RADEON 9800 vs RADEON X550

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 9800 vs RADEON X550 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 9800 vs RADEON X550: 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 9800

2025

Why buy it

✅+13.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Better long-term bet: RDNA 3.5 (2024−2025) on 4nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅More future proof: RDNA 3.5 (2024−2025) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 128 MB vs 256 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌
565% HIGHER MSRP
$399 MSRPvs$60 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.1 vs 0.8 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).

RADEON X550

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $339 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 484.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.8 vs 0.1 G3D/$ ($60 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (256 MB vs 128 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (51 vs 58).
❌2017 hardware with 256 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

RADEON 9800 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 13.7% in PassMark G3D (58 vs 51), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

RADEON 9800 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 4nm process instead of 14nm, 40 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2025 generation instead of 2017. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

RADEON X550 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $339 cheaper on MSRP at $60 vs $399, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 484.7% (0.8 vs 0.1), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, RADEON X550 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, RADEON 9800 has the stronger long-term case.

RADEON 9800 vs RADEON X550 Technical Specifications

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

RADEON 9800

The RADEON 9800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 6 2025. It features the RDNA 3.5 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1295 MHz to 2900 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 55W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 40 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 58 points.

RADEON X550

The RADEON X550 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: 51 points. Launch price was $79.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the RADEON 9800 scores 58 versus the RADEON X550's 51 — the RADEON 9800 leads by 13.7%. The RADEON 9800 is built on RDNA 3.5 while the RADEON X550 uses GCN 4.0, both on 4 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (RADEON 9800) vs 512 (RADEON X550). Raw compute: 14.85 TFLOPS (RADEON 9800) vs 1.211 TFLOPS (RADEON X550). Boost clocks: 2900 MHz vs 1183 MHz.

Feature	RADEON 9800	RADEON X550
G3D Mark Score	58+14%	51
Architecture	RDNA 3.5	GCN 4.0
Process Node	4 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	2560+400%	512
Compute (TFLOPS)	14.85 TFLOPS+1126%	1.211 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	2900 MHz+145%	1183 MHz
ROPs	64+300%	16
TMUs	160+400%	32
L2 Cache	8 MB+3100%	0.25 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	RADEON 9800	RADEON X550
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 9800 has 128 MB of VRAM, while the RADEON X550 carries 256 MB. RADEON X550 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 9800 and 64-bit on the RADEON X550. L2 Cache: 8 MB (RADEON 9800) vs 0.25 MB (RADEON X550) — the RADEON 9800 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	RADEON 9800	RADEON X550
VRAM Capacity	0.125 GB	0.25 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	64-bit
L2 Cache	8 MB+3100%	0.25 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The RADEON 9800 draws 55W versus the RADEON X550's 50W — a 9.5% difference. The RADEON X550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (RADEON 9800) vs 350W (RADEON X550). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy.

Feature	RADEON 9800	RADEON X550
TDP	55W	50W-9%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	Legacy
Perf/Watt	1.1+10%	1.0

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the RADEON 9800 came in at $399, while the RADEON X550 launched at $60. On MSRP, RADEON X550 was 85% cheaper ($339 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.1 (RADEON 9800) vs 0.8 (RADEON X550) — the RADEON X550 offers 700% better value. The newer card here is RADEON 9800 (2025 vs 2017).

Feature	RADEON 9800	RADEON X550
MSRP	$399	$60-85%
Performance per Dollar	0.1	0.8+700%
Codename	Strix Halo	Lexa
Release	January 6 2025	April 20 2017
Ranking	#98	#668

Search RADEON 9800 on Amazon

Search RADEON X550 on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.