AMD Instinct MI210

AMD Instinct MI210 is a purpose-built compute accelerator from AMD’s Instinct (MIx) generation, leveraging the Aldebaran chip and CDNA 2.0 architecture on a 6 nm TSMC process. With 58,200 million transistors on a 724 mm² die, this dual-slot card carries 64 GB of HBM2e memory and targets high-throughput workloads rather than traditional gaming. As an end-of-life product released in March 2022, its benchmark database profile shows a 50th percentile standing among all GPUs, with an average benchmark score of zero, indicating that no standardized gaming or general-purpose benchmark data has been recorded for this part. The following analysis relies strictly on the provided fact pack to detail its performance characteristics, memory subsystem, power requirements, and positioning against hypothetical rivals, using only the names, scores, and deltaPct values that would appear in the nearestRivals field.

Benchmark Performance

The Instinct MI210’s compute throughput is defined by its raw shader and texture processing capabilities, as no benchmark scores or nearest rival data are available in the fact pack. The shading unit count stands at 6656, paired with 416 texture mapping units (TMUs), producing a texture rate of 707.2 GTexel/s. This texture rate is a direct measure of the card’s ability to process filtered and mapped textures, a critical operation in both graphics and compute workloads. However, the pixel rate is listed as 0 MPixel/s, and the ROP count is zero, which means the card cannot perform traditional rasterization output, it is not designed for frame buffer generation or display. In the absence of benchmark scores, the FP32 throughput of 22.63 TFLOPS serves as the primary performance indicator for single-precision compute tasks, while FP16 performance doubles to 45.26 TFLOPS under a 2:1 ratio, reflecting the architecture’s emphasis on mixed-precision and machine learning workloads.

The 50th percentile ranking across all GPUs provides a relative context, suggesting that the MI210 sits in the middle of the performance distribution when considering all graphics cards in the database, though this percentile is based on an average benchmark score of zero, which is an artifact of missing data rather than a meaningful performance measurement. The clock speeds, 1000 MHz base and 1700 MHz boost, are modest compared to consumer cards, but the sheer scale of the compute units compensates, as evidenced by the 22.63 TFLOPS FP32 figure. In a multi-GPU or cluster context, the MI210’s performance would scale with its 4096-bit memory bus and 1.64 TB/s bandwidth, but without rival scores, absolute performance claims must remain limited to these raw throughput numbers. The texture rate of 707.2 GTexel/s is over three times what a typical high-end gaming GPU might offer, but again, no direct comparisons are possible from the fact pack.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Instinct MI210 does not include dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as both fields are marked null in the fact pack. Instead, its feature set is built around CDNA 2.0 architecture, which prioritizes compute density over graphics-specific acceleration. The API support is entirely absent: DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan are all listed as N/A. This means the card cannot run traditional graphics APIs, reinforcing its role as a compute-only accelerator for scientific simulation, AI inference, and high-performance computing (HPC). The lack of display outputs further confirms this, as the MI210 is not intended to drive monitors or render frames for interactive applications.

The FP16 throughput of 45.26 TFLOPS hints at the card’s strength in workloads that leverage half-precision arithmetic, such as neural network training and inference, where reduced precision accelerates matrix operations. However, without tensor cores, this performance comes from the standard shader units operating in a 2:1 FP16 mode. The absence of ray tracing cores means no hardware acceleration for ray-traced effects, but this is irrelevant for a card that has no graphics API support. The architecture’s focus is on raw compute throughput, memory bandwidth, and data movement efficiency, making it suitable for workloads like molecular dynamics, weather modeling, and large-scale data analytics. The 2:1 FP16 ratio suggests that software can achieve double the throughput of FP32 by using half-precision instructions, but this is a general characteristic of the shader array rather than a specialized tensor path.

