AMD Instinct MI325X vs NVIDIA L4 Comparison

The Verdict

The database records two accelerators aimed at fundamentally different segments of the server market. The AMD Instinct MI325X is a high-capacity compute module built for massive memory workloads, while the NVIDIA L4 is a low-power, single-slot accelerator with established benchmark scores. The recorded data shows no direct head-to-head benchmark results between the two, so the analysis relies on architectural specifications and the L4's measured performance against its nearest rivals.

For workloads that demand the largest possible memory footprint and raw FP32 or FP16 compute throughput, the AMD Instinct MI325X is the clear choice from the data. Its 256 GB of HBM3e memory and 81.72 TFLOPS of FP32 performance dwarf the L4's 24 GB GDDR6 capacity and 30.29 TFLOPS. The MI325X also carries a 1000 W TDP, which indicates it is designed for high-density compute nodes where power is not the primary constraint.

For edge, inference, or low-power server deployments, the NVIDIA L4 is the only option with measured performance data. The L4 achieves a 95th percentile ranking among all GPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 131,072. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti, scores 131,938, a delta of -0.7%, meaning the L4 trails by less than one percent. The L4 also sits within 3.2% of the AMD Radeon PRO W6800 and 3.1% of both the NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation and NVIDIA A10M. These tight margins show the L4 is competitive with a broad set of workstation and server cards in measured OpenCL and Vulkan performance.

The MI325X has no recorded benchmarks and a 50th percentile ranking, which reflects the absence of data rather than a performance deficit. Its specifications, however, indicate a device in a different performance class entirely. The verdict from the data: select the MI325X for memory-bound compute tasks requiring 256 GB of on-board storage and terabyte-scale bandwidth, and select the L4 for tasks where a 72 W power envelope and a single-slot form factor are mandatory, while still delivering near-parity with much larger cards in the database.

Architecture Differences

The two accelerators share the same 5 nm manufacturing process and foundry, TSMC, but diverge completely at the architecture level. The AMD Instinct MI325X uses the CDNA 3.0 architecture with the Aqua Vanjaram chip, while the NVIDIA L4 uses the Ada Lovelace architecture with the AD104 die.

The MI325X integrates 153,000 million transistors on a 1017 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 150.4M per mm². The L4 integrates 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, with a density of 121.8M per mm². The MI325X is thus a much larger and denser chip, built for throughput rather than efficiency.

The MI325X has 19,456 shading units and 1,216 texture mapping units, but no ROPs, no RT cores, and no tensor cores listed. Its pixel rate is recorded as 0 MPixel/s, and its texture rate is 2,553.6 GTexel/s. The L4 has 7,424 shading units, 240 TMUs, 80 ROPs, 60 RT cores, and 240 tensor cores. Its pixel rate is 163.2 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 489.6 GTexel/s. The L4 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the MI325X has no supported graphics APIs listed.

The MI325X uses HBM3e memory with a 8192-bit bus and 6.14 TB/s bandwidth. The L4 uses GDDR6 with a 192-bit bus and 300.1 GB/s bandwidth. The memory clock for the MI325X is 1500 MHz (6 Gbps effective), while the L4 runs at 1563 MHz (12.5 Gbps effective). The MI325X's base clock is 1000 MHz with a 2100 MHz boost, while the L4 has a 795 MHz base and 2040 MHz boost.

The MI325X is an OAM module with no power connectors and no display outputs. The L4 is a single-slot card, 169 mm long and 56 mm high, with no power connectors and no display outputs. The MI325X uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the L4 uses PCIe 4.0 x16. The L4 has a suggested PSU of 250 W, while the MI325X has a suggested PSU of 1400 W.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark results between the MI325X and the L4. The winsA and winsB fields are both zero, and the headToHeadBenchmarks array is empty. The analysis therefore draws on the L4's measured scores and the MI325X's unmeasured but specified performance.

The L4's Geekbench OpenCL score is 140,838, and its Geekbench Vulkan score is 121,306. Its average benchmark score is 131,072. These numbers place it at the 95th percentile of all GPUs in the database. The MI325X has no benchmark scores, an average score of zero, and a 50th percentile ranking, which is a placeholder reflecting missing data.

The L4's nearest rivals show how tightly clustered the mid-range server and workstation market is. The GeForce RTX 3090 Ti averages 131,938, which is 0.7% higher than the L4. The RTX 4000 Ada Generation averages 135,218, 3.1% higher. The A10M averages 135,230, also 3.1% higher. The Radeon PRO W6800 averages 135,396, 3.2% higher. The L4 trails the fastest of these by only 3.2%, despite having a 72 W TDP compared to the much higher power envelopes of those cards.

