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AMD Instinct MI210 vs AMD Radeon RX Vega 64: Comparison
What is the difference between Instinct MI210 and Radeon RX Vega 64?
The gap that matters here is vram: Instinct MI210 64 GB against Radeon RX Vega 64 8 GB, which puts Instinct MI210 88% ahead. Memory bandwidth runs the same way, 1600 GB/s on the Instinct MI210 versus 484 GB/s on the Radeon RX Vega 64, another win for Instinct MI210. Instinct MI210 also leads on memory bus width, 4096 bit on the Instinct MI210 versus 2048 bit on the Radeon RX Vega 64.
Which should you buy, Instinct MI210 or Radeon RX Vega 64?
The Instinct MI210 is the one to take for double-precision workloads that don't need MI250X-level throughput, though it is not the pick 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 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 the wrong buy for anyone wanting ray tracing. It is not the one for power-conscious builds - 295W for 1080-class performance is inefficient by any modern standard. 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 RX Vega 64 differ on boost clock?
Yes. Boost Clock reads 1700 MHz on the Instinct MI210 versus 1546 MHz on the Radeon RX Vega 64.
Is the Card Length the same on the Instinct MI210 and Radeon RX Vega 64?
It is. Both are listed at 267 mm, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
GPU Brand
- AMD Instinct MI210
- AMD
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- AMD
Series
- AMD Instinct MI210
- Instinct MI200
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- Radeon RX Vega
Board Partner
- AMD Instinct MI210
- AMD Reference (PCIe dual-slot card, data center/OEM only)
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- AMD Reference
VRAM
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 64 GBBest
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 8 GB-87%
Tier
- AMD Instinct MI210
- Datacenter / AI Accelerator
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- Flagship (2017, legacy)
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI210
- HBM2E
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- HBM2
Boost Clock
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 1700 MHzBest
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 1546 MHz-9%
Ray Tracing Support
- AMD Instinct MI210
- No
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- No
TDP
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 300 W-2%
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 295 WBest
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI210
- CDNA 2 (single Graphics Compute Die)
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- Vega (GCN 5)
Card Length
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 267 mm
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 267 mm
Slot Width
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 2
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 2
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 4096 bitBest
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 2048 bit-50%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 1600 GB/sBest
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 484 GB/s-70%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI210
- PCIe 4.0 x16
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- PCIe 3.0 x16
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 2022-03
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 2017-08
Display Outputs
- AMD Instinct MI210
- N/A - compute-only, no display output
- AMD Radeon RX Vega 64
- 3x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.0
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI210 if you want the higher VRAM (64 GB vs 8 GB), the higher boost clock (1700 MHz vs 1546 MHz) and the lower card length (267 mm vs 267 mm).
Choose AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 if you want the lower TDP (295 W vs 300 W).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Instinct MI210 | 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 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.
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.