AMD Radeon 550X vs AMD Radeon Vega 8 Comparison

The AMD Radeon Vega 8 and AMD Radeon 550X are both end-of-life graphics solutions from AMD, but they represent fundamentally different approaches to delivering GPU performance. The Vega 8 is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) built into the Raven Ridge APU, sharing system memory and drawing just 25 W, while the 550X is a discrete, dual-slot graphics card with its own 2 GB of GDDR5 memory and a 50 W power draw. Benchmark data from Geekbench shows the 550X winning both head-to-head tests, but the margin is surprisingly narrow in one case and substantial in the other, revealing a more nuanced performance picture than the specifications alone suggest.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear but context-dependent recommendation. If the priority is maximum raw graphics throughput in a standalone PCIe card, the AMD Radeon 550X is the stronger choice: it wins both head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with a 9.3% lead in Geekbench Vulkan and a marginal 0.5% edge in Geekbench OpenCL. The 550X also posts a higher average benchmark score of 8918 compared to the Vega 8’s 9221, though this is misleading because the averages are computed from different test sets — the Vega 8 includes a Geekbench Metal score that the 550X lacks.

For systems where power efficiency and minimal footprint are critical, the Vega 8 becomes the more rational pick. Its 25 W TDP is exactly half that of the 550X’s 50 W, and as an IGP it requires no additional slot space or power connectors. The Vega 8 also supports DirectX 12_1 and offers FP16 performance of 2,253 TFLOPS (2:1), doubling the 550X’s 1,247.2 GFLOPS FP16 throughput. However, the 550X counters with double the render output units (16 vs 8) and over double the pixel rate (19.49 GPixel/s vs 8.80 GPixel/s).

In practical terms, the data suggests the 550X is the better investment for anyone building a compact desktop that can accommodate a dual-slot card, while the Vega 8 suits ultra-low-power or embedded designs where every watt matters. The 0.5% OpenCL difference is within noise, but the 9.3% Vulkan gap is a genuine advantage for the discrete card in API-level workloads.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different GCN generations and use different chips, which explains their divergent behavior. The Vega 8 is built on the Raven chip with GCN 5.0 architecture, fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, and packs 4,940 million transistors into a 210 mm² die. The 550X uses the Lexa chip with GCN 4.0 architecture, also on 14 nm at GlobalFoundries, but with just 2,200 million transistors on a 103 mm² die. That is a massive transistor count difference — the Vega 8 integrates over twice as many transistors — yet this does not translate into a performance win.

The Vega 8’s transistor density is 23.5M per mm² versus 21.4M for the 550X, indicating a denser design that likely accounts for the integrated CPU cores on the same die. Clock speeds also favor the discrete card: the 550X runs at a base of 1082 MHz and boosts to 1218 MHz, while the Vega 8 idles at a 300 MHz base and only reaches 1100 MHz boost. Both GPUs share the same shading unit count (512) and texture mapping unit count (32), but the 550X doubles the ROPs to 16 and nearly doubles the pixel rate. The memory subsystem is entirely different: the Vega 8 uses system shared memory with dependent bandwidth, whereas the 550X has dedicated 2 GB GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus delivering 112.0 GB/s.

API support shows a subtle split: the Vega 8 supports DirectX 12 (12_1) while the 550X only reaches DirectX 12 (12_0), though both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.3. The Vega 8’s FP16 output of 2,253 TFLOPS (2:1) is exactly double its FP32 figure, while the 550X processes FP16 at a 1:1 ratio equal to its 1,247.2 GFLOPS FP32.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results create a clear division of strengths. The 550X wins in Geekbench Vulkan with a score of 8970 versus 8134 for the Vega 8 — a 9.3% advantage that suggests the discrete card’s dedicated memory and higher clocks pay off in API-level compute workloads. The 550X also edges out the Vega 8 in Geekbench OpenCL, scoring 8866 against 8822, though this 0.5% margin is negligible and could be attributed to system memory configuration rather than GPU capability.

Where the Vega 8 shows its strength is in the Geekbench Metal test, scoring 10706 — a figure the 550X has no comparable data for. This absence of a Metal score for the 550X is notable, as it implies the discrete card may not have been validated for that API, whereas the Vega 8’s IGP architecture supports it. In terms of raw specifications, the Vega 8 also wins on FP16 throughput (2,253 TFLOPS vs 1,247.2 GFLOPS) and transistor count, though these do not translate to benchmark victories.

Power consumption is another arena where the Vega 8 dominates: at 25 W TDP, it uses half the power of the 550X’s 50 W, and as an IGP it requires no power connectors or suggested PSU rating, while the 550X recommends a 250 W power supply. For low-power or passively cooled systems, the Vega 8’s efficiency advantage is the deciding factor. Conversely, the 550X wins on memory bandwidth (112.0 GB/s vs system dependent), pixel rate (19.49 GPixel/s vs 8.80 GPixel/s), and display outputs — the 550X offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a, whereas the Vega 8’s outputs are motherboard dependent.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Vega 8 averages 9221 across its three Geekbench tests (Metal, OpenCL, Vulkan), while the AMD Radeon 550X averages 8918 across its two tests (OpenCL, Vulkan). However, the 550X wins both head-to-head comparisons directly.

