A100 PCIe 40GB vs RTX 2080 Ti

AmperevsTuringUpdated 35 days ago

The A100 PCIe 40GB wins for primary machine learning tasks like training and inference, offering 30 times the FP16 performance at 312 TFLOPS and 40 GB VRAM versus the RTX 2080 Ti's limits, enabling workloads impossible on consumer hardware despite higher $1.85 per hour average cost.

A100 PCIe 40GB from $0.73/hrRTX 2080 Ti from $0.13/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecA100RTX-2080
TDP400W215W
VRAM40-80 GB8-11 GB
CUDA Cores6,9122,944
Memory TypeHBM2eGDDR6
ArchitectureAmpereTuring
Form FactorsSXM4, PCIePCIe
InterconnectNVLink, PCIe 4.0, InfiniBandNVLink
Tensor Cores432368
FP16 Performance312 TFLOPS10.1 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance19.5 TFLOPS10.1 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance9.7 TFLOPS
INT8 Performance624 TOPS
Memory Bandwidth2,039 GB/s616 GB/s

Performance Analysis

The A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16 performance towers over the RTX 2080 Ti's 10.1 TFLOPS, accelerating AI training where tensor core half-precision dominates. Its 19.5 TFLOPS FP32 also exceeds the competitor's 10.1 TFLOPS, aiding simulations and inference. This gap translates to training times reduced by over 30 times on the A100 for large models.

Memory specs define scalability: 2039 GB/s bandwidth and 40 GB VRAM on the A100 enable massive batch sizes without bottlenecks, ideal for LLMs, while 616 GB/s and 11 GB on the RTX 2080 Ti constrain datasets and slow large-model handling. Inference benefits similarly, as high bandwidth minimizes latency.

Power draw of 400W on the A100 yields superior FLOPS per watt for intensive tasks versus the 215W RTX 2080 Ti, though the latter suits lighter, efficient desktop use.

Live Cloud Pricing

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

A100 PCIe 40GB

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
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
2×NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB
80GB VRAM
$1.00/GPU/hr
$2.00/hr total (2×)
Available
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB
80GB VRAM
$1.07/GPU/hr
Available
Denvr
Denvr
4×NVIDIA A100 PCIe 80GB
80GB VRAM
$1.15/GPU/hr
$4.60/hr total (4×)

RTX 2080 Ti

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
11GB VRAM
$0.13/GPU/hr
Available

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the A100 PCIe 40GB

Select the A100 PCIe 40GB for enterprise AI training and inference demanding 40 GB VRAM and 2039 GB/s bandwidth, such as LLMs or scientific simulations. Its NVLink and PCIe 4.0 support multi-GPU clusters in clouds from $0.60 per hour. Professionals prioritize its 312 TFLOPS FP16 for production-scale efficiency.

When to Choose the RTX 2080 Ti

Choose the RTX 2080 Ti for budget ML prototyping, gaming, or Stable Diffusion at $0.06 per hour. Its 11 GB VRAM and 10.1 TFLOPS FP16 suffice for small models or fine-tuning. Hobbyists value its low 215W TDP and PCIe simplicity for personal setups.

Use Cases

LLM Training
A100 PCIe 40GB

A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16 and 40 GB HBM2e VRAM manage massive models; RTX 2080 Ti's 10.1 TFLOPS and 11 GB GDDR6 cause out-of-memory errors.

LLM Inference
A100 PCIe 40GB

2039 GB/s bandwidth supports high-throughput batches; RTX 2080 Ti's 616 GB/s bottlenecks large-scale serving.

Fine-tuning
Either

RTX 2080 Ti handles small models at low cost; A100 accelerates larger ones with 19.5 TFLOPS FP32.

Stable Diffusion
RTX 2080 Ti

RTX 2080 Ti's 11 GB VRAM generates images efficiently at $0.06 per hour; A100 overkill for consumer AI art.

Scientific Computing
A100 PCIe 40GB

A100's 19.5 TFLOPS FP32 and HBM2e excel in simulations; RTX 2080 Ti lacks bandwidth for complex datasets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VRAM difference between A100 PCIe 40GB and RTX 2080 Ti?

The A100 provides 40 GB HBM2e VRAM, while the RTX 2080 Ti has 11 GB GDDR6. This allows the A100 to load much larger models without swapping. Memory bandwidth follows suit at 2039 GB/s versus 616 GB/s.

How do cloud prices compare for A100 vs RTX 2080 Ti?

A100 PCIe 40GB starts at $0.60 per hour, averaging $1.85 across 11 offers. RTX 2080 Ti begins at $0.06 per hour, averaging $0.11 across 6 offers. Budget tasks favor the Ti.

Is A100 better for ML training than RTX 2080 Ti?

Yes, A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16 crushes the Ti's 10.1 TFLOPS, speeding training by 30 times. Its 40 GB VRAM fits large datasets. Consumer GPUs like the Ti suit only small models.

What are the TDP ratings?

A100 draws 400W for datacenter power. RTX 2080 Ti uses 215W, better for desktops. Higher TDP on A100 delivers more performance per deployment.

Can RTX 2080 Ti handle LLM inference?

RTX 2080 Ti manages small LLMs with 11 GB VRAM but struggles on larger ones due to 616 GB/s bandwidth. A100's 40 GB and 2039 GB/s enable production inference. Use Ti for prototyping.

Which has better FP32 performance?

A100 achieves 19.5 TFLOPS FP32, nearly double the RTX 2080 Ti's 10.1 TFLOPS. This benefits scientific computing and general tasks. FP16 gap is even wider at 312 versus 10.1 TFLOPS.

Which is cheaper to rent, the A100 or the RTX 2080?

Cloud rental prices for both the A100 and RTX 2080 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 RTX 2080?

The A100 has 40 to 80 GB of HBM2e memory. The RTX 2080 has 8 to 11 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Can I find A100 and RTX 2080 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 RTX 2080?

The A100 uses the Ampere architecture (2020) while the RTX 2080 uses Turing (2018). The A100 delivers 30.9x the FP16 throughput and 3.3x the memory bandwidth of the RTX 2080.

A100 PCIe 40GB vs RTX 2080 Ti: 80GB vs 11GB | GPUPerHour