Radeon 550 vs Radeon RX 640

AMD

Radeon 550

2017Core: 1100 MHzBoost: 1183 MHz
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VS
AMD

Radeon RX 640

2019Core: 1082 MHzBoost: 1218 MHz
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Radeon 550 vs Radeon RX 640 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.

Radeon 550 vs Radeon RX 640 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 RX 640: 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 $80 less on MSRP ($79 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).
  • Delivers 98.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 27.1 vs 13.7 G3D/$ ($79 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 640 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • 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 RX 640

2019

Why buy it

  • 40.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Radeon 550 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon RX 640 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • Older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • 101.3% HIGHER MSRP
    $159 MSRPvs$79 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 13.7 vs 27.1 G3D/$ ($159 MSRP vs $79 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon RX 640 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 40.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.5% in PassMark G3D (2,172 vs 2,140), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon RX 640 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, native frame generation with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023), while Radeon 550 has no comparable frame-generation support, and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2017. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon 550 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $80 cheaper on MSRP at $79 vs $159, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 98.3% (27.1 vs 13.7), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon 550 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon RX 640 has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon 550 vs Radeon RX 640 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

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.

AMD

Radeon RX 640

The Radeon RX 640 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 13 2019. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1082 MHz to 1218 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,172 points.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon 550 scores 2,140 and the Radeon RX 640 reaches 2,172 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon 550 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon RX 640 uses GCN 4.0, both on a 14 nm process. Shader units: 512 (Radeon 550) vs 640 (Radeon RX 640). Raw compute: 1.211 TFLOPS (Radeon 550) vs 1.559 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 640). Boost clocks: 1183 MHz vs 1218 MHz.

FeatureRadeon 550Radeon RX 640
G3D Mark Score
2,140
2,172+1%
Architecture
GCN 4.0
GCN 4.0
Process Node
14 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
512
640+25%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.211 TFLOPS
1.559 TFLOPS+29%
Boost Clock
1183 MHz
1218 MHz+3%
ROPs
16
16
TMUs
32
40+25%
L1 Cache
128 KB
160 KB+25%
L2 Cache
256 KB
512 KB+100%
Frame Generation
FSR upscaling
FSR 3 + AFMF

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 640 is support for FSR Frame Generation + AFMF. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The Radeon 550 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.

FeatureRadeon 550Radeon RX 640
Upscaling Tech
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
FSR 3
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation + AFMF
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
AMD Anti-Lag
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon 550 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 640 carries 4 GB. Radeon RX 640 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 RX 640. L2 Cache: 256 KB (Radeon 550) vs 512 KB (Radeon RX 640) — the Radeon RX 640 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon 550Radeon RX 640
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
4 GB+100%
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 RX 640's 50W — a 0% difference. The Radeon RX 640 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (Radeon 550) vs 350W (Radeon RX 640). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureRadeon 550Radeon RX 640
TDP
50W
50W
Recommended PSU
300W-14%
350W
Power Connector
None
PCIe-powered
Slots
1
Perf/Watt
42.8
43.4+1%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon 550 came in at $79, while the Radeon RX 640 launched at $159. On MSRP, Radeon 550 was 50.3% cheaper ($80 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 27.1 (Radeon 550) vs 13.7 (Radeon RX 640) — the Radeon 550 offers 97.8% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX 640 (2019 vs 2017).

FeatureRadeon 550Radeon RX 640
MSRP
$79-50%
$159
Performance per Dollar
27.1+98%
13.7
Codename
Lexa
Polaris 23
Release
April 20 2017
May 13 2019
Ranking
#668
#665

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