Hopper H100 SXM5 vs Ampere A100 SXM4
Complete side-by-side comparison of specs, performance, memory, power efficiency, and pricing.
Hopper H100 SXM5
73
Spec Wins
Ampere A100 SXM4
61
Detailed Specifications
Hopper H100 SXM5 — Best For
Ampere A100 SXM4 — Best For
Who Should Choose Each GPU?
Choose Hopper H100 SXM5 if you…
- ✓Need maximum CUDA/TensorRT/vLLM ecosystem compatibility
- ✓Prioritize raw FP8 throughput (3,958 vs 0 TFLOPS)
- ✓Running LLM Training workloads
- ✓Running HPC workloads
Choose Ampere A100 SXM4 if you…
- ✓Need maximum CUDA/TensorRT/vLLM ecosystem compatibility
- ✓Have power-constrained data centers (400W vs 700W TDP)
- ✓Working with a tighter CapEx budget (lower list price)
- ✓Running Training workloads
- ✓Running Fine-tuning workloads
Verdict
The Hopper H100 SXM5 and Ampere A100 SXM4 target different priorities. Both GPUs offer the same 80GB VRAM, so the decision comes down to ecosystem and compute throughput. For training throughput, the Hopper H100 SXM5's 3,958 FP8 TFLOPS outpaces the Ampere A100 SXM4's 0 TFLOPS. Both GPUs use CUDA, so ecosystem switching cost is not a factor. Use our TCO Calculator to model the full 3-year cost difference for your specific utilization and power costs.
Hopper H100 SXM5 vs Ampere A100 SXM4: Common Questions
Which is faster, Hopper H100 SXM5 or Ampere A100 SXM4?+
In FP8 throughput, the Hopper H100 SXM5 leads with 3,958 TFLOPS vs 0 TFLOPS. For LLM inference, memory capacity and bandwidth often matter more than raw TFLOPS — the Ampere A100 SXM4 has more VRAM (80GB).
Is Hopper H100 SXM5 or Ampere A100 SXM4 better for LLM training?+
For LLM training at scale, the Hopper H100 SXM5 has higher raw throughput. However, the choice also depends on your software stack: Hopper H100 SXM5 offers CUDA compatibility with the widest framework support (PyTorch, JAX, TensorRT).
What is the price difference between Hopper H100 SXM5 and Ampere A100 SXM4?+
The Hopper H100 SXM5 is estimated at $25,000 per unit and the Ampere A100 SXM4 at $12,000. Actual pricing varies by vendor, volume, and configuration. Check our Buy page for current reseller pricing.
Which GPU is more power efficient, Hopper H100 SXM5 or Ampere A100 SXM4?+
The Ampere A100 SXM4 has a lower TDP (400W vs 700W). Performance-per-watt depends on your workload — for FP8 inference, divide TFLOPS by TDP: Hopper H100 SXM5 = 5.7 TFLOPS/W vs Ampere A100 SXM4 = 0.0 TFLOPS/W.