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MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB Review | 118 Data compared

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  • Avg. price in UK: ~£220
  • Avg. price in US: ~$150
  • VRAM: 8 GB
  • Memory bus width: 128 bit
  • Thermal Design Power (TDP): 130 W

MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB review. Compare 118 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among graphics cards and if it is worth buying.

4.6

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%

4.6

Technical Score

10.0%

?

User score

Poor
4.6

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%

3.2

Performance

24.0%

2.8

Memory

12.0%

8.4

Power & Cooling

11.0%

7.5

Platform & Features

5.0%

7.5

Design

4.0%

8.6

Connectivity & Media

Poor
?

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%

?

User reviews

30.0%

?

Popularity

  • 3.8
    Gaming

    Score components:

    45.0%

    1.5

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    2.8

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 4.9
    Video editing

    Score components:

    35.0%

    7.0

    AV1 encode

    30.0%

    2.8

    VRAM

    20.0%

    1.5

    Floating-point performance

    15.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 3.2
    1080p

    Score components:

    55.0%

    1.5

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    2.8

    VRAM

    10.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 3.2
    1440p

    Score components:

    50.0%

    1.5

    Floating-point performance

    30.0%

    2.8

    VRAM

    15.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 3.6
    4K

    Score components:

    40.0%

    1.5

    Floating-point performance

    35.0%

    2.8

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • No image
No image

Best prices in UK

    N/A~ £220

Best rankings

?

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

Verdict

The MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB is a mid-range graphics card powered by the 7nm RDNA architecture, featuring 1,408 stream processors, a 128-bit memory interface, and 8GB of high-speed GDDR6 VRAM. It operates with a base clock of 1,685 MHz, a game clock up to 1,737 MHz, and a boost clock of 1,845 MHz, all while maintaining a 130W TDP through a single 8-pin power connector. Main pros include its exceptional 1080p gaming performance, high energy efficiency compared to previous generations, and the premium Twin Frozr 7 thermal design that ensures nearly inaudible operation with idle fan-stop technology. However, notable cons include its limited 1440p capabilities, marginal performance gains over the older RX 580 in some titles, and poor overclocking potential.

Technical Specifications of MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB

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%

?

Performance

24.0%

?

Memory

12.0%

?

Power & Cooling

11.0%

?

Platform & Features

5.0%

?

Design

4.0%

?

Connectivity & Media

4.6
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a technical score of 4.61 points, which is lower than that of 83% 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%

0.0

User reviews

30.0%

1.0

Popularity

?
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.
1.0
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a popularity of 1 points, which is lower than 55.9% 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%

4.6

Overall score

40.0%

9.4

Price

6.0
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a quality-to-price ratio of 6 points, which is lower than 82% 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

4,891 points
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB scores 4891 points in 3DMark Time Spy, which is lower than 75% of graphics cards.
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

5.20 TFLOPS
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB delivers 5.20 TFLOPS floating-point performance, which is lower than that of 88.5% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.4% of graphics cards.
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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

8 GB
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has 8 GB of VRAM, which is less than 57.6% of graphics cards and equal to 25.1% 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

GDDR6
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

GDDR6
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB uses GDDR6 memory, which is newer than on 16.6% of graphics cards and equal to 39.1% 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
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB 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

224 GB/s
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB reaches 224 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is lower than that of 83.9% of graphics cards and equal to that of 2.7% 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

4.0
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB supports PCIe 4.0, which is newer than on 22.5% of graphics cards and equal to 52% 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
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB 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
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB 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

?
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
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB 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

4
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB supports up to 4 displays, which is more than 7.8% of graphics cards and equal to 89.2% of graphics cards.
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

3
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB offers 3 DisplayPort outputs, which is more than 20.9% of graphics cards and equal to 77.3% 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

1.4a
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB supports DisplayPort 1.4a, which is more advanced than on 22.7% of graphics cards and equal to 44.2% 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

8.1 Gbps
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB supports DisplayPort link rates up to 8.1 Gbps, which is slower than on 50.4% of graphics cards and equal to 40.5% of graphics cards.
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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

130 W
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a TDP of 130 W, which is lower than that of 79.2% of graphics cards and equal to that of 3.4% 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

140 W
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB draws 140 W under peak load, which is lower than 78.3% of graphics cards and equal to 0.7% 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

450 W
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB recommends a 450 W PSU, which is lower than that of 85.8% of graphics cards and equal to that of 5.8% of graphics cards.
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

