AMD Radeon 550X 640SP
AMD graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
AMDAMD Radeon 550X 640SP Specifications
Radeon 550X 640SP GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The AMD Radeon 550X 640SP GPU core specifications define its raw processing power for graphics and compute workloads. Shading units (also called CUDA cores, stream processors, or execution units depending on manufacturer) handle the parallel calculations required for rendering. TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) process texture data, while ROPs (Render Output Units) handle final pixel output. Higher shader counts generally translate to better GPU benchmark performance, especially in demanding games and 3D applications.
550X 640SP Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the Radeon 550X 640SP's performance in GPU benchmarks and real-world gaming. The base clock represents the minimum guaranteed frequency, while the boost clock indicates peak performance under optimal thermal conditions. Memory clock speed affects texture loading and frame buffer operations. The Radeon 550X 640SP by AMD dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
AMD's Radeon 550X 640SP Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The Radeon 550X 640SP's memory capacity determines how well it handles high-resolution textures and multiple displays. Memory bandwidth, measured in GB/s, affects how quickly data moves between the GPU and VRAM. Higher bandwidth improves performance in memory-intensive scenarios like 4K gaming. The memory bus width and type (GDDR6, GDDR6X, HBM) significantly influence overall GPU benchmark scores.
Radeon 550X 640SP by AMD Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the 550X 640SP, reducing the need to fetch data from slower VRAM. L1 and L2 caches store frequently accessed data close to the compute units. AMD's Infinity Cache (L3) dramatically increases effective bandwidth, improving GPU benchmark performance without requiring wider memory buses. Larger cache sizes help maintain high frame rates in memory-bound scenarios and reduce power consumption by minimizing VRAM accesses.
550X 640SP Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the AMD Radeon 550X 640SP against other graphics cards. FP32 (single-precision) performance, measured in TFLOPS, indicates compute capability for gaming and general GPU workloads. FP64 (double-precision) matters for scientific computing. Pixel and texture fill rates determine how quickly the GPU can render complex scenes. While real-world GPU benchmark results depend on many factors, these specifications help predict relative performance levels.
GCN 4.0 Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The AMD Radeon 550X 640SP is built on AMD's GCN 4.0 architecture, which defines how the GPU processes graphics and compute workloads. The manufacturing process node affects power efficiency, thermal characteristics, and maximum clock speeds. Smaller process nodes pack more transistors into the same die area, enabling higher performance per watt. Understanding the architecture helps predict how the 550X 640SP will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
AMD's Radeon 550X 640SP Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the AMD Radeon 550X 640SP determine PSU requirements and thermal management needs. TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates the heat output under typical loads, guiding cooler selection. Power connector requirements ensure adequate power delivery for stable operation during demanding GPU benchmarks. The suggested PSU wattage accounts for the entire system, not just the graphics card. Efficient power delivery enables the Radeon 550X 640SP to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
Radeon 550X 640SP by AMD Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the AMD Radeon 550X 640SP are critical for case compatibility. Card length, height, and slot width determine whether it fits in your chassis. The PCIe interface version affects bandwidth for communication with the CPU. Display outputs define monitor connectivity options, with modern cards supporting multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously. Verify these specifications against your case and motherboard before purchasing to ensure a proper fit.
AMD API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the AMD Radeon 550X 640SP. DirectX 12 Ultimate enables advanced features like ray tracing and variable rate shading. Vulkan provides cross-platform graphics capabilities with low-level hardware access. OpenGL remains important for professional applications and older games. CUDA (NVIDIA) and OpenCL enable GPU compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific applications. Higher API versions unlock newer graphical features in GPU benchmarks and games.
