AMD Radeon RX 550X 640SP
AMD graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
AMDAMD Radeon RX 550X 640SP Specifications
Radeon RX 550X 640SP GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The AMD Radeon RX 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.
RX 550X 640SP Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the Radeon RX 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 RX 550X 640SP by AMD dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
AMD's Radeon RX 550X 640SP Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The Radeon RX 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 RX 550X 640SP by AMD Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the RX 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.
RX 550X 640SP Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the AMD Radeon RX 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 RX 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 RX 550X 640SP will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
AMD's Radeon RX 550X 640SP Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the AMD Radeon RX 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 RX 550X 640SP to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
Radeon RX 550X 640SP by AMD Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the AMD Radeon RX 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 RX 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 RX 550X 640SP Product Information
Release and pricing details
The AMD Radeon RX 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 RX 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 RX 550X 640SP Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About AMD Radeon RX 550X 640SP
The AMD Radeon RX 550X 640SP is a 14 nm Polaris-generation part built on the GCN 4.0 architecture, using the Baffin chip with a die size of 123 mm² and 3,000 million transistors. It is a dual-slot card with a 60 W TDP, no power connectors, and a suggested PSU of 250 W, making it a straightforward drop-in for low-power builds. The card is end-of-life, released on 2018-04-10, and its benchmark data shows a 50th percentile standing among all GPUs, indicating it sits near the midpoint of the performance spectrum. This analysis draws exclusively from the provided fact pack, covering its competitive positioning, feature set, memory, and practical usage guidance.
How It Compares
The RX 550X 640SP has no nearest rivals listed in the available data, so direct head-to-head comparisons against specific competitor models cannot be made from the fact pack. Its 50th percentile rank among all GPUs suggests it performs better than roughly half of the graphics cards tracked in the database, while trailing the other half. In practical terms, this places it as a middle-tier option, capable of handling lighter workloads but not competitive with higher-end parts. Without rival scores or delta percentages, the positioning is defined solely by this percentile and its absolute specifications.
The absence of nearestRivals data means every comparative statement must rely on the card's own metrics. For instance, its FP32 throughput of 1,370.9 GFLOPS and texture rate of 42.84 GTexel/s are fixed reference points, but no rival's numbers exist to contrast them against. Therefore, the analysis here focuses on what the hardware itself delivers: 640 shading units, 40 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, which dictate its compute and rasterization limits. The card's pixel rate of 17.14 GPixel/s further defines its fill-rate ceiling, but again, no external comparison is possible from the fact pack.
Given the lack of rival data, the RX 550X 640SP's competitive stance is best understood through its percentile and production status. Being end-of-life, it is no longer a current-market contender, and its 50th percentile rank implies it was a mainstream offering during its lifecycle rather than a performance leader. Users should treat it as a legacy part with modest capabilities, suited for basic display output or light gaming at lower settings, but not for demanding titles or high-refresh-rate scenarios.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The RX 550X 640SP does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as these fields are null in the fact pack. This means hardware-accelerated ray tracing is entirely absent, and any ray-traced effects would have to be handled via software, which would be impractical given the card's compute resources. The architecture is GCN 4.0, which predates the ray tracing and AI acceleration features found in newer designs, so the card's feature set is firmly rooted in traditional rasterization.
API support includes DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. These are modern API standards, so the card can run titles that use these interfaces, but the lack of RT cores means DirectX 12 Ultimate features like ray tracing and variable rate shading are not hardware-supported. Vulkan 1.3 support is notable, as it allows access to newer rendering techniques, but the card’s raw shader throughput will still be the limiting factor. The FP16 performance is 1,370.9 GFLOPS, identical to FP32 at a 1:1 ratio, indicating no half-precision acceleration advantage.
For display output, the card provides 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a, which covers modern monitor connectivity. HDMI 2.0b supports 4K at 60 Hz, while DisplayPort 1.4a can handle higher refresh rates or higher resolutions, but the card's compute power is unlikely to drive such displays in gaming. The bus interface is PCIe 3.0 x8, which is sufficient for a card of this performance level, though it halves the bandwidth compared to x16 slots, which is irrelevant given the modest data throughput.
Memory Subsystem
The RX 550X 640SP comes with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, yielding a memory bandwidth of 96.00 GB/s. This configuration is modest by modern standards, and the 2 GB capacity will be a significant constraint at high resolutions or with high-resolution textures. At 1080p, 2 GB can handle older or less demanding games, but many current titles exceed this capacity, leading to texture pop-in or reduced quality settings. The effective memory speed is 6 Gbps, which is typical for GDDR5 of that era.
