2% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort link rates
What it is: Supported data link rates for DisplayPort connections
When it matters: When you are pushing high resolution and refresh rate over DisplayPort.

Importance: LOW

5.4 Gbps
AMD Radeon 550X supports DisplayPort link rates up to 5.4 Gbps, which is slower than on 90.9% of graphics cards and equal to 8% of graphics cards.
Show more
Thermal Design Power (TDP)
What it is: Typical power consumption under full load (TDP)
When it matters: When you need a realistic idea of power draw before choosing a PSU or case.

Importance: MEDIUM

50 W
AMD Radeon 550X has a TDP of 50 W, which is lower than that of 96.7% of graphics cards and equal to that of 1.1% of graphics cards.
Power consumption while under peak load
What it is: Peak power draw of the graphics card under maximum load.
When it matters: When transient-heavy gaming loads could stress your power supply.

Importance: LOW

50 W
AMD Radeon 550X draws 50 W under peak load, which is lower than 96.8% of graphics cards and equal to 1% of graphics cards.
Recommended PSU wattage
What it is: Recommended wattage of the system power supply
When it matters: When you are checking whether your current power supply is enough.

Importance: LOW

?
Board power limit
What it is: Maximum configurable power limit for the GPU board
When it matters: When you care about how far the card can be pushed through tuning or factory power settings.

Importance: LOW

50 W
AMD Radeon 550X has a board power limit of 50 W, which is lower than that of 97.4% of graphics cards and equal to that of 1% of graphics cards.
PCIe power spec
What it is: PCIe power delivery specification followed
When it matters: When you are checking whether the slot and external cables match the card's intended power-delivery standard.

Importance: LOW

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Size
What it is: Physical size of the GPU card
When it matters: When you need the card to fit a compact case without blocking nearby hardware.

Importance: LOW

?
Length
What it is: Physical length of the GPU card
When it matters: When front radiators or drive cages leave only limited GPU clearance.

Importance: LOW

145 mm
AMD Radeon 550X is 145 mm long, which is shorter than 98.9% of graphics cards and equal in length to 1% of graphics cards.
Height
What it is: Physical height of the GPU card
When it matters: When side panels, brackets, or tight case layouts reduce vertical clearance.

Importance: LOW

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Slot width
What it is: Number of PCIe slots occupied by the card
When it matters: When you need room for another PCIe card or better airflow under the GPU.

Importance: LOW

?
Weight
What it is: Total weight of the graphics card
When it matters: When sag, bracket support, or shipping stress matters in your build.

Importance: LOW

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AMD Radeon 550X vs the average graphics card

  • 76.7% lower TDP
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (50 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
    What it is: Typical power consumption under full load (TDP)
    When it matters: When you need a realistic idea of power draw before choosing a PSU or case.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (50 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.50 W vs 215 W
  • 140.37 mm shorter card length
    AMD Radeon 550X is shorter than the average graphics card (145 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.
    What it is: Physical length of the GPU card
    When it matters: When front radiators or drive cages leave only limited GPU clearance.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Radeon 550X is shorter than the average graphics card (145 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.145 mm vs 285.37 mm
  • 16x larger L2 cache
    AMD Radeon 550X has more L2 cache than the average graphics card (512 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.
    What it is: Total size of the GPU’s L2 cache memory
    When it matters: When cache size can help the GPU feed data faster in demanding scenes.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Radeon 550X has more L2 cache than the average graphics card (512 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.512 MB vs 32 MB
  • 77.3% lower board power limit
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower board power limit than the average graphics card (50 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.
    What it is: Maximum configurable power limit for the GPU board
    When it matters: When you care about how far the card can be pushed through tuning or factory power settings.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower board power limit than the average graphics card (50 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.50 W vs 220 W
  • 15.14x cheaper
    AMD Radeon 550X is cheaper than the average graphics card (£35 vs £530).
    AMD Radeon 550X is cheaper than the average graphics card (£35 vs £530).£35 vs £530
  • 1 more DVI outputs
    AMD Radeon 550X has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (1 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.
    What it is: Number of DVI display outputs available
    When it matters: When you still use an older monitor that depends on DVI.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Radeon 550X has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (1 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.1 vs 0
  • Better FP64 ratio
    AMD Radeon 550X has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:16 vs 1:64).
    What it is: Ratio of double-precision (FP64) to single-precision (FP32) performance
    When it matters: When you need to know whether FP64 is merely present or genuinely useful.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Radeon 550X has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:16 vs 1:64).1:16 vs 1:64
  • 77.3% lower peak power draw
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower peak power draw than the average graphics card (50 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a peak power draw of 220 W.
    What it is: Peak power draw of the graphics card under maximum load.
    When it matters: When transient-heavy gaming loads could stress your power supply.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower peak power draw than the average graphics card (50 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a peak power draw of 220 W.50 W vs 220 W
  • Better FP64 ratio
    AMD Radeon 550X has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:16 vs 1:64).
  • 16x larger L2 cache
    AMD Radeon 550X has more L2 cache than the average graphics card (512 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.
  • 66.1% smaller GPU die
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower GPU die size than the average graphics card (103 mm² vs 304.25 mm²). The average graphics card has a GPU die size of 304.25 mm².
  • 1 more DVI outputs
    AMD Radeon 550X has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (1 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.
  • 76.7% lower TDP
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (50 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
  • 77.3% lower board power limit
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower board power limit than the average graphics card (50 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.
  • 77.3% lower peak power draw
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower peak power draw than the average graphics card (50 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a peak power draw of 220 W.
  • 140.37 mm shorter card length
    AMD Radeon 550X is shorter than the average graphics card (145 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.

