Radeon RX 5500 XT vs Radeon R9 390X

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 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 RX 5500 XT	Radeon R9 390X
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.2%)	✅Leading raw performance (+2.2%)
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 (8 GB)	✅ More VRAM (+0%)
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	Standard Size (277mm)

💎 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 RX 5500 XT	Radeon R9 390X
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+89.8%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($130)	✅More affordable ($70)

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 5500 XT Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 390X Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon RX 5500 XT and Radeon R9 390X

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.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon RX 5500 XT scores 9,080 and the Radeon R9 390X reaches 9,278 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX 5500 XT is built on RDNA 1.0 while the Radeon R9 390X uses GCN 2.0, both on 7 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,408 (Radeon RX 5500 XT) vs 2,816 (Radeon R9 390X). Raw compute: 5.196 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 5500 XT) vs 5.914 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 390X). Boost clocks: 1845 MHz vs 1050 MHz.

Feature	Radeon RX 5500 XT	Radeon R9 390X
G3D Mark Score	9,080	9,278+2%
Architecture	RDNA 1.0	GCN 2.0
Process Node	7 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1408	2816+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)	5.196 TFLOPS	5.914 TFLOPS+14%
Boost Clock	1845 MHz+76%	1050 MHz
ROPs	32	64+100%
TMUs	88	176+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB+100%	1 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon RX 5500 XT	Radeon R9 390X
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 8 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (Radeon RX 5500 XT) vs 384 GB/s (Radeon R9 390X) — a 71.4% advantage for the Radeon R9 390X. Bus width: 128-bit vs 512-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Radeon RX 5500 XT) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 390X) — the Radeon RX 5500 XT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon RX 5500 XT	Radeon R9 390X
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s	384 GB/s+71%
Bus Width	128-bit	512-bit+300%
L2 Cache	2 MB+100%	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (Radeon RX 5500 XT) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon R9 390X). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	Radeon RX 5500 XT	Radeon R9 390X
DirectX	12.1	12 (12_0)
Vulkan	1.2	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCN 2.0 (Radeon RX 5500 XT) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 390X). Decoder: VCN 2.0 vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 5500 XT) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Radeon R9 390X).

Feature	Radeon RX 5500 XT	Radeon R9 390X
Encoder	VCN 2.0	VCE 2.0
Decoder	VCN 2.0	UVD 4.2
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX 5500 XT draws 130W versus the Radeon R9 390X's 275W — a 71.6% difference. The Radeon RX 5500 XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon RX 5500 XT) vs 750W (Radeon R9 390X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 180mm vs 277mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 80.

Feature	Radeon RX 5500 XT	Radeon R9 390X
TDP	130W-53%	275W
Recommended PSU	450W-40%	750W
Power Connector	8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	180mm	277mm
Height	110mm	129mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C-6%	80
Perf/Watt	69.8+107%	33.7

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon RX 5500 XT launched at $199 MSRP and currently averages $130, while the Radeon R9 390X launched at $429 and now averages $70. The Radeon R9 390X costs 46.2% less ($60 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 69.8 (Radeon RX 5500 XT) vs 132.5 (Radeon R9 390X) — the Radeon R9 390X offers 89.8% better value. The Radeon RX 5500 XT is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2015).