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AMD Instinct MI250 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090: Comparison
AMD Instinct MI250 vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090: the memory bandwidth difference
Memory bandwidth is where these two genuinely part company, AMD Instinct MI250 3200 GB/s against NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 936.2 GB/s, a 71% lead for AMD Instinct MI250. Tdp runs the same way, 500 W on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 350 W on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, another win for NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090. Add memory bus width to that, 8192 bit on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 384 bit on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090, and the pattern holds. They differ on product type too, Datacenter Accelerator on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus Desktop Add-In Card on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090. There is a split on architecture as well, CDNA2 on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus Ampere on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090.
Who each one is for
Buy the AMD Instinct MI250 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 not the one for buyers wanting a specific retail card with cooler and warranty details. it is the wrong buy for gaming-only buyers who won't use the extra VRAM headroom. The same goes for creators and early local-AI users who specifically need a large VRAM buffer on Ampere-era hardware. Our rating of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 (7.5/10): A 24GB VRAM buffer for creators and local AI work, with modest gaming gains over the 3080.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Instinct MI250 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 differ on vram capacity?
Yes. VRAM Capacity reads 128 GB on the AMD Instinct MI250 versus 24 GB on the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090.
Is the PCIe Generation the same on the AMD Instinct MI250 and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090?
It is. Both are listed at PCIe 4.0, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
GPU Brand
- AMD Instinct MI250
- AMD
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- NVIDIA
Product Type
- AMD Instinct MI250
- Datacenter Accelerator
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- Desktop Add-In Card
Series
- AMD Instinct MI250
- Instinct
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- GeForce RTX 30
Memory Type
- AMD Instinct MI250
- HBM2E
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- GDDR6XBest
Boost Clock
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 1700 MHzBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- 1695 MHz0%
TDP
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 500 W-43%
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- 350 WBest
Architecture
- AMD Instinct MI250
- CDNA2
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- Ampere
Process Node
- AMD Instinct MI250
- TSMC 6nm FinFET
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- Samsung 8N
Shader Units
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 13312
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- 10496
VRAM Capacity
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 128 GBBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- 24 GB
Memory Bus Width
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 8192 bitBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- 384 bit-95%
Memory Bandwidth
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 3200 GB/sBest
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- 936.2 GB/s-71%
PCIe Generation
- AMD Instinct MI250
- PCIe 4.0
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- PCIe 4.0
Launch Date
- AMD Instinct MI250
- 11/08/2021
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
- September 2020
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Instinct MI250 if you want the higher boost clock (1700 MHz vs 1695 MHz), the higher memory bus width (8192 bit vs 384 bit) and the higher memory bandwidth (3200 GB/s vs 936.2 GB/s).
Choose NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 if you want the lower TDP (350 W vs 500 W).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Instinct MI250 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $1,499.00 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 3090
7.5 / 10 Expert Rating
A 24GB VRAM buffer for creators and local AI work, with modest gaming gains over the 3080.