In raw compute specifications, the MI325X leads decisively. Its FP32 throughput of 81.72 TFLOPS is 2.7 times the L4's 30.29 TFLOPS. Its FP16 throughput is also 81.72 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), while the L4's FP16 is 30.29 TFLOPS (also 1:1). The MI325X's texture rate of 2,553.6 GTexel/s is 5.2 times the L4's 489.6 GTexel/s. The MI325X's memory bandwidth of 6.14 TB/s is 20.5 times the L4's 300.1 GB/s. These are not competitive gaps; they are orders of magnitude.

The L4's advantage lies in its measured performance per watt and its compact physical profile, though exact efficiency ratios are not recorded in the database. The L4's 72 W TDP with a 250 W suggested PSU contrasts sharply with the MI325X's 1000 W TDP and 1400 W suggested PSU. The L4 also supports modern graphics APIs, which the MI325X does not. For any workload that relies on DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan, the L4 is the only functional option between the two.

Specification Differences

The two accelerators differ across nearly every recorded specification field. The most significant differences are listed below.

• Architecture: CDNA 3.0 (MI325X) vs. Ada Lovelace (L4)
• Chip: Aqua Vanjaram (MI325X) vs. AD104 (L4)
• Transistors: 153,000 million (MI325X) vs. 35,800 million (L4)
• Die size: 1017 mm² (MI325X) vs. 294 mm² (L4)
• Transistor density: 150.4M / mm² (MI325X) vs. 121.8M / mm² (L4)
• Base clock: 1000 MHz (MI325X) vs. 795 MHz (L4)
• Boost clock: 2100 MHz (MI325X) vs. 2040 MHz (L4)
• Memory size: 256 GB (MI325X) vs. 24 GB (L4)
• Memory type: HBM3e (MI325X) vs. GDDR6 (L4)
• Memory bus width: 8192 bit (MI325X) vs. 192 bit (L4)
• Memory bandwidth: 6.14 TB/s (MI325X) vs. 300.1 GB/s (L4)
• Shading units: 19,456 (MI325X) vs. 7,424 (L4)
• TMUs: 1,216 (MI325X) vs. 240 (L4)
• ROPs: 0 (MI325X) vs. 80 (L4)
• RT cores: not listed (MI325X) vs. 60 (L4)
• Tensor cores: not listed (MI325X) vs. 240 (L4)
• Pixel rate: 0 MPixel/s (MI325X) vs. 163.2 GPixel/s (L4)
• Texture rate: 2,553.6 GTexel/s (MI325X) vs. 489.6 GTexel/s (L4)
• FP32: 81.72 TFLOPS (MI325X) vs. 30.29 TFLOPS (L4)
• FP16: 81.72 TFLOPS (MI325X) vs. 30.29 TFLOPS (L4)
• TDP: 1000 W (MI325X) vs. 72 W (L4)
• Slot width: OAM Module (MI325X) vs. Single-slot (L4)
• Suggested PSU: 1400 W (MI325X) vs. 250 W (L4)
• Bus interface: PCIe 5.0 x16 (MI325X) vs. PCIe 4.0 x16 (L4)
• Graphics APIs: N/A (MI325X) vs. DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4 (L4)
• Dimensions: not recorded (MI325X) vs. 169 mm length, 56 mm height (L4)
• Production status: not recorded (MI325X) vs. Active (L4)
• Release date: 2024-10-09 (MI325X) vs. 2023-03-20 (L4)

The MI325X has no display outputs, no power connectors, and no launch MSRP recorded. The L4 also has no power connectors and no display outputs, and its launch MSRP is likewise absent from the database.

FAQ

Q: Which accelerator has more memory?

A: The AMD Instinct MI325X has 256 GB of HBM3e memory, while the NVIDIA L4 has 24 GB of GDDR6 memory. The MI325X also has a much wider memory bus at 8192 bit versus 192 bit.

Q: How do the FP32 compute capabilities compare?

A: The MI325X delivers 81.72 TFLOPS of FP32, while the L4 delivers 30.29 TFLOPS. Both have a 1:1 FP16 ratio, meaning FP16 throughput matches FP32 exactly.

Q: What is the power requirement difference?

A: The MI325X has a TDP of 1000 W and a suggested PSU of 1400 W. The L4 has a TDP of 72 W and a suggested PSU of 250 W. The L4 also uses a single-slot form factor, while the MI325X uses an OAM module.

Q: Does the NVIDIA L4 support modern graphics APIs?

A: Yes, the L4 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The MI325X has no graphics API support listed in the database.

Q: What are the L4's benchmark scores?

A: The L4 scores 140,838 in Geekbench OpenCL and 121,306 in Geekbench Vulkan. Its average benchmark score is 131,072, placing it at the 95th percentile among all GPUs.

Q: How does the L4 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The L4 trails the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti by 0.7%, the NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation by 3.1%, the NVIDIA A10M by 3.1%, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6800 by 3.2%. All four rivals score within 3.2% of the L4.

Q: Does the MI325X have any measured benchmark scores?

A: The database records no benchmarks for the MI325X. Its average benchmark score is zero, and its percentile ranking is 50, which reflects the absence of performance measurements rather than a measured result.