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AMD Radeon RX 550 Review | 118 Data compared

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  • Avg. price in UK: ~£95
  • Avg. price in US: ~$80
  • VRAM: 4 GB
  • Memory bus width: 128 bit
  • Thermal Design Power (TDP): 50 W

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

3.7

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%

3.1

Technical Score

10.0%

8.9

User score

Poor
3.1

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%

1.7

Memory

12.0%

7.1

Power & Cooling

11.0%

6.2

Platform & Features

5.0%

7.5

Design

4.0%

5.4

Connectivity & Media

Poor
8.9

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%

8.4

User reviews

30.0%

10

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
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4.2
(531)
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4.2
(373)
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4.2
(336)
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3.8
(157)
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4.2
(76)
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4.2
(69)
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4.2
(47)
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4.2
(36)
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3.8
(10)
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3.6
(7)
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5.0
(2)
United States
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4.3
(535)
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4.3
(396)
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3.8
(157)
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4.0
(91)
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4.1
(70)
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4.2
(61)
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4.1
(35)
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3.7
(9)
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3.8
(8)
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5.0
(3)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

Excellent
  • 3.2
    Gaming

    Score components:

    45.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    1.6

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 4.3
    Video editing

    Score components:

    35.0%

    7.0

    AV1 encode

    30.0%

    1.6

    VRAM

    20.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    15.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 2.5
    1080p

    Score components:

    55.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    1.6

    VRAM

    10.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 2.6
    1440p

    Score components:

    50.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    30.0%

    1.6

    VRAM

    15.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 2.9
    4K

    Score components:

    40.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    35.0%

    1.6

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

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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 RX 550 is an entry-level graphics card based on the Polaris 12 architecture, featuring 512 stream processors, a 128-bit memory interface, and up to 4GB of GDDR5 VRAM with a 7 Gbps bandwidth. Built on a 14nm process with a low 50W TDP, it excels in home theater PCs and eSports gaming for titles like CS:GO or Dota 2 due to its compact bus-powered design and support for 4K video decoding and FreeSync technology. However, it is poorly suited for modern AAA gaming, lacks dedicated ray-tracing hardware, and often faces stiff performance competition from newer integrated graphics solutions.

Technical Specifications of AMD Radeon RX 550

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%

1.7

Memory

12.0%

7.1

Power & Cooling

11.0%

6.2

Platform & Features

5.0%

7.5

Design

4.0%

5.4

Connectivity & Media

3.1
AMD Radeon RX 550 has a technical score of 3.11 points, which is lower than that of 96.5% 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%

8.4

User reviews

30.0%

10

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.2
(531)
amazon
4.2
(373)
amazon
4.2
(336)
amazon
3.8
(157)
amazon
4.2
(76)
amazon
4.2
(69)
amazon
4.2
(47)
amazon
4.2
(36)
amazon
3.8
(10)
amazon
3.6
(7)
amazon
5.0
(2)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.3
(535)
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4.3
(396)
Amazon_logo.png
3.8
(157)
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4.0
(91)
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4.1
(70)
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4.2
(61)
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4.1
(35)
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3.7
(9)
Amazon_logo.png
3.8
(8)
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5.0
(3)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

8.9
AMD Radeon RX 550 has a user score of 8.89 points, which is higher than that of 76.5% 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.
10
AMD Radeon RX 550 has a popularity of 10 points, which is higher than 77.9% 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%

3.7

Overall score

40.0%

10

Price

5.6
AMD Radeon RX 550 has a quality-to-price ratio of 5.6 points, which is lower than 89.4% 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

1.21 TFLOPS
AMD Radeon RX 550 delivers 1.21 TFLOPS floating-point performance, which is lower than that of 98.5% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.2% of graphics cards.
Show more
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 RX 550 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

?
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 RX 550 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

112 GB/s
AMD Radeon RX 550 reaches 112 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is lower than that of 95% of graphics cards and equal to that of 1.1% 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 RX 550 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 RX 550 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

12
AMD Radeon RX 550 supports DirectX 12, which is older than on 92.7% of graphics cards and equal to 7.1% of graphics cards.
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 RX 550 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 RX 550 supports OpenGL 4.6, which is more advanced than on 4.8% of graphics cards and equal to 95.2% of graphics cards.
Show more
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

?
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 RX 550 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 RX 550 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

?
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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 RX 550 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

59 W
AMD Radeon RX 550 draws 59 W under peak load, which is lower than 96.2% of graphics cards and equal to 0.1% 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 RX 550 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

50 W
Show more
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 RX 550 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

?
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

1 slot/s
AMD Radeon RX 550 occupies 1 slot/s, which is slimmer than 96.6% of graphics cards and equal in width to 3.4% of graphics cards.
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

?
Show more

AMD Radeon RX 550 vs the average graphics card

  • 76.7% lower TDP
    AMD Radeon RX 550 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 RX 550 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 RX 550 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 RX 550 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
  • 77.3% lower board power limit
    AMD Radeon RX 550 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 RX 550 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
  • 1 slot/s slimmer design
    AMD Radeon RX 550 occupies fewer slots than the average graphics card (1 slot/s vs 2 slot/s). The average graphics card occupies 2 slot/s.
    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

