Radeon HD 8790M vs Radeon RX 550X

When comparing Radeon HD 8790M and Radeon RX 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 Radeon HD 8790M and Radeon RX 550X is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Radeon HD 8790M is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Radeon HD 8790M 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 Radeon HD 8790M here:

Main Specs

  Radeon HD 8790M Radeon RX 550X
Power consumption (TDP) 50 Watt
Interface MXM-A (3.0) PCIe 3.0 x8
Supplementary power connectors None None
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 2 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors No outputs 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
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  • Radeon HD 8790M is connected by MXM-A (3.0), and Radeon RX 550X uses PCIe 3.0 x8 interface.
  • Radeon RX 550X has 2 GB more memory, than Radeon HD 8790M.
  • Radeon HD 8790M is used in Laptops, and Radeon RX 550X - in Desktops.
  • Radeon HD 8790M is build with GCN architecture, and Radeon RX 550X - with GCN 4.0.
  • Core clock speed of Radeon RX 550X is 250 MHz higher, than Radeon HD 8790M.
  • Radeon HD 8790M is manufactured by 28 nm process technology, and Radeon RX 550X - by 14 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon RX 550X is 1500 MHz higher, than Radeon HD 8790M.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 3−4 10−11
ultra / 1080p 1−2 6−7
QHD / 1440p 0−1 0−1
low / 720p 14−16 21−24
medium / 1080p 6−7 12−14
The average gaming FPS of Radeon RX 550X in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 116% more, than Radeon HD 8790M.

Full Specs

  Radeon HD 8790M Radeon RX 550X
Architecture GCN GCN 4.0
Code name Mars XTX Lexa
Type Laptop Desktop
Release date 16 November 2012 16 December 2018
Pipelines 384 512
Core clock speed 850 MHz 1100 MHz
Boost Clock 900 MHz 1183 MHz
Transistor count 950 million 2,200 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 14 nm
Texture fill rate 21.60 37.86
Floating-point performance 691.2 gflops 1,211 gflops
Length 145 mm
Memory bus width 128 Bit 128 Bit
Memory clock speed 4500 MHz 6000 MHz
Memory bandwidth 64 GB/s 96 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 12 (11_1) 12 (12_0)
Shader Model 5.1 6.4
OpenGL 4.6 4.6
OpenCL 1.2 2.0
Vulkan 1.2.131 1.2.131
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 80 Mh/s
Laptop size medium sized
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