Radeon HD 8550G vs Radeon R5 M230

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 HD 8550G vs Radeon R5 M230 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 HD 8550G vs Radeon R5 M230: 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 HD 8550G

2012

Why buy it

✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).
✅Delivers 55.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 8.3 vs 5.3 G3D/$ ($50 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon R5 M230 across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2012 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌73.3% higher power demand at 130W vs 75W.

Radeon R5 M230

2015

Why buy it

✅10.7% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Draws 75W instead of 130W, a 55W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
60% HIGHER MSRP
$80 MSRPvs$50 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 5.3 vs 8.3 G3D/$ ($80 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon R5 M230 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 10.7% in average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2.7% in PassMark G3D (425 vs 414), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

Radeon HD 8550G is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 8550G makes the most sense to buy today. It is $30 cheaper on MSRP at $50 vs $80, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 55.9% (8.3 vs 5.3), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. Radeon R5 M230 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Radeon HD 8550G vs Radeon R5 M230 Technical Specifications

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

Radeon HD 8550G

The Radeon HD 8550G 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: 414 points. Launch price was $249.

Radeon R5 M230

The Radeon R5 M230 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 9 2015. It features the GCN architecture. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 425 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 8550G scores 414 and the Radeon R5 M230 reaches 425 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8550G is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon R5 M230 uses GCN, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,024 (Radeon HD 8550G) vs 1,024 (Radeon R5 M230).

Feature	Radeon HD 8550G	Radeon R5 M230
G3D Mark Score	414	425+3%
Architecture	GCN 1.0	GCN
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1024	1024
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 8550G	Radeon R5 M230
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 HD 8550G has 512 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon R5 M230 carries 4 GB. Radeon R5 M230 gives you 700% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the Radeon HD 8550G and 128-bit on the Radeon R5 M230.

Feature	Radeon HD 8550G	Radeon R5 M230
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	4 GB+700%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 8550G draws 130W versus the Radeon R5 M230's 75W — a 53.7% difference. The Radeon R5 M230 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8550G) vs 350W (Radeon R5 M230). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Mobile.

Feature	Radeon HD 8550G	Radeon R5 M230
TDP	130W	75W-42%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	Mobile
Perf/Watt	3.2	5.7+78%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 8550G came in at $50, while the Radeon R5 M230 launched at $80. On MSRP, Radeon HD 8550G was 37.5% cheaper ($30 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 8.3 (Radeon HD 8550G) vs 5.3 (Radeon R5 M230) — the Radeon HD 8550G offers 56.6% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R5 M230 (2015 vs 2012).

Feature	Radeon HD 8550G	Radeon R5 M230
MSRP	$50-38%	$80
Performance per Dollar	8.3+57%	5.3
Codename	Pitcairn	Pitcairn
Release	March 5 2012	June 9 2015
Ranking	#503	#522

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