For high resolutions like 1440p or 4K, the 2 GB VRAM and 96.00 GB/s bandwidth are severe bottlenecks. The card's compute performance, with an FP32 of 1,370.9 GFLOPS, is not intended for such workloads, and the memory subsystem reinforces that limitation. At 1080p, the bandwidth is adequate for its pixel rate of 17.14 GPixel/s, but anything beyond that will see diminishing returns and stuttering due to memory overflow. The 128-bit bus width is narrow, limiting the amount of data that can be transferred per clock, which further caps performance in memory-intensive scenarios.
Practically, the memory subsystem means this card is best paired with 720p or 1080p displays and games from before 2018 or esports titles with low VRAM requirements. The 96.00 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for such workloads, but users should not expect to enable ultra texture packs or high-resolution shadows. The card's 16 ROPs also limit fill-rate, so heavy post-processing effects will degrade performance quickly.
FAQ
Q: Does the RX 550X 640SP support hardware ray tracing?
A: No, the fact pack lists no ray tracing cores (rtCores is null), so hardware-accelerated ray tracing is not available. The card relies on traditional rasterization via its GCN 4.0 architecture.
Q: What is the maximum memory capacity and bus width?
A: The card has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory with a 128-bit bus width, providing a memory bandwidth of 96.00 GB/s. This is a limiting factor for high-resolution gaming.
Q: Which APIs does the card support?
A: It supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3, covering modern graphics interfaces but without the extended features of newer hardware.
Q: What power supply is recommended for this card?
A: The suggested PSU is 250 W, and the card has a 60 W TDP with no power connectors required. It draws power solely from the PCIe slot.
Q: Is this card still in production?
A: No, the production status is end-of-life, with a release date of 2018-04-10. It has been succeeded by the Vega generation.
Q: What display outputs are available?
A: The card offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a, covering standard monitor connectivity options.
Benchmark Performance
The fact pack lists an avgBenchmarkScore of 0 and no entries in the benchmarks array, meaning no direct benchmark scores are available for the RX 550X 640SP. Its percentileVsAllGpus is 50, which indicates it performs better than exactly half of all GPUs in the database. Without rival scores or deltas, the only quantitative performance metrics are its raw specifications: FP32 of 1,370.9 GFLOPS, texture rate of 42.84 GTexel/s, and pixel rate of 17.14 GPixel/s.
Given the 50th percentile, the card is neither a low-end outlier nor a high-performance part. In relative terms, it should outperform entry-level integrated graphics and older discrete cards, but it will fall behind any modern mid-range or high-end GPU. The 1:1 FP16 to FP32 ratio suggests no advantage in half-precision tasks, which are common in AI or compute workloads, but the card’s lack of tensor cores means those tasks are not a focus.
Compared to hypothetical rivals, the 640 shading units and 40 TMUs suggest a texture-bound workload will hit the card's limits quickly. The 16 ROPs cap pixel throughput, so resolution scaling will show steep performance drops beyond 1080p. The 96.00 GB/s bandwidth aligns with the card's compute capacity, so memory bandwidth is not a bottleneck at its intended resolution, but VRAM capacity will be. Overall, the data indicates a card that was entry-level at release and is now suited only for light or legacy use cases.
Power and Cooling
The RX 550X 640SP has a TDP of 60 W, which is low enough to be powered entirely by the PCIe slot, as evidenced by the absence of power connectors. The suggested PSU is 250 W, meaning even a modest power supply can run this card without issue. This makes it an ideal upgrade for pre-built systems with small or older PSUs, as long as the PCIe x8 slot is available.
The card is dual-slot in width, but its length is 145 mm (5.7 inches), which is compact and should fit in most cases. Cooling is not specified beyond the dual-slot form factor, but the 60 W TDP implies a single fan or passive design with a heatsink would suffice. The lack of power connectors simplifies installation, and the 14 nm process from GlobalFoundries contributes to the low power draw.
For system builders, the 250 W PSU recommendation is a conservative figure that accounts for the rest of the system's components. In practice, a CPU with a high TDP could push total system draw beyond 250 W, but for typical low-power builds, this is adequate. The card's end-of-life status means it is an older part, but its power efficiency remains a strong point, making it a viable option for budget or office PCs where performance is secondary to simplicity.
The NVIDIA Equivalent of Radeon RX 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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