Gaudi 2 vs RTX 3080

GaudivsAmpereUpdated 36 days ago

Gaudi 2 emerges as the winner for most AI training use cases: its 14-fold FP16 advantage at 420 TFLOPS and 96 GB VRAM enable scaling models infeasible on RTX 3080's 10 to 12 GB limit, despite higher $1.08 per hour cost.

Gaudi 2 from $0.91/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecGAUDI2RTX-3080
TDP600W320W
VRAM96 GB10-12 GB
Memory TypeHBM2eGDDR6X
ArchitectureGaudiAmpere
Form FactorsOAMPCIe
InterconnectEthernet
FP16 Performance420 TFLOPS29.8 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance420 TFLOPS29.8 TFLOPS
Memory Bandwidth2,460 GB/s760 GB/s

Performance Analysis

Gaudi 2's 420 TFLOPS in FP16 and FP32 dwarfs RTX 3080's 29.8 TFLOPS: this enables 14 times faster matrix operations critical for deep learning training and inference. Equal FP16 and FP32 performance on both GPUs simplifies mixed-precision workflows, but Gaudi 2's scale accelerates convergence in large batches.

Memory specs define real-world limits: Gaudi 2's 96 GB HBM2e versus RTX 3080's 10 to 12 GB GDDR6X allows loading models up to 96 GB without swapping, supporting batch sizes 8 to 10 times larger. The 2460 GB/s bandwidth on Gaudi 2, triple RTX 3080's 760 GB/s, reduces data bottlenecks in memory-intensive tasks like transformer training, cutting epochs by factors tied to throughput.

Power draw reveals trade-offs: Gaudi 2's 600W TDP suits data centers, while RTX 3080's 320W enables denser deployments. Ethernet interconnect on Gaudi 2 facilitates multi-node scaling absent in RTX 3080, impacting distributed training efficiency.

Live Cloud Pricing

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

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×)

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the Gaudi 2

Select Gaudi 2 for large-scale LLM training: its 96 GB VRAM handles models like 70B parameters without sharding, and 420 TFLOPS FP16 speeds iterations. High 2460 GB/s bandwidth supports massive batches in scientific computing or fine-tuning.

Enterprise users prioritize Gaudi 2 in Ethernet-clustered setups at $0.91 per hour when OAM form factor integrates with hyperscalers.

When to Choose the RTX 3080

RTX 3080 suits budget-conscious prototyping: at $0.06 per hour, its 29.8 TFLOPS FP32 processes small models or Stable Diffusion under 10 GB VRAM. PCIe compatibility aids quick cloud spins for inference or fine-tuning lightweight networks.

Hobbyists or startups choose RTX 3080 for 320W efficiency in multi-GPU consumer rigs across eight offers averaging $0.13 per hour.

Use Cases

LLM Training
Gaudi 2

Gaudi 2's 96 GB VRAM and 420 TFLOPS FP16 handle large models without sharding. RTX 3080's 10-12 GB limits batch sizes severely.

LLM Inference
Either

RTX 3080 suffices for small models at $0.06 per hour with 29.8 TFLOPS. Gaudi 2 excels for high-throughput serving with 2460 GB/s bandwidth.

Fine-tuning
Gaudi 2

Gaudi 2's 420 TFLOPS FP32 accelerates parameter updates on datasets fitting 96 GB. RTX 3080 struggles with memory overflows beyond 10 GB.

Stable Diffusion
RTX 3080

RTX 3080's 760 GB/s bandwidth generates images quickly at low $0.13 per hour average. Gaudi 2 overkill for 10 GB model needs.

Scientific Computing
Gaudi 2

Gaudi 2's 2460 GB/s and 600W TDP power simulations with large matrices. RTX 3080's 320W fits lighter HPC but caps at 29.8 TFLOPS.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which GPU has more VRAM?

Gaudi 2 provides 96 GB HBM2e VRAM. RTX 3080 offers 10 to 12 GB GDDR6X, limiting large model support.

How do compute performances compare?

Gaudi 2 delivers 420 TFLOPS in FP16 and FP32. RTX 3080 achieves 29.8 TFLOPS in both, a 14 times gap favoring Gaudi 2.

What are the cloud prices?

Gaudi 2 starts at $0.91 per hour, averaging $1.08 across two offers. RTX 3080 begins at $0.06 per hour, averaging $0.13 across eight offers.

Which has higher memory bandwidth?

Gaudi 2 reaches 2460 GB/s. RTX 3080 provides 760 GB/s, impacting data-heavy workloads.

What are the power requirements?

Gaudi 2 consumes 600W TDP in OAM form. RTX 3080 uses 320W in PCIe, suiting lower-power setups.

Which is better for multi-node training?

Gaudi 2's Ethernet interconnect enables scaling. RTX 3080 lacks specified interconnect for distributed use.

Which is cheaper to rent, the Gaudi 2 or the RTX 3080?

Cloud rental prices for both the Gaudi 2 and RTX 3080 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 RTX 3080?

The Gaudi 2 has 96 GB of HBM2e memory. The RTX 3080 has 10 to 12 GB of GDDR6X memory.

Can I find Gaudi 2 and RTX 3080 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 RTX 3080?

The Gaudi 2 uses the Gaudi architecture (2022) while the RTX 3080 uses Ampere (2020). The Gaudi 2 delivers 14.1x the FP16 throughput and 3.2x the memory bandwidth of the RTX 3080.

Gaudi 2 vs RTX 3080: Intel 96GB vs NVIDIA 12GB | GPUPerHour