Total
Overall
Performance
Memory
Platform & Features
Connectivity & Media
Power & Cooling
Design
  • 51.3% lower boost clock speed
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,218 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.
  • 32 fewer compute units
    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (8 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
  • 43.6% lower base clock speed
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,082 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
  • 152 fewer TMUs
    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (32 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
  • 86.3% lower texture rate
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (51.5 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
  • 87.5% lower pixel rate
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (20.6 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.
  • 48 fewer ROPs
    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer ROPs than the average graphics card (16 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
  • 92.8% lower FP32 performance
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower FP32 performance than the average graphics card (1.7 TFLOPS vs 22.86 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP32 performance of 22.86 TFLOPS.
  • 95.3% lower FP16 performance
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower FP16 performance than the average graphics card (1.4 TFLOPS vs 29.5 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP16 performance of 29.5 TFLOPS.
  • 81.4% lower FP64 performance
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower FP64 performance than the average graphics card (0.1 TFLOPS vs 0.4651 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP64 performance of 0.4651 TFLOPS.
  • 3,840 fewer FP32 units
    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer FP32 units than the average graphics card (512 vs 4,352). The average graphics card has 4,352 FP32 units.
  • 128 bit narrower memory bus
    AMD Radeon 550X has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (128 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.
  • 8 GB less VRAM
    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (4 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
  • 87.5% lower memory bandwidth
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (56 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
  • 63.2% slower memory speed
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (7,000 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
  • 87.5% smaller L1 cache
    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer L1 cache than the average graphics card (16 vs 128). The average graphics card has 128 L1 cache.
  • 14.3% slower VRAM clock
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower VRAM clock than the average graphics card (1,500 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.
  • 2.8x larger process node
    AMD Radeon 550X has a higher process node than the average graphics card (14 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
  • Fewer PCIe lanes
    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer PCIe lanes than the average graphics card (x8 vs x16). The average graphics card has x16 PCIe lanes.
  • Older PCIe version
    AMD Radeon 550X supports an older PCIe version than the average graphics card (3 vs 4.0).
  • 5 older
    AMD Radeon 550X was released earlier than the average graphics card (2,018 vs 2,023).
  • No XeSS support
    AMD Radeon 550X does not support XeSS, the average graphics card does.
  • No mesh shaders
    AMD Radeon 550X does not support mesh shaders, the average graphics card does.
  • No DirectStorage support
    AMD Radeon 550X does not support DirectStorage, the average graphics card does.
  • Older Vulkan version
    AMD Radeon 550X supports an older Vulkan version than the average graphics card (1.3 vs 1.4).
  • Older OpenCL version
    AMD Radeon 550X supports an older OpenCL version than the average graphics card (2.1 vs 3.0).
  • No sampler feedback
    AMD Radeon 550X does not support sampler feedback, the average graphics card does.
  • 90% fewer transistors
    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer transistors than the average graphics card (2,200 million vs 21,900 million). The average graphics card has 21,900 million transistors.
  • Older shader model
    AMD Radeon 550X supports an older shader model than the average graphics card (6.7 vs 6.8).
  • 2 fewer DisplayPort outputs
    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer DisplayPort outputs than the average graphics card (1 vs 3). The average graphics card has 3 DisplayPort outputs.
  • No AV1 encoding
    AMD Radeon 550X does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.
  • No AV1 decoding
    AMD Radeon 550X does not support AV1 decoding, the average graphics card does.
  • No DSC support
    AMD Radeon 550X does not support DSC, the average graphics card does.
  • Older DisplayPort version
    AMD Radeon 550X supports an older DisplayPort version than the average graphics card (1.4 vs 1.4a).
  • Older HDMI version
    AMD Radeon 550X supports an older HDMI version than the average graphics card (2.0b vs 2.1).
  • Older HDCP version
    AMD Radeon 550X supports an older HDCP version than the average graphics card (2.2 vs 2.3).
  • Not VR ready
    AMD Radeon 550X is not VR ready, while the average graphics card is.
  • 1 fewer monitors per output type
    AMD Radeon 550X supports fewer monitors per output type than the average graphics card (3 vs 4). The average graphics card supports 4 monitors per output type.
  • Narrower decode codec support
    AMD Radeon 550X supports narrower hardware decode codec support than the average graphics card (H.264 vs H.264/H.265/AV1/VP9).
  • Lower display resolution
    AMD Radeon 550X supports a lower maximum digital resolution than the average graphics card (5120x2880 vs 7680x4320). The average graphics card supports a maximum digital resolution of 7680x4320.
  • No RGB lighting
    AMD Radeon 550X does not include RGB lighting, the average graphics card does.
  • 51.3% lower boost clock speed
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,218 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.
    What it is: Maximum boost frequency the GPU can reach under load
    When it matters: When you want a rough idea of peak advertised frequency, while knowing real sustained clocks still depend on cooling and power limits.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,218 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.1218 MHz vs 2500 MHz
  • 128 bit narrower memory bus
    AMD Radeon 550X has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (128 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.
    What it is: Width of the memory interface bus in bits
    When it matters: When you care about steadier performance at higher resolutions, heavier texture settings, or ray-traced workloads that stress memory traffic.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon 550X has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (128 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.128 bit vs 256 bit
  • 32 fewer compute units
    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (8 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
    What it is: Total number of shader multiprocessors or compute units
    When it matters: When you want a better sense of the GPU's overall parallel hardware resources before relying on game benchmarks alone.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (8 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.8 vs 40
  • 2.8x larger process node
    AMD Radeon 550X has a higher process node than the average graphics card (14 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
    What it is: Size of the manufacturing process in nanometers
    When it matters: When process node differences may affect power, heat, and overall efficiency.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    AMD Radeon 550X has a higher process node than the average graphics card (14 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.14 nm vs 5 nm
  • 8 GB less VRAM
    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (4 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
    What it is: Total video memory available on the graphics card
    When it matters: When you play at high settings, use texture mods, or work with large creative projects.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (4 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.4 GB vs 12 GB
  • 43.6% lower base clock speed
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,082 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
    What it is: Base operating frequency of the GPU core under standard conditions
    When it matters: When you want to understand the card's guaranteed starting frequency instead of looking only at optimistic boost figures.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,082 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.1082 MHz vs 1920 MHz
  • 152 fewer TMUs
    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (32 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
    What it is: Total count of texture mapping units on the GPU
    When it matters: When texture-heavy gaming performance matters and you want extra hardware context behind texture-rate claims.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon 550X has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (32 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.32 vs 184
  • 86.3% lower texture rate
    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (51.5 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
    What it is: Number of textured pixels the GPU can process per second
    When it matters: When fast texture handling matters in high-refresh gaming workloads.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon 550X has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (51.5 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.51.48 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s
Total
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Graphic comparison of AMD Radeon 550X and

