Radeon R7 360 vs Radeon RX 550
Raw performance is basically a wash between the Radeon R7 360 and Radeon RX 550 — the gap is within margin of error. But the Radeon RX 550 is the better value, undercutting it by $282 USD for the performance you get.
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Radeon R7 360 vs Radeon RX 550: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: Radeon R7 360 vs Radeon RX 550
The Radeon R7 360 and Radeon RX 550 post nearly the same score in our performance index, so neither holds a meaningful raw-speed advantage. Both are best suited to entry-level 1080p gaming. The Radeon R7 360 packs 768 stream processors versus 640 on the Radeon RX 550.
Price & Value
Pricing has the Radeon RX 550 at $50 USD, $282 USD under the Radeon R7 360's $332 USD. Despite being slower, the Radeon RX 550 offers the better performance-per-dollar (~564% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The Radeon RX 550 is trading below its $79 USD MSRP — a genuine deal. The Radeon R7 360 still sits about $223 USD above its $109 USD MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
Power draw favors the Radeon RX 550 (50W vs 100W), and it's the more efficient card too, so it's the easy pick if thermals or a smaller PSU matter. Its more modern GCN 4.0 (Polaris) architecture on a GloFo 14nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
Generation & Longevity
The Radeon RX 550 is roughly 2 years newer than the Radeon R7 360 (GCN 4.0 (Polaris) vs GCN 2.0), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: Radeon R7 360 or Radeon RX 550?
Choose the Radeon R7 360 if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the Radeon RX 550 stretches your money further for near-identical performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Radeon R7 360 better than the Radeon RX 550?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the Radeon R7 360 or the Radeon RX 550?
Is the Radeon R7 360 worth the extra $282 USD over the Radeon RX 550?
Which should you buy: Radeon R7 360 or Radeon RX 550?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | Radeon R7 360 | Radeon RX 550 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | GCN 2.0 | GCN 4.0 (Polaris) |
| Process Node | TSMC 28nm | GloFo 14nm |
| CUDA Cores (Stream Processors / Stream Processors) | 768✓ | 640 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | Radeon R7 360 | Radeon RX 550 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,000 MHz | 1,019 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,050 MHz | 1,183 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | Radeon R7 360 | Radeon RX 550 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| Memory Speed | 6 Gbps | 6 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 96 GB/s | 96 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | Radeon R7 360 | Radeon RX 550 |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x8 |
| TDP | 100 W | 50 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | None |
| Released | Jun 2015 | Apr 2017 |