?
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

247 mm
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB is 247 mm long, which is shorter than 70.7% of graphics cards and equal in length to 0.8% 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

128 mm
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB is 128 mm tall, which is taller than 51.1% of graphics cards and equal in height to 1.5% of graphics cards.
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

686 g
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB weighs 686 g, which is lighter than 77.2% of graphics cards and equal in weight to 0.5% of graphics cards.
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MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB vs the average graphics card

  • 30.8% lower PSU requirement
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (450 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
    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

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (450 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.450 W vs 650 W
  • 39.5% lower TDP
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (130 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

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (130 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.130 W vs 215 W
  • 38.37 mm shorter card length
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB is shorter than the average graphics card (247 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

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB is shorter than the average graphics card (247 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.247 mm vs 285.37 mm
  • Better FP64 ratio
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB 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

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:16 vs 1:64).1:16 vs 1:64
  • 2.41x cheaper
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB is cheaper than the average graphics card (£220 vs £530).
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB is cheaper than the average graphics card (£220 vs £530).£220 vs £530
  • 48.1% smaller GPU die
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower GPU die size than the average graphics card (158 mm² vs 304.25 mm²). The average graphics card has a GPU die size of 304.25 mm².
    What it is: Total die area of the GPU chip
    When it matters: When you are comparing how physically large different GPU chips are across generations and tiers.

    Importance: LOW

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower GPU die size than the average graphics card (158 mm² vs 304.25 mm²). The average graphics card has a GPU die size of 304.25 mm².158 mm² vs 304.25 mm²
  • 63.6% lower idle power draw
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower idle power draw than the average graphics card (4 W vs 11 W). The average graphics card has an idle power draw of 11 W.
    What it is: Power consumption of the graphics card while idle.
    When it matters: When the PC stays on for long hours and background power draw adds up.

    Importance: LOW

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower idle power draw than the average graphics card (4 W vs 11 W). The average graphics card has an idle power draw of 11 W.4 W vs 11 W
  • Better FP64 ratio
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:16 vs 1:64).
  • 48.1% smaller GPU die
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower GPU die size than the average graphics card (158 mm² vs 304.25 mm²). The average graphics card has a GPU die size of 304.25 mm².
  • 30.8% lower PSU requirement
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (450 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
  • 39.5% lower TDP
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (130 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
  • 63.6% lower idle power draw
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower idle power draw than the average graphics card (4 W vs 11 W). The average graphics card has an idle power draw of 11 W.
  • 38.37 mm shorter card length
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB is shorter than the average graphics card (247 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.

Total
Overall
Performance
Platform & Features
Power & Cooling
Design
  • 26.2% lower boost clock speed
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,845 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.
  • 18 fewer compute units
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (22 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
  • 96 fewer TMUs
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (88 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
  • 56.9% lower texture rate
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (162.4 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
  • 64.3% lower pixel rate
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (59 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.
  • 32 fewer ROPs
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer ROPs than the average graphics card (32 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
  • 77.3% lower FP32 performance
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower FP32 performance than the average graphics card (5.2 TFLOPS vs 22.86 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP32 performance of 22.86 TFLOPS.
  • 14.2% lower base clock speed
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,647 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
  • 56.9% lower gaming score
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower gaming score than the average graphics card (4,891 points vs 11,337 points). The average graphics card has a gaming score of 11,337 points.
  • 77.5% lower compute throughput
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower compute throughput than the average graphics card (5.2 TFLOPS vs 23.105 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has compute throughput of 23.105 TFLOPS.
  • 2,944 fewer FP32 units
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer FP32 units than the average graphics card (1,408 vs 4,352). The average graphics card has 4,352 FP32 units.
  • 128 bit narrower memory bus
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB 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.
  • 50% lower memory bandwidth
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (224 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
  • 4 GB less VRAM
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (8 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
  • 26.3% slower memory speed
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (14,000 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
  • 93.8% smaller L2 cache
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer L2 cache than the average graphics card (2 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.
  • 87.5% smaller L1 cache
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer L1 cache than the average graphics card (16 vs 128). The average graphics card has 128 L1 cache.
  • No ray tracing
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB does not support ray tracing, the average graphics card does.
  • Fewer PCIe lanes
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer PCIe lanes than the average graphics card (x8 vs x16). The average graphics card has x16 PCIe lanes.
  • 40% larger process node
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a higher process node than the average graphics card (7 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
  • 4 older
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB was released earlier than the average graphics card (2,019 vs 2,023).
  • No mesh shaders
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB does not support mesh shaders, the average graphics card does.
  • Older DirectX version
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB supports an older DirectX version than the average graphics card (12 vs 12 Ultimate).
  • No sampler feedback
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB does not support sampler feedback, the average graphics card does.
  • 70.8% fewer transistors
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer transistors than the average graphics card (6,400 million vs 21,900 million). The average graphics card has 21,900 million transistors.
  • No AV1 encoding
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.
  • No AV1 decoding
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB does not support AV1 decoding, the average graphics card does.
  • Older HDMI version
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB supports an older HDMI version than the average graphics card (2.0b vs 2.1).
  • 1 fewer fans
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 vs 3).
  • 17 °C lower thermal ceiling
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB 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.
  • 6 °C higher load temperature
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a higher load temperature than the average graphics card (73 °C vs 67 °C). The average graphics card has a load temperature of 67 °C.
  • 128 bit narrower memory bus
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB 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

