Sapphire RX 5500 XT Pulse 4GB Review

This year has seen a lot of graphics card launches, but sadly for consumers, it's only been from one side of the market; NVIDIA. While this is great for team green, eager consumers and myself have been waiting for some more competition in the market and that has to come of course, from AMD. While they have shown their hand with the RX 5700 and 5700 XT, it's not exactly setting the world alight for variety. Sure, you have the choice of going with ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and many more, but apart from the clock speeds and cooling, they are all pretty much the same. What if you want something beefier? What if you don't need that extra level of performance? There's a severe lack of choice for consumers from the red team, as not every gamer is the same. That brings us to the current day and finally we're starting to get somewhere with the launch of the RX 5500 XT, but before we even delve into what's going on, we have to look at the background just a little bit. I know how a consumer thinks on a variety of levels. First and foremost, I am a consumer myself, but for a lot of my adult life, I worked in retail so I'd like to think that I have a slight edge when it comes to their mindset and it all comes down to desire. We all want a Ferrari but we all settle for a Volkswagen Golf, much like in the GPU world, we all want an RTX 2080Ti but we'll happily settle for an RTX 2060 or RX 5700/5700XT, but what do we really need? The Steam Hardware & Software Survey pretty much tells us everything we need to know. The most common resolution by a HUGE scale is 1920x1080. Not 4K, not fast-paced 1440p; but 1080p in all its glory. So why not create a card that will compete at 1080p? Enter the RX 5500 XT! Sapphire RX 5500 XT 4GB The Sapphire RX 5500 XT is here to compete, but what with? Well to put it into perspective, NVIDIA have recently launched the GTX 1650 SUPER series of cards and for 1080p gaming, they offer fantastic performance for a fantastic pricepoint but can the RX 5500 XT do better? Features Navi 14 GPU7nm Technology1408 Shader Units32 ROPsRDNA Architecture1607MHz Base Clock & 1845 MHz Boost Clock4 GB GDDR61750MHz Memory Clock 128-bit bus A Closer Look The Sapphire RX 5500 XT Pulse carries on the design we've come to expect from a Pulse card, but has had a few welcomed tweaks in the design department. The 5700 & 5700 XT cards both featured bright red lines across the front, which in all honesty, made it look a bit cheap. This time around, we find a simple black shroud encompassing the large twin dual ball bearing fans which make up the dual-x cooler. The outer frame of the cooler is pure plastic but it does feel pretty solid and the card as a whole has quite a lot of weight to it. Beneath the fans sits a large aluminium heatsink that spans the length of the card with a triple heatpipe cooling solution. Branding wise, it's pretty understated with a simple "Sapphire Pulse" logo in the middle of each of the fans. The fans include 9 black blades with a matte surface and glossy edges to add a little bit of style. Around the back of the card, we find a large backplate which covers the whole of the PCB minus a few cut outs for connectors, the rear of the GPU core and some stylish air vents. There again, is some slight red accents on the wording which may hinder the theme of your PC but it's nothing overstated. The card uses a single 8-pin power connector and can draw enough power up to 225 watts. The card also features a small BIOS switch where in the distant past we would have expected a CrossFire connector to be. On the rear IO of the card, we can see that the card takes up two slots in your system and features a lot of cut-outs for ventilation. Along with this, there are three DisplayPort 1.4a ports and a single HDMI 2.0b port. Clock wise, it's a difficult one to explain as AMD have scale-able clock speeds. They brand the RX 5500 XT as having a "Game Clock" of up to 1717MHz and a "Boost Clock" of up to 1845MHz while the memory sits at 1750MHz. How We Test We continue to update our testing methods around once per year. As such, we re-test older hardware to reflect changes over time. These can be driver updates, Windows updates, game patches, and more; all of which have an impact on performance figures. Furthermore, we update our test bench to newer and more relevant hardware. This means that our new reviews aren’t always comparable to those of older reviews, so please compare the testing methodology on older reviews should you be trying to compare them with newer ones. Replicate Our Results When it comes to our benchmarks in our reviews, the benchmarks are pretty self-explanatory and kept as simple as possible, although there are a few exceptions. Remember