Intel Gaudi 2 vs H100 NVL

GaudivsHopperUpdated 35 days ago

NVIDIA H100 NVL emerges as the winner for prevalent AI workloads like LLM training and inference, thanks to 1979 TFLOPS FP16 performance and 3350 GB/s bandwidth that slash iteration times. Gaudi 2's cost advantage at $0.91 per hour appeals narrowly, but H100's raw throughput justifies the premium for production-scale deployments.

Intel Gaudi 2 from $0.91/hrH100 NVL from $1.90/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecGAUDI2H100
TDP600W700W
VRAM96 GB80-94 GB
Memory TypeHBM2eHBM3
ArchitectureGaudiHopper
Form FactorsOAMSXM5, PCIe, NVL
InterconnectEthernetNVLink, PCIe 5.0, InfiniBand
FP16 Performance420 TFLOPS1,979 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance420 TFLOPS67 TFLOPS
Memory Bandwidth2,460 GB/s3,350 GB/s

Performance Analysis

H100's FP16 performance of 1979 TFLOPS vastly outpaces Gaudi 2's 420 TFLOPS, accelerating LLM training and inference where half-precision computations dominate deep learning pipelines. The FP8 capability at 3958 TFLOPS on H100 further optimizes quantized inference for large language models, reducing latency in production deployments. Gaudi 2's equal FP16 and FP32 rates at 420 TFLOPS each support workloads requiring full-precision arithmetic, such as certain scientific simulations.

Memory bandwidth impacts batch sizes directly: H100's 3350 GB/s enables larger batches and faster data movement than Gaudi 2's 2460 GB/s, crucial for memory-bound training runs. Gaudi 2 counters with 96 GB VRAM against H100's 80 to 94 GB, allowing single-GPU handling of bigger models. Higher TDP on H100 at 700W versus 600W reflects its compute intensity, demanding robust cooling in data centers.

Live Cloud Pricing

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

Intel Gaudi 2

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
LeaderGPU
LeaderGPU
8×Intel Gaudi 2
96GB VRAM
$0.91/GPU/hr
$7.29/hr total (8×)
Available
Denvr
Denvr
8×Intel Gaudi 2
96GB VRAM
$1.25/GPU/hr
$10.00/hr total (8×)

H100 NVL

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
Hyperstack
Hyperstack
4×NVIDIA H100 PCIe
80GB VRAM
$1.90/GPU/hr
$7.60/hr total (4×)
Available
Hyperstack
Hyperstack
2×NVIDIA H100 PCIe
80GB VRAM
$1.90/GPU/hr
$3.80/hr total (2×)
Available
Hyperstack
Hyperstack
8×NVIDIA H100 PCIe
80GB VRAM
$1.90/GPU/hr
$15.20/hr total (8×)
Available
Hyperstack
Hyperstack
NVIDIA H100 PCIe
80GB VRAM
$1.90/GPU/hr
Available
Hyperstack
Hyperstack
8×NVIDIA H100 PCIe
80GB VRAM
$1.95/GPU/hr
$15.60/hr total (8×)
Available

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the Intel Gaudi 2

Select Gaudi 2 for budget-constrained projects needing ample memory: its 96 GB HBM2e VRAM exceeds H100 NVL's 80 to 94 GB, supporting larger models on one card. Pricing from $0.91 per hour, averaging $1.08 per hour, undercuts H100 NVL's $1.40 to $2.89 per hour range. Balanced 420 TFLOPS across FP16 and FP32 suits precision-sensitive tasks without NVIDIA ecosystem lock-in.

When to Choose the H100 NVL

Opt for H100 NVL in performance-critical environments: 1979 TFLOPS FP16 and 3958 TFLOPS FP8 deliver superior speed for LLM training and inference. Memory bandwidth at 3350 GB/s handles massive batches efficiently. Advanced interconnects like NVLink and InfiniBand enable seamless multi-GPU scaling unavailable on Gaudi 2's Ethernet.

Use Cases

LLM Training
H100 NVL

H100 NVL's 1979 TFLOPS FP16 outperforms Gaudi 2's 420 TFLOPS, speeding up large-scale training runs. Superior 3350 GB/s bandwidth supports bigger batches.

LLM Inference
H100 NVL

H100 NVL leverages 3958 TFLOPS FP8 for quantized inference, far exceeding Gaudi 2's capabilities. High FP16 throughput at 1979 TFLOPS minimizes latency.

Fine-tuning
H100 NVL

H100 NVL's FP16 performance of 1979 TFLOPS accelerates fine-tuning iterations over Gaudi 2's 420 TFLOPS. NVLink interconnect scales multi-GPU setups effectively.

Stable Diffusion
H100 NVL

H100 NVL's 1979 TFLOPS FP16 handles diffusion model generation faster than Gaudi 2's 420 TFLOPS. Higher bandwidth at 3350 GB/s improves image throughput.

Scientific Computing
Intel Gaudi 2

Gaudi 2's balanced 420 TFLOPS FP32 matches its FP16, ideal for precision simulations unlike H100 NVL's 67 TFLOPS FP32. Lower $0.91 per hour pricing fits research budgets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which GPU has more VRAM, Gaudi 2 or H100 NVL?

Gaudi 2 provides 96 GB HBM2e VRAM, surpassing H100 NVL's 80 to 94 GB HBM3. This edge aids single-GPU model loading. H100 compensates with faster 3350 GB/s bandwidth.

How do Gaudi 2 and H100 NVL compare in price?

Gaudi 2 starts at $0.91 per hour, averaging $1.08 per hour over two offers. H100 NVL begins at $1.40 per hour, averaging $2.89 per hour across nine offers. Gaudi 2 suits cost-focused users.

What is the FP16 performance difference between Gaudi 2 and H100?

H100 achieves 1979 TFLOPS FP16, over four times Gaudi 2's 420 TFLOPS. This gap accelerates AI training and inference. H100 also offers 3958 TFLOPS FP8.

Does H100 NVL have higher memory bandwidth than Gaudi 2?

H100 NVL delivers 3350 GB/s bandwidth versus Gaudi 2's 2460 GB/s. Higher bandwidth enables larger batch sizes in training. It pairs with 80 to 94 GB HBM3.

What are the TDP ratings for Gaudi 2 and H100 NVL?

Gaudi 2 has a 600W TDP while H100 NVL reaches 700W. The difference reflects H100's higher compute density. Both require enterprise cooling solutions.

Which has better interconnects, Gaudi 2 or H100 NVL?

H100 NVL supports NVLink, PCIe 5.0, and InfiniBand for multi-GPU scaling. Gaudi 2 relies on Ethernet. H100 excels in clustered deployments.

Which is cheaper to rent, the Gaudi 2 or the H100?

Cloud rental prices for both the Gaudi 2 and H100 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 Gaudi 2 have compared to the H100?

The Gaudi 2 has 96 GB of HBM2e memory. The H100 has 80 to 94 GB of HBM3 memory.

Can I find Gaudi 2 and H100 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 Gaudi 2 and the H100?

The Gaudi 2 uses the Gaudi architecture (2022) while the H100 uses Hopper (2022). The H100 delivers 4.7x the FP16 throughput and 1.4x the memory bandwidth of the Gaudi 2.