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AMD Instinct MI250 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050: Comparison
AMD Instinct MI250 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050: the tdp difference
Tdp is where these two genuinely part company, AMD Instinct MI250 500 W against NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 130 W, a 285% lead for NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050. Memory bandwidth runs the same way, 3200 GB/s on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 224 GB/s on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, another win for AMD Instinct MI250. Add memory bus width to that, 8192 bit on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 128 bit on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, and the pattern holds. They differ on architecture too, CDNA2 on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus Ampere on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050. Shader units is not the same on both, 13312 on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 2560 on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050.
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 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. it is the wrong buy for buyers who prioritize raw rasterization performance over RT/DLSS features. The same goes for budget 1080p builds that want entry-level ray tracing and DLSS support. Our rating of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 (6.5/10): entry-level ray tracing and DLSS at a budget price, with modest raw performance.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Instinct MI250 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 differ on boost clock?
Yes. Boost Clock reads 1700 MHz on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 1777 MHz on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050.
Is the PCIe Generation the same on the AMD Instinct MI250 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050?
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
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- Desktop Add-In Card
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI250
- HBM2E
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- GDDR6Best
Boost Clock
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 1700 MHz-4%
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- 1777 MHzBest
TDP
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 500 W-285%
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- 130 WBest
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI250
- CDNA2
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- Ampere (GA106)
Process Node
- AMD Instinct MI250
- TSMC 6nm FinFET
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- Samsung 8N
Shader Units
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 13312
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- 2560
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 8192 bitBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- 128 bit-98%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 3200 GB/sBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- 224 GB/s-93%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI250
- PCIe 4.0
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- PCIe 4.0
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 11/08/2021
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
- January 2022
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI250 if you want the higher memory bus width (8192 bit vs 128 bit) and the higher memory bandwidth (3200 GB/s vs 224 GB/s).
Choose NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 if you want the higher boost clock (1777 MHz vs 1700 MHz) and the lower TDP (130 W vs 500 W).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Instinct MI250 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Verdict
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050
6.5 / 10 Expert Rating
Entry-level ray tracing and DLSS at a budget price, with modest raw performance.