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AMD Instinct MI100 vs AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT: Comparison
Instinct MI100 vs Radeon RX 6950 XT memory bandwidth compared
Start with memory bandwidth, because it is the widest measured gap between them: Instinct MI100 1200 GB/s against Radeon RX 6950 XT 576 GB/s, 52% in favour of Instinct MI100. Boost clock runs the same way, 1502 MHz on the Instinct MI100 versus 2310 MHz on the Radeon RX 6950 XT, another win for Radeon RX 6950 XT. Memory bus width runs the same way, 4096 bit on the Instinct MI100 versus 256 bit on the Radeon RX 6950 XT, another win for Instinct MI100. Add tdp to that, 300 W on the Instinct MI100 versus 335 W on the Radeon RX 6950 XT, and the pattern holds. Compute blocks is not the same on both, 120 on the Instinct MI100 versus 80 on the Radeon RX 6950 XT.
Instinct MI100 vs Radeon RX 6950 XT: which one fits your build
Buy the Instinct MI100 for buyers comparing AMD's official reference specifications and researching a chip before choosing a board-partner card, though it is the wrong buy 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 6950 XT suits buyers who want AMD's highest-clocked RDNA 2 rasterization performance. Avoid it for anyone who wants a meaningfully bigger upgrade over the RX 6800 XT than a clock-speed bump provides. Our rating of the Radeon RX 6950 XT (7/10): AMD's highest-clocked RDNA 2 card, but a hard sell against the cheaper 6800 XT.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Instinct MI100 and Radeon RX 6950 XT differ on product type?
Yes. Product Type reads Datacenter Accelerator on the Instinct MI100 versus Desktop Add-In Card on the Radeon RX 6950 XT.
Is the PCIe Generation the same on the Instinct MI100 and Radeon RX 6950 XT?
It is. Both are listed at PCIe 4.0, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Product Type
- AMD Instinct MI100
- Datacenter Accelerator
- AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
- Desktop Add-In Card
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI100
- HBM2
- AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
- GDDR6Best
Boost Clock
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 1502 MHz-35%
- AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
- 2310 MHzBest
TDP
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 300 WBest
- AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
- 335 W-12%
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI100
- CDNA
- AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
- RDNA 2 (Navi 21 KXTX)
Process Node
- AMD Instinct MI100
- TSMC 7nm FinFET
- AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
- TSMC N7
Shader Units
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 7680
- AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
- 5120
Compute Blocks
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 120
- AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
- 80
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 4096 bitBest
- AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
- 256 bit-94%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 1200 GB/sBest
- AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
- 576 GB/s-52%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI100
- PCIe 4.0
- AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
- PCIe 4.0
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI100
- 11/16/2020
- AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
- May 2022
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI100 if you want the lower TDP (300 W vs 335 W), the higher memory bus width (4096 bit vs 256 bit) and the higher memory bandwidth (1200 GB/s vs 576 GB/s).
Choose AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT if you want the higher boost clock (2310 MHz vs 1502 MHz).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Instinct MI100 | AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $1,099.00 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 6950 XT
7 / 10 Expert Rating
AMD's highest-clocked RDNA 2 card, but a hard sell against the cheaper 6800 XT.