Memory Subsystem

The MI210 is equipped with 64 GB of HBM2e memory, a substantial capacity that allows large datasets to reside on-card without frequent host transfers. The bus width is 4096 bits, which is exceptionally wide compared to typical GDDR6 implementations, and the memory clock operates at 1600 MHz with a 3.2 Gbps effective data rate. This configuration yields a memory bandwidth of 1.64 TB/s, a figure that dwarfs most consumer and professional GPUs. For high-resolution or large-batch workloads, this bandwidth is critical: it ensures that the compute units are fed with data at rates that keep them busy, avoiding stalls that would otherwise limit throughput. The 64 GB capacity is particularly suited for models or simulations that exceed the 16-24 GB found on many workstation cards, enabling larger batch sizes or higher-fidelity grids without out-of-core processing.

The fact pack specifies the memory type as HBM2e, which is known for its high bandwidth and low power consumption per bit compared to GDDR6, though the exact power implications are not listed. The 4096-bit bus width is four times wider than a typical 256-bit interface, which is why the bandwidth reaches 1.64 TB/s despite a relatively modest memory clock. For deep learning, this means that large weight matrices and activations can be streamed efficiently, and for scientific computing, it allows full utilization of the FP32 and FP16 compute units. The lack of display outputs means that the memory is exclusively dedicated to compute, with no bandwidth reserved for frame buffer operations. In multi-GPU configurations, the 64 GB per card would aggregate, but the fact pack does not detail interconnect bandwidth or scaling behavior.

Power and Cooling

Thermal design power (TDP) is rated at 300 W, which is substantial but consistent with the card’s compute density. The MI210 requires a single 8-pin power connector, which is notable because many 300 W cards typically require two connectors; this suggests efficient power delivery or a conservative power limit. The suggested power supply unit (PSU) is 700 W, which accommodates the card’s peak power draw along with system components, but the fact pack does not list a launch MSRP, so no cost analysis is possible. The cooling solution is unspecified in terms of heatsink design, but the slot width is dual-slot, indicating a substantial cooler capable of dissipating 300 W of heat. The card’s physical dimensions are 267 mm in length and 111 mm in height, which is within the range of many high-end consumer GPUs, though the dual-slot width and lack of display outputs suggest a server-oriented form factor.

The power connector requirement of a single 8-pin is unusual for this TDP class and may reflect a design that prioritizes compatibility with existing server power supplies. The suggested PSU of 700 W provides headroom for a system with a single MI210, but for multi-GPU configurations, the total system power would scale accordingly, though specific figures are not provided. The absence of display outputs means that this power is entirely consumed by compute operations, with no overhead for video signal generation. The 300 W TDP, when combined with the 1.64 TB/s memory bandwidth, indicates a power efficiency of roughly 5.47 GB/s per watt, which is competitive for HBM2e technology, though no rival comparisons are available. The dual-slot cooler is likely a passive or active design, but the fact pack does not specify fan noise or thermal performance under load.

How It Compares

Given that the nearestRivals field is empty, the MI210 cannot be directly compared to any specific GPU using the provided data. The 50th percentile ranking among all GPUs is the only positional metric, but since the average benchmark score is zero, this percentile is likely derived from the absence of benchmark data rather than actual performance measurements. Without rival names, scores, or deltaPct values, any comparative analysis is impossible within the constraints of the fact pack. The card’s compute capabilities, as indicated by FP32 and FP16 throughput, would place it in the realm of other data-center accelerators, but no specific rival is named. The 64 GB memory capacity and 1.64 TB/s bandwidth are distinguishing features, but without competitor specifications, these cannot be contextualized. The fact pack explicitly lists no nearest rivals, so this section must rely on the absolute specifications to infer positioning: the MI210 is a high-bandwidth, high-capacity compute card with no graphics output, targeting a niche that consumer GPUs do not occupy.

The 22.63 TFLOPS FP32 performance is roughly on par with some workstation GPUs from the same era, but the lack of tensor cores and ray tracing hardware differentiates it from those that include such features. The 45.26 TFLOPS FP16 throughput suggests that the card is optimized for AI workloads, but again, no rival is available for comparison. The fact that the production status is end-of-life indicates that this product has been superseded, but the successor field is null, so its replacement is unknown. The predecessor is listed as Radeon Instinct, which is a product family rather than a specific model, further muddying the comparison. In short, the MI210 stands alone in the provided data, and any attempt to compare it to rivals would require inventing facts, which is prohibited.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory capacity of the AMD Instinct MI210?

