Specifications Compared
| Spec | A100 | RTX-3080 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 400W | 320W |
| VRAM | 40-80 GB | 10-12 GB |
| CUDA Cores | 6,912 | 8,704 |
| Memory Type | HBM2e | GDDR6X |
| Architecture | Ampere | Ampere |
| Form Factors | SXM4, PCIe | PCIe |
| Interconnect | NVLink, PCIe 4.0, InfiniBand | |
| Tensor Cores | 432 | 272 |
| FP16 Performance | 312 TFLOPS | 29.8 TFLOPS |
| FP32 Performance | 19.5 TFLOPS | 29.8 TFLOPS |
| FP64 Performance | 9.7 TFLOPS | |
| INT8 Performance | 624 TOPS | |
| Memory Bandwidth | 2,039 GB/s | 760 GB/s |
Performance Analysis
The A100 PCIe 40GB dominates in FP16 performance at 312 TFLOPS compared to the RTX 3080 Ti's 29.8 TFLOPS, enabling 10x faster tensor core-accelerated training for deep learning models. Its FP32 rate of 19.5 TFLOPS trails the RTX 3080 Ti's 29.8 TFLOPS, making the consumer card preferable for FP32-heavy simulations. This FP16/FP32 delta favors the A100 for mixed-precision training, where FP16 speeds iterations, while the RTX 3080 Ti suits inference or gaming with balanced throughput.
Memory differences profoundly impact workloads: the A100's 40 GB HBM2e and 2039 GB/s bandwidth support batch sizes up to 4x larger than the RTX 3080 Ti's 12 GB GDDR6X and 760 GB/s, reducing out-of-memory errors in large language models. Higher bandwidth minimizes data stalls, accelerating training by sustaining compute utilization. In real-world terms, the A100 handles enterprise-scale inference with minimal latency, whereas the RTX 3080 Ti excels in memory-constrained, cost-sensitive tasks.
Power efficiency varies: the A100's 400W TDP delivers higher flops per watt in FP16, but the RTX 3080 Ti's 320W offers better value for lighter loads.
Live Cloud Pricing
Real-time prices from 25+ providers. Updated every 60 seconds.
A100 PCIe 40GB
| Provider | GPU Model | VRAM | Host Specs | Region | Price | Status | Action | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Vast.ai | 2×NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB 80GB VRAM | 80GB | 256 vCPU 126GB RAM 794GB Storage | Slovenia | $0.73/GPU/hr $1.47/hr total (2×) | Available | ||
 LeaderGPU | 8×NVIDIA A100 PCIe 80GB 80GB VRAM | 80GB | 64 vCPU 384GB RAM 2000GB Storage | Netherlands | $0.90/GPU/hr $7.20/hr total (8×) | Available | ||
Vast.ai | 2×NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB 80GB VRAM | 80GB | 64 vCPU 126GB RAM 1114GB Storage | Czechia | $1.00/GPU/hr $2.00/hr total (2×) | Available | ||
Vast.ai | NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB 80GB VRAM | 80GB | 64 vCPU 63GB RAM 646GB Storage | Czechia | $1.07/GPU/hr | Available | ||
 Denvr | 4×NVIDIA A100 PCIe 80GB 80GB VRAM | 80GB | 64 vCPU 512GB RAM 7600GB Storage | Virginia | $1.15/GPU/hr $4.60/hr total (4×) |
When to Choose the A100 PCIe 40GB
Choose the A100 PCIe 40GB for large-scale AI training requiring 40 GB VRAM, such as LLMs with billions of parameters. Its 2039 GB/s bandwidth enables massive batch sizes, and 312 TFLOPS FP16 accelerates convergence. Multi-GPU setups benefit from NVLink and InfiniBand, ideal for data centers at $0.60/hr starting price.
When to Choose the RTX 3080 Ti
Opt for the RTX 3080 Ti in budget-constrained environments with small-to-medium models fitting in 12 GB VRAM. Its 29.8 TFLOPS FP32/FP16 balance suits Stable Diffusion or fine-tuning at $0.08/hr. Single-GPU inference or gaming workloads leverage its PCIe simplicity without enterprise overhead.
Use Cases
LLM training demands over 40 GB VRAM and 312 TFLOPS FP16 for large batches. The A100 PCIe 40GB's 2039 GB/s bandwidth prevents bottlenecks absent in the RTX 3080 Ti's 12 GB.
Inference on large LLMs requires 40 GB HBM2e to load full models. A100's superior FP16 throughput ensures low latency versus RTX 3080 Ti limitations.
Fine-tuning benefits from A100's high VRAM for gradient accumulation. Its NVLink scales multi-GPU setups better than RTX 3080 Ti.
Stable Diffusion fits in 12 GB GDDR6X with 29.8 TFLOPS FP16. RTX 3080 Ti's $0.08/hr pricing suits rapid prototyping.
FP32 tasks favor RTX 3080 Ti's 29.8 TFLOPS; memory-intensive ones need A100's 40 GB. Choice depends on scale and budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has more VRAM: A100 PCIe 40GB or RTX 3080 Ti?▾
The A100 PCIe 40GB provides 40 GB HBM2e VRAM. The RTX 3080 Ti offers 12 GB GDDR6X. This gap suits A100 for large models.
What is the FP16 performance difference?▾
A100 PCIe 40GB achieves 312 TFLOPS FP16. RTX 3080 Ti reaches 29.8 TFLOPS. A100 excels 10x in tensor-accelerated tasks.
How do cloud prices compare?▾
A100 PCIe 40GB starts at $0.60/hr, averaging $1.85/hr across 11 offers. RTX 3080 Ti starts at $0.08/hr, averaging $0.14/hr across 4 offers.
Which is better for multi-GPU setups?▾
A100 PCIe 40GB supports NVLink, PCIe 4.0, and InfiniBand. RTX 3080 Ti lacks advanced interconnects, limiting scaling.
What are the TDPs?▾
A100 PCIe 40GB has 400W TDP. RTX 3080 Ti uses 320W. A100 demands more cooling for peak performance.
Memory bandwidth comparison?▾
A100 PCIe 40GB delivers 2039 GB/s with HBM2e. RTX 3080 Ti provides 760 GB/s with GDDR6X. Higher bandwidth aids A100 in data-heavy workloads.
Which is cheaper to rent, the A100 or the RTX 3080?▾
Cloud rental prices for both the A100 and RTX 3080 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 3080?▾
The A100 has 40 to 80 GB of HBM2e memory. The RTX 3080 has 10 to 12 GB of GDDR6X memory.
Can I find A100 and RTX 3080 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 3080?▾
The A100 uses the Ampere architecture (2020) while the RTX 3080 uses Ampere (2020). The A100 delivers 10.5x the FP16 throughput and 2.7x the memory bandwidth of the RTX 3080.