that your choice of a graphics card, CPU, the silicon lottery, and other factors can yield different numbers, and there’s always a margin for error when using any software. Links are provided below, as well as the settings we use. We encourage you to not just look at how one product compares to any other, but how it compares to your own. If you’re looking to build a new system, you should benchmark your current PC using the benchmarks available to you. You should then look at the percentage improvement from your current hardware to the hardware tested here to give you a ballpark figure of how much of an upgrade this will provide you with. Graphics Card Test System Motherboard – Aorus Z390 Gaming MasterProcessor – Intel Core i9-9900K (Stock)RAM – Crucial Ballistix Gaming 32GB (4 x 8GB) 3000 MHzCPU Cooler – Noctua NH-D15SPower Supply – Be Quiet Power Zone 1000WMain Storage Drive – Toshiba OCZ VX500 500GBChassis – Thermaltake Core P5 TGOperating System – Windows 10 64-bitMonitor – AOC 28-Inch 4K Gaming Monitor Additional Hardware Killawatt style electricity usage meter wall plugPrecision Gold N05CC Decibel meter Gaming To gauge performance levels which are easily reproduced time after time, by both ourselves and our readers, we now stick strictly to games default profiles. We now use the “High” profiles for all games or their respective equivalent at all resolutions. V-Sync is always disabled in our testing, as are FreeSync and G-Sync technologies or similar. Graphics card power usage is set to optimised or balance, and the system power mode set to High Performance within Windows and the available GPU driver software. Identical settings are used for all resolutions unless otherwise stated. Games and Settings Used Shadow of the Tomb Raider DX12 High Preset1080p1440p2160pDeus Ex: Mankind Divided DX12 High Preset1080p1440p2160pGhost Recon: Wildlands High Preset1080p1440p2160pBattlefield V DX12 High Preset1080p1440p2160pBattlefield V DX12 High Preset (DXR Enabled) NVIDIA RTX Cards ONLY1080p1440p2160pMetro Exodus DX12 High Preset1080p1440p2160pMetro Exodus DX12 High Preset (RT, then RT and DLSS Enabled) NVIDIA RTX Cards ONLY1080p1440p2160pFar Cry New Dawn High Preset1080p1440p2160p The Division 2 High Preset1080p1440p2160pGhost Recon: Breakpoint1080p1440p2160pBorderlands 3 High Preset1080p1440p2160p Software Used 3DMark Fire Strike (download)FireStrike Ultra BenchmarkUnigine Superposition (download)4K Optimised BenchmarkHWMonitor (download)GPU-Z (download)MSI Afterburner (download) Noise Everyone has a reasonable noise level preference when it comes to components on a computer. Some can handle all fans at 100% load to keep temperatures down; some want an entirely silent computer. To accurately gauge the noise output of a graphics card, we position a Precision Gold N05CC one meter above our open-air test bench and take an average reading at idle and load. Power Consumption We take power readings during the idle state with no background applications running. Then again at 50% completion of the Unigine Superposition benchmark, using the average as the final published result. Temperatures We take temperature readings after 10 minutes of desktop idle with no background programs running, then take the recorded maximum delivered from Unigine Superposition after a 4K optimised run, confirming the numbers are accurate with HWMonitor. Furthermore, the ambient temperature is always kept +/- 1c from 21c. Synthetic Benchmarks MSI has certainly helped put the SUPER into this card, as it boosts to 2279 points in FireStrike Ultra. That's a big step up from the 1836 points from the non-SUPER variant of the card; it's also around 2.5x the performance of the older GTX 1050 G1 Gaming. TimeSpy and Unigine faired rather well too, as the MSI card beat out the RX 580 by a small margin, and was close to the performance of the Radeon Vega 56. However, the Vega 56 pulled ahead further in Unigine as the faster memory deals with 4K much better. Of course, the GTX 1650 SUPER is not a 4K gaming card, so let's dive into the gaming performance figures next and see some real-world performance. 3DMark FireStrike Ultra - 35383DMark TimeSpy - 5244Unigine Superposition 4K Optimised - 3787 3DMark FireStrike Ultra 3DMark TimeSpy Unigine Superposition Experience Lara Croft’s defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara must master a deadly jungle, overcome terrifying tombs, and persevere through her darkest hour. As she races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, Lara will ultimately be forged into the Tomb Raider she is destined to be. Available now on Steam. Shadow of the Tomb Raider Performance 1080p Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 701440p Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 462160p Shadow of the Tomb Raider - 22 Now an experienced covert operative, Adam Jensen is forced to operate in a world that has grown to despise his kind. Armed with a new arsenal of state-of-the-art weapons and augmentations, he must choose the right approach, along with who to trust, in order to unravel a vast worldwide conspiracy. Available now on Steam. