A100 SXM4 80GB vs RTX 2080 Ti

AmperevsTuringUpdated 35 days ago

The A100 SXM4 80GB emerges as the clear winner for most machine learning use cases, driven by 80 GB VRAM, 312 TFLOPS FP16, and 2039 GB/s bandwidth that enable large-model training and inference unattainable on the RTX 2080 Ti.

A100 SXM4 80GB from $0.73/hrRTX 2080 Ti from $0.13/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecA100RTX-2080
TDP400W215W
VRAM40-80 GB8-11 GB
CUDA Cores6,9122,944
Memory TypeHBM2eGDDR6
ArchitectureAmpereTuring
Form FactorsSXM4, PCIePCIe
InterconnectNVLink, PCIe 4.0, InfiniBandNVLink
Tensor Cores432368
FP16 Performance312 TFLOPS10.1 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance19.5 TFLOPS10.1 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance9.7 TFLOPS
INT8 Performance624 TOPS
Memory Bandwidth2,039 GB/s616 GB/s

Performance Analysis

The A100's FP16 throughput of 312 TFLOPS vastly outpaces the RTX 2080 Ti's 10.1 TFLOPS, enabling faster training of deep learning models that leverage half-precision arithmetic common in modern frameworks. For inference, this delta supports higher throughput on large models, reducing latency in production deployments. FP32 performance of 19.5 TFLOPS on the A100 versus 10.1 TFLOPS on the RTX 2080 Ti benefits single-precision tasks like scientific simulations. Memory bandwidth of 2039 GB/s on the A100 allows larger batch sizes without bottlenecks, accommodating models exceeding 11 GB VRAM limits of the RTX 2080 Ti. The RTX 2080 Ti's 616 GB/s bandwidth suits smaller datasets but struggles with data-intensive workloads. Power draw differs at 400W TDP for the A100 and 215W for the RTX 2080 Ti, influencing cloud instance efficiency.

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×)

RTX 2080 Ti

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
11GB VRAM
$0.13/GPU/hr
Available

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the A100 SXM4 80GB

Choose the A100 SXM4 80GB for large-scale AI training where 80 GB HBM2e VRAM handles massive models and datasets. Its 312 TFLOPS FP16 performance accelerates LLM fine-tuning and inference at scale. High memory bandwidth of 2039 GB/s supports enterprise deployments requiring NVLink interconnects.

When to Choose the RTX 2080 Ti

Opt for the RTX 2080 Ti in budget-constrained prototyping or gaming workloads, with pricing from $0.06 per hour. Its 11 GB GDDR6 VRAM suffices for Stable Diffusion or small inference tasks at 10.1 TFLOPS FP16. Lower 215W TDP fits lightweight cloud instances.

Use Cases

LLM Training
A100 SXM4 80GB

The A100's 80 GB HBM2e VRAM and 312 TFLOPS FP16 handle massive language models during training. The RTX 2080 Ti's 11 GB limit causes out-of-memory errors on similar scales.

LLM Inference
A100 SXM4 80GB

A100 supports high-throughput inference with 2039 GB/s bandwidth for large batches. RTX 2080 Ti manages small models but falters on VRAM-intensive deployments.

Fine-tuning
A100 SXM4 80GB

Fine-tuning benefits from A100's 19.5 TFLOPS FP32 and ample VRAM for parameter-efficient methods. RTX 2080 Ti suffices only for tiny datasets.

Stable Diffusion
RTX 2080 Ti

RTX 2080 Ti's 10.1 TFLOPS FP16 generates images efficiently within 11 GB VRAM. A100 overkill raises costs unnecessarily for this task.

Scientific Computing
A100 SXM4 80GB

A100's 400W TDP and NVLink excel in parallel simulations needing 2039 GB/s bandwidth. RTX 2080 Ti lacks scale for complex computations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VRAM difference between A100 SXM4 80GB and RTX 2080 Ti?

The A100 provides 80 GB HBM2e VRAM, while the RTX 2080 Ti offers 11 GB GDDR6. This gap allows A100 to load much larger models without swapping. Bandwidth follows at 2039 GB/s versus 616 GB/s.

How do FP16 performances compare?

A100 achieves 312 TFLOPS in FP16, far exceeding RTX 2080 Ti's 10.1 TFLOPS. This accelerates AI training and inference significantly. Real-world speedups reach 30x in half-precision tasks.

Which is cheaper in the cloud?

RTX 2080 Ti starts at $0.06 per hour, averaging $0.11 across 6 offers. A100 begins at $0.79 per hour, averaging $1.46 across 22 offers. Budget tasks favor the Ti.

Can RTX 2080 Ti handle LLM inference?

RTX 2080 Ti works for small LLMs within 11 GB VRAM at 10.1 TFLOPS FP16. Larger models require A100's 80 GB capacity. Batch sizes remain limited on Ti.

What architectures do they use?

A100 employs Ampere from 2020 with datacenter optimizations. RTX 2080 Ti uses Turing from 2018 for gaming. A100 includes NVLink, absent on Ti.

Compare their power consumption.

A100 draws 400W TDP, suiting high-performance racks. RTX 2080 Ti uses 215W, ideal for consumer setups. This affects cloud cooling and instance costs.

Which is cheaper to rent, the A100 or the RTX 2080?

Cloud rental prices for both the A100 and RTX 2080 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 2080?

The A100 has 40 to 80 GB of HBM2e memory. The RTX 2080 has 8 to 11 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Can I find A100 and RTX 2080 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 2080?

The A100 uses the Ampere architecture (2020) while the RTX 2080 uses Turing (2018). The A100 delivers 30.9x the FP16 throughput and 3.3x the memory bandwidth of the RTX 2080.

A100 SXM4 80GB vs RTX 2080 Ti: 80GB vs 11GB | GPUPerHour