Custom PC - UK (2020-04)

ASUS ROG STRIX RADEON

RX 5500 XT 8GB /£229 inc VAT

SUPPLIER ebuyer.com

T

he Radeon RX 5500 XT is built on

AMD’s latest RDNA architecture,

which not only brings improved

performance but also vastly improved power

efficiency over the company’s previous GCN

architecture. As such, despite delivering

performance that’s in the same ballpark as

the Radeon RX 590, the 5500 XT has a

substantially lower TDP.

This improvement comes both from

the architecture itself but also the move

from a 12nm manufacturing process to a

7nm process. In our tests, our system drew

135W less power under load with this card,

compared with the RX 590. It’s based on

AMD’s Navi 14 GPU, and houses 1,408 stream

processors and 32 ROPs.

Our Asus test sample also runs at similar

clock speeds to those competitors around it,

with a base clock of 1737MHz and boost clock

of 1845MHz. GDDR6 memory is also in use,

with 8GB of it running at a hefty 14GHz effective

speed. The card even uses the new PCI-E 4

interface. However, the RX 5500 XT just a 128-

bit memory interface, which is considerably

narrower than several cards in its class. That

said, the use of GDDR6 memory means it still

boasts a 224GB/sec memory bandwidth,

which at least outpaces the GTX 1660.

All of the above would suggest that the

price of this card would sit someone between

the GTX 1660 and GTX 1660 Super, but that’s

not the case with this particular Asus card.

This Asus ROG Strix variant is up to £31 pricier

than some other 8GB versions of this card,

plus there are 4GB versions that start at just

£160, which is much closer to the pricing

we’d expect for a card of this calibre. As such,

while this card may not leap out as great

value for money, other versions fare better.

You do get some RGB lighting on the edge

for your money, as well as a reasonably

VERDICT

Decent performance, but the wrong price,

and this Asus ROG Strix design is overkill

for the spec.

PERFORMANCE

36 / 50

RAY TRACING

0 / 10

OVERALL SCORE

65 %%

EFFICIENCY

8 / 10

VALUE

21 / 30

SPEC

Graphics processor AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT,

1737MHz base clock, 1845MHz boost clock

Pipeline 1,408 stream processors, 32 ROPs

Interface PCI-E 4

Memory 8GB GDDR6, 1750MHz

(14GHz effective)

Memory interface 128-bit

Bandwidth 224GB/sec

Outputs/inputs 3 x DisplayPort 1.4, 1 x HDMI 2b

Power connections 1 x 8-pin

PEGASUS

+^ Solid 1080p^

performance

+^ Improved power^

efficiency

+^ 8GB of memory

PONY

-^ Lacks ray-tracing^
support
-^ Too expensive
-^ Premium cooler
is overkill

smart design. There are two good-quality

fans and a switch that lets you swap between

quiet and performance modes, with the latter

enabling a 1865MHz clock speed boost (we

tested at this setting). The fans ramp up and

down noticeably in performance mode but

the quiet mode is true to its name. It’s a good

premium design overall, but it does feel like

overkill for a relatively low-budget GPU.

As expected from its spec sheet, the

performance of this card puts it in direct

competition with the GTX 1660, with the two

cards trading blows throughout our testing.

As such, as we’ve already recommended the

GTX 1660 Super over the GTX 1660, and with

AMD cards lacking ray tracing, the RX 5500 XT

(and particularly this pricier Asus model) isn’t

the obvious choice at this price range. Even if

the 4GB cards perform similarly, you’d still be

better off buying AMD’s Radeon RX 590 and

getting twice as much memory.

Conclusion

The AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT is a decent

GPU overall, and a huge improvement

over previous power-hungry AMD budget

GPU designs. However, this Asus version

is just too expensive for the performance it

delivers. With a drop in price, AMD’s Radeon

RX 5500 XT would be worth considering,

but at this price, we recommend opting for

the GTX 1660 Super instead.