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Performance 1080p Deus Ex Mankind Divided - 75.31440p Deus Ex Mankind Divided - 48.92160p Deus Ex Mankind Divided - 24.4 The Ghosts, an elite US Special Forces team, are sent behind enemy lines to wreak havoc, destabilize, and eventually break the alliance between the cartel and the corrupted government. Facing an almighty enemy in a massive and hostile environment, the Ghosts will need to make critical moral choices and engage in tough battles to complete their mission – their grittiest and most dangerous operation to date. Available now on UPlay. Ghost Recon: Wildlands Performance 1080p Ghost Recon Wildlands - 74.41440p Ghost Recon Wildlands - 542160p Ghost Recon Wildlands - 27.64 Enter mankind’s greatest conflict with Battlefield™ V in the most intense, immersive, and innovative Battlefield yet. Lead your squad to victory in all-new multiplayer experiences like the multi-map Grand Operations. Fight for survival in Firestorm – battle royale, reimagined for Battlefield. Witness a never-before-seen portrayal of WW2 in the single-player War Stories campaign. Assemble your Company of customized soldiers, weapons, and vehicles – then take them on an expanding journey where every chapter brings a new battlefield. You will never be the same. Available now on Origin. Battlefield V Performance 1080p Battlefield V - 691440p Battlefield V - 462160p Battlefield V - 23 Metro Exodus is an epic, story-driven first-person shooter from 4A Games that blends deadly combat and stealth with exploration and survival horror in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created. Flee the shattered ruins of dead Moscow and embark on an epic, continent-spanning journey across post-apocalyptic Russia in the greatest Metro adventure yet. Explore the Russian wilderness in vast, non-linear levels and follow a thrilling story-line inspired by the novels of Dmitry Glukhovsky that spans an entire year through spring, summer and autumn to the depths of nuclear winter. Available now on Epic Game Store. Metro Exodus Performance 1080p Metro Exodus - 44.681440p Metro Exodus - 35.212160p Metro Exodus - 22.19 Seventeen years after a global nuclear catastrophe, civilization re-emerges from the chaos to find a world dramatically changed. In Hope County, Montana, the remaining populace has gathered into different groups, each with their own rules for survival. In this new world order, the vicious Highwaymen, led by twin sisters Mickey and Lou, travel from place to place bleeding people dry of all available resources. As the Survivors try to defend their lands against the Highwaymen's relentless onslaught, it's up to you to come to their aid and lead the fight. In the latest instalment of the award-winning Far Cry franchise, you are the last line of defence in a transformed, post-apocalyptic Hope County. Help the community of Survivors grow stronger, craft a makeshift arsenal through Turf Wars and cross-country Expeditions, and form unexpected alliances to fight for survival in a dangerous new frontier. Available now on UPlay. Far Cry New Dawn Performance 1080p Far Cry New Dawn - 881440p Far Cry New Dawn - 622160p Far Cry New Dawn - 30 Seven months have passed since a deadly virus hit New York City and the rest of the world, crippling the population. When the virus hit, The Division, a unit of civilian sleeper agents, was activated as the last line of defence. Since then, Division agents have been fighting relentlessly to save what remains. For The Division, the stakes are higher than ever. Washington, D.C. – the most heavily protected city on earth – is at risk, leaving the entire nation on the brink of collapse. If Washington, D.C., is lost, then the nation falls. As a Division agent who has been in the field for seven months, you and your team are the last hope to stop the fall of society after the pandemic collapse. Available now on UPlay. The Division 2 Performance 1080p The Division 2 - 851440p The Division 2 - 552160p The Division 2 - 21 The original shooter-looter returns, packing bazillions of guns and a mayhem-fueled adventure! Blast through new worlds and enemies as one of four new Vault Hunters. Play solo or with friends to take on insane enemies, score loads of loot and save your home from the most ruthless cult leaders in the galaxy. At the hard edge of the galaxy lies a group of planets ruthlessly exploited