Q: How big is the performance gap in Vulkan workloads?

A: The 550X scores 8970 in Geekbench Vulkan versus 8134 for the Vega 8, representing a 9.3% lead. This is the largest measured performance difference between the two GPUs.

Q: Is the Vega 8 competitive in OpenCL despite being an IGP?

A: Yes, the Vega 8 scores 8822 in Geekbench OpenCL, just 0.5% behind the 550X’s 8866. This near-tie suggests the Vega 8’s system-shared memory is not a significant handicap in this workload.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The Vega 8 has a TDP of 25 W and requires no power connectors, while the 550X has a 50 W TDP, also with no power connectors, but it recommends a 250 W system power supply. The Vega 8 uses exactly half the power.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same DirectX features?

A: No, the Vega 8 supports DirectX 12 (12_1) while the 550X only supports DirectX 12 (12_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.3.

Q: Which GPU has better memory specifications?

A: The 550X has 2 GB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 112.0 GB/s bandwidth. The Vega 8 uses system shared memory with bandwidth that is system dependent, meaning its memory performance varies with the host system.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two head-to-head benchmark results paint a picture of a close contest in one API and a decisive victory in another. In Geekbench OpenCL, the 550X scores 8866 against the Vega 8’s 8822, a delta of just -0.5%. This is effectively a statistical tie — the 0.5% difference is well within normal run-to-run variance for GPU benchmarks. The implication is that for OpenCL compute tasks, the integrated Vega 8 performs essentially on par with the discrete 550X, despite the latter’s dedicated GDDR5 memory and higher boost clock of 1218 MHz versus 1100 MHz.

The Vulkan result tells a different story. The 550X scores 8970, which is 9.3% higher than the Vega 8’s 8134. This is a substantial margin that cannot be explained by clock speed alone. The 550X’s 112.0 GB/s dedicated bandwidth versus the Vega 8’s system-dependent memory likely plays a significant role, as Vulkan workloads often stress memory throughput. The 550X also has double the render output units (16 vs 8), which could contribute to its Vulkan advantage in draw-call-heavy scenes.

Looking at the broader benchmark landscape, the Vega 8’s percentile rank is 45, same as the 550X, meaning both sit at the same point relative to all GPUs in the database. The Vega 8’s nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon 890M (avg score 9210, delta 0.1%), NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (avg score 9273, delta -0.6%), and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 (avg score 9294, delta -0.8%). The 550X’s rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro WX 5100 (avg score 8863, delta 0.6%), AMD Radeon R9 M265X (avg score 8851, delta 0.8%), and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 (avg score 9022, delta -1.2%). These rival deltas show that the Vega 8 is fractionally ahead of the 890M but slightly behind several older NVIDIA cards, while the 550X is slightly ahead of the Pro WX 5100 and R9 M265X but behind the GTX 660.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification category, reflecting their distinct roles as IGP versus discrete card. The Vega 8 uses the Raven chip with GCN 5.0 architecture, while the 550X uses the Lexa chip with GCN 4.0. Both are 14 nm parts from GlobalFoundries, but the Vega 8 integrates 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die versus 2,200 million on 103 mm² for the 550X.

Clock specifications diverge sharply: the Vega 8 has a 300 MHz base and 1100 MHz boost, while the 550X runs at 1082 MHz base and 1218 MHz boost. Memory is the biggest functional difference — the Vega 8 uses system shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, whereas the 550X has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 112.0 GB/s. The shading units (512) and TMUs (32) are identical, but the 550X doubles the ROPs to 16 versus 8, leading to a pixel rate of 19.49 GPixel/s versus 8.80 GPixel/s. Texture rates are close: 38.98 GTexel/s for the 550X and 35.20 GTexel/s for the Vega 8.

FP32 performance favors the 550X at 1,247.2 GFLOPS versus 1,126.4 GFLOPS, but FP16 reverses this: the Vega 8 hits 2,253 TFLOPS (2:1) while the 550X is stuck at 1,247.2 GFLOPS (1:1). Power draw is 25 W for the Vega 8 and 50 W for the 550X. Form factor differences are stark: the Vega 8 is an IGP with no slot width, while the 550X is dual-slot, 145 mm long, and connects via PCIe 3.0 x8. Display outputs are motherboard dependent for the Vega 8, but the 550X offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a. The 550X suggests a 250 W PSU, while the Vega 8 has no such requirement. Release dates differ by over a year: the Vega 8 launched on 2018-02-11, and the 550X on 2019-03-26.