Radeon R9 280 vs Radeon RX 550X mobile

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

Radeon RX 550X mobile is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Radeon RX 550X mobile 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 RX 550X mobile here:

Main Specs

  Radeon R9 280 Radeon RX 550X mobile
Power consumption (TDP) 200 Watt 50 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x8
Supplementary power connectors 1 x 6-pin + 1 x 8-pin
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 3 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors 2x DVI, 1x HDMI, 2x mini-DisplayPort No outputs
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  • Radeon R9 280 has 300% more power consumption, than Radeon RX 550X mobile.
  • Radeon R9 280 is connected by PCIe 3.0 x16, and Radeon RX 550X mobile uses PCIe 3.0 x8 interface.
  • Radeon RX 550X mobile has 1 GB more memory, than Radeon R9 280.
  • Radeon R9 280 is used in Desktops, and Radeon RX 550X mobile - in Laptops.
  • Radeon R9 280 is build with GCN 1.0 architecture, and Radeon RX 550X mobile - with Polaris.
  • Radeon R9 280 is manufactured by 28 nm process technology, and Radeon RX 550X mobile - by 14 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon RX 550X mobile is 5750 MHz higher, than Radeon R9 280.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 35−40 14−16
ultra / 1080p 21−24 9−10
QHD / 1440p 16−18 3−4
4K / 2160p 10−11
low / 720p 60−65 30−35
medium / 1080p 40−45 20−22
The average gaming FPS of Radeon R9 280 in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 125% more, than Radeon RX 550X mobile.

Full Specs

  Radeon R9 280 Radeon RX 550X mobile
Architecture GCN 1.0 Polaris
Code name Tahiti Polaris 12
Type Desktop Laptop
Release date 4 March 2014 10 January 2019
Pipelines 1792 640
Core clock speed 1176 MHz
Boost Clock 933 MHz 1287 MHz
Transistor count 4,313 million 2,200 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 14 nm
Texture fill rate 104.5 51.48
Floating-point performance 3,344 gflops
Length 275 mm
Memory bus width 384 Bit 128 Bit
Memory clock speed 1250 MHz 7000 MHz
Memory bandwidth 240 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
FreeSync + +
Bus support PCIe 3.0
HDMI +
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 408 Mh/s
Laptop size large
Eyefinity +
HD3D +
TrueAudio +
Design reference
CrossFire +
DDMA audio +
Ethereum / ETH (DaggerHashimoto) 21.5 Mh/s
LiquidVR +
TressFX +
UVD +
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