The H100 is faster for AI with far higher bandwidth, but the A100 costs a fraction as much to buy or rent and wins decisively on value. Choose the H100 for cutting-edge, time-sensitive training; choose the A100 to train and serve most models for far less.
Quick answer. Both data-center cards carry 80 GB of VRAM, so this is about throughput and cost. The H100’s much higher bandwidth and newer architecture make it the fastest for large-scale training and inference. The A100 remains hugely capable and is dramatically cheaper — both to purchase and, more importantly for most teams, to rent by the hour.
Quick answer: NVIDIA H100 80GB leads on both gaming and AI workloads. NVIDIA A100 80GB gives the best performance per dollar of the group. Look at VRAM and memory bandwidth for capability, TDP for power and heat, and separate gaming vs AI performance scores. Then weigh new and used prices, and cloud rental cost if you only need the card occasionally. Not necessarily. TDP measures power draw, not performance. A newer architecture can deliver more frames or tokens per watt, so always compare performance scores alongside power, not power alone. Used cards can offer far better value, especially previous-generation flagships. Factor in the lack of warranty and unknown wear. This tool lists both new and used reference prices so you can judge the gap. Head-to-head comparison
Spec
NVIDIA A100 80GB
NVIDIA H100 80GB
VRAM
80 GB (winner)
80 GB
Bandwidth
2039 GB/s
3350 GB/s (winner)
TDP (power)
400 W (winner)
700 W
Gaming score
60/100
65/100 (winner)
AI score
98/100
100/100 (winner)
Price (new)
$8,000 (winner)
$25,000
Price (used)
$6,500 (winner)
$22,000
Cloud rent $/hr
$1.10 (winner)
$2.49
Best for
Best value, Efficiency
Gaming, AI / LLMs
Get it
GPU reference specs
GPU
VRAM
TDP
Bandwidth
Street price
Cloud $/hr
Released
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
32 GB
575 W
1792 GB/s
$2,500
$0.69
2025
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080
16 GB
360 W
960 GB/s
$1,200
$0.40
2025
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070
12 GB
250 W
672 GB/s
$650
$0.25
2025
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
24 GB
450 W
1008 GB/s
$1,900
$0.34
2022
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
16 GB
320 W
717 GB/s
$1,100
$0.28
2022
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070
12 GB
200 W
504 GB/s
$550
$0.20
2023
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
24 GB
350 W
936 GB/s
$900
$0.22
2020
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
12 GB
170 W
360 GB/s
$280
$0.12
2021
NVIDIA A100 80GB
80 GB
400 W
2039 GB/s
$8,000
$1.10
2020
NVIDIA H100 80GB
80 GB
700 W
3350 GB/s
$25,000
$2.49
2022
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
24 GB
355 W
960 GB/s
$850
$0.30
2022
Intel Arc B580
12 GB
190 W
456 GB/s
$250
N/A
2024
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare two GPUs?
Is a higher TDP GPU always faster?
Should I buy new or used when comparing GPUs?
A100 80GB vs H100 80GB – Which should you choose?
- Cutting-edge / large-scale training: the H100’s bandwidth and newer features cut training time — worth it when speed pays for itself.
- Most training, fine-tuning, and inference: the A100 handles the vast majority of workloads at a fraction of the cost.
- Value / budget: the A100 wins clearly on cost per hour and per dollar.
Key differences
- VRAM: both 80 GB.
- Bandwidth: the H100 is far higher — its main advantage for large models.
- Price: the A100 is much cheaper to buy and to rent.
- Power: the H100 draws significantly more.
Rent, don’t buy
Almost no one buys these outright — they’re rented by the hour in the cloud. The A100 is the cost-effective workhorse; step up to the H100 when training time is the bottleneck. Rent A100 or H100 GPUs by the hour and match the card to the job.
People also ask
Is the H100 worth it over the A100? For the largest models and time-critical training where faster runs pay for themselves, yes. For most fine-tuning and inference, the A100 delivers excellent value. Should I rent or buy an A100 / H100? Rent. These cards cost five figures and depreciate fast; hourly cloud rental matches spend to actual use and lets you switch between A100 and H100 as needed.
Related: RTX 4090 vs A100 80GB · Buy vs rent for AI · Rent a cloud GPU