by militarized corporations. Brimming with loot and violence, this is your home—the Borderlands. Now, a crazed cult known as The Children of the Vault has emerged and is spreading like an interstellar plague. Play solo or co-op as one of four unique Vault Hunters, score loads of loot and save the galaxy from this fanatical threat. Available now on Epic Games Store. Borderlands 3 Performance 1080p Borderlands 3 - 53.861440p Borderlands 3 - 37.142160p Borderlands 3 - 18.1 Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint puts you in the boots of the Ghosts, an Elite US Special Operations Unit stranded behind enemy lines. This time there is no briefing. All contact has been lost with Auroa. This archipelago is home to Skell Technology, a high-tech company. You are sent there with your unit for a recon mission, but your helicopters are shot down: Skell Tech has fallen into the wrong hands. The Wolves, a lethal ex-US military unit gone rogue, have taken over the island. Led by your ex-brother-in-arms, Colonel Cole D. Walker, they have reprogrammed Skell’s drones into killing machines and are ready to use them, no matter the casualties. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint is a military shooter set in a diverse, hostile, and mysterious open world that you can play entirely solo or in four-player co-op. Injured, without support, and hunted down by ex-Ghosts, you must fight to survive while lost in Auroa. Choose the right alliances and decide how to take down your toughest enemy. Available now on UPLAY. Ghost Recon: Breakpoint 1080p Breakpoint - 511440p Breakpoint - 322160p Breakpoint - 15 Power Consumption Temperatures Acoustics Overclocking went reasonably well with this card. Keep in mind this isn't a high-end overclocking GPU, so we didn't expect much in this regard anyway. The memory seemed to hit a limiter quite quick, but we got that to 1860 MHz. The GPU Boost went a little better though, pushing from the stock 1845 MHz to a more impressive 2040 MHz. Strangely Ghost Recon performed worse, but overall, the GPU is running faster in 3DMark. Stock Overclocked FireStrike Ultra Ghost Recon Wildlands How Much Does It Cost? In the modern world, you would think we would know the price of this product before it launched today. At least, you think someone would know, but they amazingly it's still not 100% confirmed. However, it seems the 4GB model will be $169.99 + Tax and shipping in the US and £159.99 in the UK. Furthermore, the 8GB model will be $199.99 + tax and shipping, or £179.99 in the UK. How that will change in the coming weeks as they get into a price battle with Nvidia remains to be seen. I'll update the pricing as soon as we have more information and links to retailers. Overview Let's get the easy stuff out of the way first, as I've always been a fan of Sapphire and often regard them as the best AMD cards money can buy. They often come with a little bit of a price premium for that, but for the sake of a great cooler, it's often worth it. This was made clear when the Pulse turned out to be the quietest graphics card I've ever tasted, and that's certainly impressive. The fans are enormous, so big that they barely fit within the cards shroud. That means big airflow at low RPM, and great cooling performance overall. It's also a fairly attractive card too, just a clean black shroud design and no RGB messing about. It still looks like the high-end Sapphire cards, but a bit more back to basics, which is fair enough for a budget card. Gaming Performance The performance was honestly pretty great here, at least for this price range. In Tomb Raider, it hit an easy 70 FPS putting it just ahead of the RX580 and further ahead of the GTX 1650 Super. For 1080p gaming, it's going to make easy work of any modern game using high settings, and even ultra settings in a few if you desire. For 1440p gamers, it did give playable framerates at high settings, but dropping to medium would be more ideal. It's easily competitive with the current budget GTX 16xx cards of a similar price though. Sure, AMD comes out on top in some games, Nvidia in others, but that's pretty much to be expected. For 4K gaming, it's a no go, but I mean, this is a budget card so let's be realistic. However, you do get other benefits now thanks to the latest AMD Adrenalin 2020 Software. Check that out here. Should I Buy One? It all comes down to price, and the margins are already pretty slim here. Nvidia has some competitive cards at this price range and now, so does AMD. There's certainly nothing wrong with the Sapphire Pulse, but £10, either way, can be a game-changer. For 1080p gaming, it's perfect for the job, and being the quietest GPU we've ever tested is certainly worthy of merit too. Sapphire RX 5500 XT 4GB Review