Radeon HD 5870 vs Radeon 550

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The Radeon 550 is significantly newer (2017 vs 2009). The Radeon 550 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 5870 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 5870 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.9% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon 550.

Insight	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon 550
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+1.9%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.9%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+0%)
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	Standard Size (280mm)	—

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon HD 5870 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 5870 holds the technical lead. Priced at $50 (vs $79), it costs 37% less, resulting in a 61% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon 550
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+61%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($50)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($79)

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.

Radeon HD 5870 Benchmark Check

Radeon 550 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 5870 and Radeon 550

Radeon HD 5870

The Radeon HD 5870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 23 2009. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 1600 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 188W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,180 points. Launch price was $399.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 5870 scores 2,180 and the Radeon 550 reaches 2,140 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 5870 is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon 550 uses GCN 4.0, both on 40 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,600 (Radeon HD 5870) vs 512 (Radeon 550). Raw compute: 2.72 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 5870) vs 1.211 TFLOPS (Radeon 550).

Feature	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon 550
G3D Mark Score	2,180+2%	2,140
Architecture	TeraScale 2	GCN 4.0
Process Node	40 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	1600+213%	512
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.72 TFLOPS+125%	1.211 TFLOPS
ROPs	32+100%	16
TMUs	80+150%	32
L1 Cache	160 KB+25%	128 KB
L2 Cache	512 KB+100%	256 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon 550
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)

Both cards feature 2 GB of GDDR5. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon HD 5870) vs 256 KB (Radeon 550) — the Radeon HD 5870 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon 550
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	512 KB+100%	256 KB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 5870 draws 188W versus the Radeon 550's 50W — a 116% difference. The Radeon 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 5870) vs 300W (Radeon 550). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs None.

Feature	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon 550
TDP	188W	50W-73%
Recommended PSU	500W	300W-40%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	None
Length	280mm	—
Slots	2	—
Perf/Watt	11.6	42.8+269%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon HD 5870 launched at $399 MSRP and currently averages $50, while the Radeon 550 launched at $79 and now averages $79. The Radeon HD 5870 costs 36.7% less ($29 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 43.6 (Radeon HD 5870) vs 27.1 (Radeon 550) — the Radeon HD 5870 offers 60.9% better value. The Radeon 550 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2009).