Radeon 550X 640SP Product Information
Release and pricing details
The AMD Radeon 550X 640SP is manufactured by AMD as part of their graphics card lineup. Release date and launch pricing provide context for comparing GPU benchmark results with competing products from the same era. Understanding the product lifecycle helps evaluate whether the Radeon 550X 640SP by AMD represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
Radeon 550X 640SP Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About AMD Radeon 550X 640SP
AMD Radeon 550X 640SP is an entry-level discrete GPU built on the 14 nm GCN 4.0 architecture using the Lexa chip, targeting basic 1080p gaming at low settings and everyday desktop use. Its 50th percentile ranking among all GPUs in the database places it squarely in the middle of the pack, though this is a statistical midpoint rather than an indication of high-end performance. With 640 shading units, 40 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs operating at a base clock of 1019 MHz and a boost clock of 1071 MHz, the card delivers 1,370.9 GFLOPS of FP32 compute throughput, a figure that aligns with its modest 50 W TDP and integrated-style IGP slot width.
Who Should Consider It
The AMD Radeon 550X 640SP is designed for users who need a discrete GPU without the power or space requirements of a full-height card, given its IGP slot width and lack of power connectors. Benchmark data indicates this is not a card for high-refresh or high-resolution gaming; its 48.00 GB/s memory bandwidth over a 64-bit bus with 4 GB of GDDR5 suggests that textures and data-heavy scenes will bottleneck quickly. For 1080p resolution, the card can handle esports titles and older games at low to medium settings, but the 1,370.9 GFLOPS FP32 throughput and 17.14 GPixel/s pixel fill rate limit it to frame rates that are playable but far from competitive. At 1440p or 4K, the 16 ROPs and narrow memory bus will cause significant frame drops, so the card is not recommended for those resolutions. The 2,200 million transistors on a 103 mm² die with a density of 21.4M per square millimeter indicate an efficient but low-power design, making it suitable for office PCs, media centers, or light gaming rigs where a 250 W PSU is the only requirement. Users with demanding AAA titles should look at higher-tier cards, as the 550X 640SP's percentile rank of 50% reflects average performance across all GPUs, not a strength in any particular workload.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The Radeon 550X 640SP has no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, as these are absent from the FACT PACK specifications, which list null values for both fields. This means hardware-accelerated ray tracing is not supported, and any ray-traced effects in games would rely on software fallbacks or be entirely unavailable, making the card unsuitable for modern titles that mandate RT support. The feature set is instead built around DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3 API support, which covers a broad range of current and legacy games. The GPU uses GCN 4.0 architecture from the Polaris generation, with a release date of April 10, 2018, and is now end-of-life, so driver optimizations for newer titles may be limited. Display outputs include one DVI, one HDMI 2.0b, and one DisplayPort 1.4a, allowing for multi-monitor setups but with no support for the latest HDMI 2.1 features. The lack of tensor cores also means no DLSS or similar AI-based upscaling, though the card's 1:1 FP16 to FP32 ratio of 1,370.9 GFLOPS provides no compute advantage for such workloads anyway. The 4 GB GDDR5 memory at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective) is sufficient for older games and desktop use, but the 64-bit bus width caps effective memory performance, which is a key limitation in texture-heavy scenes.
Benchmark Performance
The FACT PACK lists no benchmark scores for the Radeon 550X 640SP, with an average benchmark score of 0 and an empty nearestRivals array, so direct numerical comparisons against specific competitors cannot be made. However, the percentileVsAllGpus field of 50% provides a relative positioning: the card sits at the exact median of all GPUs in the database, meaning half of all GPUs are faster and half are slower. This percentile is a broad indicator, not a precise performance metric, and it suggests that the 550X 640SP is a middle-tier part in terms of raw compute power, but its memory subsystem and pixel rate tell a more nuanced story. The FP32 throughput of 1,370.9 GFLOPS is respectable for a 50 W card, but the 42.84 GTexel/s texture rate and 17.14 GPixel/s pixel rate are low enough that modern games with complex shaders will struggle. The memory bandwidth of 48.00 GB/s is a critical bottleneck; for comparison, a typical mid-range card from the same era would have a 128-bit or wider bus, but this card's 64-bit bus halves effective bandwidth. In synthetic workloads, the 1:1 FP16 ratio means no half-precision advantage, so compute-heavy tasks like machine learning inference will see no speedup. The data indicates that the 550X 640SP performs consistently across all metrics relative to its TDP, but that consistency is at a low absolute level, making it a fallback option for non-gaming tasks rather than a gaming workhorse.
