AMD Instinct MI455X vs NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU Comparison

The Verdict

The database shows two GPUs with completely different design goals. The AMD Instinct MI455X is a compute accelerator aimed at massive parallel workloads, while the NVIDIA Switch 2 GPU is a power-constrained console chip. The MI455X holds a 100% percentile score across all GPUs, while the Switch 2 GPU also sits at the 50th percentile, but with an average benchmark score of 0, meaning neither has recorded measurable performance data in the database. The MI455X delivers 157.3 TFLOPS FP32 and 157.3 TFLOPS FP16 (1:1), while the Switch 2 GPU delivers 4.301 TFLOPS FP32 and 8.602 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1). The MI455X is 36.6 times higher in FP32 throughput. The Switch 2 GPU has a launch MSRP of 449 USD.

Architecture Differences

The MI455X uses the MI450 256CU chip built on CDNA 5.0 architecture, fabricated on a 2 nm process at TSMC. The die size is 2990 mm² with 320,000 million transistors, giving a transistor density of 107.0M per mm². The Switch 2 GPU uses the GA10B chip built on Ampere architecture, fabricated on an 8 nm process at Samsung. Its die size is 200 mm², and its transistor count is listed as unknown in the database.

The MI455X has 32,768 shading units, 1,024 TMUs, and 0 ROPs, with no RT cores and no tensor cores listed. The Switch 2 GPU has 1,536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, with 12 RT cores and 48 tensor cores. The MI455X has no display outputs, and the Switch 2 GPU also has no display outputs. The MI455X supports no APIs for DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan, while the Switch 2 GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The MI455X uses HBM4 memory with 432 GB capacity, a 24576-bit bus width, and 23.3 TB/s bandwidth. The Switch 2 GPU uses LPDDR5X memory with 12 GB capacity, a 128-bit bus width, and 102.4 GB/s bandwidth. The MI455X memory clock is 1900 MHz with 7.6 Gbps effective, while the Switch 2 GPU memory clock is 800 MHz with 6.4 Gbps effective.

The MI455X uses a PCIe 6.0 x16 bus interface, while the Switch 2 GPU has no bus interface listed. The MI455X has no power connectors and is an EAM Module slot width, while the Switch 2 GPU has no slot width or power connector data listed. The MI455X has a TDP of 2300 W and a suggested PSU of 2700 W, while the Switch 2 GPU has a TDP of 40 W and no suggested PSU listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no recorded head-to-head benchmark scores between these two GPUs. Both have empty benchmark arrays, so the comparison relies on raw specification data. The MI455X produces a pixel rate of 0 MPixel/s, while the Switch 2 GPU produces 22.40 GPixel/s. The MI455X texture rate is 2,457.6 GTexel/s, while the Switch 2 GPU texture rate is 67.20 GTexel/s. The MI455X is 36.6 times higher in texture rate.

The MI455X FP32 throughput of 157.3 TFLOPS is 36.6 times the Switch 2 GPU FP32 of 4.301 TFLOPS. The MI455X FP16 throughput of 157.3 TFLOPS (1:1) is 18.3 times the Switch 2 GPU FP16 of 8.602 TFLOPS (2:1). The MI455X memory bandwidth of 23.3 TB/s is 227.5 times the Switch 2 GPU bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The MI455X memory capacity of 432 GB is 36 times the Switch 2 GPU capacity of 12 GB.

The MI455X has 21.3 times the shading units of the Switch 2 GPU, 21.3 times the TMUs, and 192 times the memory bus width. The Switch 2 GPU has 16 ROPs while the MI455X has 0 ROPs. The Switch 2 GPU has 12 RT cores and 48 tensor cores, while the MI455X has none listed.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher FP32 compute performance?

A: The MI455X delivers 157.3 TFLOPS FP32, which is 36.6 times the Switch 2 GPU's 4.301 TFLOPS FP32.

Q: How do the memory subsystems compare?

A: The MI455X uses 432 GB of HBM4 with a 24576-bit bus and 23.3 TB/s bandwidth. The Switch 2 GPU uses 12 GB of LPDDR5X with a 128-bit bus and 102.4 GB/s bandwidth. The MI455X bandwidth is 227.5 times higher.

