Radeon 550 vs Radeon HD 5870

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. 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

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

⚠️ Generational Difference

The Radeon 550 is significantly newer (2017 vs 2009). The Radeon 550 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 5870 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 5870 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.9% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon 550.

Insight	Radeon 550	Radeon HD 5870
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.9%)	✅Leading raw performance (+1.9%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+0%)
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	Standard Size (280mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon HD 5870 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 5870 holds the technical lead. Priced at $50 (vs $79), it costs 37% less, resulting in a 61% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon 550	Radeon HD 5870
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+61%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($79)	✅More affordable ($50)

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.

Radeon 550 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 5870 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon 550 and Radeon HD 5870

Radeon 550

The Radeon 550 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 20 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1100 MHz to 1183 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,140 points. Launch price was $79.

Radeon HD 5870

The Radeon HD 5870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 23 2009. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 1600 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 188W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,180 points. Launch price was $399.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon 550 scores 2,140 and the Radeon HD 5870 reaches 2,180 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon 550 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon HD 5870 uses TeraScale 2, both on 14 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 512 (Radeon 550) vs 1,600 (Radeon HD 5870). Raw compute: 1.211 TFLOPS (Radeon 550) vs 2.72 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 5870).

Feature	Radeon 550	Radeon HD 5870
G3D Mark Score	2,140	2,180+2%
Architecture	GCN 4.0	TeraScale 2
Process Node	14 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	512	1600+213%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.211 TFLOPS	2.72 TFLOPS+125%
ROPs	16	32+100%
TMUs	32	80+150%
L1 Cache	128 KB	160 KB+25%
L2 Cache	256 KB	512 KB+100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon 550	Radeon HD 5870
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 2 GB of GDDR5. Bus width: 64-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 256 KB (Radeon 550) vs 512 KB (Radeon HD 5870) — the Radeon HD 5870 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon 550	Radeon HD 5870
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%
L2 Cache	256 KB	512 KB+100%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon 550 draws 50W versus the Radeon HD 5870's 188W — a 116% difference. The Radeon 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (Radeon 550) vs 500W (Radeon HD 5870). Power connectors: None vs 2x 6-pin.

Feature	Radeon 550	Radeon HD 5870
TDP	50W-73%	188W
Recommended PSU	300W-40%	500W
Power Connector	None	2x 6-pin
Length	—	280mm
Slots	—	2
Perf/Watt	42.8+269%	11.6

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon 550 launched at $79 MSRP and currently averages $79, while the Radeon HD 5870 launched at $399 and now averages $50. The Radeon HD 5870 costs 36.7% less ($29 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 27.1 (Radeon 550) vs 43.6 (Radeon HD 5870) — the Radeon HD 5870 offers 60.9% better value. The Radeon 550 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2009).