Specifications Compared
| Spec | L40 | RTX-3080 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 300W | 320W |
| VRAM | 48 GB | 10-12 GB |
| CUDA Cores | 18,176 | 8,704 |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6X |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Ampere |
| Form Factors | PCIe | PCIe |
| Interconnect | ||
| Tensor Cores | 568 | 272 |
| FP16 Performance | 90.5 TFLOPS | 29.8 TFLOPS |
| FP32 Performance | 90.5 TFLOPS | 29.8 TFLOPS |
| INT8 Performance | 724 TOPS | |
| Memory Bandwidth | 864 GB/s | 760 GB/s |
Performance Analysis
Compute performance shows a clear gap: the L40 achieves 90.5 TFLOPS in FP16 and FP32, more than three times the RTX 3080's 29.8 TFLOPS in each. This delta translates to significantly faster neural network training, where FP16 handles mixed-precision computations, and quicker inference passes for real-time applications.
Memory capacity defines workload feasibility: 48 GB on the L40 supports massive models or large batch sizes that exceed the RTX 3080's 10-12 GB limit, preventing out-of-memory errors in transformer-based training. Bandwidth at 864 GB/s on the L40 accelerates data transfers during these operations compared to 760 GB/s on the RTX 3080, enabling higher throughput for memory-bound tasks like large language model fine-tuning.
Power efficiency favors the L40 slightly with 300W TDP versus 320W, allowing denser cloud deployments without excessive energy costs. These specs position the L40 for enterprise-scale AI, while the RTX 3080 suits lighter, cost-sensitive scenarios.
Live Cloud Pricing
Real-time prices from 25+ providers. Updated every 60 seconds.
L40
| Provider | GPU Model | VRAM | Host Specs | Region | Price | Status | Action | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 TensorDock | NVIDIA L40S 48GB VRAM | 48GB | 0 vCPU 0GB RAM | Wolverhampton | $0.55/GPU/hr | Available | ||
 RunPod | NVIDIA L40 48GB VRAM | 48GB | 8 vCPU 94GB RAM | 🌍global | $0.82/GPU/hr | |||
RunPod | NVIDIA L40S 48GB VRAM | 48GB | 16 vCPU 94GB RAM | 🌍global | $0.86/GPU/hr | |||
 Massed Compute | NVIDIA L40 48GB VRAM | 48GB | 14 vCPU 72GB RAM 625GB Storage | Iowa | $0.86/GPU/hr | Available | ||
Massed Compute | 2×NVIDIA L40 48GB VRAM | 48GB | 26 vCPU 144GB RAM 1250GB Storage | Iowa | $0.86/GPU/hr $1.72/hr total (2×) | Available |
When to Choose the L40
The L40 excels in scenarios demanding high VRAM and compute: training large language models requires its 48 GB to accommodate billion-parameter architectures, where the RTX 3080's 10-12 GB falls short. Datacenter inference workloads benefit from 90.5 TFLOPS FP16 performance and 864 GB/s bandwidth for serving multiple high-resolution requests simultaneously.
When to Choose the RTX 3080
Opt for the RTX 3080 in budget-constrained environments: its $0.06 per hour starting price suits prototyping or small-scale fine-tuning within 10-12 GB VRAM limits. Gaming-adjacent tasks like Stable Diffusion generation run adequately on 29.8 TFLOPS FP32, avoiding the L40's $0.67 per hour cost for non-enterprise needs.
Use Cases
The L40's 48 GB VRAM handles large models exceeding 12 GB, while 90.5 TFLOPS FP16 speeds convergence. RTX 3080 lacks capacity for billion-parameter training.
90.5 TFLOPS FP16 on L40 supports high-throughput serving; 864 GB/s bandwidth manages large batches. RTX 3080's 29.8 TFLOPS limits scale.
Small models fit RTX 3080's 10-12 GB VRAM at low cost; L40's 48 GB aids larger datasets. Choice depends on model size and budget.
RTX 3080's 10 GB GDDR6X and 29.8 TFLOPS suffice for image generation at $0.15 per hour average. L40 overkill for consumer-scale diffusion.
L40's 90.5 TFLOPS FP32 and 48 GB VRAM accelerate simulations with large datasets. RTX 3080's specs constrain complex scientific workloads.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has more VRAM, L40 or RTX 3080?▾
The L40 provides 48 GB GDDR6 VRAM, far exceeding the RTX 3080's 10-12 GB GDDR6X. This enables larger models on L40. Bandwidth also favors L40 at 864 GB/s over 760 GB/s.
Is L40 faster than RTX 3080 for AI?▾
Yes, L40 delivers 90.5 TFLOPS FP16, over three times RTX 3080's 29.8 TFLOPS. Training and inference run much faster on L40. Memory capacity amplifies this advantage.
What are the cloud rental prices?▾
L40 starts at $0.67 per hour, averaging $0.88 across 13 offers. RTX 3080 begins at $0.06 per hour, averaging $0.15 across 10 offers. Budget tasks favor RTX 3080.
How do TDPs compare?▾
L40 uses 300W TDP, slightly less than RTX 3080's 320W. Both fit PCIe slots efficiently. L40 offers better performance per watt.
Which architecture is newer?▾
L40 uses Ada Lovelace from 2023; RTX 3080 employs Ampere from 2020. Ada provides tensor core improvements for AI. This generational gap boosts L40 specs.
Can RTX 3080 handle LLM inference?▾
RTX 3080 manages small LLMs within 10-12 GB VRAM using 29.8 TFLOPS FP16. Larger models require L40's 48 GB. Batch size limits apply on RTX 3080.
Which is cheaper to rent, the L40 or the RTX 3080?▾
Cloud rental prices for both the L40 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 L40 have compared to the RTX 3080?▾
The L40 has 48 GB of GDDR6 memory. The RTX 3080 has 10 to 12 GB of GDDR6X memory.
Can I find L40 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 L40 and the RTX 3080?▾
The L40 uses the Ada Lovelace architecture (2023) while the RTX 3080 uses Ampere (2020). The L40 delivers 3.0x the FP16 throughput and 1.1x the memory bandwidth of the RTX 3080.