A100 SXM4 80GB vs Quadro RTX 6000

AmperevsTuringUpdated 35 days ago

The NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB emerges as the clear winner for prevalent AI and machine learning use cases: 312 TFLOPS FP16 dwarfs the Quadro RTX 6000's 16.3 TFLOPS, while 80 GB VRAM and 2039 GB/s bandwidth enable modern workloads infeasible on the older Turing GPU. Cloud availability at $0.67 per hour from $1.39 average reinforces its practicality over the unavailable Quadro.

A100 SXM4 80GB 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 80GB dominates in compute-intensive workloads due to its Ampere architecture: FP16 performance reaches 312 TFLOPS compared to the Quadro RTX 6000's 16.3 TFLOPS, yielding nearly 19 times faster tensor core operations for model training. FP32 rates show a narrower gap at 19.5 TFLOPS for A100 versus 16.3 TFLOPS for Quadro, but the A100 still leads by 20 percent in single-precision tasks common in simulations.

Memory specifications profoundly impact real-world usage: 80 GB HBM2e VRAM on the A100 supports batch sizes up to three times larger than the Quadro's 24 GB GDDR6, reducing out-of-memory errors in large language models. The 2039 GB/s bandwidth triples the Quadro's 672 GB/s, minimizing data transfer bottlenecks during inference and enabling sustained high throughput.

Power and interconnects reflect deployment contexts: the A100's 400W TDP suits dense server racks with NVLink, PCIe 4.0, and InfiniBand, while the Quadro's 260W and PCIe form factor fit single workstations with NVLink. These traits make the A100 ideal for distributed training, where the Quadro suffices for serial professional rendering.

Live Cloud Pricing

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

A100 SXM4 80GB

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
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 80GB

Select the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB for large-scale AI training and inference: its 312 TFLOPS FP16 and 80 GB VRAM handle models exceeding 24 GB, such as billion-parameter LLMs, without quantization. Cloud pricing from $0.67 per hour across 25 providers enables scalable clusters via NVLink and InfiniBand.

High-performance computing benefits from 2039 GB/s bandwidth: it supports massive batch sizes in scientific simulations, outperforming the Quadro RTX 6000 by factors rooted in 19 times FP16 superiority.

When to Choose the Quadro RTX 6000

The NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000 suits workstation-based professional visualization: 24 GB GDDR6 VRAM and 16.3 TFLOPS FP32 accelerate CAD, rendering, and smaller ML inference without datacenter overhead. Its 260W TDP consumes 35 percent less power than the A100's 400W, ideal for desktop environments.

On-premises setups favor its PCIe form factor and NVLink: users avoid cloud costs where no live Quadro offers exist, prioritizing certified drivers for creative software over AI scale.

Use Cases

LLM Training
A100 SXM4 80GB

The A100's 312 TFLOPS FP16 and 80 GB HBM2e VRAM support training billion-parameter models with large batches. The Quadro's 16.3 TFLOPS and 24 GB limit scale.

LLM Inference
A100 SXM4 80GB

80 GB VRAM on the A100 accommodates full-precision large models without splitting. Quadro's 24 GB GDDR6 requires quantization for similar tasks.

Fine-tuning
A100 SXM4 80GB

A100's 2039 GB/s bandwidth sustains high throughput for gradient updates on datasets. Quadro's 672 GB/s bottlenecks iterative processes.

Stable Diffusion
Either

Quadro's 16.3 TFLOPS FP32 handles image generation adequately on workstations. A100's superior specs accelerate batch rendering but add unnecessary cost.

Scientific Computing
A100 SXM4 80GB

A100's 19.5 TFLOPS FP32 and InfiniBand interconnect excel in parallel simulations. Quadro lacks PCIe 4.0 for cluster efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VRAM difference between A100 SXM4 80GB and Quadro RTX 6000?

The A100 SXM4 80GB has 80 GB HBM2e VRAM, while the Quadro RTX 6000 provides 24 GB GDDR6. This 233 percent increase allows the A100 to load larger models directly.

How do FP16 performances compare?

A100 achieves 312 TFLOPS in FP16, 19 times the Quadro RTX 6000's 16.3 TFLOPS. This gap accelerates deep learning training significantly.

What are the memory bandwidth specs?

A100 SXM4 80GB delivers 2039 GB/s, over three times the Quadro RTX 6000's 672 GB/s. Higher bandwidth reduces latency in data-heavy workloads.

What is the cloud pricing for these GPUs?

NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB starts at $0.67 per hour, averaging $1.39 across 25 offers. No live cloud offers exist for Quadro RTX 6000.

How do TDPs differ?

A100 SXM4 80GB requires 400W TDP, compared to Quadro RTX 6000's 260W. The Quadro uses 35 percent less power for workstation suitability.

What architectures power these GPUs?

A100 uses Ampere from 2020 with tensor cores optimized for AI. Quadro RTX 6000 employs Turing from 2018, focused on professional graphics.

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 80GB vs Quadro RTX 6000: 80GB vs 24GB | GPUPerHour