P100 vs RTX A2000

PascalvsAmpereUpdated 35 days ago

The P100 emerges as the winner for most machine learning use cases due to 16 GB HBM2 VRAM and 732 GB/s bandwidth, outperforming the A2000's 6-12 GB GDDR6 and 288 GB/s in batch-heavy training. Despite similar 9.3 versus 8 TFLOPS FP32 rates and pricing, superior memory handles demanding workloads efficiently.

P100 from $0.60/hrRTX A2000 from $0.50/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecP100RTX-A2000
TDP250W70W
VRAM16 GB6-12 GB
CUDA Cores3,5843,328
Memory TypeHBM2GDDR6
ArchitecturePascalAmpere
Form FactorsSXM2, PCIePCIe
InterconnectNVLink
FP16 Performance9.3 TFLOPS8 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance9.3 TFLOPS8 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance4.7 TFLOPS
Memory Bandwidth732 GB/s288 GB/s

Performance Analysis

Peak FP32 performance stands at 9.3 TFLOPS for the P100 and 8 TFLOPS for the A2000, with matching FP16 rates, indicating near-parity in half-precision training and inference. The P100's advantage emerges in memory-intensive operations: its 732 GB/s bandwidth supports larger batch sizes compared to the A2000's 288 GB/s, reducing data transfer bottlenecks in deep learning workloads. For instance, training models with extensive parameter sets benefits from the P100's 16 GB HBM2, allowing bigger batches without out-of-memory errors.

In real-world terms, the A2000's Ampere architecture delivers efficiency gains in sparse computations, though specs show modest FP deltas. Lower TDP of 70W versus 250W translates to reduced cooling needs and costs in dense cloud deployments. Bandwidth disparity affects inference latency: the P100 handles high-throughput serving better, while the A2000 suits edge-like scenarios with smaller models fitting in 6-12 GB VRAM. Overall, memory specs dictate viability for large-scale training over raw flops.

Live Cloud Pricing

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

P100

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
LeaderGPU
LeaderGPU
2×NVIDIA Tesla P100
16GB VRAM
$0.60/GPU/hr
$1.20/hr total (2×)
Available

RTX A2000

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
RunPod
RunPod
NVIDIA RTX A2000
12GB VRAM
$0.50/GPU/hr

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the P100

Opt for the P100 in memory-bound tasks like training large neural networks requiring over 12 GB VRAM. Its 16 GB HBM2 and 732 GB/s bandwidth excel in scientific simulations or datasets exceeding the A2000's 6-12 GB GDDR6 capacity. NVLink support enables scalable multi-GPU clusters for high-performance computing at $0.07 per hour starting price.

When to Choose the RTX A2000

Select the RTX A2000 for power-sensitive inference or fine-tuning on modest models. With 70W TDP and pricing from $0.06 per hour, it minimizes operational costs in virtual desktop or lightweight AI pipelines. Ampere features suit real-time rendering absent in the P100's Pascal design.

Use Cases

LLM Training
P100

The P100's 16 GB HBM2 supports larger models and batches critical for LLM training. Its 732 GB/s bandwidth prevents bottlenecks unlike the A2000's 288 GB/s.

LLM Inference
RTX A2000

The A2000's 70W TDP and 8 TFLOPS FP16 suit efficient serving of smaller LLMs. Lower power fits sustained inference without high cooling demands.

Fine-tuning
Either

Both offer comparable 9.3 and 8 TFLOPS FP32 for fine-tuning mid-sized models. Choice depends on VRAM needs: 16 GB for P100 or 6-12 GB for A2000.

Stable Diffusion
P100

P100's higher bandwidth at 732 GB/s accelerates image generation pipelines. 16 GB VRAM handles high-resolution Stable Diffusion variants better.

Scientific Computing
P100

NVLink and 732 GB/s bandwidth enable multi-GPU scientific simulations. P100's 16 GB capacity processes large datasets surpassing A2000 limits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which GPU has more VRAM: P100 or RTX A2000?

The P100 provides 16 GB HBM2 VRAM, exceeding the RTX A2000's 6-12 GB GDDR6. This makes the P100 suitable for memory-intensive tasks. Bandwidth also favors the P100 at 732 GB/s over 288 GB/s.

How do FP32 performances compare between P100 and A2000?

The P100 delivers 9.3 TFLOPS FP32, slightly above the A2000's 8 TFLOPS. FP16 matches this delta. Real-world training sees marginal P100 edges in compute-bound scenarios.

What are the power consumption differences?

The P100 requires 250W TDP, while the A2000 uses 70W. This impacts cloud costs and density. A2000 enables more instances per server.

Which is cheaper on gpuperhour.com?

The A2000 starts at $0.06 per hour with $0.23 average across three offers, versus P100's $0.07 start and $0.25 average. Differences narrow for short bursts.

Does the P100 support NVLink?

Yes, the P100 includes NVLink for multi-GPU scaling, absent in the PCIe-only A2000. This aids high-throughput computing. Form factors include SXM2 for P100.

Is the A2000 newer than the P100?

The A2000 uses 2021 Ampere architecture, postdating the P100's 2016 Pascal. Newer design offers efficiency gains despite lower peak specs. Both viable in cloud rentals.

Which is cheaper to rent, the P100 or the RTX A2000?

Cloud rental prices for both the P100 and RTX A2000 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 P100 have compared to the RTX A2000?

The P100 has 16 GB of HBM2 memory. The RTX A2000 has 6 to 12 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Can I find P100 and RTX A2000 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 P100 and the RTX A2000?

The P100 uses the Pascal architecture (2016) while the RTX A2000 uses Ampere (2021). The P100 delivers 1.2x the FP16 throughput and 2.5x the memory bandwidth of the RTX A2000.

P100 vs RTX A2000: 16GB HBM2 vs 12GB GDDR6 | GPUPerHour