RTX 3060 vs V100

AmperevsVoltaUpdated 36 days ago

The V100 emerges as the superior choice for most machine learning use cases, particularly training and inference of large models. Its 125 TFLOPS FP16, 900 GB/s bandwidth, and up to 32 GB VRAM outperform RTX 3060's 12.7 TFLOPS and 360 GB/s, enabling scalable performance despite higher average pricing of $0.94/hr.

RTX 3060 from $0.23/hrV100 from $0.19/hr

Specifications Compared

SpecRTX-3060V100
TDP170W300W
VRAM12 GB16-32 GB
CUDA Cores3,5845,120
Memory TypeGDDR6HBM2
ArchitectureAmpereVolta
Form FactorsPCIeSXM2, PCIe
InterconnectNVLink, PCIe 3.0
Tensor Cores112640
FP16 Performance12.7 TFLOPS125 TFLOPS
FP32 Performance12.7 TFLOPS15.7 TFLOPS
Memory Bandwidth360 GB/s900 GB/s

Performance Analysis

Memory bandwidth represents a critical disparity: V100's 900 GB/s enables larger batch sizes in training and inference compared to RTX 3060's 360 GB/s, reducing data transfer bottlenecks for memory-intensive tasks. The V100's 16-32 GB HBM2 capacity supports models exceeding 12 GB GDDR6 on the RTX 3060, preventing out-of-memory errors in large-scale deep learning.

FP16 performance dominates for modern AI: V100's 125 TFLOPS accelerates mixed-precision training significantly over RTX 3060's 12.7 TFLOPS, enabling faster convergence on large language models. FP32 rates show parity, with V100 at 15.7 TFLOPS slightly ahead of RTX 3060's 12.7 TFLOPS, suiting traditional single-precision scientific simulations. Higher TDP of 300W on V100 demands robust cooling, unlike RTX 3060's efficient 170W.

In real-world terms, V100 excels in high-throughput training environments leveraging NVLink for multi-GPU scaling, while RTX 3060 suits single-GPU inference where cost and power efficiency matter more than peak tensor performance.

Live Cloud Pricing

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

RTX 3060

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
12GB VRAM
$0.23/GPU/hr
Available
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
2×NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
12GB VRAM
$0.23/GPU/hr
$0.45/hr total (2×)
Available
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
2×NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
12GB VRAM
$0.23/GPU/hr
$0.45/hr total (2×)
Available
Vast.ai
Vast.ai
2×NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
12GB VRAM
$0.23/GPU/hr
$0.45/hr total (2×)
Available

V100

ProviderGPU ModelVRAMHost SpecsRegionPriceStatusAction
TensorDock
TensorDock
NVIDIA Tesla V100 16GB
16GB VRAM
$0.19/GPU/hr
Available
TensorDock
TensorDock
NVIDIA Tesla V100 16GB
16GB VRAM
$0.19/GPU/hr
Available
TensorDock
TensorDock
NVIDIA Tesla V100 32GB
32GB VRAM
$0.29/GPU/hr
Available
TensorDock
TensorDock
NVIDIA Tesla V100 32GB
32GB VRAM
$0.29/GPU/hr
Available
Lambda Labs
Lambda Labs
8×NVIDIA Tesla V100 16GB
16GB VRAM
$0.79/GPU/hr
$6.32/hr total (8×)
Available

Compare real-time pricing across 25+ providers

When to Choose the RTX 3060

The RTX 3060 suits budget-limited deployments requiring low power consumption. At 170W TDP and cloud pricing from $0.03/hr averaging $0.07/hr, it handles inference tasks or fine-tuning small models within its 12 GB VRAM and 12.7 TFLOPS FP32 capability.

Users prioritizing affordability over peak performance select RTX 3060 for Stable Diffusion generation or lightweight scientific computing, where 360 GB/s bandwidth suffices without the V100's higher costs.

When to Choose the V100

The V100 fits high-performance machine learning pipelines demanding superior FP16 throughput. Its 125 TFLOPS FP16 rate and 900 GB/s bandwidth accelerate LLM training and large-batch inference, supported by 16-32 GB HBM2.

Datacenter operators choose V100 for multi-GPU setups via NVLink, justifying $0.10/hr starting price with 15.7 TFLOPS FP32 for compute-intensive scientific workloads despite 300W TDP.

Use Cases

LLM Training
V100

V100's 125 TFLOPS FP16 and 900 GB/s bandwidth handle large model training efficiently. RTX 3060's 12.7 TFLOPS limits batch sizes and speed.

LLM Inference
V100

V100 supports high-throughput inference with 16-32 GB VRAM and 125 TFLOPS FP16. RTX 3060's 12 GB restricts larger models.

Fine-tuning
Either

RTX 3060 suffices for small models at low $0.07/hr average cost with 12.7 TFLOPS FP32. V100 accelerates larger fine-tunes via 125 TFLOPS FP16.

Stable Diffusion
RTX 3060

RTX 3060's Ampere architecture and 12 GB VRAM generate images effectively at $0.03/hr low. V100's higher cost outweighs marginal gains.

Scientific Computing
V100

V100's 15.7 TFLOPS FP32 and NVLink scaling suit simulations. RTX 3060's 12.7 TFLOPS works for lighter tasks only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which GPU has higher FP16 performance?

The V100 achieves 125 TFLOPS FP16, far exceeding RTX 3060's 12.7 TFLOPS. This makes V100 ideal for mixed-precision AI training. RTX 3060 matches in FP32 at 12.7 TFLOPS.

How do memory specs compare?

V100 offers 16-32 GB HBM2 with 900 GB/s bandwidth, supporting larger models than RTX 3060's 12 GB GDDR6 at 360 GB/s. Higher bandwidth on V100 improves batch processing.

What are the cloud pricing differences?

RTX 3060 starts at $0.03/hr averaging $0.07/hr across 12 offers, cheaper than V100's $0.10/hr start and $0.94/hr average over 72 offers. RTX 3060 appeals for cost-sensitive users.

Which has lower power consumption?

RTX 3060 draws 170W TDP, lower than V100's 300W. This favors RTX 3060 in power-constrained cloud instances. V100 requires better cooling for sustained loads.

Is V100 still relevant in 2024?

V100's 125 TFLOPS FP16 and NVLink remain strong for legacy ML frameworks despite 2017 Volta architecture. It outperforms RTX 3060 in high-end training at scale.

Can RTX 3060 replace V100 for inference?

RTX 3060 handles basic inference with 12.7 TFLOPS and 12 GB VRAM at low cost. V100 excels for demanding inference needing 900 GB/s bandwidth.

Which is cheaper to rent, the RTX 3060 or the V100?

Cloud rental prices for both the RTX 3060 and V100 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 RTX 3060 have compared to the V100?

The RTX 3060 has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory. The V100 has 16 to 32 GB of HBM2 memory.

Can I find RTX 3060 and V100 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 RTX 3060 and the V100?

The RTX 3060 uses the Ampere architecture (2021) while the V100 uses Volta (2017). The V100 delivers 9.8x the FP16 throughput and 2.5x the memory bandwidth of the RTX 3060.