P100 vs RTX A5000

PascalvsAmpereUpdated 35 days ago

The RTX A5000 emerges as the superior choice for most contemporary use cases. Triple the compute at 27.8 TFLOPS over the P100's 9.3 TFLOPS, plus 50% more VRAM at 24 GB, accelerates training and inference substantially. Despite higher average pricing, its efficiency and availability justify selection for GPU-accelerated computing.

P100 from $0.60/hrRTX A5000 from $0.23/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecP100RTX-A5000
TDP250W230W
VRAM16 GB24 GB
CUDA Cores3,5848,192
Memory TypeHBM2GDDR6
ArchitecturePascalAmpere
Form FactorsSXM2, PCIePCIe
InterconnectNVLinkNVLink
FP16 Performance9.3 TFLOPS27.8 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance9.3 TFLOPS27.8 TFLOPS
FP64 Performance4.7 TFLOPS
Memory Bandwidth732 GB/s768 GB/s

Performance Analysis

Performance differences favor the RTX A5000 decisively. Its 27.8 TFLOPS in FP16 and FP32 triples the P100's 9.3 TFLOPS, enabling faster model training and inference in deep learning workflows. This FP16 and FP32 parity in both GPUs supports mixed-precision training without bottlenecks, but the A5000's higher throughput reduces epoch times significantly for large datasets.

Memory specifications enhance the A5000's edge. With 24 GB GDDR6 versus the P100's 16 GB HBM2, larger models fit without splitting batches, ideal for transformer-based networks. The 768 GB/s bandwidth slightly exceeds the P100's 732 GB/s, allowing bigger batch sizes during training: for instance, a 10% bandwidth increase sustains higher throughput in memory-bound scenarios like inference serving.

Power efficiency tilts toward the A5000 at 230 W TDP compared to 250 W, yielding better perf-per-watt ratios. In multi-GPU setups via NVLink, the A5000 scales more effectively for distributed training.

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 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
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×)
Cirrascale
Cirrascale
8×NVIDIA RTX A5000
24GB VRAM
$0.46/GPU/hr
$3.68/hr total (8×)

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the P100

The P100 suits cost-sensitive projects with light compute demands. At starting prices from $0.07 per hour, it undercuts the A5000's average $0.41 per hour, making it ideal for prototyping or small-scale inference where 9.3 TFLOPS suffices. Its 16 GB HBM2 handles modest datasets without excess capacity.

When to Choose the RTX A5000

The RTX A5000 excels in demanding AI and visualization tasks. Its 27.8 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 24 GB VRAM support large-scale LLM training and Stable Diffusion rendering, where the P100's limits become evident. Abundant cloud offers at 36 providers ensure availability for production workloads.

Use Cases

LLM Training
RTX A5000

The A5000's 27.8 TFLOPS FP32 and 24 GB VRAM handle larger models and batches than the P100's 9.3 TFLOPS and 16 GB.

LLM Inference
RTX A5000

Higher 27.8 TFLOPS FP16 throughput on the A5000 supports more concurrent requests versus the P100's 9.3 TFLOPS.

Fine-tuning
RTX A5000

A5000's 768 GB/s bandwidth and extra 8 GB VRAM enable efficient fine-tuning of mid-sized LLMs without OOM errors.

Stable Diffusion
RTX A5000

24 GB VRAM on the A5000 accommodates high-resolution image generation, surpassing the P100's 16 GB capacity.

Scientific Computing
Either

P100's 732 GB/s HBM2 bandwidth aids simulations at low cost from $0.07 per hour; A5000's 27.8 TFLOPS suits complex computations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which GPU has more VRAM: P100 or RTX A5000?

The RTX A5000 provides 24 GB GDDR6 VRAM, exceeding the P100's 16 GB HBM2. This difference allows the A5000 to load larger models directly.

How do P100 and RTX A5000 compare in FP32 performance?

The A5000 delivers 27.8 TFLOPS FP32, nearly three times the P100's 9.3 TFLOPS. This gap accelerates training loops significantly.

What is the cloud pricing for these GPUs?

P100 starts at $0.07 per hour averaging $0.25 across 3 offers; A5000 from $0.03 per hour averaging $0.41 across 36 offers. Availability favors the A5000.

Does the P100 support NVLink?

Yes, the P100 includes NVLink interconnect alongside SXM2 and PCIe form factors. The A5000 also supports NVLink in PCIe.

Which has higher memory bandwidth?

RTX A5000 offers 768 GB/s, slightly above P100's 732 GB/s. This aids larger batch sizes in memory-intensive tasks.

Is RTX A5000 more power efficient than P100?

Yes, at 230 W TDP versus P100's 250 W, while providing 27.8 TFLOPS. It yields better performance per watt.

Which is cheaper to rent, the P100 or the RTX A5000?

Cloud rental prices for both the P100 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 P100 have compared to the RTX A5000?

The P100 has 16 GB of HBM2 memory. The RTX A5000 has 24 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Can I find P100 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 P100 and the RTX A5000?

The P100 uses the Pascal architecture (2016) while the RTX A5000 uses Ampere (2021). The RTX A5000 delivers 3.0x the FP16 throughput and 1.0x the memory bandwidth of the P100.