AMD Instinct MI300A vs NVIDIA H100 CNX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data does not include direct head-to-head benchmark results for the AMD Instinct MI300A versus the NVIDIA H100 CNX. Neither processor has any recorded benchmark scores in the database, and both are positioned at the 50th percentile among all GPUs. Their average benchmark scores are also identical at zero, meaning the database has no performance measurements to compare. Without those measurements, a numerical head-to-head comparison is impossible. What can be compared are the theoretical specifications, and those show a clear split between compute throughput and memory capacity.

The AMD Instinct MI300A delivers a higher FP32 compute figure at 61.29 TFLOPS, which is roughly 14% ahead of the NVIDIA H100 CNX at 53.84 TFLOPS. That advantage comes from a higher boost clock of 2100 MHz versus 1845 MHz, and from a much higher texture rate. The MI300A achieves a texture rate of 1,915.2 GTexel/s, while the H100 CNX reaches 841.3 GTexel/s, a difference of more than double. The MI300A also has 912 texture mapping units compared to 456 on the H100 CNX, so the texture throughput gap is expected. The NVIDIA part counters with a pixel rate of 44.28 GPixel/s, while the MI300A reports 0 MPixel/s, indicating the AMD accelerator does not route pixels through the same pipeline.

Memory capacity heavily favors the AMD part. The MI300A carries 128 GB of HBM3 across a 8192-bit bus, producing 5.32 TB/s of bandwidth. The H100 CNX uses 80 GB of HBM2e on a 5120-bit bus, delivering 2.04 TB/s. That is a 2.6x bandwidth advantage for AMD and a 1.6x capacity advantage. The NVIDIA accelerator does include tensor cores, with 456 of them, while the MI300A lists no tensor core count. The H100 CNX also has 24 ROPs, whereas the MI300A reports zero ROPs, reinforcing that these are server accelerators designed for different workloads.

Clock speeds show the MI300A running at a 1000 MHz base and 2100 MHz boost, while the H100 CNX sits at a 690 MHz base and 1845 MHz boost. The AMD memory clock is listed at 1300 MHz with 5.2 Gbps effective, while the H100 CNX memory runs at 1593 MHz with 3.2 Gbps effective. The higher effective memory rate on AMD is what enables the larger bandwidth figure. The H100 CNX has a higher memory clock frequency but a narrower bus, so the AMD part still wins on total bandwidth.

The Verdict

The data indicates that neither accelerator has benchmark scores in the database, so a verdict based on measured performance is not possible. The theoretical specifications, however, point to distinct use cases. The AMD Instinct MI300A is the stronger choice for workloads that depend on FP32 compute, texture throughput, and massive memory bandwidth. Its 61.29 TFLOPS FP32 figure and 5.32 TB/s bandwidth are the highest numbers in this comparison. The 128 GB memory capacity also suits models or datasets that exceed the 80 GB limit of the H100 CNX.

The NVIDIA H100 CNX is the better option for tasks that rely on tensor core operations, given that it lists 456 tensor cores while the MI300A does not specify any. The H100 CNX also has a much lower power draw at 350 W versus 750 W, and it fits a dual-slot form factor with an 8-pin EPS power connector. The MI300A, by contrast, is an OAM module with no power connectors listed and a suggested PSU of 1150 W versus 750 W for the H100 CNX. Systems with existing PCIe infrastructure may favor the NVIDIA part, as it is a dual-slot card with a 267 mm length and 111 mm height, while the MI300A does not have recorded dimensions.

The production status also differs. The H100 CNX is listed as active, with a predecessor of Server Ada and a successor of Server Blackwell. The MI300A has no production status recorded, a predecessor of Radeon Instinct, and no successor. The release dates show the H100 CNX arriving on 2023-03-20, while the MI300A followed on 2023-12-05. Neither part has a launch MSRP in the database, so no pricing comparison is available.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Instinct MI300A uses the CDNA 3.0 architecture on a chip called Aqua Vanjaram, while the NVIDIA H100 CNX uses the Hopper architecture on the GH100 chip. Both are built on a 5 nm process at TSMC, but the transistor counts diverge significantly. The MI300A packs 153,000 million transistors on a 1017 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 150.4M per mm². The H100 CNX has 80,000 million transistors on an 814 mm² die, with a density of 98.3M per mm². The AMD part has nearly twice the transistor count and a higher density, even though its die is larger.