Q: Does the Switch 2 GPU support ray tracing?

A: The Switch 2 GPU has 12 RT cores, while the MI455X lists no RT cores in the database.

Q: What process nodes are used?

A: The MI455X is on a 2 nm TSMC process with 320,000 million transistors on a 2990 mm² die. The Switch 2 GPU is on an 8 nm Samsung process with an unknown transistor count on a 200 mm² die.

Q: What is the power draw difference?

A: The MI455X has a TDP of 2300 W with a suggested PSU of 2700 W. The Switch 2 GPU has a TDP of 40 W and no suggested PSU listed.

Q: Which GPU has API support for modern graphics?

A: The Switch 2 GPU supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The MI455X lists N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan.

Where Each One Wins

The MI455X wins decisively in raw compute throughput. Its FP32 performance of 157.3 TFLOPS is 36.6 times the Switch 2 GPU. Its FP16 performance of 157.3 TFLOPS is 18.3 times the Switch 2 GPU. Memory bandwidth of 23.3 TB/s is 227.5 times higher. Texture rate of 2,457.6 GTexel/s is 36.6 times higher. Memory capacity of 432 GB is 36 times higher. The MI455X also has a wider memory bus at 24576 bits versus 128 bits, and more shading units at 32,768 versus 1,536.

The Switch 2 GPU wins in areas related to graphics feature support and power efficiency. It has 16 ROPs while the MI455X has 0. It has 12 RT cores and 48 tensor cores, while the MI455X has none listed. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the MI455X supports none of these APIs. Its pixel rate of 22.40 GPixel/s exceeds the MI455X's 0 MPixel/s. Its TDP of 40 W is dramatically lower than the MI455X's 2300 W. The Switch 2 GPU has a production status of Active, while the MI455X has no production status listed.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in every major specification category. The MI455X uses CDNA 5.0 architecture on a 2 nm TSMC process, while the Switch 2 GPU uses Ampere architecture on an 8 nm Samsung process. The MI455X die is 2990 mm² with 320,000 million transistors, while the Switch 2 GPU die is 200 mm² with unknown transistors.

Clock speeds differ substantially. The MI455X has a base clock of 1000 MHz and boost clock of 2400 MHz. The Switch 2 GPU has a base clock of 561 MHz and boost clock of 1400 MHz. Memory clocks differ as well: the MI455X runs at 1900 MHz with 7.6 Gbps effective, while the Switch 2 GPU runs at 800 MHz with 6.4 Gbps effective.

Memory configuration differs completely. The MI455X uses 432 GB of HBM4 with a 24576-bit bus and 23.3 TB/s bandwidth. The Switch 2 GPU uses 12 GB of LPDDR5X with a 128-bit bus and 102.4 GB/s bandwidth.

Compute resources differ by an order of magnitude. The MI455X has 32,768 shading units, 1,024 TMUs, and 0 ROPs. The Switch 2 GPU has 1,536 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. The MI455X has no RT cores or tensor cores listed, while the Switch 2 GPU has 12 RT cores and 48 tensor cores.

Output rates differ in direction. The MI455X has a pixel rate of 0 MPixel/s and texture rate of 2,457.6 GTexel/s. The Switch 2 GPU has a pixel rate of 22.40 GPixel/s and texture rate of 67.20 GTexel/s.

Power and physical specifications differ sharply. The MI455X has a TDP of 2300 W, a suggested PSU of 2700 W, an EAM Module slot width, no power connectors, and PCIe 6.0 x16 interface. The Switch 2 GPU has a TDP of 40 W, no slot width listed, no power connectors listed, no bus interface listed, and dimensions of 272 mm length, 116 mm height, and 14 mm width.

API support differs entirely. The MI455X lists N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan. The Switch 2 GPU lists DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Release timing differs. The Switch 2 GPU was released on 2025-06-04, while the MI455X was released on 2026-07-22. The Switch 2 GPU has a production status of Active and a launch MSRP of 449 USD. The MI455X has no production status and no launch MSRP listed. The MI455X lists its predecessor as Radeon Instinct, while the Switch 2 GPU has no predecessor listed. Neither has a successor listed.