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB 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
  • 26.2% lower boost clock speed
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,845 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

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,845 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.1845 MHz vs 2500 MHz
  • 18 fewer compute units
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (22 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

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (22 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.22 vs 40
  • 1 fewer fans
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 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

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer fans than the average graphics card (2 vs 3).2 vs 3
  • 96 fewer TMUs
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (88 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

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (88 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.88 vs 184
  • 56.9% lower texture rate
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (162.4 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

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (162.4 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.162.4 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s
  • 64.3% lower pixel rate
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (59 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.
    What it is: Number of pixels the GPU can render per second
    When it matters: When you play at high resolutions or care about older raster-heavy games.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (59 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.59.04 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s
  • 50% lower memory bandwidth
    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (224 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
    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

    MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB has a lower memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (224 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.224 GB/s vs 448 GB/s
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Third-party reviews

What customers like about MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB?

  • Excellent 1080p performance, maintaining over 60 FPS in many modern titles
  • MSI Twin Frozr 7 thermal design provides quiet operation and low temperatures
  • Generous 8GB GDDR6 VRAM is better for ultra textures than the 4GB variant
  • Energy efficient with significantly lower power consumption than previous-gen Polaris cards
  • High-quality build featuring a brushed metal backplate and subtle RGB lighting
  • Fan-stop-in-idle feature ensures a noise-free experience during light workloads

What customers dislike about MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming 8GB?

  • Poor price-to-performance value compared to competitors like the NVIDIA GTX 1650 Super or 1660 series
  • 128-bit memory bus can limit performance in more bandwidth-heavy scenarios
  • Struggles to maintain playable frame rates in very demanding titles like Metro Exodus without lowering settings
  • Minimal performance uplift over much older and cheaper cards like the RX 580 or RX 590
  • Artificial overclocking limits imposed by AMD's Wattman software
  • Early driver stability issues were reported by some users during the launch period

Expert reviews

W
wccftech.com
13/12/2019
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT 8 GB GDDR6 Graphics Card Review

The MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming X 8 GB is a budget-tier graphics card priced at $224.99 US that transitions AMD away from older GCN architecture to a modern 7nm Navi 14 RDNA design. Built as a replacement for the Radeon RX 400 and 500 series, this custom variant delivers excellent 1080p gaming performance that is roughly 10% to 13% faster than NVIDIA’s GTX 1650 SUPER 4 GB and...Read more

T
tweaktown.com
04/03/2020
MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT GAMING X Review

The MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT GAMING X (8GB) is a highly capable graphics card designed specifically to dominate mainstream 1080p gaming. Built on AMD’s 7nm Navi architecture, it delivers a massive 1.6x performance-per-watt increase and uses 30% less power compared to older Polaris-based cards like the RX 480. In real-world benchmarks, the card excels at 1080p, maintaining a smooth 69...Read more

T
techpowerup.com
12/12/2019
TechPowerUp: MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming X 8 GB Review

The TechPowerUp review of the MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Gaming X 8 GB highlights the card as an exceptionally engineered 1080p gaming solution, featuring a premium Twin Frozr 7 cooler with superior acoustics and low temperatures. With 8 GB of GDDR6, efficient 7nm Navi RDNA architecture, and robust 6-phase VRM, it outclasses older cards like the RX 580. However, the card faces tough...Read more

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