A100 SXM4 80GB vs MI250X

AmperevsCDNA 2Updated 35 days ago

NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB emerges as the winner for prevalent AI/ML use cases like LLM training and inference. Its mature CUDA ecosystem, lower $0.67/hr pricing, and 22 cloud offers outweigh MI250X's VRAM and bandwidth advantages, ensuring broader accessibility and software compatibility.

A100 SXM4 80GB from $0.73/hrMI250X from $1.28/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecA100MI250X
TDP400W560W
VRAM40-80 GB128 GB
CUDA Cores6,912
Memory TypeHBM2eHBM2e
ArchitectureAmpereCDNA 2
Form FactorsSXM4, PCIeOAM
InterconnectNVLink, PCIe 4.0, InfiniBandInfinity Fabric
Tensor Cores432
FP16 Performance312 TFLOPS383 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance19.5 TFLOPS383 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance9.7 TFLOPS48 TFLOPS
INT8 Performance624 TOPS
Memory Bandwidth2,039 GB/s3,277 GB/s

Performance Analysis

MI250X outperforms A100 in FP16 at 383 TFLOPS versus 312 TFLOPS, aiding mixed-precision deep learning training where speedups occur without accuracy loss. The stark FP32 gap, 383 TFLOPS on MI250X against 19.5 TFLOPS on A100, favors MI250X for precision-heavy tasks like fluid dynamics simulations or certain inference pipelines requiring full single-precision math.

Memory bandwidth of 3277 GB/s on MI250X exceeds A100's 2039 GB/s, enabling larger batch sizes in model training and reducing iterations needed for convergence. This pairs with 128 GB VRAM on MI250X over 80 GB on A100, accommodating massive datasets or models without excessive multi-GPU scaling. In inference, higher bandwidth minimizes latency for high-throughput serving.

TDP differences, 560W for MI250X and 400W for A100, impact cluster density: A100 allows more GPUs per rack, potentially lowering costs in power-constrained clouds.

Live Cloud Pricing

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

A100 SXM4 80GB

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
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB
80GB VRAM
$1.07/GPU/hr
Available
Denvr
Denvr
4×NVIDIA A100 PCIe 80GB
80GB VRAM
$1.15/GPU/hr
$4.60/hr total (4×)

MI250X

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
Cirrascale
Cirrascale
4×AMD Instinct MI250X
128GB VRAM
$1.28/GPU/hr
$5.12/hr total (4×)
Cirrascale
Cirrascale
4×AMD Instinct MI250X
128GB VRAM
$1.44/GPU/hr
$5.76/hr total (4×)
Cirrascale
Cirrascale
4×AMD Instinct MI250X
128GB VRAM
$1.52/GPU/hr
$6.08/hr total (4×)
Cirrascale
Cirrascale
4×AMD Instinct MI250X
128GB VRAM
$1.60/GPU/hr
$6.40/hr total (4×)

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the A100 SXM4 80GB

Opt for NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB in CUDA-dependent workflows, including most PyTorch and TensorFlow applications optimized over years. Its 22 live cloud offers starting at $0.67/hr provide superior availability compared to MI250X's 4 offers from $1.28/hr. Lower 400W TDP suits dense deployments, and NVLink interconnect excels in multi-GPU NVIDIA clusters for scaled training.

When to Choose the MI250X

Select AMD Instinct MI250X for workloads leveraging its 128 GB VRAM and 3277 GB/s bandwidth, ideal for loading enormous models without partitioning. Balanced 383 TFLOPS across FP16 and FP32 accelerates FP32-intensive HPC tasks. Infinity Fabric supports AMD-centric fabrics, though fewer cloud options exist at $1.28/hr starting.

Use Cases

LLM Training
A100 SXM4 80GB

A100's CUDA optimization supports established frameworks for large language models. Greater cloud availability at $0.67/hr facilitates scaling.

LLM Inference
Either

MI250X's 128 GB VRAM handles massive models, while A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16 suits high-throughput serving. Choice depends on software stack.

Fine-tuning
A100 SXM4 80GB

A100 excels with 80 GB VRAM and NVLink for efficient multi-GPU fine-tuning in CUDA environments. Lower 400W TDP aids cost control.

Stable Diffusion
A100 SXM4 80GB

Stable Diffusion tools rely on CUDA, leveraging A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16 for image generation. Abundant offers at $0.67/hr add value.

Scientific Computing
MI250X

MI250X's 383 TFLOPS FP32 matches its FP16, ideal for simulations. 3277 GB/s bandwidth supports large datasets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which GPU has more VRAM?

AMD Instinct MI250X offers 128 GB HBM2e VRAM, surpassing NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB's 80 GB. This enables larger models on MI250X without splitting across GPUs.

How do FP32 performances compare?

MI250X delivers 383 TFLOPS FP32, far exceeding A100's 19.5 TFLOPS. MI250X suits FP32-heavy scientific computing better.

What are the cloud pricing differences?

A100 starts at $0.67/hr (average $1.43/hr across 22 offers), cheaper than MI250X's $1.28/hr (average $1.46/hr across 4 offers). A100 provides more options.

Which has higher memory bandwidth?

MI250X achieves 3277 GB/s, over A100's 2039 GB/s. Higher bandwidth on MI250X supports bigger batch sizes in training.

What are the TDPs?

A100 consumes 400W, lower than MI250X's 560W. A100 fits denser cloud racks with reduced power needs.

Which is better for multi-GPU setups?

A100 uses NVLink for high-speed NVIDIA interconnects, while MI250X relies on Infinity Fabric. A100 integrates seamlessly in NVIDIA clusters.

Which is cheaper to rent, the A100 or the MI250X?

Cloud rental prices for both the A100 and MI250X 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 MI250X?

The A100 has 40 to 80 GB of HBM2e memory. The MI250X has 128 GB of HBM2e memory.

Can I find A100 and MI250X 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 MI250X?

The A100 uses the Ampere architecture (2020) while the MI250X uses CDNA 2 (2021). The MI250X delivers 1.2x the FP16 throughput and 1.6x the memory bandwidth of the A100.

A100 SXM4 80GB vs MI250X: NVIDIA 80GB vs AMD 128GB | GPUPerHour