Radeon RX 550 vs Radeon R9 M380

Radeon RX 550

2017Core: 1100 MHzBoost: 1183 MHz

Radeon R9 M380

2015Core: 900 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

Radeon RX 550

2,674

0.0%

2,752

+2.9%

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.

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 Radeon R9 M380

#369

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

1184%

#371

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

1073%

#372

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

1070%

#376

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

973%

#377

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

967%

#379

Radeon R9 M380

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

100%

#381

Radeon HD 7640G

MSRP: $50|Avg: $50

99%

#384

Radeon R7 M465

MSRP: $120|Avg: $35

96%

#386

GeForce GT 640M LE

MSRP: $80|Avg: $20

95%

#387

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U

MSRP: $150|Avg: $40

95%

#388

GeForce GT 755M Mac Edition

MSRP: $200|Avg: $50

94%

#389

HD Graphics 520

MSRP: $100|Avg: $35

94%

#390

Radeon HD 8600/8700M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $30

94%

#391

Radeon R9 M395X

MSRP: $600|Avg: $150

93%

#393

Radeon R9 M485X

MSRP: $450|Avg: $150

92%

#394

Radeon HD 8570D + HD 6670 Dual

MSRP: $150|Avg: $100

92%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon R9 M380 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.9% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon RX 550.

Insight	Radeon RX 550	Radeon R9 M380
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.9%)	✅Leading raw performance (+2.9%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+0%)
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	📏 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 $300), it costs 88% less, resulting in a 732.8% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon RX 550	Radeon R9 M380
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+732.8%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($35)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($300)

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 RX 550 Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 M380 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon RX 550 and Radeon R9 M380

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.

Radeon R9 M380

The Radeon R9 M380 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 5 2015. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 900 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,752 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon RX 550 scores 2,674 and the Radeon R9 M380 reaches 2,752 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX 550 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon R9 M380 uses GCN 2.0, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 512 (Radeon RX 550) vs 768 (Radeon R9 M380). Raw compute: 1.211 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 550) vs 1.536 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M380). Boost clocks: 1183 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	Radeon RX 550	Radeon R9 M380
G3D Mark Score	2,674	2,752+3%
Architecture	GCN 4.0	GCN 2.0
Process Node	14 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	512	768+50%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.211 TFLOPS	1.536 TFLOPS+27%
Boost Clock	1183 MHz+18%	1000 MHz
ROPs	16	16
TMUs	32	48+50%
L1 Cache	128 KB	192 KB+50%
L2 Cache	512 KB+100%	256 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon RX 550	Radeon R9 M380
Upscaling Tech	FSR 2.1	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 (Compatible)	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 4 GB of GDDR5. Memory bandwidth: 112 GB/s (Radeon RX 550) vs 96 GB/s (Radeon R9 M380) — a 16.7% advantage for the Radeon RX 550. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon RX 550) vs 256 KB (Radeon R9 M380) — the Radeon RX 550 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon RX 550	Radeon R9 M380
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	112 GB/s+17%	96 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	512 KB+100%	256 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_0 (Radeon RX 550) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon R9 M380). Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 3.

Feature	Radeon RX 550	Radeon R9 M380
DirectX	12_0	12 (12_0)
Max Displays	3	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 550) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 M380). Decoder: UVD 6.3 vs UVD 6.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265 (Radeon RX 550) vs H.264,H.265 (HEVC),MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 (Radeon R9 M380).

Feature	Radeon RX 550	Radeon R9 M380
Encoder	VCE 3.4	VCE 3.0
Decoder	UVD 6.3	UVD 6.0
Codecs	H.264,H.265	H.264,H.265 (HEVC),MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX 550 draws 50W versus the Radeon R9 M380's 75W — a 40% difference. The Radeon RX 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (Radeon RX 550) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M380). Power connectors: None vs Mobile. Card length: 155mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	Radeon RX 550	Radeon R9 M380
TDP	50W-33%	75W
Recommended PSU	300W-14%	350W
Power Connector	None	Mobile
Length	155mm	0mm
Height	—	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	—	85
Perf/Watt	53.5+46%	36.7

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon RX 550 launched at $79 MSRP and currently averages $35, while the Radeon R9 M380 launched at $300 and now averages $300. The Radeon RX 550 costs 88.3% less ($265 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 76.4 (Radeon RX 550) vs 9.2 (Radeon R9 M380) — the Radeon RX 550 offers 730.4% better value. The Radeon RX 550 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2015).