AMD Radeon R9 M290X vs NVIDIA GeForce MX550 Comparison

NVIDIA GeForce MX550 and AMD Radeon R9 M290X are both end-of-life mobile graphics solutions, but they represent vastly different eras and design philosophies. The MX550 is a modern, low-power Turing-based chip from 2021, while the R9 M290X is a high-power GCN 1.0 part from 2014. The database records show a single head-to-head benchmark, with the AMD card taking the win, yet the overall average scores and architectural context reveal a more nuanced picture for potential users.

Where Each One Wins

The data points to a clear but narrow victory for the AMD Radeon R9 M290X in the only directly comparable compute metric. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the R9 M290X scores 22028 against the MX550's 20372, a difference of 7.5 percent. This suggests the older AMD card has an edge in raw, memory-bandwidth-hungry compute workloads, likely due to its significantly wider 256-bit memory bus and higher memory bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s.

However, the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 wins in the broader context of the database's average benchmark score. The MX550 has an average score of 26421, which is 13.5 percent higher than the R9 M290X's 23276. This is driven by the MX550's strong showing in Geekbench Vulkan, where it scores 32469, a test the R9 M290X does not appear in. The MX550 also holds a higher percentile ranking at 72 versus 68 for the R9 M290X, indicating it performs better relative to all other GPUs in the database.

The use-case split is therefore about workload type. The R9 M290X appears better suited for compute tasks that leverage OpenCL and benefit from high memory throughput, such as certain rendering or data-processing workloads. The MX550, on the other hand, shows superior performance in Vulkan-based applications, which are common in modern gaming and graphics APIs, and its higher average score suggests it is more consistently capable across a variety of tasks. The MX550 also wins decisively on efficiency, with a 25 W TDP versus the R9 M290X's 100 W, making it the clear choice for thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermals are paramount.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures and process nodes. The NVIDIA GeForce MX550 uses the Turing architecture on a 12 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 200 mm² and 4,700 million transistors. In contrast, the AMD Radeon R9 M290X uses the older GCN 1.0 architecture on a 28 nm process, also at TSMC, with a die size of 212 mm² but only 2,800 million transistors. This is a significant generational leap, as the MX550 packs far more transistors into a slightly smaller die, resulting in a much higher transistor density of 23.5M per mm² versus 13.2M per mm² for the AMD part.

The memory subsystems are also starkly different. The MX550 utilizes 2 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 64-bit bus, providing 96.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The R9 M290X, on the other hand, has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a substantially higher 153.6 GB/s. This difference in memory configuration explains why the R9 M290X excels in bandwidth-sensitive OpenCL tasks.

The compute core configurations also diverge. The MX550 has 1024 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The R9 M290X has more of each: 1280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Despite having fewer cores, the MX550 achieves a higher FP32 throughput of 2.703 TFLOPS compared to the R9 M290X's 2.304 TFLOPS, thanks to its much higher clock speeds (1065 MHz base and 1320 MHz boost versus 850 MHz base and 900 MHz boost). The MX550 also supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio, while the R9 M290X has no recorded FP16 capability.

Finally, the feature sets reflect their respective eras. The MX550 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the R9 M290X supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The MX550 also uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, whereas the R9 M290X uses PCIe 3.0 x16. The R9 M290X is an MXM module, while the MX550 is an IGP (integrated graphics processor) designed for direct motherboard integration.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison recorded in the database is the Geekbench OpenCL test. Here, the AMD Radeon R9 M290X wins with a score of 22028, defeating the NVIDIA GeForce MX550's 20372 by a 7.5 percent margin. This is a notable result, as it shows the older, higher-power card can still outperform the newer, more efficient one in a specific compute scenario. The win is likely attributable to the R9 M290X's superior memory bandwidth, which is 60 percent higher than the MX550's, and its larger pool of shading units and TMUs.

