Radeon RX 5500 vs Radeon R9 390
Radeon RX 5500
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Radeon R9 390
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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 uses modern memory architecture. The Radeon RX 5500 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon R9 390 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R9 390 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.2% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (8 GB vs 4 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon RX 5500.
| Insight | Radeon RX 5500 | Radeon R9 390 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.2%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.2%) |
| Longevity | RDNA 1.0 (2019−2020) (7nm) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | 🎮 High Capacity (4 GB) | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | Standard Size (275mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R9 390 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $65 versus $110 for the Radeon RX 5500, it costs 41% less. While it maintains competitive performance, this results in a 69.6% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon RX 5500 | Radeon R9 390 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+69.6%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($110) | ✅More affordable ($65) |
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 RX 5500 and Radeon R9 390
Radeon RX 5500
The Radeon RX 5500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 7 2019. It features the RDNA 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1845 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 110W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,837 points.
Radeon R9 390
The Radeon R9 390 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 18 2015. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,855 points. Launch price was $329.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon RX 5500 scores 8,837 and the Radeon R9 390 reaches 8,855 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX 5500 is built on RDNA 1.0 while the Radeon R9 390 uses GCN 2.0, both on 7 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,408 (Radeon RX 5500) vs 2,560 (Radeon R9 390). Raw compute: 5.196 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 5500) vs 5.12 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 390). Boost clocks: 1845 MHz vs 1000 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon RX 5500 | Radeon R9 390 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 8,837 | 8,855 |
| Architecture | RDNA 1.0 | GCN 2.0 |
| Process Node | 7 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1408 | 2560+82% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 5.196 TFLOPS+1% | 5.12 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1845 MHz+85% | 1000 MHz |
| ROPs | 32 | 64+100% |
| TMUs | 88 | 160+82% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon RX 5500 | Radeon R9 390 |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
The Radeon RX 5500 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 390 has 8 GB. The Radeon R9 390 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (Radeon RX 5500) vs 320 GB/s (Radeon R9 390) — a 42.9% advantage for the Radeon R9 390. Bus width: 128-bit vs 512-bit.
| Feature | Radeon RX 5500 | Radeon R9 390 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 8 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 224 GB/s | 320 GB/s+43% |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 512-bit+300% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.1 (Radeon RX 5500) vs 12.0 (Radeon R9 390). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.
| Feature | Radeon RX 5500 | Radeon R9 390 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.1 | 12.0 |
| Vulkan | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 6+50% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCN 2.0 (Radeon RX 5500) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 390). Decoder: VCN 2.0 vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 5500) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 390).
| Feature | Radeon RX 5500 | Radeon R9 390 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCN 2.0 | VCE 2.0 |
| Decoder | VCN 2.0 | UVD 4.2 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon RX 5500 draws 110W versus the Radeon R9 390's 300W — a 92.7% difference. The Radeon RX 5500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon RX 5500) vs 750W (Radeon R9 390). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 180mm vs 275mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 95°C.
| Feature | Radeon RX 5500 | Radeon R9 390 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 110W-63% | 300W |
| Recommended PSU | 450W-40% | 750W |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Length | 180mm | 275mm |
| Height | 110mm | 109mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 75°C-21% | 95°C |
| Perf/Watt | 80.3+172% | 29.5 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon RX 5500 launched at $179 MSRP and currently averages $110, while the Radeon R9 390 launched at $329 and now averages $65. The Radeon R9 390 costs 40.9% less ($45 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 80.3 (Radeon RX 5500) vs 136.2 (Radeon R9 390) — the Radeon R9 390 offers 69.6% better value. The Radeon RX 5500 is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2015).
| Feature | Radeon RX 5500 | Radeon R9 390 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $179-46% | $329 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $110 | $65-41% |
| Performance per Dollar | 80.3 | 136.2+70% |
| Codename | Navi 14 | Grenada |
| Release | October 7 2019 | June 18 2015 |
| Ranking | #297 | #296 |
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The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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