AMD Instinct MI300X vs AMD Radeon 890M Comparison

AMD Instinct MI300X vs AMD Radeon 890M: a comparison of two processors that could hardly be more different. The data shows one product is a dedicated accelerator for compute workloads, while the other is an integrated graphics processor for mobile systems. Their specifications, performance, and target applications are all distinct. The recorded data provides a clear picture of their relative strengths and the magnitude of the gap between them.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains only one direct benchmark comparison between these two products: Geekbench OpenCL. The AMD Instinct MI300X scores 317994, while the AMD Radeon 890M scores 37254. This gives the Instinct MI300X a decisive 753.6% advantage in this test. The delta is enormous, reflecting the fundamental difference in their design goals and scale.

The MI300X score of 317994 places it at the 100th percentile of all GPUs in the database. It outperforms its nearest rivals by substantial margins. It sits 7.5% ahead of the NVIDIA L40S, which averages 295763. It also leads the NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada Generation by 10.7%, with that card averaging 287237. The only products ahead of it in the recorded data are the NVIDIA B200 at 345482 and the NVIDIA H200 NVL at 334891, which lead by 8% and 5% respectively. The MI300X is essentially at the top of the performance pyramid.

The Radeon 890M, by contrast, sits at the 45th percentile of all GPUs. Its average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 9210. Its closest rivals in the database are all within a narrow band. The AMD Radeon Vega 8 averages 9221, a 0.1% difference. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 averages 9273, 0.7% ahead. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465 averages 9294, 0.9% ahead. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M averages 9302, 1% ahead. The 890M is competitive with these older discrete cards, but its position is mid-pack.

The single head-to-head result confirms the hierarchy. The MI300X is not just faster, it is faster by an order of magnitude. The Geekbench OpenCL test measures general compute capability, and the MI300X's overwhelming lead here is consistent with its specifications. The 890M is a capable integrated solution, but it operates in a different performance class entirely.

Architecture Differences

The two processors use completely different architectures from AMD. The Instinct MI300X is built on CDNA 3.0, while the Radeon 890M uses RDNA 3.5. These are distinct design philosophies. CDNA is optimized for compute and data center workloads, while RDNA is optimized for graphics and gaming.

The manufacturing processes also differ. The MI300X uses a 5 nm process from TSMC, while the 890M uses a 4 nm process from the same foundry. The MI300X has a die size of 1017 mm², while the 890M has a die size of 233 mm². The transistor counts reflect this disparity: the MI300X has 153,000 million transistors, while the 890M has 34,000 million. The transistor density is similar, at 150.4M per mm² for the MI300X and 145.9M per mm² for the 890M, but the absolute scale is vastly different.

Memory is another major divider. The MI300X comes with 192 GB of HBM3 memory on an 8192 bit bus, delivering 5.32 TB/s of bandwidth. The 890M uses System Shared memory, with its bandwidth listed as System Dependent. The MI300X's memory subsystem is designed for massive data throughput, while the 890M relies on whatever system memory is available.

The compute resources are also in different leagues. The MI300X has 19456 shading units, 1216 TMUs, and 0 ROPs. It has no ray tracing cores listed. The 890M has 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. It includes 16 ray tracing cores. The MI300X's pixel rate is listed as 0 MPixel/s, while the 890M delivers 92.80 GPixel/s. The texture rates are 2,553.6 GTexel/s for the MI300X and 185.6 GTexel/s for the 890M.

The clock speeds tell a similar story. The MI300X has a base clock of 1000 MHz and a boost clock of 2100 MHz. The 890M has a base clock of 400 MHz and a boost clock of 2900 MHz. The 890M boosts higher, but its shading unit count is far lower. The floating point performance is 81.72 TFLOPS for the MI300X in both FP32 and FP16. The 890M delivers 5.939 TFLOPS in both FP32 and FP16. The power consumption is also unmatched: the MI300X has a TDP of 750 W and a suggested PSU of 1150 W, while the 890M has a TDP of 15 W.

The bus interfaces differ as well. The MI300X uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the 890M uses PCIe 4.0 x8. The MI300X is an OAM Module with no display outputs, while the 890M is an IGP with portable device dependent outputs. The MI300X has no API support listed for DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan. The 890M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Where Each One Wins

The MI300X wins in every scenario that involves raw compute throughput. Its Geekbench OpenCL score is 753.6% higher than the 890M. The data shows it is designed for workloads where memory bandwidth and massive parallel processing are critical. The 192 GB of HBM3 memory and 5.32 TB/s bandwidth are not just numbers; they enable the processor to handle datasets that would be impossible for the 890M. The 81.72 TFLOPS of FP32 performance is a clear indicator of its intended use in high performance computing and AI training.

