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AMD Instinct MI250 vs AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT: Comparison
Instinct MI250 vs Radeon RX 6800 XT: the memory bandwidth difference
Memory bandwidth is where these two genuinely part company, Instinct MI250 3200 GB/s against Radeon RX 6800 XT 512 GB/s, a 84% lead for Instinct MI250. Radeon RX 6800 XT also leads on tdp, 500 W on the Instinct MI250 versus 300 W on the Radeon RX 6800 XT. Memory bus width runs the same way, 8192 bit on the Instinct MI250 versus 256 bit on the Radeon RX 6800 XT, another win for Instinct MI250. Add boost clock to that, 1700 MHz on the Instinct MI250 versus 2250 MHz on the Radeon RX 6800 XT, and the pattern holds. They differ on shader units too, 13312 on the Instinct MI250 versus 4608 on the Radeon RX 6800 XT. They differ on compute blocks too, 208 on the Instinct MI250 versus 72 on the Radeon RX 6800 XT.
Who each one is for
The Instinct MI250 suits buyers comparing AMD's official reference specifications and researching a chip before choosing a board-partner card, though it is not the pick for overclocking-focused enthusiasts (reference clocks only). It is the wrong buy for buyers wanting a specific retail card with cooler and warranty details. it is not built for anyone who prioritizes ray tracing quality or wants DLSS-style upscaling. It also earns its place with buyers who want flagship-tier rasterization and a large VRAM buffer without NVIDIA's ray tracing premium. Our rating of the Radeon RX 6800 XT (8/10): flagship rasterization and 16GB of VRAM, with first-generation ray tracing holding it back.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Instinct MI250 and Radeon RX 6800 XT differ on product type?
Yes. Product Type reads Datacenter Accelerator on the Instinct MI250 versus Desktop Add-In Card on the Radeon RX 6800 XT.
Is the PCIe Generation the same on the Instinct MI250 and Radeon RX 6800 XT?
It is. Both are listed at PCIe 4.0, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Product Type
- AMD Instinct MI250
- Datacenter Accelerator
- AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- Desktop Add-In Card
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI250
- HBM2E
- AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- GDDR6Best
Boost Clock
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 1700 MHz-24%
- AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- 2250 MHzBest
TDP
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 500 W-67%
- AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- 300 WBest
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI250
- CDNA2
- AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- RDNA 2 (Navi 21)
Process Node
- AMD Instinct MI250
- TSMC 6nm FinFET
- AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- TSMC N7
Shader Units
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 13312
- AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- 4608
Compute Blocks
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 208
- AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- 72
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 8192 bitBest
- AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- 256 bit-97%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 3200 GB/sBest
- AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- 512 GB/s-84%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI250
- PCIe 4.0
- AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- PCIe 4.0
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 11/08/2021
- AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
- November 2020
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI250 if you want the higher memory bus width (8192 bit vs 256 bit) and the higher memory bandwidth (3200 GB/s vs 512 GB/s).
Choose AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT if you want the higher boost clock (2250 MHz vs 1700 MHz) and the lower TDP (300 W vs 500 W).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Instinct MI250 | AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $649.00 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 Radeon RX 6800 XT
8 / 10 Expert Rating
Flagship rasterization and 16GB of VRAM, with first-generation ray tracing holding it back.