Radeon RX 5500M vs Radeon R9 280X

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. The Radeon RX 5500M is positioned at rank #46 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Great cost-benefit for your build. 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 Radeon RX 5500M

#16

Radeon RX 7600S

MSRP: $269|Avg: $250

97%

#36

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

182%

#38

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

165%

#39

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

165%

#43

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

150%

#44

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

149%

#46

Radeon RX 5500M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

100%

#48

GeForce GTX 980 (móvel)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

99%

#49

GeForce 610M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $20

98%

#50

GeForce GTX 1650 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $75

98%

#53

GeForce GTX 980M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $80

95%

#54

GeForce GTX 770M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $40

94%

#58

GeForce 770M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $40

91%

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 5500M is significantly newer (2019 vs 2013). The Radeon RX 5500M likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon R9 280X lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon R9 280X is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.5% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon RX 5500M offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	Radeon RX 5500M	Radeon R9 280X
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.5%)	✅Leading raw performance (+2.5%)
Longevity	RDNA 1.0 (2019−2020) (7nm)	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	—

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon R9 280X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $60 versus $100 for the Radeon RX 5500M, it costs 40% less. While it maintains competitive performance, this results in a 70.8% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon RX 5500M	Radeon R9 280X
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+70.8%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($100)	✅More affordable ($60)

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 5500M Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 280X Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon RX 5500M and Radeon R9 280X

Radeon RX 5500M

The Radeon RX 5500M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 7 2019. It features the RDNA 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1375 MHz to 1645 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 85W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,954 points.

Radeon R9 280X

The Radeon R9 280X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 8 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,100 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon RX 5500M scores 5,954 and the Radeon R9 280X reaches 6,100 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX 5500M is built on RDNA 1.0 while the Radeon R9 280X uses GCN 1.0, both on 7 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,408 (Radeon RX 5500M) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 280X). Raw compute: 4.632 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 5500M) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280X). Boost clocks: 1645 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	Radeon RX 5500M	Radeon R9 280X
G3D Mark Score	5,954	6,100+2%
Architecture	RDNA 1.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	7 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1408	2048+45%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.632 TFLOPS+13%	4.096 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1645 MHz+65%	1000 MHz
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	88	128+45%
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon RX 5500M	Radeon R9 280X
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 5500M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 280X has 3 GB. The Radeon RX 5500M offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (Radeon RX 5500M) vs 288 GB/s (Radeon R9 280X) — a 28.6% advantage for the Radeon R9 280X. Bus width: 128-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Radeon RX 5500M) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 280X) — the Radeon RX 5500M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon RX 5500M	Radeon R9 280X
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+33%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s	288 GB/s+29%
Bus Width	128-bit	384-bit+200%
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (Radeon RX 5500M) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon R9 280X). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 3.

Feature	Radeon RX 5500M	Radeon R9 280X
DirectX	12	12 (11_1)
Vulkan	1.2	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	3	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCN 2.0 (Radeon RX 5500M) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 280X). Decoder: VCN 2.0 vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 5500M) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon R9 280X).

Feature	Radeon RX 5500M	Radeon R9 280X
Encoder	VCN 2.0	VCE 2.0
Decoder	VCN 2.0	UVD 4.2
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP9	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX 5500M draws 85W versus the Radeon R9 280X's 200W — a 80.7% difference. The Radeon RX 5500M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon RX 5500M) vs 500W (Radeon R9 280X). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75°C.

Feature	Radeon RX 5500M	Radeon R9 280X
TDP	85W-57%	200W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	0mm	—
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	75°C	75°C
Perf/Watt	70.0+130%	30.5

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon R9 280X costs 40% less ($40 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 59.5 (Radeon RX 5500M) vs 101.7 (Radeon R9 280X) — the Radeon R9 280X offers 70.9% better value. The Radeon RX 5500M is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2013).