The 890M wins in scenarios that require a self-contained graphics solution. It is an integrated processor with 16 ray tracing cores and support for modern graphics APIs. It can output to displays, with portable device dependent outputs. Its 92.80 GPixel/s pixel rate and 185.6 GTexel/s texture rate are sufficient for gaming and general graphics tasks. The 15 W TDP means it can operate in power-constrained environments, such as laptops. It has a production status of Active, while the MI300X has no production status listed.

The MI300X has no display outputs and no graphics API support. It is not a product for gaming or desktop use. The 890M, with its DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4 support, is clearly intended for consumer graphics. The benchmark data supports this split: the 890M has scores in Passmark DirectX 9, 10, 11, and 12 tests, along with a Passmark G2D score of 979 and a Passmark G3D score of 8076. The MI300X has only the single OpenCL score.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The AMD Instinct MI300X scores 317994, which is 753.6% higher than the AMD Radeon 890M's score of 37254.

Q: What is the performance difference between the MI300X and its closest rivals?

A: The MI300X is 7.5% ahead of the NVIDIA L40S and 10.7% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX 6000 Ada Generation. It is 5% behind the NVIDIA H200 NVL and 8% behind the NVIDIA B200.

Q: How does the Radeon 890M compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The 890M is 0.1% behind the AMD Radeon Vega 8, 0.7% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960, 0.9% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 465, and 1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M.

Q: What memory configurations do the two processors use?

A: The MI300X has 192 GB of HBM3 memory on an 8192 bit bus with 5.32 TB/s bandwidth. The 890M uses System Shared memory with System Dependent bandwidth.

Q: What is the power consumption of each processor?

A: The MI300X has a TDP of 750 W and a suggested PSU of 1150 W. The 890M has a TDP of 15 W.

Q: What is the release date for each product?

A: The MI300X was released on 2023-12-05. The 890M was released on 2024-07-14.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Instinct MI300X | AMD Radeon 890M |

| --- | --- | --- |

| Architecture | CDNA 3.0 | RDNA 3.5 |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 4 nm |

| Transistors | 153,000 million | 34,000 million |

| Die Size | 1017 mm² | 233 mm² |

| Base Clock | 1000 MHz | 400 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2100 MHz | 2900 MHz |

| Memory Size | 192 GB | System Shared |

| Memory Type | HBM3 | System Shared |

| Memory Bus Width | 8192 bit | System Shared |

| Memory Bandwidth | 5.32 TB/s | System Dependent |

| Shading Units | 19456 | 1024 |

| TMUs | 1216 | 64 |

| ROPs | 0 | 32 |

| Ray Tracing Cores | N/A | 16 |

| Pixel Rate | 0 MPixel/s | 92.80 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 2,553.6 GTexel/s | 185.6 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 81.72 TFLOPS | 5.939 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 81.72 TFLOPS (1:1) | 5.939 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 750 W | 15 W |

| Slot Width | OAM Module | IGP |

| Suggested PSU | 1150 W | N/A |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 5.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x8 |

| Display Outputs | No outputs | Portable Device Dependent |

| DirectX Support | N/A | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |

| OpenGL Support | N/A | 4.6 |

| Vulkan Support | N/A | 1.4 |

| Production Status | N/A | Active |

| Release Date | 2023-12-05 | 2024-07-14 |

The Verdict

The data indicates the AMD Instinct MI300X is a specialized compute accelerator for data center workloads. Its 753.6% lead over the Radeon 890M in Geekbench OpenCL is the defining metric. It has 192 GB of HBM3 memory, 5.32 TB/s of bandwidth, and 81.72 TFLOPS of FP32 performance. It sits at the 100th percentile of all GPUs in the database, ahead of most rivals and behind only the NVIDIA B200 and H200 NVL. It is not a general purpose graphics card; it has no display outputs and no graphics API support. Its 750 W TDP and OAM Module form factor confirm its server orientation.

The AMD Radeon 890M is an integrated graphics processor for mobile devices. It sits at the 45th percentile, with an average benchmark score of 9210. It is competitive with older discrete GPUs like the GeForce GTX 960 and Radeon Vega 8, all within 1% of each other. It has 16 ray tracing cores, supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, and outputs to displays. Its 15 W TDP makes it suitable for laptops. It is a capable graphics solution for its class, but it is not in the same performance category as the MI300X.

The choice between them depends entirely on the workload. For large-scale compute, AI training, or tasks requiring massive memory bandwidth, the MI300X is the clear selection. For a portable device needing modern graphics features and ray tracing support, the 890M is the appropriate option. The benchmark results show no overlap in their intended use cases.