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AMD Instinct MI250 vs AMD Radeon R9 285: Comparison
Instinct MI250 vs Radeon R9 285 tdp compared
The gap that matters here is tdp: Instinct MI250 500 W against Radeon R9 285 190 W, which puts Radeon R9 285 163% ahead. Add memory bandwidth to that, 3200 GB/s on the Instinct MI250 versus 176 GB/s on the Radeon R9 285, and the pattern holds. Add memory bus width to that, 8192 bit on the Instinct MI250 versus 256 bit on the Radeon R9 285, and the pattern holds. Board partner is not the same on both, Reference on the Instinct MI250 versus AMD on the Radeon R9 285. There is a split on architecture as well, CDNA2 on the Instinct MI250 versus GCN on the Radeon R9 285. There is a split on slot width as well, Not Applicable on the Instinct MI250 versus 2 on the Radeon R9 285.
Which should you buy, Instinct MI250 or Radeon R9 285?
The Instinct MI250 suits buyers comparing AMD's official reference specifications and researching a chip before choosing a board-partner card, though it is the wrong buy for overclocking-focused enthusiasts (reference clocks only). It is not the one for buyers wanting a specific retail card with cooler and warranty details. Buy the Radeon R9 285 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.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Instinct MI250 and Radeon R9 285 differ on vram capacity?
Yes. VRAM Capacity reads 128 GB on the Instinct MI250 versus 2 GB on the Radeon R9 285.
Is the GPU Brand the same on the Instinct MI250 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 MI250
- AMD
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- AMD
Product Type
- AMD Instinct MI250
- Datacenter Accelerator
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- Desktop Add-In Card
Series
- AMD Instinct MI250
- Instinct
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- Legacy
Board Partner
- AMD Instinct MI250
- Reference
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- AMD (Reference)
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI250
- HBM2E
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- GDDR5Best
TDP
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 500 W-163%
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- 190 WBest
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI250
- CDNA2
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- GCN
Process Node
- AMD Instinct MI250
- TSMC 6nm FinFET
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- Other
Slot Width
- AMD Instinct MI250
- Not Applicable
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- 2
Shader Units
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 13312
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- 1792
VRAM Capacity
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 128 GBBest
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- 2 GB
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 8192 bitBest
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- 256 bit-97%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 3200 GB/sBest
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- 176 GB/s-94%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI250
- PCIe 4.0
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- PCIe 3.0
PCIe Lanes
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 16
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- 16
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 11/08/2021
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- September 2014
Form Factor
- AMD Instinct MI250
- OAM Module
- AMD Radeon R9 285
- Component
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI250 if you want the higher memory bus width (8192 bit vs 256 bit), the higher memory bandwidth (3200 GB/s vs 176 GB/s) and the higher PCIe lanes (16 vs 16).
Choose AMD Radeon R9 285 if you want the lower TDP (190 W vs 500 W).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Instinct MI250 | 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.