Radeon HD 5550 vs Radeon HD 3850
Radeon HD 5550
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 3850
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Radeon HD 5550 is positioned at rank 224 and the Radeon HD 3850 is on rank 308, so the Radeon HD 5550 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 5550
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 3850
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 3850 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 4.4% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon HD 5550 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon HD 5550 | Radeon HD 3850 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-4.4%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+4.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 5550 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 5550 holds the technical lead. Priced at $75 (vs $179), it costs 58% less, resulting in a 128.5% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 5550 | Radeon HD 3850 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+128.5%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($75) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($179) |
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 5550 and Radeon HD 3850
Radeon HD 5550
The Radeon HD 5550 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 30 2009. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 1440 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 151W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 384 points. Launch price was $299.
Radeon HD 3850
The Radeon HD 3850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 5 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 401 points. Launch price was $249.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 5550 scores 384 and the Radeon HD 3850 reaches 401 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 4.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 5550 is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon HD 3850 uses GCN 1.0, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,440 (Radeon HD 5550) vs 1,024 (Radeon HD 3850). Raw compute: 2.088 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 5550) vs 1.761 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 3850).
| Feature | Radeon HD 5550 | Radeon HD 3850 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 384 | 401+4% |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1440+41% | 1024 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.088 TFLOPS+19% | 1.761 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 72+13% | 64 |
| L1 Cache | 144 KB | 256 KB+78% |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 5550 | Radeon HD 3850 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 5550 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 3850 has 1 GB. The Radeon HD 5550 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 5550 | Radeon HD 3850 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB+100% | 1 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11.2 (11_0) (Radeon HD 5550) vs 10.1 (Radeon HD 3850). OpenGL: 4.4 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 2.
| Feature | Radeon HD 5550 | Radeon HD 3850 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.2 (11_0)+11% | 10.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.4+33% | 3.3 |
| Max Displays | 3+50% | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Decoder: UVD 2.2 vs UVD+. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (Radeon HD 5550) vs H.264,VC-1,DivX,MPEG-1,MPEG-2 (Radeon HD 3850).
| Feature | Radeon HD 5550 | Radeon HD 3850 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | None | — |
| Decoder | UVD 2.2 | UVD+ |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 | H.264,VC-1,DivX,MPEG-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 5550 draws 151W versus the Radeon HD 3850's 130W — a 14.9% difference. The Radeon HD 3850 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 200W (Radeon HD 5550) vs 450W (Radeon HD 3850). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 168mm vs 208mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 70 vs 80°C.
| Feature | Radeon HD 5550 | Radeon HD 3850 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 151W | 130W-14% |
| Recommended PSU | 200W-56% | 450W |
| Power Connector | None | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 168mm | 208mm |
| Height | 69mm | — |
| Slots | 1 | 1 |
| Temp (Load) | 70-13% | 80°C |
| Perf/Watt | 2.5 | 3.1+24% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 5550 launched at $75 MSRP and currently averages $75, while the Radeon HD 3850 launched at $179 and now averages $179. The Radeon HD 5550 costs 58.1% less ($104 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 5.1 (Radeon HD 5550) vs 2.2 (Radeon HD 3850) — the Radeon HD 5550 offers 131.8% better value. The Radeon HD 3850 is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2009).
| Feature | Radeon HD 5550 | Radeon HD 3850 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $75-58% | $179 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $75-58% | $179 |
| Performance per Dollar | 5.1+132% | 2.2 |
| Codename | Cypress | Pitcairn |
| Release | September 30 2009 | March 5 2012 |
| Ranking | #682 | #503 |
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