Maxwell GPU Surface Book vs Radeon 550X

When comparing Maxwell GPU Surface Book and Radeon 550X, we look primarily at benchmarks and game tests. But it is not only about the numbers. Often you can find third-party models with higher clock speeds, better cooling, or a customizable RGB lighting. Not all of them will have all the features you need. Another thing to consider is the port selection. Most graphics cards have at least one DisplayPort and HDMI interface, but some monitors require DVI. Before you buy, check the TDP of the graphics card - this characteristic will help you estimate the consumption of the graphics card. You may even have to upgrade your PSU to meet its requirements. An important factor when choosing between Maxwell GPU Surface Book and Radeon 550X is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Maxwell GPU Surface Book is only used in laptop graphics. It has lower GPU clock speed compared to the desktop variant, which results in lower power consumption, but also 10-30% lower gaming performance. Check available laptop models with Maxwell GPU Surface Book here:

Main Specs

  Maxwell GPU Surface Book Radeon 550X
Power consumption (TDP) 50 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x8
Supplementary power connectors None
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 1 GB 2 GB
Display Connectors 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
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  • Radeon 550X has 1 GB more memory, than Maxwell GPU Surface Book.
  • Maxwell GPU Surface Book is used in Laptops, and Radeon 550X - in Desktops.
  • Maxwell GPU Surface Book is build with Maxwell architecture, and Radeon 550X - with GCN 4.0.
  • Core clock speed of Radeon 550X is 128 MHz higher, than Maxwell GPU Surface Book.
  • Maxwell GPU Surface Book is manufactured by 28 nm process technology, and Radeon 550X - by 14 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon 550X is 1988 MHz higher, than Maxwell GPU Surface Book.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 8−9 7−8
ultra / 1080p 5−6 4−5
QHD / 1440p 0−1 0−1
low / 720p 20−22 16−18
medium / 1080p 10−12 9−10
The average gaming FPS of Maxwell GPU Surface Book in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 22% more, than Radeon 550X.

Full Specs

  Maxwell GPU Surface Book Radeon 550X
Architecture Maxwell GCN 4.0
Code name Surface Book Lexa
Type Laptop Desktop
Release date 1 October 2015 27 March 2019
Pipelines 384 512
Core clock speed 954 MHz 1082 MHz
Boost Clock 993 MHz 1218 MHz
Transistor count 2,200 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 14 nm
Texture fill rate 38.98
Length 145 mm
Memory bus width 64 Bit 128 Bit
Memory clock speed 5012 MHz 7000 MHz
Memory bandwidth 112.0 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX DirectX 12 (FL 11_0), Shader 5.0 12 (12_0)
Shader Model 6.4
OpenGL 4.6
OpenCL 2.0
Vulkan 1.2.131
CUDA +
Optimus +
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