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AMD Instinct MI250 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070: Comparison
AMD Instinct MI250 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070: the tdp difference
Start with tdp, because it is the widest measured gap between them: AMD Instinct MI250 500 W against NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 220 W, 127% in favour of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070. Memory bandwidth runs the same way, 3200 GB/s on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 448 GB/s on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, another win for AMD Instinct MI250. Memory bus width runs the same way, 8192 bit on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 256 bit on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, another win for AMD Instinct MI250. Architecture is not the same on both, CDNA2 on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus Ampere on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070. There is a split on shader units as well, 13312 on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 5888 on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070.
Which should you buy, AMD Instinct MI250 or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070?
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. Take the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 for 1440p gaming builds that want strong performance-per-dollar from the Ampere generation. It is not the one for buyers planning to use high-res texture mods or run the card for many more years. Our rating of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (8/10): A landmark 1440p value card at launch, now defined by its 8GB memory ceiling.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Instinct MI250 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 differ on boost clock?
Yes. Boost Clock reads 1700 MHz on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 1725 MHz on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070.
Is the PCIe Generation the same on the AMD Instinct MI250 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070?
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 3070
- Desktop Add-In Card
Series
- AMD Instinct MI250
- Instinct
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- GeForce RTX 30
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI250
- HBM2E
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- GDDR6Best
Boost Clock
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 1700 MHz-1%
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- 1725 MHzBest
TDP
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 500 W-127%
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- 220 WBest
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI250
- CDNA2
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- Ampere (GA104)
Process Node
- AMD Instinct MI250
- TSMC 6nm FinFET
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- Samsung 8N
Shader Units
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 13312
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- 5888
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 8192 bitBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- 256 bit-97%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 3200 GB/sBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- 448 GB/s-86%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI250
- PCIe 4.0
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- PCIe 4.0
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 11/08/2021
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
- October 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 448 GB/s).
Choose NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 if you want the higher boost clock (1725 MHz vs 1700 MHz) and the lower TDP (220 W vs 500 W).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Instinct MI250 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $499.00 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 3070
8 / 10 Expert Rating
A landmark 1440p value card at launch, now defined by its 8GB memory ceiling.