    AMD Radeon RX 550 occupies fewer slots than the average graphics card (1 slot/s vs 2 slot/s). The average graphics card occupies 2 slot/s.1 slot/s vs 2 slot/s
  • 1 more DVI outputs
    AMD Radeon RX 550 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 RX 550 has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (1 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.1 vs 0
  • 5.58x cheaper
    AMD Radeon RX 550 is cheaper than the average graphics card (£95 vs £530).
    AMD Radeon RX 550 is cheaper than the average graphics card (£95 vs £530).£95 vs £530
  • Better FP64 ratio
    AMD Radeon RX 550 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 RX 550 has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:16 vs 1:64).1:16 vs 1:64
  • 73.2% lower peak power draw
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a lower peak power draw than the average graphics card (59 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 RX 550 has a lower peak power draw than the average graphics card (59 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a peak power draw of 220 W.59 W vs 220 W
  • Better FP64 ratio
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:16 vs 1:64).
  • 66.1% smaller GPU die
    AMD Radeon RX 550 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 RX 550 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 RX 550 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 RX 550 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.
  • 73.2% lower peak power draw
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a lower peak power draw than the average graphics card (59 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a peak power draw of 220 W.
  • 140.37 mm shorter card length
    AMD Radeon RX 550 is shorter than the average graphics card (145 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.
  • 1 slot/s slimmer design
    AMD Radeon RX 550 occupies fewer slots than the average graphics card (1 slot/s vs 2 slot/s). The average graphics card occupies 2 slot/s.

Total
Overall
Performance
Platform & Features
Connectivity & Media
Power & Cooling
Design
  • 52.7% lower boost clock speed
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,183 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.
  • 32 fewer compute units
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (8 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
  • 42.7% lower base clock speed
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,100 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
  • 152 fewer TMUs
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (32 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
  • 89.9% lower texture rate
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (37.9 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
  • 88.5% lower pixel rate
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (18.9 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 RX 550 has fewer ROPs than the average graphics card (16 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
  • 94.8% lower compute throughput
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a lower compute throughput than the average graphics card (1.2 TFLOPS vs 23.105 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has compute throughput of 23.105 TFLOPS.
  • 3,840 fewer FP32 units
    AMD Radeon RX 550 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 RX 550 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 RX 550 has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (4 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
  • 75% lower memory bandwidth
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a lower memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (112 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 RX 550 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 RX 550 has fewer L1 cache than the average graphics card (16 vs 128). The average graphics card has 128 L1 cache.
  • 2.8x larger process node
    AMD Radeon RX 550 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 RX 550 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 RX 550 supports an older PCIe version than the average graphics card (3 vs 4.0).
  • 6 older
    AMD Radeon RX 550 was released earlier than the average graphics card (2,017 vs 2,023).
  • No AI upscalers
    AMD Radeon RX 550 does not support AI upscalers, the average graphics card does.
  • No XeSS support
    AMD Radeon RX 550 does not support XeSS, the average graphics card does.
  • No mesh shaders
    AMD Radeon RX 550 does not support mesh shaders, the average graphics card does.
  • Older Vulkan version
    AMD Radeon RX 550 supports an older Vulkan version than the average graphics card (1.3 vs 1.4).
  • Older DirectX version
    AMD Radeon RX 550 supports an older DirectX version than the average graphics card (12 vs 12 Ultimate).
  • No sampler feedback
    AMD Radeon RX 550 does not support sampler feedback, the average graphics card does.
  • 90% fewer transistors
    AMD Radeon RX 550 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 RX 550 supports an older shader model than the average graphics card (6.7 vs 6.8).
  • 2 fewer DisplayPort outputs
    AMD Radeon RX 550 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 RX 550 does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.
  • No AV1 decoding
    AMD Radeon RX 550 does not support AV1 decoding, the average graphics card does.
  • Older HDMI version
    AMD Radeon RX 550 supports an older HDMI version than the average graphics card (2 vs 2.1).
  • Older DisplayPort version
    AMD Radeon RX 550 supports an older DisplayPort version than the average graphics card (1.4 vs 1.4a).
  • Older HDCP version
    AMD Radeon RX 550 supports an older HDCP version than the average graphics card (2.2 vs 2.3).
  • Not VR ready
    AMD Radeon RX 550 is not VR ready, while the average graphics card is.
  • 2 fewer fans
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (1 vs 3).
  • 17 °C lower thermal ceiling
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a lower thermal ceiling than the average graphics card (110 °C vs 93 °C). The average graphics card has a thermal ceiling of 93 °C.
  • 36 dB noisier at idle
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a higher idle noise level than the average graphics card (36 dB vs 0 dB). The average graphics card has an idle noise level of 0 dB.
  • No backplate
    AMD Radeon RX 550 does not include a backplate, the average graphics card does.
  • 52.7% lower boost clock speed
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,183 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 RX 550 has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,183 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.1183 MHz vs 2500 MHz
  • 128 bit narrower memory bus
    AMD Radeon RX 550 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 RX 550 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 RX 550 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 RX 550 has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (8 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.8 vs 40
  • 2 fewer fans
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (1 vs 3).
    What it is: Total number of cooling fans
    When it matters: When you compare cooler designs and want one more clue about thermal potential.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    AMD Radeon RX 550 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (1 vs 3).1 vs 3
  • 2.8x larger process node
    AMD Radeon RX 550 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 RX 550 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 RX 550 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 RX 550 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
  • 42.7% lower base clock speed
    AMD Radeon RX 550 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,100 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 RX 550 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,100 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.1100 MHz vs 1920 MHz
  • 152 fewer TMUs
    AMD Radeon RX 550 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 RX 550 has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (32 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.32 vs 184
Total
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Platform & Features
Connectivity & Media
Power & Cooling
Design

