Radeon 550X vs Radeon R9 280X

When comparing Radeon 550X and Radeon R9 280X, 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 Radeon 550X and Radeon R9 280X is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Main Specs

  Radeon 550X Radeon R9 280X
Power consumption (TDP) 50 Watt 250 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x8 PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors None 1 x 6-pin + 1 x 8-pin
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 2 GB 3 GB
Display Connectors 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort 2x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
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  • Radeon R9 280X has 400% more power consumption, than Radeon 550X.
  • Radeon 550X is connected by PCIe 3.0 x8, and Radeon R9 280X uses PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.
  • Radeon R9 280X has 1 GB more memory, than Radeon 550X.
  • Both cards are used in Desktops.
  • Radeon 550X is build with GCN 4.0 architecture, and Radeon R9 280X - with GCN.
  • Radeon 550X is manufactured by 14 nm process technology, and Radeon R9 280X - by 28 nm process technology.
  • Radeon R9 280X is 130 mm longer, than Radeon 550X.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 7−8 35−40
ultra / 1080p 4−5 21−24
QHD / 1440p 0−1 16−18
4K / 2160p 10−11
low / 720p 16−18 60−65
medium / 1080p 9−10 40−45
The average gaming FPS of Radeon R9 280X in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 355% more, than Radeon 550X.

Full Specs

  Radeon 550X Radeon R9 280X
Architecture GCN 4.0 GCN
Code name Lexa Thaiti XTL
Type Desktop Desktop
Release date 27 March 2019 8 October 2013
Pipelines 512 2048
Core clock speed 1082 MHz
Boost Clock 1218 MHz 1000 MHz
Transistor count 2,200 million 4,313 million
Manufacturing process technology 14 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 38.98 128.0
Floating-point performance 4,096 gflops
Length 145 mm 275 mm
Memory bus width 128 Bit 384 Bit
Memory clock speed 7000 MHz
Memory bandwidth 112.0 GB/s 288 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 12 (12_0)
Shader Model 6.4 5.1
OpenGL 4.6 4.6
OpenCL 2.0 1.2
Vulkan 1.2.131 +
Monero / XMR (CryptoNight) 0.5 kh/s
FreeSync +
Bus support PCIe 3.0
HDMI +
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 494 Mh/s
Eyefinity +
HD3D +
TrueAudio +
Design reference
DisplayPort support +
CrossFire +
DDMA audio +
Decred / DCR (Decred) 1.07 Gh/s
Ethereum / ETH (DaggerHashimoto) 14.42 Mh/s
Zcash / ZEC (Equihash) 285 Sol/s
AppAcceleration +
LiquidVR +
TressFX +
UVD +
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