Radeon RX 550 vs Radeon RX 560
Performance-wise the Radeon RX 560 is out front, dramatically faster, roughly 100% up on the Radeon RX 550. It is also the stronger value pick here, so it's the easy recommendation if your budget allows.
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Radeon RX 560 vs Radeon RX 550: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: Radeon RX 560 vs Radeon RX 550
The Radeon RX 560 is dramatically faster, around 100% ahead of the Radeon RX 550. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p. The Radeon RX 560 packs 1,024 stream processors versus 640 on the Radeon RX 550.
Price & Value
Right now the Radeon RX 560 starts at $426 BRL against $605 BRL for the Radeon RX 550. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the Radeon RX 560 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 184%. The Radeon RX 560 still sits about $327 BRL above its $99 BRL MSRP. The Radeon RX 550 still sits about $526 BRL above its $79 BRL MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
The Radeon RX 550 is the lighter draw at 50W against the Radeon RX 560's 60W, making it the easier card to power and cool. The Radeon RX 560 draws more in absolute terms but squeezes out more performance per watt, so budget for a beefier PSU if you go that route.
Memory & Bandwidth
The Radeon RX 560's memory is faster — 112 GB/s versus 96 GB/s — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Which should you buy: Radeon RX 550 or Radeon RX 560?
The Radeon RX 560 is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the Radeon RX 550 if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Radeon RX 560 better than the Radeon RX 550?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the Radeon RX 550 or the Radeon RX 560?
Is the Radeon RX 550 worth the extra $179 BRL over the Radeon RX 560?
Which should you buy: Radeon RX 550 or Radeon RX 560?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | Radeon RX 550 | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | GCN 4.0 (Polaris) | GCN 4.0 (Polaris) |
| Process Node | GloFo 14nm | GloFo 14nm |
| CUDA Cores (Stream Processors / Stream Processors) | 640 | 1,024✓ |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | Radeon RX 550 | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,019 MHz | 1,175 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,183 MHz | 1,275 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | Radeon RX 550 | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| Memory Speed | 6 Gbps | 7 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 96 GB/s | 112 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | Radeon RX 550 | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x8 | PCIe 3.0 x8 |
| TDP | 50 W✓ | 60 W |
| Power Connectors | None | None |
| Released | Apr 2017 | Apr 2017 |