Quadro FX 550 vs RADEON 9800 XT

NVIDIA

Quadro FX 550

2008Core: 610 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

RADEON 9800 XT

2022Core: 1387 MHzBoost: 2394 MHz
Similar parts
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Quadro FX 550 vs RADEON 9800 XT Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Quadro FX 550 vs RADEON 9800 XT FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Quadro FX 550 vs RADEON 9800 XT: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Quadro FX 550

2008

Why buy it

  • +12.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $349 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • Delivers 273.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.4 vs 0.1 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • Draws 189W instead of 300W, a 111W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 128 MB vs 256 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2008 hardware with 128 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

RADEON 9800 XT

2022

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (256 MB vs 128 MB).
  • Better long-term bet: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • More future proof: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (57 vs 64).
  • 232.7% HIGHER MSRP
    $499 MSRPvs$150 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.1 vs 0.4 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • 58.7% higher power demand at 300W vs 189W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Quadro FX 550 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 12.3% in PassMark G3D (64 vs 57), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
RADEON 9800 XT is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 256 MB vs 128 MB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 5nm process instead of 55nm, and 84 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Quadro FX 550 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $349 cheaper on MSRP at $150 vs $499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 273.5% (0.4 vs 0.1), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Quadro FX 550 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, RADEON 9800 XT has the stronger long-term case.

Quadro FX 550 vs RADEON 9800 XT Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

Quadro FX 550

The Quadro FX 550 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 11 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 610 MHz. It has 240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 189W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 64 points. Launch price was $3,499.

AMD

RADEON 9800 XT

The RADEON 9800 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 3 2022. It features the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1387 MHz to 2394 MHz. It has 5376 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 84 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 57 points. Launch price was $899.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the Quadro FX 550 scores 64 versus the RADEON 9800 XT's 57 — the Quadro FX 550 leads by 12.3%. The Quadro FX 550 is built on Tesla 2.0 while the RADEON 9800 XT uses RDNA 3.0, both on 55 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 240 (Quadro FX 550) vs 5,376 (RADEON 9800 XT). Raw compute: 0.6221 TFLOPS (Quadro FX 550) vs 51.48 TFLOPS (RADEON 9800 XT).

FeatureQuadro FX 550RADEON 9800 XT
G3D Mark Score
64+12%
57
Architecture
Tesla 2.0
RDNA 3.0
Process Node
55 nm
5 nm
Shading Units
240
5376+2140%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.6221 TFLOPS
51.48 TFLOPS+8175%
ROPs
32
192+500%
TMUs
80
336+320%
L2 Cache
0.25 MB
6 MB+2300%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureQuadro FX 550RADEON 9800 XT
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Quadro FX 550 has 128 MB of VRAM, while the RADEON 9800 XT carries 256 MB. RADEON 9800 XT gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the Quadro FX 550 and 64-bit on the RADEON 9800 XT. L2 Cache: 0.25 MB (Quadro FX 550) vs 6 MB (RADEON 9800 XT) — the RADEON 9800 XT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureQuadro FX 550RADEON 9800 XT
VRAM Capacity
0.125 GB
0.25 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
L2 Cache
0.25 MB
6 MB+2300%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Quadro FX 550 draws 189W versus the RADEON 9800 XT's 300W — a 45.4% difference. The Quadro FX 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Quadro FX 550) vs 350W (RADEON 9800 XT). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Legacy.

FeatureQuadro FX 550RADEON 9800 XT
TDP
189W-37%
300W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
Legacy
Length
180mm
Slots
1
Perf/Watt
0.3+50%
0.2
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Quadro FX 550 came in at $150, while the RADEON 9800 XT launched at $499. On MSRP, Quadro FX 550 was 69.9% cheaper ($349 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.4 (Quadro FX 550) vs 0.1 (RADEON 9800 XT) — the Quadro FX 550 offers 300% better value. The newer card here is RADEON 9800 XT (2022 vs 2008).

FeatureQuadro FX 550RADEON 9800 XT
MSRP
$150-70%
$499
Performance per Dollar
0.4+300%
0.1
Codename
GT200B
Navi 31
Release
November 11 2008
November 3 2022
Ranking
#815
#21

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