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AMD Instinct MI250 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060: Comparison
AMD Instinct MI250 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060: the tdp difference
On tdp the spread is 194%, AMD Instinct MI250 500 W against NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 170 W, so NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 takes it. AMD Instinct MI250 also leads on memory bandwidth, 3200 GB/s on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 360 GB/s on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060. Add memory bus width to that, 8192 bit on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 192 bit on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060, and the pattern holds. There is a split on architecture as well, CDNA2 on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus Ampere on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060. Shader units is not the same on both, 13312 on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 3584 on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060.
AMD Instinct MI250 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060: which one fits your build
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 the wrong buy for buyers wanting a specific retail card with cooler and warranty details. it is the wrong buy for buyers chasing the best raw performance-per-dollar in the current generation. The same goes for budget builds that want more VRAM than most cards at this price point offer. Our rating of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (7.5/10): A 12GB frame buffer at a budget price has kept this card relevant far longer than most of its generation.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Instinct MI250 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 differ on boost clock?
Yes. Boost Clock reads 1700 MHz on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 1777 MHz on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060.
Is the PCIe Generation the same on the AMD Instinct MI250 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060?
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 3060
- Desktop Add-In Card
Series
- AMD Instinct MI250
- Instinct
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- GeForce RTX 30
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI250
- HBM2E
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- GDDR6Best
Boost Clock
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 1700 MHz-4%
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- 1777 MHzBest
TDP
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 500 W-194%
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- 170 WBest
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI250
- CDNA2
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- Ampere (GA106)
Process Node
- AMD Instinct MI250
- TSMC 6nm FinFET
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- Samsung 8N
Shader Units
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 13312
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- 3584
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 8192 bitBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- 192 bit-98%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 3200 GB/sBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- 360 GB/s-89%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI250
- PCIe 4.0
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- PCIe 4.0
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 11/08/2021
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- February 2021
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI250 if you want the higher memory bus width (8192 bit vs 192 bit) and the higher memory bandwidth (3200 GB/s vs 360 GB/s).
Choose NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 if you want the higher boost clock (1777 MHz vs 1700 MHz) and the lower TDP (170 W vs 500 W).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Instinct MI250 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $329.00 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 3060
7.5 / 10 Expert Rating
A 12GB frame buffer at a budget price has kept this card relevant far longer than most of its generation.