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Third-party reviews

United Kingdom
amazon
3.5
9 Reviews
United States
Amazon_logo.png
3.5
9 Reviews

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

What customers like about AMD Radeon 550X?

  • Highly affordable and budget-friendly for entry-level builds.
  • Low power consumption (typically 50W) and doesn't require an external power connector.
  • Excellent for eSports titles like CS:GO, Dota 2, and Valorant at 1080p.
  • Compact design makes it ideal for Small Form Factor (SFF) and Home Theatre PCs (HTPC).
  • Hardware video encoder support is useful for recording or streaming light content.
  • Supports modern APIs like DirectX 12 and Vulkan, along with AMD FreeSync technology.

What customers dislike about AMD Radeon 550X?

  • Subpar performance in modern AAA games, often requiring 720p resolution and low settings.
  • Poor value proposition compared to slightly more expensive cards like the RX 560 or used RX 570.
  • The 550X variant can actually perform up to 10% worse than the standard RX 550 in some benchmarks.
  • Limited 'future-proofing' as newer titles quickly outpace its processing capabilities.
  • The 2GB VRAM version is restrictive; most users recommend the 4GB version for modern needs.

Expert reviews

V
videocardbenchmark.net
Daily Updated
Radeon 550X - PassMark - Video Card Benchmarks

The AMD Radeon 550X is a low-end legacy graphics card that currently ranks 1162nd in overall performance, carrying an average PassMark G3D Mark score of 1,478 and an Average G2D Mark score of 218 based on 63 tested benchmarks. First benchmarked in late 2019, the card struggles significantly with modern gaming applications, managing minimal frame rates across DirectX frameworks: 23...Read more

N
notebookcheck.com
27/03/2019
AMD Radeon RX 550X Laptop-Grafikkarte - Notebookcheck If you are looking for more material, let me know if you would also accept tests of the Lenovo T...

Performance and Technical Overview The AMD Radeon RX 550X (Laptop) is an entry-level mobile graphics card based on the Polaris architecture, featuring 640 shader units and a 128-bit memory bus with up to 4 GB of GDDR5 VRAM. It is designed primarily for basic productivity and entry-level gaming, with performance positioning it between NVIDIA's GeForce MX150/MX250 and the GTX 1050. In...Read more

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