A100 PCIe 40GB vs Quadro RTX 5000

AmperevsTuringUpdated 35 days ago

The NVIDIA A100 PCIe 40GB emerges as the clear winner for most common use cases like AI training and inference, delivering 312 TFLOPS FP16 and 40 GB VRAM versus the Quadro RTX 5000's 11.2 TFLOPS and 16 GB. Despite higher average pricing at $1.85 per hour, its 2039 GB/s bandwidth justifies selection for scalable workloads over the Quadro's workstation focus.

A100 PCIe 40GB from $0.73/hrQuadro RTX 5000 from $0.82/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecA100QUADRO-RTX-5000
TDP400W230W
VRAM40-80 GB16 GB
CUDA Cores6,9123,072
Memory TypeHBM2eGDDR6
ArchitectureAmpereTuring
Form FactorsSXM4, PCIePCIe
InterconnectNVLink, PCIe 4.0, InfiniBandNVLink
Tensor Cores432384
FP16 Performance312 TFLOPS11.2 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance19.5 TFLOPS11.2 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance9.7 TFLOPS
INT8 Performance624 TOPS
Memory Bandwidth2,039 GB/s448 GB/s

Performance Analysis

The A100 PCIe 40GB outperforms the Quadro RTX 5000 dramatically in compute capabilities: its FP16 rate of 312 TFLOPS supports accelerated AI training, while FP32 stands at 19.5 TFLOPS for general-purpose computing. The Quadro RTX 5000 matches FP16 and FP32 at 11.2 TFLOPS each, suitable for inference or visualization but inadequate for large-scale model training. This FP16 to FP32 delta on the A100 enables tensor core efficiency in deep learning frameworks, reducing training times for models requiring half-precision arithmetic.

Memory bandwidth defines workload scalability: the A100's 2039 GB/s HBM2e allows larger batch sizes in training, minimizing data transfer bottlenecks compared to the Quadro's 448 GB/s GDDR6. Higher VRAM on the A100, at 40 GB, handles massive datasets or multiple inference streams without swapping, whereas 16 GB limits the Quadro to smaller batches. Power draw reflects this: 400W TDP for A100 versus 230W for Quadro, impacting cloud costs for sustained runs.

Live Cloud Pricing

Real-time prices from 25+ providers. Updated every 60 seconds.

A100 PCIe 40GB

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB
80GB VRAM
$0.73/GPU/hr
Available
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
2×NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB
80GB VRAM
$0.73/GPU/hr
$1.47/hr total (2×)
Available
LeaderGPU
LeaderGPU
8×NVIDIA A100 PCIe 80GB
80GB VRAM
$0.90/GPU/hr
$7.20/hr total (8×)
Available
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB
80GB VRAM
$1.00/GPU/hr
Available
Denvr
Denvr
4×NVIDIA A100 PCIe 80GB
80GB VRAM
$1.15/GPU/hr
$4.60/hr total (4×)

Quadro RTX 5000

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
Paperspace
Paperspace
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000
16GB VRAM
$0.82/GPU/hr
Available
Paperspace
Paperspace
2×NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000
16GB VRAM
$0.82/GPU/hr
$1.64/hr total (2×)
Available

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the A100 PCIe 40GB

Select the NVIDIA A100 PCIe 40GB for AI training and inference on large language models, where 312 TFLOPS FP16 and 40 GB HBM2e VRAM enable handling datasets exceeding 16 GB. Its 2039 GB/s bandwidth supports batch sizes impractical on the Quadro RTX 5000, ideal for data centers or cloud instances with NVLink and PCIe 4.0 interconnects.

Scientific simulations benefit from the A100's 19.5 TFLOPS FP32, outperforming the Quadro's 11.2 TFLOPS in compute-intensive tasks.

