Radeon RX 5500 XT vs Radeon RX 6500 XT

Speed and memory

The Radeon RX 5500 XT and the Radeon RX 6500 XT are within a few percent of each other for gaming in our model, so you will not see a difference in play.

The Radeon RX 5500 XT has 8 GB of video memory and the Radeon RX 6500 XT has 4 GB. That difference matters at 1440p and in new games at High textures, and it can outweigh a small speed advantage as the card ages.

In our estimates for popular games at 1080p on High, the biggest gap is in ELDEN RING (52 against 37 fps), and the smallest is in Red Dead Redemption 2 (45 against 43 fps). Games that are light enough to run above 200 fps on both cards show little difference at all.

Power and value

The Radeon RX 5500 XT is rated at 130 W and the Radeon RX 6500 XT at 107 W. With a mid-range processor that means a power supply of about 450 W for the first and 450 W for the second. The power draw is close enough that cooling and noise will be similar.

At launch the Radeon RX 5500 XT cost $199 and the Radeon RX 6500 XT $199. Per dollar, the Radeon RX 5500 XT gave more performance (6.0 points per $100 against 6.0). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the Radeon RX 5500 XT if you want the faster card, and it also has at least as much memory. It makes the most sense at 1440p and above, or on a monitor with a high refresh rate.

Choose the Radeon RX 6500 XT if the price gap matters more than the small speed difference, or if you want lower power draw and a quieter PC. Whichever you pick, check reviews for the games you play, because two cards with similar scores can differ in individual titles.