AMD Instinct MI308X vs NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark database contains a complete set of measured results for the NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation, but no benchmark scores are recorded for the AMD Instinct MI308X. This asymmetry shapes the entire comparison. The RTX 5880 delivers an average benchmark score of 45,972, placing it in the 85th percentile of all GPUs in the database. The MI308X, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 0 and sits at the 50th percentile, reflecting the absence of recorded performance data rather than an actual performance deficiency.

The RTX 5880's recorded results span multiple test suites. In Geekbench OpenCL, it scores 326,898. Passmark results show 25,096 in DirectX 12 (passmark_g3d), 14,208 in GPU compute, 777 in DirectX 9 (passmark_g2d), 335 in DirectX 10 (passmark_directx_9), 228 in DirectX 11 (passmark_directx_11), 167 in DirectX 12 (passmark_directx_10), and 70 in DirectX 9 (passmark_directx_12). The DirectX 12 score of 70 is notably lower than the DirectX 11 score of 228, which may reflect driver optimization differences across API generations.

Because the MI308X has no benchmark entries, the head-to-head comparison cannot show wins in either direction based on measured scores. The data instead reveals a structural gap: one product has extensive test coverage, the other has none. For the MI308X, the database records zero benchmark results, zero wins in head-to-head comparisons, and zero losses. The RTX 5880 likewise has zero wins and zero losses in head-to-head tests, as no paired benchmark runs exist for these two accelerators.

The nearest rivals for the RTX 5880 provide context for its measured performance. The NVIDIA RTX A2000 scores 46,043, which is 0.2% higher than the RTX 5880's average. The Intel Arc A730M scores 45,592, placing it 0.8% below. The AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT scores 45,384, which is 1.3% lower. The AMD Radeon RX 5600M scores 46,601, putting it 1.4% above the RTX 5880. These margins are tight, with all four rivals falling within a 2.7 percentage point band centered on the RTX 5880's average score. The data suggests the RTX 5880 performs in a cluster with these mid-range workstation and mobile GPUs, despite its much larger memory capacity and newer architecture.

The Verdict

The recorded data supports a clear choice for users who need validated, benchmarked performance: the NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation. It has eight measured benchmark scores, an average score of 45,972, and a 85th percentile ranking across all GPUs in the database. The AMD Instinct MI308X has no benchmark results, no average score, and a 50th percentile ranking that reflects missing data, not measured capability.

For compute workloads where OpenCL performance matters, the RTX 5880's Geekbench OpenCL score of 326,898 stands as the single highest recorded result in its test suite. For DirectX-based applications, the passmark_g3d score of 25,096 and the GPU compute score of 14,208 provide actionable reference points. The MI308X offers no comparable figures, so any performance assessment of it must rely on specifications alone, which the database does not convert into benchmark outcomes.

The RTX 5880 also holds the advantage of being an active production product with a defined form factor and display outputs. The MI308X has no production status recorded, no display outputs, and no API support for DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan, all marked as N/A. For workstation use cases requiring display output or standard graphics APIs, the RTX 5880 is the only option with recorded support.

The MI308X targets a different role: a 192 GB HBM3 accelerator with no display outputs, no graphics API support, and an OAM module form factor. The data does not indicate which product wins in raw compute throughput, because no benchmark scores exist for the MI308X. What the data does show is that the RTX 5880 has verified, reproducible performance numbers, while the MI308X does not. Users requiring measured evidence of performance should select the RTX 5880. Users who prioritize memory capacity and bandwidth, and who can validate the MI308X through their own testing, would look to the AMD part, but the database provides no confirmation of its performance level.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Instinct MI308X uses the Aqua Vanjaram chip built on CDNA 3.0 architecture, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation uses the AD102 chip on Ada Lovelace architecture, also fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. Both use the same process node and foundry, but the transistor counts diverge sharply. The MI308X integrates 153,000 million transistors on a 1017 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 150.4 million transistors per square millimeter. The RTX 5880 integrates 76,300 million transistors on a 609 mm² die, with a density of 125.3 million per square millimeter. The MI308X packs roughly twice the transistors on a die that is about 67% larger.

The MI308X has 19,456 shading units and 1,216 texture mapping units, but zero ROPs and zero pixel rate. It has no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores recorded. The RTX 5880 has 14,080 shading units, 440 TMUs, 176 ROPs, 110 ray tracing cores, and 440 tensor cores. Its pixel rate is 433.0 GPixel/s, and its texture rate is 1,082.4 GTexel/s. The MI308X texture rate is 2,553.6 GTexel/s, more than double the RTX 5880's, reflecting its higher TMU count. The MI308X pixel rate is 0 MPixel/s, meaning it cannot perform rasterization at all.

