Radeon HD 6950 vs Radeon RX 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 RX 550 is significantly newer (2017 vs 2010). The Radeon RX 550 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 6950 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon RX 550 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 3.1% higher G3D Mark score and 300% more VRAM (4 GB vs 1 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 6950.

Insight	Radeon HD 6950	Radeon RX 550
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-3.1%)	✅Leading raw performance (+3.1%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / TeraScale 3 (2010−2013))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+300%)
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	Standard Size (275mm)	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon RX 550 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon RX 550 holds the technical lead. Priced at $35 (vs $100), it costs 65% less, resulting in a 194.6% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 6950	Radeon RX 550
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+194.6%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($100)	✅More affordable ($35)

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 6950 Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 550 Benchmark Check

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Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 6950 and Radeon RX 550

Radeon HD 6950

The Radeon HD 6950 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 14 2010. It features the TeraScale 3 architecture. The boost clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,593 points. Launch price was $299.

Radeon RX 550

The Radeon RX 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: 2,674 points. Launch price was $79.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 6950 scores 2,593 and the Radeon RX 550 reaches 2,674 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 6950 is built on TeraScale 3 while the Radeon RX 550 uses GCN 4.0, both on 40 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,408 (Radeon HD 6950) vs 512 (Radeon RX 550). Raw compute: 2.253 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6950) vs 1.211 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 550). Boost clocks: 800 MHz vs 1183 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 6950	Radeon RX 550
G3D Mark Score	2,593	2,674+3%
Architecture	TeraScale 3	GCN 4.0
Process Node	40 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	1408+175%	512
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.253 TFLOPS+86%	1.211 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	800 MHz	1183 MHz+48%
ROPs	32+100%	16
TMUs	88+175%	32
L1 Cache	352 KB+175%	128 KB
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 6950	Radeon RX 550
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 2.1
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR 3 (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 6950 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 550 has 4 GB. The Radeon RX 550 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	Radeon HD 6950	Radeon RX 550
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	4 GB+300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	112 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11_2 (Radeon HD 6950) vs 12_0 (Radeon RX 550). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

Feature	Radeon HD 6950	Radeon RX 550
DirectX	11_2	12_0+9%
Max Displays	4+33%	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: UVD 3 (Radeon HD 6950) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 550). Decoder: UVD 3 vs UVD 6.3.

Feature	Radeon HD 6950	Radeon RX 550
Encoder	UVD 3	VCE 3.4
Decoder	UVD 3	UVD 6.3
Codecs	—	H.264,H.265

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 6950 draws 200W versus the Radeon RX 550's 50W — a 120% difference. The Radeon RX 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 6950) vs 300W (Radeon RX 550). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs None. Card length: 275mm vs 155mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	Radeon HD 6950	Radeon RX 550
TDP	200W	50W-75%
Recommended PSU	500W	300W-40%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	None
Length	275mm	155mm
Slots	2	2
Perf/Watt	13.0	53.5+312%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon HD 6950 launched at $299 MSRP and currently averages $100, while the Radeon RX 550 launched at $79 and now averages $35. The Radeon RX 550 costs 65% less ($65 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 25.9 (Radeon HD 6950) vs 76.4 (Radeon RX 550) — the Radeon RX 550 offers 195% better value. The Radeon RX 550 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2010).