Next-generation 1080p gaming: Radeon RX 5500 XT
AMD's cutting-edge RDNA graphics architecture is on the march. Following the debut of Radeon RX 5700 and RX 5700 XT back in July, the new Radeon RX 5500 XT is joining the party with the promise of ultra-responsive gaming at an ubiquitous 1080p resolution.
RX 5500 XT represents an important milestone for the blossoming RDNA portfolio, as it serves as the first 7nm Radeon GPU designed specifically for mainstream gamers wanting to enjoy the latest titles on a current architecture supporting a vast selection of modern image enhancement technologies. Let's take a look at where it fits in.
Radeon RX 5700 XT |
Radeon RX 5700 |
Radeon RX 5500 XT |
Radeon RX Vega 64 |
Radeon RX Vega 56 |
Radeon RX 580 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch date | Jul 2019 |
Jul 2019 |
Dec 2019 |
Aug 2017 |
Aug 2017 |
Apr 2017 |
| Codename | Navi 10 |
Navi 10 |
Navi 14 |
Vega 10 |
Vega 10 |
Polaris 20 |
| Architecture | RDNA |
RDNA |
RDNA |
GCN |
GCN |
GCN |
| Process (nm) | 7 |
7 |
7 |
14 |
14 |
14 |
| Transistors (bn) | 10.3 |
10.3 |
6.4 |
12.5 |
12.5 |
5.7 |
| Approx Die Size (mm²) | 251 |
251 |
158 |
486 |
486 |
232 |
| Shaders | 2,560 |
2,304 |
1,408 |
4,096 |
3,584 |
2,304 |
| Texture Units | 160 |
144 |
88 |
256 |
224 |
144 |
| ROP Units | 64 |
64 |
32 |
64 |
64 |
32 |
| Boost Clock (MHz) | 1,905 |
1,725 |
1,845 |
1,546 |
1,471 |
1,340 |
| Game Clock (MHz) | 1,755 |
1,625 |
1,717 |
- |
- |
- |
| Peak SP TFLOPS | 9.75 |
7.95 |
5.20 |
12.66 |
10.54 |
6.17 |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 |
GDDR6 |
GDDR6 |
HBM2 |
HBM2 |
GDDR5 |
| Memory Size (GB) | 8 |
8 |
4 / 8 |
8 |
8 |
4 / 8 |
| Memory Clock (MHz) | 14,000 |
14,000 |
14,000 |
945 |
800 |
8,000 |
| Memory Bus (bits) | 256 |
256 |
128 |
2,048 |
2,048 |
256 |
| Max Bandwidth (GB/s) | 448 |
448 |
224 |
484 |
410 |
256 |
| PCIe Support | Gen 4 |
Gen 4 |
Gen 4 |
Gen 3 |
Gen 3 |
Gen 3 |
| Power Connectors | 6+8 |
6+8 |
8 |
8+8 |
8+8 |
6 |
| TDP (watts) | 225 |
180 |
130 |
295 |
210 |
185 |
| Launch MSRP | $399 |
$349 |
$169 / $199 |
$499 |
$399 |
$199 / $229 |
The key point, of course, is the starting price of $169 for a 4GB card, rising to $199 for an 8GB model. RX 5500 XT is by some distance the most affordable 7nm GPU to date and carries a specification that is ideally suited to full-HD gaming. These include 1,408 shaders clocked at up to 1,845MHz, 88 texture units and 32 ROPs.
4GB or 8GB of high-speed GDDR6 memory operates at an effective 14Gbps via a 128-bit bus, and as you would expect from an RDNA solution, efficiency plays a key part in the overall package. RX 5500 XT touts a frugal 130W TDP, allowing power to be sourced from just a single connector. In keeping with others in the RDNA range, there's also full support for the bandwidth-doubling PCIe Gen 4 interface championed by AMD's latest Ryzen processors.
Purpose built for silky smooth 1080p action, RX 5500 XT delivers in today's top titles and the forward-looking RDNA architecture allows for a trio of wins; RX 5500 XT is faster, more efficient and more affordable than the previous-generation Radeon RX 580.
4K60 is the obvious target, yet in the most demanding of games an option of an 8GB frame buffer provides a meaningful bump in performance while introducing an element of future-proofing. All the goodness of RDNA, at a more affordable price point that appeals to both casual gamers and eSports competitors favouring a 1080p resolution.
Radeon RX 5500 XT helps redefine what is possible in the mainstream segment, and a raft of partners - including Asus, MSI and Sapphire, to name but a few - are showing their full support with a wide range of custom-cooled cards that help deliver high-quality gameplay in a package that's cool, quiet and elegant.
Make no mistake, Radeon RX 5500 XT has restored competition in the sub-£200 space, and with RDNA architecture set to power the next generation of Xbox and PlayStation games consoles, AMD's latest desktop GPU gives PC gamers the chance to experience cutting-edge graphics without breaking the bank.
