9621 Agnes Crossing, Lake Suzanneview, New Mexico Island 84604-9295.
After a successful first attempt, AMD announces new Instinct accelerators. The MI325X has to compete against the Nvidia H200, Blackwell needs bigger guns. AMD wants to distinguish itself
After a successful first attempt, AMD announces new Instinct accelerators. The MI325X has to compete against the Nvidia H200, Blackwell needs bigger guns.
AMD wants to distinguish itself as a data center specialist at its conference in San Francisco. We’ve already written extensively about Epyc Turin’s new server processors, but AMD understands that good CPUs alone aren’t enough to conquer the data center. There is one particular company that has conquered the AI industry with its GPUs.
To break Nvidia’s hegemony, AMD last year launched the Instinct MI300X, an “accelerator” for AI workloads on servers. A successful start, as AMD managed to capture seven percent of the AI chip market straight away, even if the company’s top managers’ claims about “AI leadership” may still be a bit exaggerated. AMD wants to prove that the MI300X was no coincidence and is announcing its successor, Instinct MI325X, in San Francisco.
Where the MI300X had to compete against the Nvidia H100, the MI325X is forced into a duel with the H200. The accelerator is developed on the same CDNA 3 architecture. The MI325X offers 256GB of HBM3e storage and 6TB/s bandwidth. This means that with AMD’s accelerator you can achieve up to 1.3 times higher inference performance than with Nvidia’s direct counterpart. Intel’s Gaudi 3 isn’t even mentioned.
The MI325X will begin rolling off the assembly line in the fourth quarter, with wider availability through partners beginning in the first quarter of next year. AMD is not currently announcing prices. A single Nvidia H200 can easily sell for tens of thousands of euros, so those interested can start saving.
AMD can’t sit still. Nvidia Blackwell is coming, although production issues are causing some delays. The MI325X will not make it in a direct duel with the Blackwell chips, so AMD is already giving an indication of how it wants to remain competitive. The MI accelerators will receive a complete redesign in 2025.
AMD then plans to switch from CDNA 3 to CDNA 4. The MI350 series with the updated architecture is expected in the second half of 2025. AMD promises up to 288 GB of HBM3e per chip and up to 35x better inference performance. AMD engineers have not yet made a direct comparison with Blackwell, but promise that the accelerator will be “competitive.”
Starting next year, AMD also wants to follow an annual architecture rhythm, similar to what Nvidia has already announced. This means that the next generation of CDNA is already being planned before 2026, provisionally called CDNA Next.
Source: IT Daily
As an experienced journalist and author, Mary has been reporting on the latest news and trends for over 5 years. With a passion for uncovering the stories behind the headlines, Mary has earned a reputation as a trusted voice in the world of journalism. Her writing style is insightful, engaging and thought-provoking, as she takes a deep dive into the most pressing issues of our time.