However, this single result does not tell the whole story. The MX550's average benchmark score of 26421 is significantly higher than the R9 M290X's 23276, a gap of 13.5 percent. This is almost entirely due to the MX550's Vulkan score of 32469, a test where the R9 M290X has no recorded data. The MX550's Vulkan performance places it in a different competitive tier, with its nearest rivals including the AMD Radeon 860M (26401, 0.1 percent behind) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (26331, 0.3 percent behind). The R9 M290X, by contrast, sits alongside the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (23273, 0 percent difference) and the NVIDIA P106-100 (23249, 0.1 percent behind).

The data implies that if a user primarily runs OpenCL-based applications, the R9 M290X holds a measurable advantage. But for Vulkan-based workloads, which are increasingly common in modern games and compute APIs, the MX550 is in a completely different performance class, as evidenced by its much higher average score and percentile ranking. The MX550's performance in Vulkan is so strong that it lifts its overall average well above that of the R9 M290X, even accounting for the latter's OpenCL win.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in nearly every specification category. The most striking differences are in memory and power. The R9 M290X has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, while the MX550 has 2 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus. This results in the R9 M290X having 153.6 GB/s of bandwidth versus 96.00 GB/s for the MX550. The AMD card also has a much higher TDP of 100 W, while the MX550 is rated at just 25 W.

The GPU cores also differ significantly. The R9 M290X has 1280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, while the MX550 has 1024 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The clock speeds are reversed, however, with the MX550 running at 1065 MHz base and 1320 MHz boost, compared to 850 MHz base and 900 MHz boost for the R9 M290X. This leads to the MX550 having higher pixel and texture rates (21.12 GPixel/s and 42.24 GTexel/s) than the R9 M290X (28.80 GPixel/s and 72.00 GTexel/s), indicating the R9 M290X is faster in these fill-rate metrics.

The process nodes and transistor counts are also vastly different. The MX550 is built on a 12 nm process with 4,700 million transistors, while the R9 M290X uses a 28 nm process with 2,800 million transistors. The MX550 supports a newer PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, while the R9 M290X uses PCIe 3.0 x16. The MX550 supports FP16 at 1:1 ratio, while the R9 M290X has no FP16 data. The MX550 also has a newer Vulkan version (1.4 versus 1.2.170) and a higher DirectX feature level (12_1 versus 11_1). The form factors differ as well, with the MX550 being an IGP and the R9 M290X being an MXM module.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce MX550, with an average benchmark score of 26421, compared to 23276 for the AMD Radeon R9 M290X.

Q: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, which card wins and by how much?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M290X wins with a score of 22028, defeating the NVIDIA GeForce MX550's 20372 by a 7.5 percent margin.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two cards?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 M290X has a memory bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s, while the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 has 96.00 GB/s.

Q: Which GPU has a higher FP32 compute throughput?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce MX550, with 2.703 TFLOPS, compared to 2.304 TFLOPS for the AMD Radeon R9 M290X.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce MX550 has a TDP of 25 W, while the AMD Radeon R9 M290X has a TDP of 100 W, making the MX550 significantly more power-efficient.

Q: What are the process nodes for each GPU?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce MX550 is manufactured on a 12 nm process, while the AMD Radeon R9 M290X uses a 28 nm process.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear choice based on user priorities. For users who prioritize compute performance in OpenCL workloads and require higher memory bandwidth, the AMD Radeon R9 M290X is the stronger option. Its 7.5 percent lead in the Geekbench OpenCL test and its 60 percent higher memory bandwidth make it well-suited for bandwidth-bound tasks. However, this comes at a massive power cost, with a 100 W TDP that is four times higher than the MX550's 25 W.

For the majority of modern use cases, the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 is the better overall choice. Its average benchmark score is 13.5 percent higher, driven by a dominant Vulkan score of 32469, which the R9 M290X cannot match. The MX550 also holds a higher percentile ranking (72 versus 68) and offers superior efficiency, making it ideal for thin-and-light laptops. Its newer architecture, smaller process node, and support for newer APIs (Vulkan 1.4 and DirectX 12_1) give it a forward-looking feature set that the R9 M290X lacks. Users who need raw compute throughput in legacy OpenCL applications might prefer the R9 M290X, but for everything else, the MX550 is the more capable and practical GPU.