A100 SXM4 80GB vs RTX 5090

AmperevsBlackwellUpdated 35 days ago

The RTX 5090 emerges as the winner for most common AI workloads like inference and fine-tuning, delivering 419 TFLOPS FP16 and 105 TFLOPS FP32 at a fraction of A100's $1.34/hr average cost. Superior value at $0.63/hr average outweighs A100's memory edge unless models demand over 32 GB VRAM.

A100 SXM4 80GB from $0.73/hrRTX 5090 from $0.57/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecA100RTX-5090
TDP400W575W
VRAM40-80 GB32 GB
CUDA Cores6,91221,760
Memory TypeHBM2eGDDR7
ArchitectureAmpereBlackwell
Form FactorsSXM4, PCIePCIe
InterconnectNVLink, PCIe 4.0, InfiniBandPCIe 5.0
Tensor Cores432680
FP16 Performance312 TFLOPS419 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance19.5 TFLOPS105 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance9.7 TFLOPS1.6 TFLOPS
INT8 Performance624 TOPS838 TOPS
Memory Bandwidth2,039 GB/s1,792 GB/s

Performance Analysis

Raw compute favors the RTX 5090: its 419 TFLOPS FP16 exceeds the A100's 312 TFLOPS, accelerating mixed-precision training, while 105 TFLOPS FP32 dwarfs 19.5 TFLOPS for single-precision tasks like simulations. The RTX 5090's FP8 capability at 838 TFLOPS further boosts low-precision inference efficiency.

Memory specs create key trade-offs. The A100's 80 GB HBM2e VRAM and 2039 GB/s bandwidth support larger batch sizes in memory-intensive LLM training, reducing overhead compared to the RTX 5090's 32 GB GDDR7 at 1792 GB/s, which suits smaller models or inference.

Power draw underscores efficiency differences: A100 at 400W TDP runs cooler than RTX 5090's 575W, aiding dense cloud racks, though interconnects like NVLink on A100 enable superior multi-GPU scaling over PCIe 5.0.

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
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
8×NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80GB
80GB VRAM
$1.15/GPU/hr
$9.20/hr total (8×)

RTX 5090

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
TensorDock
TensorDock
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
32GB VRAM
$0.57/GPU/hr
Available
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
32GB VRAM
$0.87/GPU/hr
Available
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
32GB VRAM
$0.87/GPU/hr
Available
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
32GB VRAM
$0.87/GPU/hr
Available
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
32GB VRAM
$0.89/GPU/hr
Available

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the A100 SXM4 80GB

Enterprises handling massive datasets select the A100 SXM4 80GB for its 80 GB HBM2e VRAM, essential for training LLMs exceeding 32 GB model sizes. NVLink interconnect supports seamless multi-GPU configurations, ideal for distributed training at scale.

High-bandwidth needs at 2039 GB/s favor A100 in memory-bound workloads, where larger batches minimize iterations despite higher $1.34/hr average pricing.

When to Choose the RTX 5090

Budget-conscious users prefer the RTX 5090 for its low $0.09/hr starting price and 419 TFLOPS FP16, outperforming A100 in throughput for fine-tuning or inference. FP8 at 838 TFLOPS excels in quantized deployments.

Gaming, rendering, or FP32-heavy science tasks leverage 105 TFLOPS, with PCIe 5.0 suiting single-node setups where 32 GB VRAM suffices.

Use Cases

LLM Training
A100 SXM4 80GB

A100's 80 GB HBM2e VRAM and 2039 GB/s bandwidth handle large batch sizes for massive models. RTX 5090's 32 GB limits scalability.

LLM Inference
RTX 5090

RTX 5090's 838 TFLOPS FP8 and 419 TFLOPS FP16 provide high throughput for quantized serving. Lower $0.63/hr pricing enhances cost-efficiency.

Fine-tuning
RTX 5090

RTX 5090's 105 TFLOPS FP32 outperforms A100's 19.5 TFLOPS for parameter updates. 32 GB VRAM suffices for most adapters.

Stable Diffusion
RTX 5090

RTX 5090 excels in generative tasks with 419 TFLOPS FP16 and consumer optimizations. Cheaper at $0.09/hr from for rapid iterations.

Scientific Computing
RTX 5090

RTX 5090's 105 TFLOPS FP32 crushes A100's 19.5 TFLOPS for simulations. PCIe 5.0 supports diverse workloads efficiently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the A100 have more VRAM than RTX 5090?

Yes, A100 SXM4 80GB offers 80 GB HBM2e versus RTX 5090's 32 GB GDDR7. This enables larger models on A100. Bandwidth also favors A100 at 2039 GB/s over 1792 GB/s.

Which has better FP32 performance?

RTX 5090 leads with 105 TFLOPS FP32 against A100's 19.5 TFLOPS. This benefits scientific computing and graphics. FP16 also higher at 419 TFLOPS versus 312 TFLOPS.

What is the cloud pricing comparison?

RTX 5090 starts at $0.09/hr averaging $0.63/hr across 31 offers. A100 begins at $0.45/hr with $1.34/hr average over 28 offers. RTX 5090 provides better value.

Is RTX 5090 good for AI training?

RTX 5090 suits smaller-scale training with 419 TFLOPS FP16. A100 excels for large LLMs via 80 GB VRAM. Choose based on model size.

How do TDPs compare?

A100 consumes 400W TDP, more efficient than RTX 5090's 575W. This aids dense deployments. RTX 5090 delivers higher compute per watt in FP32.

Can RTX 5090 replace A100 in datacenters?

RTX 5090 replaces A100 for cost-sensitive inference with FP8 at 838 TFLOPS. Lacks NVLink for multi-GPU, limiting large-scale training.

Which is cheaper to rent, the A100 or the RTX 5090?

Cloud rental prices for both the A100 and RTX 5090 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 5090?

The A100 has 40 to 80 GB of HBM2e memory. The RTX 5090 has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory.

Can I find A100 and RTX 5090 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 5090?

The A100 uses the Ampere architecture (2020) while the RTX 5090 uses Blackwell (2025). The RTX 5090 delivers 1.3x the FP16 throughput and 1.1x the memory bandwidth of the A100.

A100 SXM4 80GB vs RTX 5090: 80GB HBM2e vs 32GB GDDR7 | GPUPerHour