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AMD Instinct MI210 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060: Comparison
AMD Instinct MI210 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060: the vram difference
Start with vram, because it is the widest measured gap between them: AMD Instinct MI210 64 GB against NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6 GB, 91% in favour of AMD Instinct MI210. Add memory bandwidth to that, 1600 GB/s on the AMD Instinct MI210 versus 336 GB/s on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, and the pattern holds. Add tdp to that, 300 W on the AMD Instinct MI210 versus 160 W on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, and the pattern holds. AMD Instinct MI210 also leads on memory bus width, 4096 bit on the AMD Instinct MI210 versus 192 bit on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060. NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 also leads on card length, 267 mm on the AMD Instinct MI210 versus 229 mm on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060.
Which should you buy, AMD Instinct MI210 or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060?
Buy the AMD Instinct MI210 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 also earns its place with HPC and AI deployments in standard PCIe-slot servers without OAM sled support. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 suits budget 1080p gaming with lighter texture settings and buyers who already own one for casual/esports titles, though it is not built for 1440p or higher gaming. It is not the one for modern AAA titles with high-resolution texture packs (6GB fills up fast).
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Instinct MI210 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 differ on boost clock?
Yes. Boost Clock reads 1700 MHz on the AMD Instinct MI210 versus 1680 MHz on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060.
Is the Slot Width the same on the AMD Instinct MI210 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060?
It is. Both are listed at 2, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
GPU Brand
- AMD Instinct MI210
- AMD
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- NVIDIA
Series
- AMD Instinct MI210
- Instinct MI200
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- GeForce RTX 20
Board Partner
- AMD Instinct MI210
- AMD Reference (PCIe dual-slot card, data center/OEM only)
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- NVIDIA Founders Edition
VRAM
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 64 GBBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- 6 GB-91%
Tier
- AMD Instinct MI210
- Datacenter / AI Accelerator
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- Mainstream (2019, legacy)
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI210
- HBM2E
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- GDDR6Best
Boost Clock
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 1700 MHzBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- 1680 MHz-1%
Ray Tracing Support
- AMD Instinct MI210
- No
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- Yes
TDP
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 300 W-87%
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- 160 WBest
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI210
- CDNA 2 (single Graphics Compute Die)
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- Turing
Card Length
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 267 mm-17%
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- 229 mmBest
Slot Width
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 2
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- 2
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 4096 bitBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- 192 bit-95%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 1600 GB/sBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- 336 GB/s-79%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI210
- PCIe 4.0 x16
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- PCIe 3.0 x16
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 2022-03
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- 2019-01
Display Outputs
- AMD Instinct MI210
- N/A - compute-only, no display output
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- 3x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DVI-D
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI210 if you want the higher VRAM (64 GB vs 6 GB), the higher boost clock (1700 MHz vs 1680 MHz) and the lower slot width (2 vs 2).
Choose NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 if you want the lower TDP (160 W vs 300 W) and the lower card length (229 mm vs 267 mm).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Instinct MI210 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $349.00 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.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
5 / 10 Expert Rating
A capable entry into ray tracing in its day, now limited mainly by its 6GB VRAM ceiling - fine for light 1080p use, best avoided otherwise.