Radeon R9 280X vs Radeon RX 550X

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

Main Specs

  Radeon R9 280X Radeon RX 550X
Power consumption (TDP) 250 Watt 50 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x8
Supplementary power connectors 1 x 6-pin + 1 x 8-pin None
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 3 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors 2x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
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  • Radeon R9 280X has 400% more power consumption, than Radeon RX 550X.
  • Radeon R9 280X is connected by PCIe 3.0 x16, and Radeon RX 550X uses PCIe 3.0 x8 interface.
  • Radeon RX 550X has 1 GB more memory, than Radeon R9 280X.
  • Both cards are used in Desktops.
  • Radeon R9 280X is build with GCN architecture, and Radeon RX 550X - with GCN 4.0.
  • Radeon R9 280X is manufactured by 28 nm process technology, and Radeon RX 550X - by 14 nm process technology.
  • Radeon R9 280X is 130 mm longer, than Radeon RX 550X.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 35−40 10−11
ultra / 1080p 21−24 6−7
QHD / 1440p 16−18 0−1
4K / 2160p 10−11
low / 720p 60−65 21−24
medium / 1080p 40−45 12−14
The average gaming FPS of Radeon R9 280X in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 215% more, than Radeon RX 550X.

Full Specs

  Radeon R9 280X Radeon RX 550X
Architecture GCN GCN 4.0
Code name Thaiti XTL Lexa
Type Desktop Desktop
Release date 8 October 2013 16 December 2018
Pipelines 2048 512
Core clock speed 1100 MHz
Boost Clock 1000 MHz 1183 MHz
Transistor count 4,313 million 2,200 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 14 nm
Texture fill rate 128.0 37.86
Floating-point performance 4,096 gflops 1,211 gflops
Length 275 mm 145 mm
Memory bus width 384 Bit 128 Bit
Memory clock speed 6000 MHz
Memory bandwidth 288 GB/s 96 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 12 (12_0)
Shader Model 5.1 6.4
OpenGL 4.6 4.6
OpenCL 1.2 2.0
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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