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Third-party reviews

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61 Reviews
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3.7
9 Reviews
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3.8
8 Reviews
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5.0
3 Reviews

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

What customers like about AMD Radeon RX 550?

  • Low power consumption (50W TDP) and does not require an external power connector.
  • Compact form factor, often available in low-profile versions for small PCs.
  • Significant performance leap over integrated graphics for budget builds.
  • Capable of smooth 1080p gaming in eSports titles like CS:GO, Dota 2, and Overwatch.
  • Supports modern media features such as 4K video decoding and FreeSync.

What customers dislike about AMD Radeon RX 550?

  • Struggles with modern AAA games, even at low settings and 1080p.
  • Poor value proposition compared to cards like the RX 460 or RX 560 for a small price increase.
  • The 2GB VRAM variant is heavily limited for modern workloads and newer games.
  • Not future-proof; performance degrades quickly as software demands increase.
  • Official driver support for Windows is beginning to be phased out by AMD.

Expert reviews

P
pcmag.com
01/09/2017
Asus Radeon RX 550 4G Review

The Asus Radeon RX 550 4G is a budget-focused, entry-level graphics card designed to replace older hardware or integrated graphics, priced at an MSRP of $110, which shielded it from mid-2017 market volatility. Key pros include its compact form factor, requiring no external PCIe power connectors, and its ease of installation, making it ideal for small-form-factor PCs. However, the...Read more

R
relaxedtech.com
01/05/2017
AMD Radeon RX 550 Review

The AMD Radeon RX 550 is an entry-level, 14nm FinFET graphics card designed for eSports gamers and home theater PC (HTPC) builders looking to upgrade from integrated graphics. Based on the 4th Generation GCN Polaris 12 architecture, it features 512 stream processors, a 1183 MHz boost clock, and 2GB of GDDR5 memory. In benchmark testing using the MSI Aero ITX model, the card...Read more

A
au.pcmag.com
29/09/2017
Asus Radeon RX 550 4GGo to product viewer dialog for this item. Review

The Asus Radeon RX 550 4G is a budget-tier desktop graphics card designed primarily as an affordable upgrade over integrated CPU graphics or aging low-end components. Measuring 7.2 inches in length, this compact, dual-width card utilizes a single-fan cooling design and easily fits into space-constrained PC cases. It features 4GB of GDDR5 memory, requires no secondary power...Read more

U
uk.pcmag.com
28/09/2017
Asus Radeon RX 550 4G Review

The Asus Radeon RX 550 4G is a compact, budget desktop graphics card designed as an affordable alternative to integrated graphics or older low-end cards, priced around $110 at its late-2017 review time. Measuring 7.2 inches in length, this dual-width card features a single cooling fan and draws its power entirely from the motherboard PCIe slot, eliminating the need for extra...Read more

N
notebookcheck.com
01/05/2017
AMD Radeon RX 550 Laptop GPU - Notebookcheck Tech Möchtest du weitere Details zu einem der Benchmark-Ergebnisse aus diesen Tests wissen? Copy

Overview and Architecture The AMD Radeon RX 550 (Laptop) is a entry-level mobile graphics card based on the Polaris 12 architecture (codename Lexa) and manufactured using a 14 nm process. Unlike its desktop counterpart which features 512 shader units, the mobile version successfully utilizes the full 640 shaders of the chip. It operates with a 128-bit memory bus bandwidth, a 6000...Read more

(Translated)Show original
N
noticias3d.com
Mayo 2017
AMD Radeon RX 550 - Noticias 3D

The AMD Radeon RX 550 is an entry-level graphics card designed to fill the performance gap between integrated processor graphics and low-end dedicated GPUs, making it a budget-friendly option priced under 100 euros (specifically 91 euros). While it cannot handle modern AAA games at maximum settings or 1080p resolution, it delivers stable performance at 720p with low-to-medium...Read more

(Translated)Show original
P
profesionalreview.com
06/05/2017
AMD Radeon RX 550Go to product viewer dialog for this item. Review en Español (Análisis completo)

The AMD Radeon RX 550 (specifically the PowerColor Red Dragon 2GB model) is an entry-level graphics card based on the 14nm FinFET Polaris architecture, featuring 512 stream processors and a 1,190 MHz clock speed. Tested on a 1080p system with an i7-6700K processor, it targets casual gamers and e-Sports enthusiasts by delivering smooth performance in less demanding titles. Key...Read more

(Translated)Show original

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