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AMD Instinct MI210 vs AMD FirePro W5170M: Comparison
Instinct MI210 vs FirePro W5170M: the vram difference
Start with vram, because it is the widest measured gap between them: Instinct MI210 64 GB against FirePro W5170M 2 GB, 97% in favour of Instinct MI210. Instinct MI210 also leads on memory bandwidth, 1600 GB/s on the Instinct MI210 versus 72 GB/s on the FirePro W5170M. Instinct MI210 also leads on boost clock, 1700 MHz on the Instinct MI210 versus 925 MHz on the FirePro W5170M. Memory bus width runs the same way, 4096 bit on the Instinct MI210 versus 128 bit on the FirePro W5170M, another win for Instinct MI210.
Instinct MI210 vs FirePro W5170M: which one fits your build
The Instinct MI210 suits 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 also earns its place with HPC and AI deployments in standard PCIe-slot servers without OAM sled support. The FirePro W5170M 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 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 FirePro W5170M differ on board partner?
Yes. Board Partner reads AMD Reference on the Instinct MI210 versus AMD on the FirePro W5170M.
Is the GPU Brand the same on the Instinct MI210 and FirePro W5170M?
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 FirePro W5170M
- AMD
Series
- AMD Instinct MI210
- Instinct MI200
- AMD FirePro W5170M
- Legacy
Board Partner
- AMD Instinct MI210
- AMD Reference (PCIe dual-slot card, data center/OEM only)
- AMD FirePro W5170M
- AMD (Reference)
VRAM
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 64 GBBest
- AMD FirePro W5170M
- 2 GB-97%
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI210
- HBM2E
- AMD FirePro W5170M
- GDDR5Best
Boost Clock
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 1700 MHzBest
- AMD FirePro W5170M
- 925 MHz-46%
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI210
- CDNA 2 (single Graphics Compute Die)
- AMD FirePro W5170M
- Graphics Core Next (GCN)
Process Node
- AMD Instinct MI210
- TSMC 6nm
- AMD FirePro W5170M
- Other
Compute Blocks
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 104
- AMD FirePro W5170M
- 10
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 4096 bitBest
- AMD FirePro W5170M
- 128 bit-97%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 1600 GB/sBest
- AMD FirePro W5170M
- 72 GB/s-95%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI210
- PCIe 4.0 x16
- AMD FirePro W5170M
- PCIe 3.0 x16
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 2022-03
- AMD FirePro W5170M
- 08/25/2014
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI210 if you want the higher VRAM (64 GB vs 2 GB), the higher boost clock (1700 MHz vs 925 MHz) and the higher memory bus width (4096 bit vs 128 bit).
Choose AMD FirePro W5170M 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.