AMD Radeon RX 5500

[Deathy]

When was the last time AMD gpu's were less power hungry than Nvidia gpu's?

They were better than Nvidia in pure power consumption or performance/watt from the Radeon 5xxx series to the 7xxx series. But Hawaii really tanked performance/watt and sky rocketed power consumption (I had one because I water cooled at the time and it was the price/perf. sweet spot for my 1440p setup). And Maxwell and Pascal were real milestones for Nvidia. Going back further it was more varied from generation to generation.

 

[Alamedrin]

Why is it so bad in this game?

 

[Aretak]

Why is it so bad in this game?

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It's clearly the 4GB VRAM. Look at how far the 4GB 570 is off the 8GB 580. Even the 1650 Super is struggling badly there relative to how it performs compared to the 580 or 1060 6GB in other titles. Seems like you want at least a 6GB card for it (or just turn the texture setting down a notch or two).

 

[Alamedrin]

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It's clearly the 4GB VRAM. Look at how far the 4GB 570 is off the 8GB 580. Even the 1650 Super is struggling badly there relative to how it performs compared to the 580 or 1060 6GB in other titles. Seems like you want at least a 6GB card for it (or just turn the texture setting down a notch or two).

I was expecting it would be better than RX 570 4GB in this game.

 

[sutyi]

I was expecting it would be better than RX 570 4GB in this game.

As @Aretak said it is probably memory limitation plus a combination of less TMUs, looks like Turing seems to have better DCC.

Both the GTX 1650S & RX 5500 probably would fare much better a notch or two under meinleben settings. On the New Orleans maps I had to back off the graphical settings on my GTX 1060 6GB, cause in some places it would stutter like utter doodoo...

PS.: Even the GTX 1060 3GB is almost 40% slower compared to the 6GB model.

 

[Chrispy_]

Wow, even a $200 GPU has a proper fan instead of a blower. Please AMD, just ditch the reference vacuum cleaners already.

If you want open coolers, buy the damn partner cards with open coolers. Reference coolers are about compatibility with more than just the well-ventilated enthusiast gaming tower.

Dumping 100W of waste heat back into the case is probably acceptable for the vast majority of case scenarios, but dumping 225W of waste heat into the case is not. That's probably why this is an open cooler. It's also not strictly a reference design - only an OEM one that happens to be the OEM that also builds many of AMD's other reference boards. You can bet that the RadeonPro variants of these will be either fully or partly exhausting because those will be true reference designs.

I often need to spec a blower cooler and it's frustrating how few good ones there are. You may not like them and they me be louder than coolers that dump all their heat back into the case, but they are an industry necessity for OEMs, SFF builders, HTPC builders, GPU farms, Quiet PC enthusiasts, and probably more categories that I haven't even thought of.

My big old gaming tower with an excess of empty space and airflow has no problem with cooling, so yeah I'd definitely pick an open cooler. Please don't hate on the exhausting blower when it's not designed for only your use case. Some of us really really need them and builds simply wouldn't be possible without them.

 

[Ergastolano]

where is the XT version or a 5600 model? Do you have some news?

 

[Jism]

Performance per watt and performance per dollar are both hugely disappointing. This thing is worse ... than even Pascal. And multi-monitor high power consumption is still not fixed. WTF AMD?

This is basically a slightly better version of the the GTX 1060 which was released 3.5 years ago and strangely "It's recommended"/"High value".

For whom? Why? According to Steam HW Survey the GTX 1060 is already the most popular GPU on the market. You do not release a GPU which mimics it almost entirely - you need to release something substantially better. And no a price cut won't ... cut it. In my country used 1060 6GB can be bought for roughly $150. The RX 5500 must be priced substantially lower to attract any attention. I'm thinking $120 or even lower.

It's a cut down 5700. What do you expect? There's no secret sauce, just a smaller chip with less of everything compared to a 5700 and pretty much is into the price point it belongs.

 

[eidairaman1]

Great Review as always

I absolutely adore AMD but this seems completely misguided if the anticipated price (180USD) is correct. Seems more like a nod to OEMs than genuine competition for a segment that's flooded with Nvidia alternatives. It even fails to provide standard 1080p performance (580 8GB) at a *significantly* efficient wattage and a newer process.

Very disappointing because this was AMD's segment, its niche

Oems sell more stock than retail

 

[F-man4]

This card is only for BFV.

 

[dj-electric]

This product needs to be 139$ tops.
AMD's strategy to announce first, price later might save them with this one.... too...
If you can't beat their silicons, beat their pricing.

"efficiency first, performance later"

Also, i believe its "both first", since their boost can near-max performance anyway before you kick the efficiency curve to outer space.
Pascal and Turing cards aren't known to be holding performance back when cooling allows.

 

[Roy]

Gtx 1060 6gb card that I have for 4 years, which is now sitting in its box as an emergency card. performs a little better than this, consumes less power, generates lower noise, and it is built 4 years ago in 14nm tech! need I say more?

I have a 1060, but lets be honest the 1060 was a 2 tier higher than this card and was cost $250, just to remind you this is the lowest tier card an rx 550 / gtx 1050 tier card which probably (hopefully) cost less than $140

 

[jabbadap]

I have a 1060, but lets be honest the 1060 was a 2 tier higher than this card and was cost $250, just to remind you this is the lowest tier card an rx 550 / gtx 1050 tier card which probably (hopefully) cost less than $140

*RX 560. RX 550 is more like a gt1030 tier.

Just have a feeling that this card is on rough position for AMD. Polaris cards sells well for them, so what to do this one. Can't really sell it for higher price and lower price could stop Polaris sells altogether. So maybe they just sell it to OEMs for now, and when Polaris card stocks empties these will fill the void.

