L40 vs TITAN Xp

Ada LovelacevsPascalUpdated 35 days ago

The L40 emerges as the clear winner for most contemporary use cases, including AI training and inference. Its 90.5 TFLOPS compute, 48 GB VRAM, and 864 GB/s bandwidth provide over 7x the performance and 4x the memory of the TITAN Xp, justifying the $0.67 per hour cloud pricing. Legacy exceptions aside, the generational leap demands the upgrade.

L40 from $0.55/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecL40TITAN-XP
TDP300W250W
VRAM48 GB12 GB
CUDA Cores18,1763,840
Memory TypeGDDR6GDDR5X
ArchitectureAda LovelacePascal
Form FactorsPCIePCIe
Interconnect
Tensor Cores568
FP16 Performance90.5 TFLOPS12.1 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance90.5 TFLOPS12.1 TFLOPS
INT8 Performance724 TOPS
Memory Bandwidth864 GB/s548 GB/s

Performance Analysis

Compute capabilities define the core performance divide: the L40 delivers 90.5 TFLOPS in FP16 and FP32, dwarfing the TITAN Xp's 12.1 TFLOPS in both formats. This equates to approximately 7.5 times higher throughput on the L40, accelerating machine learning training and inference tasks that leverage half-precision arithmetic. Equal FP16 and FP32 rates on both GPUs indicate balanced tensor core utilization, but the L40's scale enables handling larger models without precision bottlenecks.

Memory specifications profoundly impact real-world usage: the L40's 48 GB GDDR6 and 864 GB/s bandwidth support batch sizes up to four times larger than the TITAN Xp's 12 GB GDDR5X and 548 GB/s. Higher bandwidth reduces data starvation in memory-intensive operations like transformer inference, allowing sustained peak performance. Conversely, the TITAN Xp suits smaller datasets where its lower 250W TDP conserves energy.

Power efficiency considerations favor the TITAN Xp at 250W versus 300W, yielding better perf-per-watt for light loads at 12.1 TFLOPS per 250W. However, the L40's advancements in Ada Lovelace yield superior overall efficiency for demanding workloads.

Live Cloud Pricing

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

L40

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
TensorDock
TensorDock
NVIDIA L40S
48GB VRAM
$0.55/GPU/hr
Available
RunPod
RunPod
NVIDIA L40
48GB VRAM
$0.82/GPU/hr
Massed Compute
Massed Compute
NVIDIA L40
48GB VRAM
$0.86/GPU/hr
Available
RunPod
RunPod
NVIDIA L40S
48GB VRAM
$0.86/GPU/hr
Massed Compute
Massed Compute
2×NVIDIA L40
48GB VRAM
$0.86/GPU/hr
$1.72/hr total (2×)
Available

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the L40

The L40 excels in modern AI pipelines requiring substantial VRAM: its 48 GB GDDR6 handles large language models during training or inference, where the TITAN Xp's 12 GB GDDR5X falls short. Cloud availability from $0.67 per hour across 14 offers makes it ideal for scalable deployments without upfront hardware costs. High 90.5 TFLOPS FP16 performance suits batch processing at 864 GB/s bandwidth.

Datacenter environments benefit from the L40's PCIe compatibility and 300W TDP for sustained high-throughput tasks like fine-tuning.

When to Choose the TITAN Xp

The TITAN Xp fits legacy Pascal-optimized software where recompilation for Ada Lovelace proves costly: its 12.1 TFLOPS FP32 suffices for older scientific simulations or lightweight inference. Lower 250W TDP appeals to power-constrained on-premises setups without cloud needs, as no live offers exist.

Users with existing TITAN Xp hardware avoid migration expenses for workloads not demanding over 12 GB VRAM or 548 GB/s bandwidth.

Use Cases

LLM Training
L40

The L40's 48 GB VRAM and 90.5 TFLOPS FP16 handle large models, unlike the TITAN Xp's 12 GB limit. Bandwidth at 864 GB/s supports massive batches.

LLM Inference
L40

L40's 90.5 TFLOPS and 864 GB/s bandwidth enable high-throughput serving. TITAN Xp's 12.1 TFLOPS restricts scale.

Fine-tuning
L40

48 GB GDDR6 on L40 accommodates model checkpoints; 90.5 TFLOPS accelerates iterations over TITAN Xp's 12 GB.

Stable Diffusion
L40

L40's VRAM and bandwidth generate high-res images faster; TITAN Xp's constraints limit resolution.

Scientific Computing
L40

90.5 TFLOPS FP32 on L40 outperforms TITAN Xp's 12.1 TFLOPS for simulations; higher bandwidth aids data-heavy codes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which GPU has more VRAM?

The L40 provides 48 GB GDDR6, four times the TITAN Xp's 12 GB GDDR5X. This enables larger models on the L40. Bandwidth also favors L40 at 864 GB/s over 548 GB/s.

What are the FP32 performance differences?

L40 achieves 90.5 TFLOPS FP32, versus TITAN Xp's 12.1 TFLOPS. This yields about 7.5x speedup for single-precision tasks. FP16 matches these rates on both.

Is cloud pricing available for these GPUs?

L40 starts at $0.67 per hour, averaging $0.89 across 14 offers. TITAN Xp has no live cloud offers. L40 suits rental needs.

How do TDPs compare?

L40 consumes 300W TDP, higher than TITAN Xp's 250W. TITAN Xp offers better efficiency for low loads at 12.1 TFLOPS per 250W.

Which architecture is newer?

L40 uses 2023 Ada Lovelace; TITAN Xp employs 2017 Pascal. L40 benefits from tensor core advancements yielding 90.5 TFLOPS.

Can both handle PCIe?

Both support PCIe form factors without interconnects specified. L40's 48 GB suits datacenter PCIe slots better than TITAN Xp's 12 GB.

Which is cheaper to rent, the L40 or the TITAN Xp?

Cloud rental prices for both the L40 and TITAN Xp 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 TITAN Xp?

The L40 has 48 GB of GDDR6 memory. The TITAN Xp has 12 GB of GDDR5X memory.

Can I find L40 and TITAN Xp 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 TITAN Xp?

The L40 uses the Ada Lovelace architecture (2023) while the TITAN Xp uses Pascal (2017). The L40 delivers 7.5x the FP16 throughput and 1.6x the memory bandwidth of the TITAN Xp.

L40 vs TITAN Xp: 7.5x FP16 Gap, 48GB vs 12GB | GPUPerHour