A100 SXM4 40GB vs RTX 5070

AmperevsBlackwellUpdated 35 days ago

For the most common cloud AI use case of LLM training and fine-tuning, the A100 SXM4 40GB emerges as the clear winner. Its 40 GB VRAM, 2039 GB/s bandwidth, and 312 TFLOPS FP16 enable handling large models and batches infeasible on the RTX 5070's 12 GB and 40.6 TFLOPS, justifying the pricing premium over casual tasks.

A100 SXM4 40GB from $0.73/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecA100RTX-5070
TDP400W250W
VRAM40-80 GB12 GB
CUDA Cores6,9126,144
Memory TypeHBM2eGDDR7
ArchitectureAmpereBlackwell
Form FactorsSXM4, PCIePCIe
InterconnectNVLink, PCIe 4.0, InfiniBand
Tensor Cores432192
FP16 Performance312 TFLOPS40.6 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance19.5 TFLOPS40.6 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance9.7 TFLOPS
INT8 Performance624 TOPS650 TOPS
Memory Bandwidth2,039 GB/s448 GB/s

Performance Analysis

The A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16 vastly outpaces the RTX 5070's 40.6 TFLOPS, accelerating mixed-precision training where FP16 dominates: large language model training benefits from this sevenfold advantage in tensor core throughput. Conversely, the RTX 5070 matches its FP16 with 40.6 TFLOPS FP32, providing balanced performance for inference or graphics tasks requiring single-precision compute, unlike the A100's 19.5 TFLOPS FP32 which lags in pure FP32 scenarios. This FP16/FP32 delta positions the A100 for training-heavy pipelines and the RTX 5070 for inference or gaming.

Memory bandwidth defines batch size capabilities: the A100's 2039 GB/s HBM2e supports massive batches in models exceeding 12 GB VRAM, preventing out-of-memory errors in transformer training. The RTX 5070's 448 GB/s GDDR7 limits it to smaller batches, suitable for fine-tuning or inference on modest models. Power draw reflects this: A100 at 400W demands robust cooling, while RTX 5070 at 250W fits edge or budget cloud instances. Overall, A100 excels in memory-bound AI, RTX 5070 in efficient, lower-scale operations.

Cloud pricing amplifies trade-offs: RTX 5070's average $0.16 per hour undercuts A100's $2.01 per hour, favoring prototyping over production-scale runs.

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
$1.00/GPU/hr
Available
Denvr
Denvr
4×NVIDIA A100 PCIe 80GB
80GB VRAM
$1.15/GPU/hr
$4.60/hr total (4×)

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the A100 SXM4 40GB

The A100 SXM4 40GB suits large-scale AI training and inference where 40 GB HBM2e VRAM handles models like 70B-parameter LLMs without quantization. Its 2039 GB/s bandwidth enables batch sizes up to 512 in transformer training, and NVLink interconnects scale to multi-GPU clusters via PCIe 4.0 or InfiniBand. Datacenter users prioritize its 312 TFLOPS FP16 for production HPC despite 400W TDP and higher $2.01 per hour average cost.

When to Choose the RTX 5070

The RTX 5070 excels in cost-sensitive prototyping or gaming-integrated AI, with 12 GB GDDR7 VRAM and 448 GB/s bandwidth supporting Stable Diffusion or small-model inference at $0.16 per hour average. Its balanced 40.6 TFLOPS FP16/FP32 and 250W TDP fit single PCIe instances for developers avoiding A100's $2.01 per hour expense. Blackwell architecture offers future-proofing for consumer workloads.

Use Cases

LLM Training
A100 SXM4 40GB

A100's 40 GB HBM2e VRAM and 312 TFLOPS FP16 support large batch sizes for billion-parameter models. RTX 5070's 12 GB limits scale.

LLM Inference
A100 SXM4 40GB

A100 handles high-throughput inference with 2039 GB/s bandwidth for unquantized models. RTX 5070 suits low-latency small models only.

Fine-tuning
A100 SXM4 40GB

A100's memory capacity fits full fine-tuning datasets; 40 GB exceeds RTX 5070's 12 GB for parameter-efficient methods.

Stable Diffusion
RTX 5070

RTX 5070's 40.6 TFLOPS FP32/FP16 and GDDR7 optimize image generation at lower 250W TDP. Cost at $0.16 per hour beats A100.

Scientific Computing
A100 SXM4 40GB

A100's NVLink and 2039 GB/s bandwidth enable multi-GPU simulations. 312 TFLOPS FP16 accelerates HPC kernels.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which GPU has more VRAM: A100 SXM4 40GB or RTX 5070?

The A100 SXM4 40GB provides 40 GB HBM2e VRAM, surpassing the RTX 5070's 12 GB GDDR7. This enables larger models on A100. Bandwidth follows suit at 2039 GB/s versus 448 GB/s.

What are the cloud rental prices for these GPUs?

A100 SXM4 40GB starts at $0.13 per hour, averaging $2.01 per hour across eight offers. RTX 5070 begins at $0.08 per hour, averaging $0.16 per hour across two offers. RTX 5070 offers better value for light use.

How do FP16 performances compare?

A100 delivers 312 TFLOPS FP16, far exceeding RTX 5070's 40.6 TFLOPS. This favors A100 for AI training. RTX 5070 balances with equal FP32 at 40.6 TFLOPS.

Which is better for LLM training?

A100 excels with 40 GB VRAM and 2039 GB/s bandwidth for large batches. RTX 5070's 12 GB restricts it to smaller models. A100's NVLink supports scaling.

What are the power requirements?

A100 requires 400W TDP, needing datacenter cooling. RTX 5070 uses 250W, suitable for consumer setups. This impacts cloud instance selection.

Can RTX 5070 replace A100 in production?

RTX 5070 cannot replace A100 due to 12 GB VRAM versus 40 GB and lower 448 GB/s bandwidth. It fits prototyping at lower $0.16 per hour cost. A100 remains for scale.

Which is cheaper to rent, the A100 or the RTX 5070?

Cloud rental prices for both the A100 and RTX 5070 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 5070?

The A100 has 40 to 80 GB of HBM2e memory. The RTX 5070 has 12 GB of GDDR7 memory.

Can I find A100 and RTX 5070 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 5070?

The A100 uses the Ampere architecture (2020) while the RTX 5070 uses Blackwell (2025). The A100 delivers 7.7x the FP16 throughput and 4.6x the memory bandwidth of the RTX 5070.

A100 SXM4 40GB vs RTX 5070: 7.7x FP16 Gap, 80GB vs 12GB | GPUPerHour