RADEON 9800 XT vs RADEON X550XT

AMD

RADEON 9800 XT

2022Core: 1387 MHzBoost: 2394 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

RADEON X550XT

2019Core: 1082 MHzBoost: 1218 MHz
Similar parts
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RADEON 9800 XT vs RADEON X550XT 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 9800 XT vs RADEON X550XT 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 XT vs RADEON X550XT: 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 XT

2022

Why buy it

  • Better long-term bet: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • More future proof: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 256 MB vs 512 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 898% HIGHER MSRP
    $499 MSRPvs$50 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.1 vs 1.1 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
  • 500% higher power demand at 300W vs 50W.

RADEON X550XT

2019

Why buy it

  • Costs $449 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • Delivers 880.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 1.1 vs 0.1 G3D/$ ($50 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (512 MB vs 256 MB).
  • Draws 50W instead of 300W, a 250W reduction.
  • Measures 168mm instead of 180mm, a 12mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • 2019 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
RADEON 9800 XT is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.8% in PassMark G3D (57 vs 56), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
RADEON 9800 XT is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 5nm process instead of 14nm, 84 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2022 generation instead of 2019. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
RADEON X550XT makes the most sense to buy today. It is $449 cheaper on MSRP at $50 vs $499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 880.5% (1.1 vs 0.1), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, RADEON X550XT is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, RADEON 9800 XT has the stronger long-term case.

RADEON 9800 XT vs RADEON X550XT Technical Specifications

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

AMD

RADEON 9800 XT

The RADEON 9800 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 3 2022. It features the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1387 MHz to 2394 MHz. It has 5376 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 84 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 57 points. Launch price was $899.

AMD

RADEON X550XT

The RADEON X550XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 27 2019. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1082 MHz to 1218 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 56 points.

Graphics Performance

The RADEON 9800 XT scores 57 and the RADEON X550XT reaches 56 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The RADEON 9800 XT is built on RDNA 3.0 while the RADEON X550XT uses GCN 4.0, both on 5 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 5,376 (RADEON 9800 XT) vs 512 (RADEON X550XT). Raw compute: 51.48 TFLOPS (RADEON 9800 XT) vs 1.247 TFLOPS (RADEON X550XT). Boost clocks: 2394 MHz vs 1218 MHz.

FeatureRADEON 9800 XTRADEON X550XT
G3D Mark Score
57+2%
56
Architecture
RDNA 3.0
GCN 4.0
Process Node
5 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
5376+950%
512
Compute (TFLOPS)
51.48 TFLOPS+4028%
1.247 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
2394 MHz+97%
1218 MHz
ROPs
192+1100%
16
TMUs
336+950%
32
L1 Cache
3 MB+2208%
0.13 MB
L2 Cache
6 MB+1100%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRADEON 9800 XTRADEON X550XT
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 XT has 256 MB of VRAM, while the RADEON X550XT carries 512 MB. RADEON X550XT 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 XT and 64-bit on the RADEON X550XT. L2 Cache: 6 MB (RADEON 9800 XT) vs 0.5 MB (RADEON X550XT) — the RADEON 9800 XT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRADEON 9800 XTRADEON X550XT
VRAM Capacity
0.25 GB
0.5 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
L2 Cache
6 MB+1100%
0.5 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9_0 (RADEON 9800 XT) vs 9.0b (RADEON X550XT). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

FeatureRADEON 9800 XTRADEON X550XT
DirectX
9_0
9.0b
Max Displays
2
2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The RADEON 9800 XT draws 300W versus the RADEON X550XT's 50W — a 142.9% difference. The RADEON X550XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (RADEON 9800 XT) vs 350W (RADEON X550XT). Power connectors: Legacy vs Legacy. Card length: 180mm vs 168mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots.

FeatureRADEON 9800 XTRADEON X550XT
TDP
300W
50W-83%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
Legacy
Length
180mm
168mm
Height
111mm
Slots
1
1
Temp (Load)
65
Perf/Watt
0.2
1.1+450%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the RADEON 9800 XT came in at $499, while the RADEON X550XT launched at $50. On MSRP, RADEON X550XT was 90% cheaper ($449 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.1 (RADEON 9800 XT) vs 1.1 (RADEON X550XT) — the RADEON X550XT offers 1000% better value. The newer card here is RADEON 9800 XT (2022 vs 2019).

FeatureRADEON 9800 XTRADEON X550XT
MSRP
$499
$50-90%
Performance per Dollar
0.1
1.1+1000%
Codename
Navi 31
Lexa
Release
November 3 2022
March 27 2019
Ranking
#21
#772

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