A100 SXM4 40GB vs Quadro RTX 6000

AmperevsTuringUpdated 35 days ago

The NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40GB emerges as the clear winner for most AI and computing use cases: its 312 TFLOPS FP16, 2039 GB/s bandwidth, and 40 GB VRAM deliver unmatched training and inference speed over Quadro RTX 6000's 16.3 TFLOPS and 672 GB/s. Cloud pricing from $1.00 per hour makes it accessible for modern workloads.

A100 SXM4 40GB from $0.73/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecA100QUADRO-RTX-6000
TDP400W260W
VRAM40-80 GB24 GB
CUDA Cores6,9124,608
Memory TypeHBM2eGDDR6
ArchitectureAmpereTuring
Form FactorsSXM4, PCIePCIe
InterconnectNVLink, PCIe 4.0, InfiniBandNVLink
Tensor Cores432576
FP16 Performance312 TFLOPS16.3 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance19.5 TFLOPS16.3 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance9.7 TFLOPS
INT8 Performance624 TOPS
Memory Bandwidth2,039 GB/s672 GB/s

Performance Analysis

The A100 SXM4 40GB vastly outperforms the Quadro RTX 6000 in FP16 at 312 TFLOPS versus 16.3 TFLOPS: this accelerates neural network training and mixed-precision inference by nearly 20 times, crucial for deep learning pipelines. FP32 performance shows a smaller gap with 19.5 TFLOPS on A100 against 16.3 TFLOPS, suiting general-purpose scientific simulations where single-precision compute dominates.

Memory bandwidth defines workload feasibility: A100's 2039 GB/s supports massive batch sizes in transformer models, minimizing data loading bottlenecks compared to Quadro's 672 GB/s. The 40 GB HBM2e VRAM on A100 handles models exceeding 24 GB GDDR6 limits on Quadro, preventing out-of-memory errors during fine-tuning or inference on large language models. Higher TDP of 400W on A100 reflects its datacenter optimization, enabling sustained performance under heavy loads absent in the 260W Quadro.

Interconnect options further the divide: A100 supports NVLink, PCIe 4.0, and InfiniBand for multi-GPU scaling, while Quadro relies solely on NVLink. These specs translate to real-world gains in training throughput and inference latency for AI tasks.

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
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
$1.07/GPU/hr
Available
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

Choose the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40GB for large-scale AI training and inference: its 312 TFLOPS FP16 and 40 GB VRAM manage billion-parameter models without splitting, unlike the Quadro RTX 6000's 16.3 TFLOPS and 24 GB limits. Cloud availability from $1.00 per hour suits bursty high-performance computing workloads requiring 2039 GB/s bandwidth for optimal batch sizes.

Datacenter deployments benefit from A100's SXM4 form factor and InfiniBand support, enabling clusters that outperform single Quadro RTX 6000 nodes by orders of magnitude in FP16-heavy tasks.

When to Choose the Quadro RTX 6000

Select the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000 for professional visualization and CAD workflows: its Turing RT cores excel in ray-traced rendering, paired with 24 GB GDDR6 for complex scenes. Lower 260W TDP fits on-premises workstations without datacenter cooling, contrasting A100's 400W demands.

Legacy software optimized for Quadro drivers favors it over A100, especially where cloud access is unavailable and workloads stay under 672 GB/s bandwidth constraints.

Use Cases

LLM Training
A100 SXM4 40GB

A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16 and 40 GB HBM2e VRAM handle massive transformer models with large batch sizes via 2039 GB/s bandwidth. Quadro RTX 6000's 16.3 TFLOPS and 24 GB limit scalability.

LLM Inference
A100 SXM4 40GB

High FP16 throughput of 312 TFLOPS on A100 enables low-latency serving of large models. Quadro's 16.3 TFLOPS FP16 falls short for production-scale inference.

Fine-tuning
A100 SXM4 40GB

A100 supports full fine-tuning of models up to 40 GB with 19.5 TFLOPS FP32. Quadro RTX 6000 requires parameter-efficient methods due to 24 GB VRAM constraint.

Stable Diffusion
A100 SXM4 40GB

A100 generates images faster via 312 TFLOPS FP16 for diffusion steps. Quadro RTX 6000 at 16.3 TFLOPS suits prototyping but not high-volume generation.

Scientific Computing
A100 SXM4 40GB

A100's 19.5 TFLOPS FP32 and PCIe 4.0/InfiniBand excel in simulations. Quadro's matching 16.3 TFLOPS FP32 lacks multi-node scaling.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the FP16 performance difference between A100 SXM4 40GB and Quadro RTX 6000?

The A100 achieves 312 TFLOPS FP16, while Quadro RTX 6000 delivers 16.3 TFLOPS. This gap accelerates AI training by nearly 20 times on A100. Memory bandwidth further aids with 2039 GB/s on A100 versus 672 GB/s.

How much VRAM do these GPUs have?

NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40GB offers 40 GB HBM2e VRAM. NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000 provides 24 GB GDDR6. A100 suits larger models; Quadro handles mid-sized workloads.

What are the cloud prices for these GPUs?

A100 SXM4 40GB starts at $1.00 per hour, averaging $2.80 across four offers. Quadro RTX 6000 has no live cloud offers. A100 enables on-demand scaling.

Which has higher power consumption?

A100 SXM4 40GB has 400W TDP for datacenter performance. Quadro RTX 6000 uses 260W, better for workstations. Higher TDP correlates with A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16.

Can these GPUs scale in multi-GPU setups?

Both support NVLink, but A100 adds PCIe 4.0 and InfiniBand for clusters. Quadro RTX 6000 limits to PCIe workstations. A100 excels in distributed training.

When was each GPU released?

A100 uses Ampere architecture from 2020. Quadro RTX 6000 employs Turing from 2018. The two-year gap yields A100's superior 2039 GB/s bandwidth.

Which is cheaper to rent, the A100 or the Quadro RTX 6000?

Cloud rental prices for both the A100 and Quadro RTX 6000 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 6000?

The A100 has 40 to 80 GB of HBM2e memory. The Quadro RTX 6000 has 24 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Can I find A100 and Quadro RTX 6000 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 6000?

The A100 uses the Ampere architecture (2020) while the Quadro RTX 6000 uses Turing (2018). The A100 delivers 19.1x the FP16 throughput and 3.0x the memory bandwidth of the Quadro RTX 6000.

A100 SXM4 40GB vs Quadro RTX 6000: 80GB vs 24GB | GPUPerHour