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AMD Instinct MI210 vs AMD Radeon R7 M270: Comparison
What is the difference between Instinct MI210 and Radeon R7 M270?
Start with memory bandwidth, because it is the widest measured gap between them: Instinct MI210 1600 GB/s against Radeon R7 M270 28.8 GB/s, 98% in favour of Instinct MI210. Boost clock runs the same way, 1700 MHz on the Instinct MI210 versus 725 MHz on the Radeon R7 M270, another win for Instinct MI210. They differ on architecture too, CDNA 2 on the Instinct MI210 versus GCN on the Radeon R7 M270. Pcie generation is not the same on both, PCIe 4.0 x16 on the Instinct MI210 versus PCIe 3.0 on the Radeon R7 M270.
Who each one is for
The Instinct MI210 suits double-precision workloads that don't need MI250X-level throughput, though it is not built for any desktop or workstation build - compute-only, no display output and maximum-throughput HPC nodes (use MI250X instead). It is equally the pick for HPC and AI deployments in standard PCIe-slot servers without OAM sled support. The Radeon R7 M270 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 the wrong buy for overclocking-focused enthusiasts (reference clocks only). It is the wrong buy for buyers wanting a specific retail card with cooler and warranty details. Our rating of the Instinct MI210 (7.3/10): A practical, PCIe-slot-friendly way to get CDNA 2 compute into a standard server, useful for smaller HPC and AI deployments, but clearly the entry point of its generation next to the dual-die MI250X and now well behind the MI300 series.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Instinct MI210 and Radeon R7 M270 differ on board partner?
Yes. Board Partner reads AMD Reference on the Instinct MI210 versus AMD on the Radeon R7 M270.
Is the GPU Brand the same on the Instinct MI210 and Radeon R7 M270?
It is. Both are listed at AMD, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
GPU Brand
- AMD Instinct MI210
- AMD
- AMD Radeon R7 M270
- AMD
Series
- AMD Instinct MI210
- Instinct MI200
- AMD Radeon R7 M270
- Legacy
Board Partner
- AMD Instinct MI210
- AMD Reference (PCIe dual-slot card, data center/OEM only)
- AMD Radeon R7 M270
- AMD (Reference)
Tier
- AMD Instinct MI210
- Datacenter / AI Accelerator
- AMD Radeon R7 M270
- Entry
Boost Clock
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 1700 MHzBest
- AMD Radeon R7 M270
- 725 MHz-57%
Ray Tracing Support
- AMD Instinct MI210
- No
- AMD Radeon R7 M270
- No
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI210
- CDNA 2 (single Graphics Compute Die)
- AMD Radeon R7 M270
- GCN
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 1600 GB/sBest
- AMD Radeon R7 M270
- 28.8 GB/s-98%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI210
- PCIe 4.0 x16
- AMD Radeon R7 M270
- PCIe 3.0
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI210 if you want the higher boost clock (1700 MHz vs 725 MHz) and the higher memory bandwidth (1600 GB/s vs 28.8 GB/s).
Choose AMD Radeon R7 M270 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Verdict
AMD Instinct MI210
7.3 / 10 Expert Rating
A practical, PCIe-slot-friendly way to get CDNA 2 compute into a standard server, useful for smaller HPC and AI deployments, but clearly the entry point of its generation next to the dual-die MI250X and now well behind the MI300 series.