 

[B-Real]

With the Game Bundle included (think it's the same Borderlands 3/GR: Breakpoint choice), this card is a must have, really.

Gtx 1060 6gb card that I have for 4 years, which is now sitting in its box as an emergency card. performs a little better than this, consumes less power, generates lower noise, and it is built 4 years ago in 14nm tech! need I say more?

Not sure if trolling or not. GTX 1060 was the 5th card in NV's last gen's lineup after the 1030, 1050, 1050Ti and the 1060 3GB. The RX5500 is the entry level card in AMD's current gen's lineup with a price tag about the 1050Ti. And you get a $60 game when purchasing it. Shame on you.

I have a 1060, but lets be honest the 1060 was a 2 tier higher than this card and was cost $250, just to remind you this is the lowest tier card an rx 550 / gtx 1050 tier card which probably (hopefully) cost less than $140

+You get a $60 game with this $140-150 card. I have never seen a game bundle offered to a category under the RX 570.

It's not faster and it's not cheaper than Polaris, so it's a fail in my book. Been stuck at RX 470 performance for 3.5 years. The RX 5700 at $299 is much more exciting. I would like to see a custom model also go on sale at $299.

Can't really understand you. An AIB RX 5500 will be about 20% faster than an AIB RX470. The RX470 was $180, the RX5500 is expected around 140-160. You get a $60 game with the purchase. The efficiency of the card is much better, it nearly doubled and is close to NV.

 

[potato580+]

i tho this card would replace fullhd generation, well out of my list...

 

[sutyi]

where is the XT version or a 5600 model? Do you have some news?

My tips:

5500XT - 24CU NAVI 14 - 128bit 8GB @ maybe 16Gbps ( probably between the GTX1650S and the GTX 1660)
5600 - 28 CU NAVI 10 - 256bit 8GB @ 12Gbps (~GTX1660S & 1660Ti )
5600XT - 32 CU NAVI 10 - 256bit 8GB @ 12Gbps (10% faster compared to GTX 1660Ti)

 

[Roy]

*RX 560. RX 550 is more like a gt1030 tier.

Just have a feeling that this card is on rough position for AMD. Polaris cards sells well for them, so what to do this one. Can't really sell it for higher price and lower price could stop Polaris sells altogether. So maybe they just sell it to OEMs for now, and when Polaris card stocks empties these will fill the void.

That is true, but considering that the 5500 is only 22CU i think AMD still have some more Navi card to fully replace Polaris, 5500 to replace 560, 5500XT to replace 570, and 5600 to replace 580, 5600XT to replace 590. I don't think AMD will keep selling Polaris especially since next gen console will be based on Navi.

 

[Turmania]

The only Navi card that makes sense and is actually very good at its price is RX 5700 non over clocked versions of it though.

 

[eidairaman1]

*RX 560. RX 550 is more like a gt1030 tier.

Just have a feeling that this card is on rough position for AMD. Polaris cards sells well for them, so what to do this one. Can't really sell it for higher price and lower price could stop Polaris sells altogether. So maybe they just sell it to OEMs for now, and when Polaris card stocks empties these will fill the void.

The polaris line will drop in price

 

[Ergastolano]

My tips:

5500XT - 24CU NAVI 14 - 128bit 8GB @ maybe 16Gbps ( probably between the GTX1650S and the GTX 1660)
5600 - 28 CU NAVI 10 - 256bit 8GB @ 12Gbps (~GTX1660S & 1660Ti )
5600XT - 32 CU NAVI 10 - 256bit 8GB @ 12Gbps (10% faster compared to GTX 1660Ti)

Possible launch date?

 

[FYFI13]

I find it hilarious that card got "Great Value" award while nobody knows how much it will cost

 

[Ergastolano]

I find it hilarious that card got "Great Value" award while nobody knows how much it will cost

<<Assuming pricing will end up at $150 or below, I'm giving this card "Recommended" and "Great Value>>

 

[FYFI13]

<<Assuming pricing will end up at $150 or below, I'm giving this card "Recommended" and "Great Value>>

Assuming. That's exactly my point.

 

[xrror]

Navi keeps being the gift that keeps giving... to nVidia

Are the drivers sorted out yet for Navi? If AMD had dead solid drivers they could still definitely be a strong contender if they price right.

The big problem for me though is past the initial release drivers for Navi - which where I would expect some driver weirdness as it's new GPU arch for AMD - are current drivers good yet as far as not crashing or other "my computer hard locks when I use Chrome" sidenotes?

See, nVidia can feed the FUD on and make the argument for $20 more their video card will *also "Just Work" which is incredibly damaging if a buyer is on the fence, or especially if I do a recommendation for a video card to someone asking me.

Back in the day, I could say "yea the Radeon actually gives you a lot more speed for your dollar but you might have a few driver hiccups - but they'll iron that out and you'll have a faster card in the end" as a worst case argument. But past the crypo-boom darkage I can't even really use that as an incentive now - it has become "just spend the extra $20 to avoid the driver headache, PLUS the nVidia card actually might be a bit faster out of the gate."

Which... personally sucks for me, because I'm not a real fan of nVidia's current pricing\perf of "spend $100 more this generation, to match last gen's 1080ti perf."

 

[sutyi]

Possible launch date?

No clue mah dude, this is purely my speculation. If AMD want to cash in on these hypothetical SKUs they should drop them before Black Friday or before the Holidays.

Polaris stocks seem to be dwindling here in Hungary, so sooner or later they'll need to bring something to the market in place of those...