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AMD Instinct MI210 vs AMD Radeon R9 285: Comparison
Instinct MI210 vs Radeon R9 285: the memory bandwidth difference
The gap that matters here is memory bandwidth: Instinct MI210 1600 GB/s against Radeon R9 285 176 GB/s, which puts Instinct MI210 89% ahead. Radeon R9 285 also leads on tdp, 300 W on the Instinct MI210 versus 190 W on the Radeon R9 285. Instinct MI210 also leads on memory bus width, 4096 bit on the Instinct MI210 versus 256 bit on the Radeon R9 285. Add card length to that, 267 mm on the Instinct MI210 versus 221 mm on the Radeon R9 285, and the pattern holds.
Who each one is for
The Instinct MI210 is the one to take for 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). The same goes for HPC and AI deployments in standard PCIe-slot servers without OAM sled support. The Radeon R9 285 suits buyers comparing AMD's official reference specifications and researching a chip before choosing a board-partner card, though it is not the pick for overclocking-focused enthusiasts (reference clocks only). It is not the one 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 R9 285 differ on board partner?
Yes. Board Partner reads AMD Reference on the Instinct MI210 versus AMD on the Radeon R9 285.
Is the GPU Brand the same on the Instinct MI210 and Radeon R9 285?
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 R9 285
- AMD
Series
- AMD Instinct MI210
- Instinct MI200
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- Legacy
Board Partner
- AMD Instinct MI210
- AMD Reference (PCIe dual-slot card, data center/OEM only)
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- AMD (Reference)
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI210
- HBM2E
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- GDDR5Best
Ray Tracing Support
- AMD Instinct MI210
- No
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- No
TDP
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 300 W-58%
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- 190 WBest
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI210
- CDNA 2 (single Graphics Compute Die)
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- GCN
Process Node
- AMD Instinct MI210
- TSMC 6nm
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- Other
Card Length
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 267 mm-21%
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- 221 mmBest
Slot Width
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 2
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- 2
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 4096 bitBest
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- 256 bit-94%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 1600 GB/sBest
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- 176 GB/s-89%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI210
- PCIe 4.0 x16
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- PCIe 3.0
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 2022-03
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- September 2014
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI210 if you want the lower slot width (2 vs 2), the higher memory bus width (4096 bit vs 256 bit) and the higher memory bandwidth (1600 GB/s vs 176 GB/s).
Choose AMD Radeon R9 285 if you want the lower TDP (190 W vs 300 W) and the lower card length (221 mm vs 267 mm).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Instinct MI210 | AMD Radeon R9 285 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $249.00 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 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.