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AMD Instinct MI100 vs AMD Radeon RX Vega 64: Comparison
Instinct MI100 vs Radeon RX Vega 64 memory bandwidth compared
The gap that matters here is memory bandwidth: Instinct MI100 1200 GB/s against Radeon RX Vega 64 484 GB/s, which puts Instinct MI100 60% ahead. Memory bus width runs the same way, 4096 bit on the Instinct MI100 versus 2048 bit on the Radeon RX Vega 64, another win for Instinct MI100. They differ on pcie generation too, PCIe 4.0 on the Instinct MI100 versus PCIe 3.0 x16 on the Radeon RX Vega 64.
Instinct MI100 vs Radeon RX Vega 64: which one fits your build
The Instinct MI100 is the one to take for buyers comparing AMD's official reference specifications and researching a chip before choosing a board-partner card, though it is not built for overclocking-focused enthusiasts (reference clocks only). It is not the one for buyers wanting a specific retail card with cooler and warranty details. The Radeon RX Vega 64 suits secondhand budget builds where power cost isn't a big concern and retro AMD builds from the Vega era, though it is not the pick for anyone wanting ray tracing. It is the wrong buy for power-conscious builds - 295W for 1080-class performance is inefficient by any modern standard. Our rating of the Radeon RX Vega 64 (4.7/10): ambitious but inefficient even at launch - a legacy budget card today, mostly notable now for its HBM2 memory and mining-era history.
Where the two are identical
Everything else lines up. Card length, gpu brand, memory type and slot width read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Instinct MI100 and Radeon RX Vega 64 differ on boost clock?
Yes. Boost Clock reads 1502 MHz on the Instinct MI100 versus 1546 MHz on the Radeon RX Vega 64.
Specs and benchmarks
GPU Brand
- AMD Instinct MI100
- AMD
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- AMD
Series
- AMD Instinct MI100
- Instinct
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- Radeon RX Vega
Board Partner
- AMD Instinct MI100
- Reference
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- AMD Reference
Tier
- AMD Instinct MI100
- Datacenter
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- Flagship (2017, legacy)
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI100
- HBM2
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- HBM2
Boost Clock
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 1502 MHz-3%
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 1546 MHzBest
TDP
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 300 W-2%
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 295 WBest
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI100
- CDNA
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- Vega (GCN 5)
Card Length
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 267 mm
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 267 mm
Slot Width
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 2
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 2
Shader Units
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 7680
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 4096
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 4096 bitBest
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 2048 bit-50%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 1200 GB/sBest
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 484 GB/s-60%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI100
- PCIe 4.0
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- PCIe 3.0 x16
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 11/16/2020
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 2017-08
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI100 if you want the lower card length (267 mm vs 267 mm), the lower slot width (2 vs 2) and the higher memory bus width (4096 bit vs 2048 bit).
Choose AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 if you want the higher boost clock (1546 MHz vs 1502 MHz) and the lower TDP (295 W vs 300 W).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Instinct MI100 | AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $499.00 View on Consumercarts listing |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
4.7 / 10 Expert Rating
Ambitious but inefficient even at launch - a legacy budget card today, mostly notable now for its HBM2 memory and mining-era history.