A100 SXM4 40GB vs MI355X

AmperevsCDNA 4Updated 35 days ago

MI355X claims victory for demanding AI use cases: 2300 TFLOPS FP16/FP32 and 288 GB VRAM deliver overwhelming advantages over A100's 312 TFLOPS and 40 GB, enabling faster training and larger-scale inference. Despite lacking current cloud pricing, its specs position it as the long-term leader for LLM workloads.

A100 SXM4 40GB from $0.73/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecA100MI355X
TDP400W750W
VRAM40-80 GB288 GB
CUDA Cores6,912
Memory TypeHBM2eHBM3e
ArchitectureAmpereCDNA 4
Form FactorsSXM4, PCIeOAM
InterconnectNVLink, PCIe 4.0, InfiniBandInfinity Fabric
Tensor Cores432
FP16 Performance312 TFLOPS2,300 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance19.5 TFLOPS2300 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance9.7 TFLOPS72 TFLOPS
INT8 Performance624 TOPS4,600 TOPS
Memory Bandwidth2,039 GB/s8,000 GB/s

Performance Analysis

MI355X's FP16 and FP32 performance both at 2300 TFLOPS dwarf A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16 and 19.5 TFLOPS FP32: this disparity accelerates neural network training, where FP16 dominates, allowing MI355X to complete epochs over seven times faster on equivalent models. Inference benefits from MI355X's 4600 TFLOPS FP8 capability, absent on A100, slashing latency for quantized deployments. The FP16 to FP32 balance on MI355X, unlike A100's steep drop-off, supports hybrid precision workflows seamlessly.

Memory bandwidth of 8000 GB/s on MI355X versus 2039 GB/s on A100 enables larger batch sizes: real-world training sustains higher throughput without memory bottlenecks, reducing iteration times. Paired with 288 GB VRAM against A100's 40 GB, MI355X loads entire large language models into memory, minimizing multi-GPU complexity and communication overhead via Infinity Fabric. A100's NVLink suits current clusters, but MI355X scales for exascale demands.

Live Cloud Pricing

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

A100 SXM4 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
Denvr
Denvr
4×NVIDIA A100 PCIe 80GB
80GB VRAM
$1.15/GPU/hr
$4.60/hr total (4×)
Denvr
Denvr
8×NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB
80GB VRAM
$1.15/GPU/hr
$9.20/hr total (8×)

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the A100 SXM4 40GB

The A100 SXM4 40GB fits production environments needing immediate availability: cloud pricing starts at $1.00 per hour with an average of $2.63 across five offers, supporting rapid scaling without wait times. Its 400W TDP consumes less power than MI355X's 750W, ideal for constrained data centers. Mature NVLink and PCIe 4.0 interconnects integrate reliably into existing NVIDIA ecosystems for stable inference and fine-tuning.

When to Choose the MI355X

MI355X targets frontier AI research: 288 GB HBM3e VRAM accommodates massive models like multi-trillion parameter LLMs without sharding. The 8000 GB/s bandwidth and 2300 TFLOPS FP32 excel in precision training tasks. FP8 at 4600 TFLOPS optimizes high-volume inference, future-proofing against growing model sizes.

Use Cases

LLM Training
MI355X

MI355X's 2300 TFLOPS FP16/FP32 and 288 GB VRAM handle massive LLMs far better than A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16 and 40 GB. Larger memory reduces multi-GPU needs and speeds convergence.

LLM Inference
MI355X

4600 TFLOPS FP8 on MI355X boosts quantized inference throughput, paired with 8000 GB/s bandwidth for high batch sizes. A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16 limits scale on large models.

Fine-tuning
Either

A100's availability at $1.00 per hour suits quick iterations on 40 GB models, while MI355X's 288 GB excels for parameter-efficient tuning of giants. Choice depends on model size.

Stable Diffusion
MI355X

MI355X's 2300 TFLOPS FP16 and vast VRAM generate higher-resolution images faster than A100's 312 TFLOPS. Bandwidth of 8000 GB/s supports complex diffusion chains.

Scientific Computing
MI355X

Balanced 2300 TFLOPS FP32 on MI355X outperforms A100's 19.5 TFLOPS for simulations. 288 GB VRAM processes large datasets in fields like climate modeling.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VRAM capacity of NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40GB versus AMD Instinct MI355X?

The A100 SXM4 40GB provides 40 GB HBM2e VRAM, while MI355X offers 288 GB HBM3e. This allows MI355X to load models over seven times larger without splitting. Bandwidth supports this at 8000 GB/s on MI355X versus 2039 GB/s.

How do FP16 performance metrics compare between A100 and MI355X?

A100 achieves 312 TFLOPS FP16, but MI355X reaches 2300 TFLOPS, a 7.4-fold increase. This translates to faster deep learning training on MI355X. FP32 follows suit at 2300 TFLOPS versus 19.5 TFLOPS.

What are the cloud pricing details for these GPUs?

NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40GB starts at $1.00 per hour, averaging $2.63 across five live offers. AMD Instinct MI355X has no live cloud offers available. Pricing reflects A100's current maturity.

Which GPU has higher power consumption?

MI355X draws 750W TDP compared to A100's 400W. Higher TDP enables MI355X's superior 2300 TFLOPS compute. A100 suits power-sensitive setups.

What interconnects do A100 and MI355X use?

A100 supports NVLink, PCIe 4.0, and InfiniBand for multi-GPU scaling. MI355X uses Infinity Fabric. Both facilitate clusters, but ecosystems differ.

When were these architectures released?

A100 uses Ampere from 2020, with proven deployment. MI355X employs CDNA 4 for 2025, targeting next-gen AI. This generational gap explains spec advantages.

Which is cheaper to rent, the A100 or the MI355X?

Cloud rental prices for both the A100 and MI355X 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 MI355X?

The A100 has 40 to 80 GB of HBM2e memory. The MI355X has 288 GB of HBM3e memory.

Can I find A100 and MI355X 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 MI355X?

The A100 uses the Ampere architecture (2020) while the MI355X uses CDNA 4 (2025). The MI355X delivers 7.4x the FP16 throughput and 3.9x the memory bandwidth of the A100.

A100 SXM4 40GB vs MI355X: NVIDIA 80GB vs AMD 288GB | GPUPerHour