The memory architectures are fundamentally different. The MI300A uses HBM3 with a 8192-bit bus and 128 GB capacity, while the H100 CNX uses HBM2e with a 5120-bit bus and 80 GB capacity. The HBM3 interface on AMD delivers 5.32 TB/s, while the HBM2e on NVIDIA delivers 2.04 TB/s. The NVIDIA part includes tensor cores, specifically 456 of them, while the AMD part does not list any tensor cores. The MI300A also has no ROPs and no pixel rate, while the H100 CNX has 24 ROPs and a 44.28 GPixel/s pixel rate.

The texture pipelines differ as well. The MI300A has 912 TMUs and a texture rate of 1,915.2 GTexel/s, while the H100 CNX has 456 TMUs and a texture rate of 841.3 GTexel/s. Both have the same shading unit count at 14,592. The MI300A has a higher boost clock at 2100 MHz versus 1845 MHz, and a higher base clock at 1000 MHz versus 690 MHz. The memory clock on NVIDIA is higher at 1593 MHz versus 1300 MHz, but the effective data rate is lower at 3.2 Gbps versus 5.2 Gbps.

Specification Differences

The two accelerators differ across every major specification category except shading units and process node. Both have 14,592 shading units and both are built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The transistor count is 153,000 million on AMD versus 80,000 million on NVIDIA. The die size is 1017 mm² versus 814 mm². Transistor density is 150.4M per mm² versus 98.3M per mm².

Clock speeds: the MI300A runs at 1000 MHz base and 2100 MHz boost, while the H100 CNX runs at 690 MHz base and 1845 MHz boost. Memory clocks are 1300 MHz with 5.2 Gbps effective on AMD versus 1593 MHz with 3.2 Gbps effective on NVIDIA. Memory capacity is 128 GB of HBM3 versus 80 GB of HBM2e. The bus width is 8192 bit versus 5120 bit. Bandwidth is 5.32 TB/s versus 2.04 TB/s.

Texture mapping units number 912 versus 456. ROPs are 0 versus 24. Tensor cores are not listed on AMD, while NVIDIA lists 456. Pixel rate is 0 MPixel/s versus 44.28 GPixel/s. Texture rate is 1,915.2 GTexel/s versus 841.3 GTexel/s. FP32 compute is 61.29 TFLOPS versus 53.84 TFLOPS. The NVIDIA part lists FP16 at 215.4 TFLOPS (4:1), while the AMD part has no FP16 figure.

Power and form factor: the MI300A has a TDP of 750 W with no power connectors and a suggested PSU of 1150 W, and it is an OAM Module. The H100 CNX has a TDP of 350 W with an 8-pin EPS connector and a suggested PSU of 750 W, and it is a dual-slot card measuring 267 mm in length and 111 mm in height. The MI300A has no recorded dimensions. Both use PCIe 5.0 x16 and have no display outputs.

APIs: the MI300A lists DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan as N/A, while the H100 CNX has null values for all three. Release dates differ, with the H100 CNX on 2023-03-20 and the MI300A on 2023-12-05. The NVIDIA part is active in production, while the AMD part has no production status. The predecessor and successor lines also differ: AMD lists Radeon Instinct as predecessor with no successor, while NVIDIA lists Server Ada as predecessor and Server Blackwell as successor.

FAQ

Q: Which accelerator has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The AMD Instinct MI300A is ahead with 61.29 TFLOPS, compared to 53.84 TFLOPS on the NVIDIA H100 CNX.

Q: How much memory bandwidth does each accelerator provide?

A: The MI300A provides 5.32 TB/s from 128 GB of HBM3 on a 8192-bit bus. The H100 CNX provides 2.04 TB/s from 80 GB of HBM2e on a 5120-bit bus.

Q: Does the NVIDIA H100 CNX have tensor cores?

A: Yes, the H100 CNX lists 456 tensor cores. The MI300A does not list any tensor core count in the database.

Q: What are the power requirements for each part?

A: The MI300A has a TDP of 750 W and a suggested PSU of 1150 W, with no power connectors as an OAM Module. The H100 CNX has a TDP of 350 W and a suggested PSU of 750 W, using an 8-pin EPS connector.

Q: Which accelerator has a larger memory capacity?

A: The MI300A has 128 GB of HBM3, while the H100 CNX has 80 GB of HBM2e, a 48 GB difference in favor of AMD.

Q: Are there any benchmark scores for either accelerator?

A: No, the database records zero average benchmark scores for both the MI300A and the H100 CNX, and both are positioned at the 50th percentile among all GPUs.