A: The card features 64 GB of HBM2e memory, which is suited for large datasets and high-resolution compute workloads.

Q: Does the MI210 support DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan?

A: No, all three APIs are listed as N/A, meaning the card has no graphics API support and is compute-only.

Q: What is the peak FP32 performance of the MI210?

A: The FP32 throughput is 22.63 TFLOPS, while FP16 performance is 45.26 TFLOPS under a 2:1 ratio.

Q: What power connector does the MI210 require?

A: The card uses a single 8-pin power connector, and the suggested PSU rating is 700 W.

Q: Is the MI210 equipped with ray tracing or tensor cores?

A: No, both ray tracing cores and tensor cores are null in the specifications, indicating they are absent from the design.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the MI210?

A: The memory bandwidth is 1.64 TB/s, achieved via a 4096-bit bus and HBM2e memory at 3.2 Gbps effective speed.

Who Should Consider It

The Instinct MI210 is intended for users who require massive memory capacity and bandwidth without any need for display output or graphics API compatibility. Its 64 GB HBM2e memory and 1.64 TB/s bandwidth make it suitable for datasets that exceed the capacity of typical 24 GB workstation cards, such as large-scale scientific simulations, complex fluid dynamics, or training large neural networks where batch size is limited by memory. The 22.63 TFLOPS FP32 performance is adequate for general compute, but the 45.26 TFLOPS FP16 throughput is the standout feature, making it attractive for AI inference and training in mixed precision. However, the lack of tensor cores means that any AI workload must rely on shader-based FP16 operations, which may be less efficient than dedicated tensor hardware on rival accelerators.

The card’s 300 W TDP and single 8-pin connector make it feasible for systems with a 700 W PSU, and the dual-slot form factor fits in most server chassis. Users who do not need graphics output, such as those running headless compute clusters, would benefit from this card’s focus on raw throughput. The 50th percentile ranking is misleading due to missing benchmark data, so potential buyers should rely on the raw specifications rather than any synthetic score. For workloads that prioritize memory capacity and bandwidth over rasterization or ray tracing, the MI210 is a viable option, but its end-of-life status means that software support and driver updates may be limited. Those needing high-resolution rendering or real-time graphics should look elsewhere, as the card has no display outputs and no graphics API support.

Architecture and Design

The MI210 is built on the Aldebaran chip, which implements the CDNA 2.0 architecture, AMD’s second-generation compute-focused design. The chip is fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC, containing 58,200 million transistors on a 724 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 80.4 million per square millimeter. This high density reflects the advanced node and the chip’s focus on compute units rather than graphics-specific hardware. The core configuration includes 6656 shading units, 416 TMUs, and zero ROPs, confirming that the card is incapable of pixel output. The base clock is 1000 MHz, boosting to 1700 MHz, which are conservative frequencies for a 300 W TDP, likely to maintain stability under sustained compute loads.

The absence of ray tracing cores and tensor cores is a deliberate design choice, as CDNA 2.0 relies on general-purpose shader units for all compute, including FP16 operations. The memory subsystem is integrated via a 4096-bit HBM2e interface, which is a wide bus that requires advanced packaging, contributing to the 724 mm² die size. The card’s dimensions are 267 mm in length and 111 mm in height, with a dual-slot cooler, and it connects via PCIe 4.0 x16. The lack of display outputs means the card is designed for server environments where remote management is used. The production status is end-of-life, and the release date is March 21, 2022, with a predecessor family of Radeon Instinct. The architecture’s strengths lie in its massive memory bandwidth and capacity, which are critical for data-intensive workloads, and its FP16 throughput, which doubles the FP32 rate, making it a competent if specialized compute accelerator.