Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU vs Radeon R9 270

AMD

Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU

2017Core: 1400 MHzBoost: 1500 MHz
Similar parts
·······
VS
AMD

Radeon R9 270

2013Boost: 925 MHz
Similar parts
·······

Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU vs Radeon R9 270 Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU vs Radeon R9 270 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU vs Radeon R9 270: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU

2017

Why buy it

  • 59.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • More future proof: GCN 5.0 (2017−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 2017 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 24.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $179 MSRP).
  • 100% higher power demand at 300W vs 150W.

Radeon R9 270

2013

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 24.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($179 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Draws 150W instead of 300W, a 150W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 59.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2.3% in PassMark G3D (4,403 vs 4,306), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 14nm process instead of 28nm and a newer 2017 generation instead of 2013. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon R9 270 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R9 270 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU vs Radeon R9 270 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

AMD

Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU

The Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 27 2017. It features the GCN 5.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1400 MHz to 1500 MHz. It has 4096 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,403 points.

AMD

Radeon R9 270

The Radeon R9 270 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 13 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 925 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,306 points. Launch price was $179.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU scores 4,403 and the Radeon R9 270 reaches 4,306 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU is built on GCN 5.0 while the Radeon R9 270 uses GCN 1.0, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 4,096 (Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU) vs 1,280 (Radeon R9 270). Raw compute: 12.29 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU) vs 2.368 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 270). Boost clocks: 1500 MHz vs 925 MHz.

FeatureRadeon Instinct MI25 MxGPURadeon R9 270
G3D Mark Score
4,403+2%
4,306
Architecture
GCN 5.0
GCN 1.0
Process Node
14 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
4096 ×2+220%
1280
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.29 TFLOPS ×2+419%
2.368 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1500 MHz+62%
925 MHz
ROPs
64 ×2+100%
32
TMUs
256 ×2+220%
80
L1 Cache
1 MB+223%
0.31 MB
L2 Cache
4 MB+700%
0.5 MB
Frame Generation
FSR upscaling
FSR upscaling

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon Instinct MI25 MxGPURadeon R9 270
Upscaling Tech
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
AMD Anti-Lag
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards ship with 2 GB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU and 256-bit on the Radeon R9 270. L2 Cache: 4 MB (Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 270) — the Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon Instinct MI25 MxGPURadeon R9 270
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
256-bit+300%
L2 Cache
4 MB+700%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU draws 300W versus the Radeon R9 270's 150W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon R9 270 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU) vs 500W (Radeon R9 270). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureRadeon Instinct MI25 MxGPURadeon R9 270
TDP
300W
150W-50%
Recommended PSU
350W-30%
500W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
1x 6-pin
Perf/Watt
14.7
28.7+95%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon Instinct MI25 MxGPU (2017 vs 2013).

FeatureRadeon Instinct MI25 MxGPURadeon R9 270
MSRP
$179
Codename
Vega 10
Curacao
Release
June 27 2017
November 13 2013
Ranking
#474
#476

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.