Radeon 550 vs Radeon R9 M385

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.

Radeon 550 vs Radeon R9 M385 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.

Radeon 550 vs Radeon R9 M385: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Radeon 550

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $221 less on MSRP ($79 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Delivers 294.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 27.1 vs 6.9 G3D/$ ($79 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Draws 50W instead of 75W, a 25W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 M385 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2017 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Radeon R9 M385

2015

Why buy it

✅44.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
279.7% HIGHER MSRP
$300 MSRPvs$79 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 6.9 vs 27.1 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $79 MSRP).
❌50% higher power demand at 75W vs 50W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon R9 M385 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 44.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon 550 instead at 2,140 vs 2,061, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon 550 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 14nm process instead of 28nm and a newer 2017 generation instead of 2015. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon 550 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $221 cheaper on MSRP at $79 vs $300, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 294.3% (27.1 vs 6.9), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. Radeon R9 M385 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Radeon 550 vs Radeon R9 M385 Technical Specifications

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

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 R9 M385

The Radeon R9 M385 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 5 2015. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 900 MHz to 1100 MHz. It has 896 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,061 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon 550 scores 2,140 and the Radeon R9 M385 reaches 2,061 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon 550 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon R9 M385 uses GCN 2.0, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 512 (Radeon 550) vs 896 (Radeon R9 M385). Raw compute: 1.211 TFLOPS (Radeon 550) vs 1.792 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M385). Boost clocks: 1183 MHz vs 1100 MHz.

Feature	Radeon 550	Radeon R9 M385
G3D Mark Score	2,140+4%	2,061
Architecture	GCN 4.0	GCN 2.0
Process Node	14 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	512	896+75%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.211 TFLOPS	1.792 TFLOPS+48%
Boost Clock	1183 MHz+8%	1100 MHz
ROPs	16	16
TMUs	32	56+75%
L1 Cache	128 KB	224 KB+75%
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon 550	Radeon R9 M385
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon 550 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M385 carries 4 GB. Radeon R9 M385 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 Radeon 550 and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M385.

Feature	Radeon 550	Radeon R9 M385
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	4 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon 550 draws 50W versus the Radeon R9 M385's 75W — a 40% difference. The Radeon 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (Radeon 550) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M385). Power connectors: None vs Mobile.

Feature	Radeon 550	Radeon R9 M385
TDP	50W-33%	75W
Recommended PSU	300W-14%	350W
Power Connector	None	Mobile
Perf/Watt	42.8+56%	27.5

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon 550 came in at $79, while the Radeon R9 M385 launched at $300. On MSRP, Radeon 550 was 73.7% cheaper ($221 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 27.1 (Radeon 550) vs 6.9 (Radeon R9 M385) — the Radeon 550 offers 292.8% better value. The newer card here is Radeon 550 (2017 vs 2015).

Feature	Radeon 550	Radeon R9 M385
MSRP	$79-74%	$300
Performance per Dollar	27.1+293%	6.9
Codename	Lexa	Strato
Release	April 20 2017	May 5 2015
Ranking	#668	#674

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