When to Choose the Quadro RTX 5000

Choose the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 for professional visualization, CAD rendering, or light inference tasks, leveraging its 16 GB GDDR6 and 11.2 TFLOPS across FP16 and FP32 at a lower 230W TDP. Cloud pricing at $0.82 per hour average suits short-term workstation emulation without the A100's overhead.

It fits single-user environments needing PCIe form factor for compatibility with legacy software.

Use Cases

LLM Training
A100 PCIe 40GB

The A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16 and 40 GB HBM2e VRAM handle large-scale training batches efficiently. The Quadro RTX 5000's 11.2 TFLOPS and 16 GB limit it to small models.

LLM Inference
A100 PCIe 40GB

A100 supports high-throughput inference with 2039 GB/s bandwidth for multiple streams. Quadro's 448 GB/s bandwidth restricts concurrent requests.

Fine-tuning
A100 PCIe 40GB

40 GB VRAM on A100 accommodates full model fine-tuning without truncation. Quadro's 16 GB requires model sharding or smaller datasets.

Stable Diffusion
Either

A100 accelerates generation with superior FP16, but Quadro RTX 5000 suffices for single-image tasks at 11.2 TFLOPS. Choice depends on batch size needs.

Scientific Computing
A100 PCIe 40GB

A100's 19.5 TFLOPS FP32 excels in simulations requiring high precision. Quadro's matched 11.2 TFLOPS FP32 falls short for complex computations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VRAM difference between A100 PCIe 40GB and Quadro RTX 5000?

The A100 PCIe 40GB provides 40 GB HBM2e VRAM, doubling the Quadro RTX 5000's 16 GB GDDR6. This enables larger models on A100. Bandwidth also differs: 2039 GB/s versus 448 GB/s.

Which GPU has higher FP16 performance?

NVIDIA A100 PCIe 40GB achieves 312 TFLOPS FP16, vastly exceeding the Quadro RTX 5000's 11.2 TFLOPS. This gap favors A100 for AI acceleration. FP32 is 19.5 TFLOPS on A100 versus 11.2 TFLOPS on Quadro.

How do cloud prices compare?

A100 PCIe 40GB starts at $0.60 per hour, averaging $1.85 per hour across 11 offers. Quadro RTX 5000 is $0.82 per hour average across 2 offers. A100 offers more availability.

What are the power requirements?

A100 PCIe 40GB has a 400W TDP, higher than the Quadro RTX 5000's 230W. This affects cooling and cloud instance selection. Both use PCIe form factors.

Which is better for machine learning training?

A100 PCIe 40GB excels with 312 TFLOPS FP16 and 2039 GB/s bandwidth for training. Quadro RTX 5000's specs limit it to prototyping. Architectures differ: Ampere versus Turing.

Do they support NVLink?

Both list NVLink support, but A100 adds PCIe 4.0 and InfiniBand for scaling. Quadro RTX 5000 uses PCIe primarily. A100 suits multi-GPU clusters better.

Which is cheaper to rent, the A100 or the Quadro RTX 5000?

Cloud rental prices for both the A100 and Quadro RTX 5000 vary by provider, configuration, and availability. This page shows live pricing from 25+ providers updated every 60 seconds. Scroll to the Live Cloud Pricing section to compare current rates.

How much VRAM does the A100 have compared to the Quadro RTX 5000?

The A100 has 40 to 80 GB of HBM2e memory. The Quadro RTX 5000 has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Can I find A100 and Quadro RTX 5000 GPUs available to rent right now?

Yes. This page shows real-time availability across 25+ cloud GPU providers. The Live Cloud Pricing section displays only in-stock offers with current pricing.

What is the main difference between the A100 and the Quadro RTX 5000?

The A100 uses the Ampere architecture (2020) while the Quadro RTX 5000 uses Turing (2018). The A100 delivers 27.9x the FP16 throughput and 4.6x the memory bandwidth of the Quadro RTX 5000.

A100 PCIe 40GB vs Quadro RTX 5000: 80GB vs 16GB | GPUPerHour