The MI308X's FP32 throughput is 81.72 TFLOPS, and its FP16 throughput is also 81.72 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio. The RTX 5880 delivers 69.27 TFLOPS in both FP32 and FP16, also at a 1:1 ratio. The MI308X leads by about 12.5 TFLOPS in raw floating-point throughput, a gap of roughly 18% over the RTX 5880. However, the RTX 5880's ray tracing and tensor cores give it capabilities the MI308X completely lacks, as those units are not present in the AMD part's specification.

Memory architecture differs fundamentally. The MI308X uses 192 GB of HBM3 on an 8192-bit bus, delivering 5.32 TB/s of bandwidth. Memory clock is 1300 MHz with 5.2 Gbps effective. The RTX 5880 uses 48 GB of GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus, delivering 864.0 GB/s. Its memory clock is 2250 MHz with 18 Gbps effective. The MI308X has four times the capacity and roughly six times the bandwidth, a decisive advantage for memory-bound workloads such as large model inference or scientific simulation.

Specification Differences

Clock speeds differ modestly. The MI308X has a base clock of 1000 MHz and a boost clock of 2100 MHz. The RTX 5880 has a base clock of 975 MHz and a boost clock of 2460 MHz. The RTX 5880 boosts 360 MHz higher, while the MI308X starts 25 MHz higher at base.

Power and cooling requirements diverge substantially. The MI308X has a TDP of 750 W, requires a suggested PSU of 1150 W, uses an OAM Module slot width, and has no power connectors. The RTX 5880 has a TDP of 285 W, requires a suggested PSU of 600 W, uses a dual-slot form factor, and connects via a single 16-pin power connector. The MI308X draws 465 W more at the TDP level and needs 550 W more from the power supply.

Bus interfaces differ by one generation. The MI308X uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the RTX 5880 uses PCIe 4.0 x16. Display outputs are entirely different: the MI308X has none, while the RTX 5880 has four DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. The RTX 5880 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The MI308X lists all three APIs as N/A.

Physical dimensions are recorded only for the RTX 5880, which measures 267 mm in length and 112 mm in height. The MI308X has no length, height, or width recorded. Release dates differ by roughly one month: the MI308X launched on December 5, 2023, and the RTX 5880 launched on January 4, 2024. The RTX 5880 has a production status of Active, a predecessor of Workstation Ampere, and a successor of Blackwell PRO W. The MI308X has no production status, a predecessor of Radeon Instinct, and no successor recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw FP32 throughput?

A: The AMD Instinct MI308X delivers 81.72 TFLOPS in FP32, while the NVIDIA RTX 5880 Ada Generation delivers 69.27 TFLOPS. The MI308X leads by approximately 12.5 TFLOPS, an 18% advantage.

Q: What memory configurations do the two cards use?

A: The MI308X uses 192 GB of HBM3 on an 8192-bit bus with 5.32 TB/s bandwidth. The RTX 5880 uses 48 GB of GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus with 864.0 GB/s bandwidth. The MI308X has four times the capacity and about six times the bandwidth.

Q: Does the RTX 5880 support ray tracing?

A: Yes. The RTX 5880 has 110 ray tracing cores and 440 tensor cores. The MI308X has no ray tracing cores and no tensor cores recorded in the database.

Q: Which card has display outputs?

A: The RTX 5880 has four DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. The MI308X has no display outputs at all, and its DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan support are all listed as N/A.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The MI308X has a TDP of 750 W and a suggested PSU of 1150 W. The RTX 5880 has a TDP of 285 W and a suggested PSU of 600 W. The MI308X uses an OAM Module slot width with no power connectors, while the RTX 5880 is dual-slot with a single 16-pin connector.

Q: How does the RTX 5880 compare to its nearest rivals in the database?

A: The RTX 5880 has an average benchmark score of 45,972. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A2000, scores 46,043, which is 0.2% higher. The Intel Arc A730M scores 45,592 (0.8% lower), the AMD Radeon Pro 5500 XT scores 45,384 (1.3% lower), and the AMD Radeon RX 5600M scores 46,601 (1.4% higher). The RTX 5880 sits in the 85th percentile of all GPUs in the database.