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AMD Instinct MI210 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090: Comparison
AMD Instinct MI210 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090: the memory bandwidth difference
Memory bandwidth is where these two genuinely part company, AMD Instinct MI210 1600 GB/s against NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 936.2 GB/s, a 41% lead for AMD Instinct MI210. AMD Instinct MI210 also leads on memory bus width, 4096 bit on the AMD Instinct MI210 versus 384 bit on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090. Tdp runs the same way, 300 W on the AMD Instinct MI210 versus 350 W on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, another win for AMD Instinct MI210. AMD Instinct MI210 also leads on card length, 267 mm on the AMD Instinct MI210 versus 313 mm on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090.
Which should you buy, AMD Instinct MI210 or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090?
The AMD 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 is equally the pick for HPC and AI deployments in standard PCIe-slot servers without OAM sled support. it is not built for gaming-only buyers who won't use the extra VRAM headroom. The same goes for creators and early local-AI users who specifically need a large VRAM buffer on Ampere-era hardware. Our rating of the AMD 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 AMD Instinct MI210 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 differ on boost clock?
Yes. Boost Clock reads 1700 MHz on the AMD Instinct MI210 versus 1695 MHz on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090.
Specs and benchmarks
GPU Brand
- AMD Instinct MI210
- AMD
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- NVIDIA
Series
- AMD Instinct MI210
- Instinct MI200
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- GeForce RTX 30
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI210
- HBM2E
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- GDDR6XBest
Boost Clock
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 1700 MHzBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- 1695 MHz0%
Ray Tracing Support
- AMD Instinct MI210
- No
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- Yes
TDP
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 300 WBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- 350 W-17%
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI210
- CDNA 2 (single Graphics Compute Die)
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- Ampere
Process Node
- AMD Instinct MI210
- TSMC 6nm
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- Samsung 8N
Card Length
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 267 mmBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- 313 mm-17%
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 4096 bitBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- 384 bit-91%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 1600 GB/sBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- 936.2 GB/s-41%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI210
- PCIe 4.0 x16
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- PCIe 4.0
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI210
- 2022-03
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- September 2020
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI210 if you want the higher boost clock (1700 MHz vs 1695 MHz), the lower TDP (300 W vs 350 W) and the lower card length (267 mm vs 313 mm).
Choose NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Instinct MI210 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $1,499.00 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.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
7.5 / 10 Expert Rating
A 24GB VRAM buffer for creators and local AI work, with modest gaming gains over the 3080.