A100 SXM4 40GB vs H100 NVL

AmperevsHopperUpdated 35 days ago

The H100 NVL emerges as the superior choice for most common AI workloads like LLM training and inference. Its 1979 TFLOPS FP16 performance surpasses the A100's 312 TFLOPS by over sixfold, while 94 GB HBM3 VRAM and 3350 GB/s bandwidth enable larger models and batches. Comparable average pricing of $2.89 per hour versus $2.80 supports the upgrade for performance-critical applications.

A100 SXM4 40GB from $0.73/hrH100 NVL from $1.90/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecA100H100
TDP400W700W
VRAM40-80 GB80-94 GB
CUDA Cores6,91216,896
Memory TypeHBM2eHBM3
ArchitectureAmpereHopper
Form FactorsSXM4, PCIeSXM5, PCIe, NVL
InterconnectNVLink, PCIe 4.0, InfiniBandNVLink, PCIe 5.0, InfiniBand
Tensor Cores432528
FP16 Performance312 TFLOPS1,979 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance19.5 TFLOPS67 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance9.7 TFLOPS34 TFLOPS
INT8 Performance624 TOPS3,958 TOPS
Memory Bandwidth2,039 GB/s3,350 GB/s

Performance Analysis

The H100 NVL vastly outperforms the A100 SXM4 40GB in tensor core performance: its 1979 TFLOPS FP16 rating dwarfs the A100's 312 TFLOPS, accelerating large language model training where mixed-precision computations dominate. FP32 performance reaches 67 TFLOPS on the H100 NVL versus 19.5 TFLOPS on the A100, benefiting general-purpose simulations and inference pipelines requiring higher precision. The H100 NVL's FP8 capability of 3950 TFLOPS further optimizes inference for quantized models, enabling faster throughput in production deployments. Memory bandwidth of 3350 GB/s on the H100 NVL, compared to 2039 GB/s on the A100, supports larger batch sizes in training: models with billions of parameters process data more efficiently without stalling. This bandwidth advantage reduces latency for memory-bound tasks like diffusion models. Higher TDP of 700W on the H100 NVL demands robust cooling, but yields proportional gains in sustained workloads.

Live Cloud Pricing

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

A100 SXM4 40GB

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB
80GB VRAM
$0.73/GPU/hr
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
8×NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB
80GB VRAM
$1.15/GPU/hr
$9.20/hr total (8×)

H100 NVL

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
Hyperstack
Hyperstack
4×NVIDIA H100 PCIe
80GB VRAM
$1.90/GPU/hr
$7.60/hr total (4×)
Available
Hyperstack
Hyperstack
2×NVIDIA H100 PCIe
80GB VRAM
$1.90/GPU/hr
$3.80/hr total (2×)
Available
Hyperstack
Hyperstack
8×NVIDIA H100 PCIe
80GB VRAM
$1.90/GPU/hr
$15.20/hr total (8×)
Available
Hyperstack
Hyperstack
NVIDIA H100 PCIe
80GB VRAM
$1.90/GPU/hr
Available
Hyperstack
Hyperstack
8×NVIDIA H100 PCIe
80GB VRAM
$1.95/GPU/hr
$15.60/hr total (8×)
Available

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the A100 SXM4 40GB

The A100 SXM4 40GB suits cost-sensitive deployments where cloud pricing from $1.00 per hour provides value. Its 400W TDP fits power-constrained environments better than the H100 NVL's 700W draw. Legacy workflows optimized for Ampere architecture run efficiently on the A100's 40 GB HBM2e VRAM and 2039 GB/s bandwidth without needing Hopper-specific features.

When to Choose the H100 NVL

The H100 NVL excels in modern AI training and inference demanding peak performance: 1979 TFLOPS FP16 and 94 GB HBM3 VRAM handle massive models infeasible on the A100. Scenarios with FP8 quantization leverage 3958 TFLOPS for ultra-low latency serving. Despite slightly higher pricing from $1.40 per hour, superior 3350 GB/s bandwidth justifies selection for high-throughput clusters.

Use Cases

LLM Training
H100 NVL

H100 NVL's 1979 TFLOPS FP16 and 94 GB HBM3 VRAM accelerate training of large models far beyond A100's 312 TFLOPS and 40 GB. Higher 3350 GB/s bandwidth sustains large batch sizes.

LLM Inference
H100 NVL

FP8 performance of 3958 TFLOPS on H100 NVL optimizes quantized inference for high throughput. 94 GB VRAM fits full models without sharding, unlike A100's 40 GB limit.

Fine-tuning
Either

A100 SXM4 40GB handles smaller fine-tuning tasks cost-effectively at $1.00 per hour start. H100 NVL shines for parameter-heavy models with 67 TFLOPS FP32.

Stable Diffusion
H100 NVL

H100 NVL's 3350 GB/s bandwidth and 1979 TFLOPS FP16 speed up image generation pipelines. Larger 94 GB VRAM supports high-resolution batches over A100's 40 GB.

Scientific Computing
A100 SXM4 40GB

A100's 19.5 TFLOPS FP32 and 400W TDP suffice for simulations with lower precision needs. Lower pricing from $1.00 per hour fits budget-conscious research.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which GPU has higher FP16 performance?

The H100 NVL achieves 1979 TFLOPS in FP16, compared to the A100 SXM4 40GB's 312 TFLOPS. This gap makes H100 ideal for tensor-heavy AI training. Bandwidth of 3350 GB/s further amplifies its advantage.

What is the VRAM difference between A100 SXM4 40GB and H100 NVL?

A100 SXM4 40GB offers 40 GB HBM2e, while H100 NVL provides 94 GB HBM3. Larger VRAM on H100 enables bigger models without multi-GPU setups. Memory bandwidth reaches 3350 GB/s on H100 versus 2039 GB/s.

How do cloud prices compare?

A100 SXM4 40GB starts at $1.00 per hour, averaging $2.80 across four offers. H100 NVL begins at $1.40 per hour, averaging $2.89 across nine offers. A100 provides better entry-level value.

What is the power consumption difference?

A100 SXM4 40GB has a 400W TDP, lower than H100 NVL's 700W. Lower power suits constrained data centers. H100's higher TDP correlates with 1979 TFLOPS FP16 performance.

Is H100 NVL faster for inference?

Yes, H100 NVL's FP8 at 3958 TFLOPS and 94 GB VRAM excel in inference over A100's capabilities. It supports quantized models with minimal latency. Bandwidth of 3350 GB/s handles large batches efficiently.

Which supports PCIe 5.0?

H100 NVL includes PCIe 5.0 interconnect alongside NVLink and InfiniBand, versus A100 SXM4 40GB's PCIe 4.0. Faster PCIe aids high-speed storage access. Both use SXM form factors for dense clusters.

Which is cheaper to rent, the A100 or the H100?

Cloud rental prices for both the A100 and H100 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 H100?

The A100 has 40 to 80 GB of HBM2e memory. The H100 has 80 to 94 GB of HBM3 memory.

Can I find A100 and H100 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 H100?

The A100 uses the Ampere architecture (2020) while the H100 uses Hopper (2022). The H100 delivers 6.3x the FP16 throughput and 1.6x the memory bandwidth of the A100.

A100 SXM4 40GB vs H100 NVL: 6.3x FP16 Gap, 94GB vs 80GB | GPUPerHour