Radeon R9 390X vs Radeon RX 5500 XT
Radeon R9 390X
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Radeon RX 5500 XT
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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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon RX 5500 XT uses modern memory architecture. The Radeon RX 5500 XT likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon R9 390X lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R9 390X is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.2% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon RX 5500 XT.
| Insight | Radeon R9 390X | Radeon RX 5500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.2%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.2%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017)) | RDNA 1.0 (2019−2020) (7nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | 🎮 High Capacity (8 GB) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (277mm) | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R9 390X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $70 versus $130 for the Radeon RX 5500 XT, it costs 46% less. While it maintains competitive performance, this results in a 89.8% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon R9 390X | Radeon RX 5500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+89.8%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($70) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($130) |
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 R9 390X and Radeon RX 5500 XT
Radeon R9 390X
The Radeon R9 390X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 18 2015. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1050 MHz. It has 2816 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 275W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,278 points. Launch price was $429.
Radeon RX 5500 XT
The Radeon RX 5500 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 12 2019. It features the RDNA 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1845 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,080 points. Launch price was $169.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R9 390X scores 9,278 and the Radeon RX 5500 XT reaches 9,080 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 390X is built on GCN 2.0 while the Radeon RX 5500 XT uses RDNA 1.0, both on 28 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 2,816 (Radeon R9 390X) vs 1,408 (Radeon RX 5500 XT). Raw compute: 5.914 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 390X) vs 5.196 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 5500 XT). Boost clocks: 1050 MHz vs 1845 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon R9 390X | Radeon RX 5500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 9,278+2% | 9,080 |
| Architecture | GCN 2.0 | RDNA 1.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 7 nm |
| Shading Units | 2816+100% | 1408 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 5.914 TFLOPS+14% | 5.196 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1050 MHz | 1845 MHz+76% |
| ROPs | 64+100% | 32 |
| TMUs | 176+100% | 88 |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 2 MB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon R9 390X | Radeon RX 5500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
Both cards feature 8 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 384 GB/s (Radeon R9 390X) vs 224 GB/s (Radeon RX 5500 XT) — a 71.4% advantage for the Radeon R9 390X. Bus width: 512-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (Radeon R9 390X) vs 2 MB (Radeon RX 5500 XT) — the Radeon RX 5500 XT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon R9 390X | Radeon RX 5500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 384 GB/s+71% | 224 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 512-bit+300% | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 2 MB+100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (12_0) (Radeon R9 390X) vs 12.1 (Radeon RX 5500 XT). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | Radeon R9 390X | Radeon RX 5500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (12_0) | 12.1 |
| Vulkan | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 390X) vs VCN 2.0 (Radeon RX 5500 XT). Decoder: UVD 4.2 vs VCN 2.0. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Radeon R9 390X) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 5500 XT).
| Feature | Radeon R9 390X | Radeon RX 5500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 2.0 | VCN 2.0 |
| Decoder | UVD 4.2 | VCN 2.0 |
| Codecs | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon R9 390X draws 275W versus the Radeon RX 5500 XT's 130W — a 71.6% difference. The Radeon RX 5500 XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 750W (Radeon R9 390X) vs 450W (Radeon RX 5500 XT). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 277mm vs 180mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 75°C.
| Feature | Radeon R9 390X | Radeon RX 5500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 275W | 130W-53% |
| Recommended PSU | 750W | 450W-40% |
| Power Connector | 6-pin + 8-pin | 8-pin |
| Length | 277mm | 180mm |
| Height | 129mm | 110mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80 | 75°C-6% |
| Perf/Watt | 33.7 | 69.8+107% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon R9 390X launched at $429 MSRP and currently averages $70, while the Radeon RX 5500 XT launched at $199 and now averages $130. The Radeon R9 390X costs 46.2% less ($60 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 132.5 (Radeon R9 390X) vs 69.8 (Radeon RX 5500 XT) — the Radeon R9 390X offers 89.8% better value. The Radeon RX 5500 XT is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2015).
| Feature | Radeon R9 390X | Radeon RX 5500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $429 | $199-54% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $70-46% | $130 |
| Performance per Dollar | 132.5+90% | 69.8 |
| Codename | Grenada | Navi 14 |
| Release | June 18 2015 | December 12 2019 |
| Ranking | #287 | #291 |
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