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AMD Instinct MI250 vs Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU: Comparison
AMD Instinct MI250 vs Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU: the memory bandwidth difference
On memory bandwidth the spread is 95%, AMD Instinct MI250 3200 GB/s against Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU 150 GB/s, so AMD Instinct MI250 takes it. They differ on tier too, Datacenter on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus Upper Mid-Range on the Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU. They differ on architecture too, CDNA2 on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus Apple Silicon on the Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU. They differ on pcie generation too, PCIe 4.0 on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus Not Applicable on the Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU.
Who each one is for
The AMD Instinct MI250 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 the pick for overclocking-focused enthusiasts (reference clocks only). It is not the one for buyers wanting a specific retail card with cooler and warranty details. it is the wrong buy for native Windows gaming or CUDA-dependent software. The same goes for video editors working with single-stream 4K footage in Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro. It is the wrong buy for bandwidth-heavy workloads like multi-stream 8K editing, where the M2 Pro's higher bandwidth can actually perform better. Our rating of the Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU (7.2/10): A capable Pro-tier GPU with genuine architectural gains and ray tracing support, though the bandwidth cut versus M2 Pro means it's not a clean upgrade in every workload.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Instinct MI250 and Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU differ on gpu brand?
Yes. GPU Brand reads AMD on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus Apple on the Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU.
Specs and benchmarks
GPU Brand
- AMD Instinct MI250
- AMD
- Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU
- Apple
Product Type
- AMD Instinct MI250
- Datacenter Accelerator
- Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU
- SoC GPU
Series
- AMD Instinct MI250
- Instinct
- Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU
- Apple Silicon
Tier
- AMD Instinct MI250
- Datacenter
- Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU
- Upper Mid-Range
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI250
- HBM2E
- Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU
- Unified LPDDR5Best
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI250
- CDNA2
- Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU
- Apple Silicon
Process Node
- AMD Instinct MI250
- TSMC 6nm FinFET
- Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU
- 3nm (TSMC N3B)
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 3200 GB/sBest
- Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU
- 150 GB/s-95%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI250
- PCIe 4.0
- Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU
- Not Applicable
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI250 if you want the higher memory bandwidth (3200 GB/s vs 150 GB/s).
Choose Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Verdict
Apple M3 Pro 18-Core GPU
7.2 / 10 Expert Rating
A capable Pro-tier GPU with genuine architectural gains and ray tracing support, though the bandwidth cut versus M2 Pro means it's not a clean upgrade in every workload.