GTX 1080 vs RTX A5000

PascalvsAmpereUpdated 35 days ago

The RTX A5000 wins for prevalent machine learning tasks: 27.8 TFLOPS FP32, 24 GB VRAM, and 768 GB/s bandwidth crush GTX 1080's 8.9 TFLOPS, 8 to 11 GB, and 320 GB/s equivalents. Average pricing aligns at $0.42 versus $0.45 per hour, prioritizing modern Ampere advantages over Pascal legacy.

GTX 1080 from $0.30/hrRTX A5000 from $0.23/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecGTX-1080RTX-A5000
TDP180W230W
VRAM8-11 GB24 GB
CUDA Cores2,5608,192
Memory TypeGDDR5XGDDR6
ArchitecturePascalAmpere
Form FactorsPCIePCIe
InterconnectNVLink
FP16 Performance8.9 TFLOPS27.8 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance8.9 TFLOPS27.8 TFLOPS
Memory Bandwidth320 GB/s768 GB/s

Performance Analysis

The RTX A5000 provides 27.8 TFLOPS in FP16 and FP32, surpassing the GTX 1080's 8.9 TFLOPS by over three times: this boosts training throughput and inference speed in deep learning pipelines. Equal FP16 and FP32 rates on both GPUs support mixed-precision workflows without bottlenecks from precision conversion.

Memory bandwidth disparity is stark: 768 GB/s on RTX A5000 versus 320 GB/s on GTX 1080 allows larger batch sizes, cutting iterations needed for convergence in training. The 24 GB VRAM capacity handles datasets that exceed GTX 1080's 8 to 11 GB limit, preventing crashes in high-resolution tasks.

Power draw reflects capability: RTX A5000's 230 W TDP versus 180 W sustains higher compute density, while NVLink on RTX A5000 enables scaling absent in GTX 1080.

Live Cloud Pricing

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

GTX 1080

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
LeaderGPU
LeaderGPU
4×NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080
8GB VRAM
$0.30/GPU/hr
$1.20/hr total (4×)
Available
LeaderGPU
LeaderGPU
8×NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
11GB VRAM
$0.60/GPU/hr
$4.80/hr total (8×)
Available

RTX A5000

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
4×NVIDIA RTX A5000
24GB VRAM
$0.23/GPU/hr
$0.92/hr total (4×)
Available
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA RTX A5000
24GB VRAM
$0.24/GPU/hr
Available
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA RTX A5000
24GB VRAM
$0.27/GPU/hr
Available
RunPod
RunPod
NVIDIA RTX A5000
24GB VRAM
$0.27/GPU/hr
Cirrascale
Cirrascale
8×NVIDIA RTX A5000
24GB VRAM
$0.41/GPU/hr
$3.28/hr total (8×)

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the GTX 1080

The GTX 1080 fits basic inference on small models under 8 GB VRAM, where its 8.9 TFLOPS suffices at lower $0.30 per hour starting cost. Lower 180 W TDP suits power-constrained cloud instances or legacy Pascal-optimized software. It avoids overkill for non-memory-intensive tasks like simple image classification.

When to Choose the RTX A5000

The RTX A5000 dominates training and fine-tuning with 24 GB VRAM and 27.8 TFLOPS, managing large batches via 768 GB/s bandwidth. NVLink supports multi-GPU clusters for scaled workloads unavailable on GTX 1080. Competitive $0.03 per hour entry price yields better performance per dollar across 34 offers.

Use Cases

LLM Training
RTX A5000

LLM training requires substantial VRAM for large parameters: RTX A5000's 24 GB and 768 GB/s bandwidth support it, while GTX 1080's 8 to 11 GB causes out-of-memory issues.

LLM Inference
RTX A5000

Inference on LLMs benefits from 27.8 TFLOPS FP16: RTX A5000 handles bigger batches than GTX 1080's 8.9 TFLOPS limit.

Fine-tuning
RTX A5000

Fine-tuning demands high bandwidth for gradients: RTX A5000's 768 GB/s outperforms GTX 1080's 320 GB/s, accelerating convergence.

Stable Diffusion
RTX A5000

Stable Diffusion needs 24 GB VRAM for high-resolution generations: RTX A5000 enables it without swaps, unlike GTX 1080's 8 to 11 GB.

Scientific Computing
Either

Light simulations fit GTX 1080's 8.9 TFLOPS at lower TDP; complex ones leverage RTX A5000's 27.8 TFLOPS and NVLink.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which GPU has more VRAM?

The RTX A5000 offers 24 GB GDDR6 VRAM, more than double the GTX 1080's 8 to 11 GB GDDR5X. This enables larger models in machine learning. GTX 1080 suffices for smaller workloads.

What is the performance difference in TFLOPS?

RTX A5000 achieves 27.8 TFLOPS in FP16 and FP32, over three times the GTX 1080's 8.9 TFLOPS per precision. This speeds training and inference. Bandwidth follows suit at 768 GB/s versus 320 GB/s.

How do cloud prices compare?

GTX 1080 starts at $0.30 per hour averaging $0.45 across two offers; RTX A5000 from $0.03 per hour averaging $0.42 across 34 offers. A5000 provides more availability. Pricing favors A5000 for value.

What are the TDPs?

GTX 1080 draws 180 W; RTX A5000 requires 230 W. Lower TDP aids power-limited setups with GTX 1080. Higher TDP correlates with RTX A5000's compute density.

Does RTX A5000 support multi-GPU?

RTX A5000 includes NVLink for interconnects, enabling multi-GPU scaling; GTX 1080 lacks this. NVLink boosts distributed training. PCIe alone limits GTX 1080 setups.

Which is newer?

RTX A5000 uses 2021 Ampere architecture; GTX 1080 is 2016 Pascal. Ampere yields 27.8 TFLOPS versus 8.9 TFLOPS. Newer design suits current software.

Which is cheaper to rent, the GTX 1080 or the RTX A5000?

Cloud rental prices for both the GTX 1080 and RTX A5000 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 GTX 1080 have compared to the RTX A5000?

The GTX 1080 has 8 to 11 GB of GDDR5X memory. The RTX A5000 has 24 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Can I find GTX 1080 and RTX A5000 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 GTX 1080 and the RTX A5000?

The GTX 1080 uses the Pascal architecture (2016) while the RTX A5000 uses Ampere (2021). The RTX A5000 delivers 3.1x the FP16 throughput and 2.4x the memory bandwidth of the GTX 1080.