RADEON 9550 vs RADEON X300SE

AMD

RADEON 9550

2017Core: 1100 MHzBoost: 1183 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

RADEON X300SE

2020Core: 1327 MHzBoost: 1645 MHz
Similar parts
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RADEON 9550 vs RADEON X300SE 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 9550 vs RADEON X300SE 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 9550 vs RADEON X300SE: 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 9550

2017

Why buy it

  • Draws 50W instead of 100W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (35 vs 38).
  • Less VRAM, with 256 MB vs 512 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2017 hardware with 256 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 115% HIGHER MSRP
    $129 MSRPvs$60 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.3 vs 0.6 G3D/$ ($129 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).

RADEON X300SE

2020

Why buy it

  • +8.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $69 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).
  • Delivers 133.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.6 vs 0.3 G3D/$ ($60 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (512 MB vs 256 MB).
  • RADEON 9550 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so RADEON X300SE is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • Older hardware, 512 MB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • 100% higher power demand at 100W vs 50W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
RADEON X300SE is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 8.6% in PassMark G3D (38 vs 35), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
RADEON X300SE is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 512 MB vs 256 MB of VRAM, a 7nm process instead of 14nm, and a newer 2020 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 X300SE makes the most sense to buy today. It is $69 cheaper on MSRP at $60 vs $129, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 133.4% (0.6 vs 0.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

RADEON 9550 vs RADEON X300SE Technical Specifications

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

AMD

RADEON 9550

The RADEON 9550 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: 35 points. Launch price was $79.

AMD

RADEON X300SE

The RADEON X300SE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 28 2020. It features the RDNA 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1327 MHz to 1645 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 38 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the RADEON 9550 scores 35 versus the RADEON X300SE's 38 — the RADEON X300SE leads by 8.6%. The RADEON 9550 is built on GCN 4.0 while the RADEON X300SE uses RDNA 1.0, both on 14 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 512 (RADEON 9550) vs 1,408 (RADEON X300SE). Raw compute: 1.211 TFLOPS (RADEON 9550) vs 4.632 TFLOPS (RADEON X300SE). Boost clocks: 1183 MHz vs 1645 MHz.

FeatureRADEON 9550RADEON X300SE
G3D Mark Score
35
38+9%
Architecture
GCN 4.0
RDNA 1.0
Process Node
14 nm
7 nm
Shading Units
512
1408+175%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.211 TFLOPS
4.632 TFLOPS+282%
Boost Clock
1183 MHz
1645 MHz+39%
ROPs
16
32+100%
TMUs
32
88+175%
L2 Cache
0.25 MB
1.5 MB+500%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRADEON 9550RADEON X300SE
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
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The RADEON 9550 has 256 MB of VRAM, while the RADEON X300SE carries 512 MB. RADEON X300SE 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 9550 and 64-bit on the RADEON X300SE. L2 Cache: 0.25 MB (RADEON 9550) vs 1.5 MB (RADEON X300SE) — the RADEON X300SE has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRADEON 9550RADEON X300SE
VRAM Capacity
0.25 GB
0.5 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
L2 Cache
0.25 MB
1.5 MB+500%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The RADEON 9550 draws 50W versus the RADEON X300SE's 100W — a 66.7% difference. The RADEON 9550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (RADEON 9550) vs 350W (RADEON X300SE). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy.

FeatureRADEON 9550RADEON X300SE
TDP
50W-50%
100W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
Legacy
Perf/Watt
0.7+75%
0.4
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the RADEON 9550 came in at $129, while the RADEON X300SE launched at $60. On MSRP, RADEON X300SE was 53.5% cheaper ($69 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.3 (RADEON 9550) vs 0.6 (RADEON X300SE) — the RADEON X300SE offers 100% better value. The newer card here is RADEON X300SE (2020 vs 2017).

FeatureRADEON 9550RADEON X300SE
MSRP
$129
$60-53%
Performance per Dollar
0.3
0.6+100%
Codename
Lexa
Navi 14
Release
April 20 2017
May 28 2020
Ranking
#668
#336

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