Quadro M5500 vs Radeon R9 290 / 390

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The Quadro M5500 is positioned at rank #141 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Quadro M5500

#70

Radeon PRO W6800

MSRP: $2249|Avg: $2249

91%

#126

Tesla K20m

MSRP: $3199|Avg: $55

1494%

#141

Quadro M5500

MSRP: $800|Avg: $200

100%

#142

Quadro K1200

MSRP: $300|Avg: $184

100%

#143

Quadro P400

MSRP: $169|Avg: $60

99%

#144

Radeon Pro WX 7100

MSRP: $799|Avg: $180

97%

#145

Quadro M520

MSRP: $200|Avg: $50

97%

#146

Radeon Sky 500

MSRP: $500|Avg: $500

96%

#147

Quadro M5000

MSRP: $999|Avg: $120

95%

#148

Radeon Pro WX 4100

MSRP: $399|Avg: $85

93%

#149

Quadro P4000 (móvel)

MSRP: $819|Avg: $290

93%

#151

FirePro M40003

MSRP: $150|Avg: $72

92%

#152

Radeon Pro 465

MSRP: $500|Avg: $150

92%

#154

Tesla P4

MSRP: $1000|Avg: $190

91%

#155

Radeon Pro WX 4150

MSRP: $300|Avg: $120

89%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon R9 290 / 390 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 3% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Quadro M5500 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	Quadro M5500	Radeon R9 290 / 390
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-3%)	✅Leading raw performance (+3%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2016 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+100%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	Standard Size (275mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon R9 290 / 390 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R9 290 / 390 holds the technical lead. Priced at $65 (vs $200), it costs 68% less, resulting in a 216.8% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Quadro M5500	Radeon R9 290 / 390
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+216.8%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($200)	✅More affordable ($65)

Performance Check

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

Quadro M5500 Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 290 / 390 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Quadro M5500 and Radeon R9 290 / 390

Quadro M5500

The Quadro M5500 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 8 2016. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1140 MHz to 1165 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,915 points.

Radeon R9 290 / 390

The Radeon R9 290 / 390 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 18 2015. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,150 points. Launch price was $329.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Quadro M5500 scores 7,915 and the Radeon R9 290 / 390 reaches 8,150 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Quadro M5500 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon R9 290 / 390 uses GCN 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (Quadro M5500) vs 2,560 (Radeon R9 290 / 390). Raw compute: 4.772 TFLOPS (Quadro M5500) vs 5.12 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 290 / 390). Boost clocks: 1165 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	Quadro M5500	Radeon R9 290 / 390
G3D Mark Score	7,915	8,150+3%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	GCN 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2048	2560+25%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.772 TFLOPS	5.12 TFLOPS+7%
Boost Clock	1165 MHz+17%	1000 MHz
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	128	160+25%
L1 Cache	768 KB+20%	640 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+100%	1 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Quadro M5500	Radeon R9 290 / 390
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Quadro M5500 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 290 / 390 has 4 GB. The Quadro M5500 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 256-bit vs 512-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Quadro M5500) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 290 / 390) — the Quadro M5500 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Quadro M5500	Radeon R9 290 / 390
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+100%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Bus Width	256-bit	512-bit+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB+100%	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (Quadro M5500) vs 12.0 (Radeon R9 290 / 390). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

Feature	Quadro M5500	Radeon R9 290 / 390
DirectX	12 (12_1)	12.0
Vulkan	1.2	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	6+50%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Maxwell) (Quadro M5500) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 290 / 390). Decoder: NVDEC (Maxwell) vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Quadro M5500) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 290 / 390).

Feature	Quadro M5500	Radeon R9 290 / 390
Encoder	NVENC (Maxwell)	VCE 2.0
Decoder	NVDEC (Maxwell)	UVD 4.2
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9,MPEG-2,VC-1	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Quadro M5500 draws 150W versus the Radeon R9 290 / 390's 300W — a 66.7% difference. The Quadro M5500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Quadro M5500) vs 750W (Radeon R9 290 / 390). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 275mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85 vs 95°C.

Feature	Quadro M5500	Radeon R9 290 / 390
TDP	150W-50%	300W
Recommended PSU	350W-53%	750W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	0mm	275mm
Height	0mm	109mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	85-11%	95°C
Perf/Watt	52.8+94%	27.2

💰

Value Analysis

The Quadro M5500 launched at $800 MSRP and currently averages $200, while the Radeon R9 290 / 390 launched at $329 and now averages $65. The Radeon R9 290 / 390 costs 67.5% less ($135 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 39.6 (Quadro M5500) vs 125.4 (Radeon R9 290 / 390) — the Radeon R9 290 / 390 offers 216.7% better value. The Quadro M5500 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2015).