ASUS ROG STRIX RADEON

RX5500 XT 8GB /£229 inc VAT

SUPPLIER ebuyer.com

T

heRadeonRX 5500 XTis builton
AMD’slatestRDNAarchitecture,
whichnotonlybringsimproved
performancebutalsovastlyimprovedpower
efficiencyoverthecompany’spreviousGCN
architecture.Assuch,despitedelivering
performancethat’sinthesameballparkas
theRadeon RX 590, the 5500XThasa
substantially lower TDP.
This improvement comesbothfrom
the architecture itself butalsothemove

froma 12nmmanufacturingprocesstoa

7nmprocess.Inourtests,oursystemdrew

135Wlesspowerunderloadwiththiscard,

comparedwiththeRX590.It’sbasedon

AMD’sNavi 14 GPU,andhouses1,408stream

processorsand 32 ROPs.

OurAsustestsamplealsorunsatsimilar

clockspeedstothosecompetitorsaroundit,

witha baseclockof1737MHzandboostclock

of1845MHz.GDDR6memoryis alsoinuse,

with8GBofit runningata hefty14GHzeffective

speed.ThecardevenusesthenewPCI-E 4

interface.However,theRX 5500 XTjusta 128-

bitmemoryinterface,whichis considerably

narrowerthanseveralcardsinitsclass.That

said,theuseofGDDR6memorymeansit still

boastsa 224GB/secmemorybandwidth,

whichatleastoutpacestheGTX1660.

Alloftheabovewouldsuggestthatthe

priceofthiscardwouldsitsomeonebetween

theGTX 1660 andGTX 1660 Super,butthat’s

notthecasewiththisparticularAsuscard.

ThisAsusROGStrixvariantisupto£31pricier

thansomeother8GBversionsofthiscard,

plusthereare4GBversionsthatstartatjust

£160,whichismuchclosertothepricing

we’dexpectfora cardofthiscalibre.Assuch,

whilethiscardmaynotleapoutasgreat

valueformoney,otherversionsfarebetter.

YoudogetsomeRGBlightingontheedge

foryourmoney,aswellasa reasonably

VERDICT

Decent performance, but the wrong price,

and this Asus ROG Strix design is overkill

for the spec.

PERFORMANCE

36 / 50

RAY TRACING

0 / 10

OVERALLSCORE

65 %%

EFFICIENCY

8 / 10

VALUE

21 / 30

SPEC

Graphics processor AMD RadeonRX 5500 XT,

1737MHz base clock, 1845MHzboostclock

Pipeline 1,408 stream processors, 32 ROPs

Interface PCI-E 4

Memory 8GB GDDR6, 1750MHz

(14GHz effective)

Memory interface 128-bit

Bandwidth 224GB/sec

Outputs/inputs 3 x DisplayPort1.4,1 x HDMI2b

Powerconnections1 x 8-pin

PEGASUS

• 
  

  Solid1080p
  performance

  
  


• 
  

  Improvedpower
  efficiency

  
  


• 
  

  8GB of memory

  
  

PONY

• Lacksray-tracing
  support


• Tooexpensive


• Premium cooler
  is overkill

smart design. There are two good-quality

fans and a switch that lets you swap between

quiet and performance modes, with the latter

enabling a 1865MHz clock speed boost (we

tested at this setting). The fans ramp up and

down noticeably in performance mode but

the quiet mode is true to its name. It’s a good

premium design overall, but it does feel like

overkill for a relatively low-budget GPU.

As expected from its spec sheet, the

performance of this card puts it in direct

competition with the GTX 1660, with the two

cards trading blows throughout our testing.

As such, as we’ve already recommended the

GTX 1660 Super over the GTX 1660, and with

AMD cards lacking ray tracing, the RX 5500 XT

(and particularly this pricier Asus model) isn’t

the obvious choice at this price range. Even if

the 4GB cards perform similarly, you’d still be

better off buying AMD’s Radeon RX 590 and

getting twice as much memory.

Conclusion

The AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT is a decent

GPU overall, and a huge improvement

over previous power-hungry AMD budget

GPU designs. However, this Asus version

is just too expensive for the performance it

delivers. With a drop in price, AMD’s Radeon

RX 5500 XT would be worth considering,

but at this price, we recommend opting for

the GTX 1660 Super instead.