RADEON X550 vs Radeon X1600

AMD

RADEON X550

2017Core: 1100 MHzBoost: 1183 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon X1600

2020Boost: 2105 MHz
Similar parts
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RADEON X550 vs Radeon X1600 Performance Spectrum

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.

RADEON X550 vs Radeon X1600: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

RADEON X550

2017

Why buy it

  • Costs $139 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
  • Delivers 245.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.8 vs 0.2 G3D/$ ($60 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
  • Draws 50W instead of 255W, a 205W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 256 MB vs 512 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2017 hardware with 256 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Radeon X1600

2020

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (512 MB vs 256 MB).
  • RADEON X550 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon X1600 is the less risky modern option long term.
  • More future proof: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Older hardware, 512 MB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
  • 231.7% HIGHER MSRP
    $199 MSRPvs$60 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.2 vs 0.8 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).
  • 410% higher power demand at 255W vs 50W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
RADEON X550 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 4.1% in PassMark G3D (51 vs 49), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon X1600 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 512 MB vs 256 MB of VRAM, a 7nm process instead of 14nm, and a newer 2020 generation instead of 2017. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
RADEON X550 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $139 cheaper on MSRP at $60 vs $199, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 245.2% (0.8 vs 0.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, RADEON X550 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon X1600 has the stronger long-term case.

RADEON X550 vs Radeon X1600 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

AMD

RADEON X550

The RADEON X550 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: 51 points. Launch price was $79.

AMD

Radeon X1600

The Radeon X1600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 28 2020. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 2105 MHz. It has 4608 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 255W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 49 points.

Graphics Performance

The RADEON X550 scores 51 and the Radeon X1600 reaches 49 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 4.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The RADEON X550 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon X1600 uses RDNA 2.0, both on 14 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 512 (RADEON X550) vs 4,608 (Radeon X1600). Raw compute: 1.211 TFLOPS (RADEON X550) vs 19.4 TFLOPS (Radeon X1600). Boost clocks: 1183 MHz vs 2105 MHz.

FeatureRADEON X550Radeon X1600
G3D Mark Score
51+4%
49
Architecture
GCN 4.0
RDNA 2.0
Process Node
14 nm
7 nm
Shading Units
512
4608+800%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.211 TFLOPS
19.4 TFLOPS+1502%
Boost Clock
1183 MHz
2105 MHz+78%
ROPs
16
64+300%
TMUs
32
288+800%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRADEON X550Radeon X1600
Upscaling Tech
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
AMD Anti-Lag
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The RADEON X550 has 256 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon X1600 carries 512 MB. Radeon X1600 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the RADEON X550 and 64-bit on the Radeon X1600.

FeatureRADEON X550Radeon X1600
VRAM Capacity
0.25 GB
0.5 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The RADEON X550 draws 50W versus the Radeon X1600's 255W — a 134.4% difference. The RADEON X550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (RADEON X550) vs 350W (Radeon X1600). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureRADEON X550Radeon X1600
TDP
50W-80%
255W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
PCIe-powered
Length
168mm
Slots
1
Perf/Watt
1.0+400%
0.2
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the RADEON X550 came in at $60, while the Radeon X1600 launched at $199. On MSRP, RADEON X550 was 69.8% cheaper ($139 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.8 (RADEON X550) vs 0.2 (Radeon X1600) — the RADEON X550 offers 300% better value. The newer card here is Radeon X1600 (2020 vs 2017).

FeatureRADEON X550Radeon X1600
MSRP
$60-70%
$199
Performance per Dollar
0.8+300%
0.2
Codename
Lexa
Navi 21
Release
April 20 2017
October 28 2020
Ranking
#668
#34

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