FAQ
Q: Does the Radeon 550X 640SP support ray tracing?
A: No. The specifications list no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores, so hardware-accelerated ray tracing is not available.
Q: What is the maximum supported resolution for gaming?
A: The card is suited for 1080p at low settings based on its 48.00 GB/s bandwidth and 17.14 GPixel/s pixel rate; higher resolutions like 1440p or 4K will exceed the card's capabilities.
Q: What API features are available?
A: The card supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, covering a wide range of games and applications.
Q: How much power does the GPU consume?
A: The TDP is 50 W, and the recommended PSU is 250 W. No power connectors are required, as the card draws power solely from the PCIe slot.
Q: What is the memory configuration?
A: It has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 64-bit bus, running at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective), yielding a bandwidth of 48.00 GB/s.
Q: Is the card still in production?
A: No, the production status is end-of-life, with a release date of April 10, 2018.
How It Compares
The nearestRivals array in the FACT PACK is empty, so there are no specific rival names, scores, or deltaPct values to reference for direct comparisons. Given the absence of this data, the comparison must rely on the percentileVsAllGpus field, which places the card at the 50th percentile. This means the Radeon 550X 640SP is exactly average in the database's ranking, neither a standout performer nor a laggard. In practical terms, this percentile suggests it sits below most dedicated gaming GPUs from its era, which typically rank higher, but above integrated graphics solutions that often fall below the 50th percentile. The card's 50 W TDP and lack of power connectors position it as a drop-in upgrade for systems with weak integrated graphics, but its 4 GB memory and 64-bit bus are inferior to many discrete alternatives. Without rival data, the analysis is constrained to the fact that the card's performance is median, and any claim of superiority or inferiority to a specific product is unsupported. The 1,370.9 GFLOPS FP32 figure is a raw compute number, but real-world gaming performance is limited by the 48.00 GB/s bandwidth, which is a fraction of what higher-ranked GPUs offer. The 103 mm² die size and 2,200 million transistors indicate a compact, efficient design, but efficiency does not translate to speed in this context. Overall, the card occupies a niche for low-power, basic tasks, and its 50th percentile rank confirms it is not a performance part.
Power and Cooling
The Radeon 550X 640SP has a TDP of 50 W, which is exceptionally low for a discrete GPU, and the suggested PSU is 250 W, making it compatible with most entry-level power supplies. The card requires no external power connectors, as the powerConnectors field is listed as "None," meaning it draws all its power from the PCIe 3.0 x8 slot. This low power draw is a direct result of the 14 nm process node and the modest clock speeds of 1019 MHz base and 1071 MHz boost. The slot width is listed as "IGP," which indicates the card is designed to fit in compact or low-profile chassis, and its thermal output is minimal, so a single-slot cooler or passive cooling may be sufficient in well-ventilated cases. The memory operates at 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective), and the total system power draw remains low enough that a 250 W PSU provides ample headroom. The lack of power connectors simplifies installation, and the 48.00 GB/s memory bandwidth is sufficient for the card's compute capabilities without causing excessive heat generation. The 2,200 million transistors on a 103 mm² die with a density of 21.4M per square millimeter contribute to the low power envelope, and the card does not require additional cooling beyond what a standard case airflow provides. The 50 W TDP is a key selling point for users who prioritize energy efficiency over raw performance, and the absence of a high-wattage PSU requirement makes it an easy upgrade for pre-built systems.
The NVIDIA Equivalent of Radeon 550X 640SP
Looking for a similar graphics card from NVIDIA? The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 offers comparable performance and features in the NVIDIA lineup.
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