Hopper H100 SXM5 vs Ada L40S
Complete side-by-side comparison of specs, performance, memory, power efficiency, and pricing.
Hopper H100 SXM5
73
Spec Wins
Ada L40S
53
Detailed Specifications
Hopper H100 SXM5 — Best For
Ada L40S — Best For
Who Should Choose Each GPU?
Choose Hopper H100 SXM5 if you…
- ✓Need maximum CUDA/TensorRT/vLLM ecosystem compatibility
- ✓Need more VRAM (80GB vs 48GB) for large model inference
- ✓Prioritize raw FP8 throughput (3,958 vs 733 TFLOPS)
- ✓Running LLM Training workloads
- ✓Running HPC workloads
Choose Ada L40S if you…
- ✓Need maximum CUDA/TensorRT/vLLM ecosystem compatibility
- ✓Have power-constrained data centers (350W vs 700W TDP)
- ✓Working with a tighter CapEx budget (lower list price)
- ✓Running Inference workloads
- ✓Running Video AI workloads
Verdict
The Hopper H100 SXM5 and Ada L40S target different priorities. The Hopper H100 SXM5's 80GB of HBM3 gives it a clear edge for large-model inference where fitting the full model in VRAM eliminates quantization overhead. For training throughput, the Hopper H100 SXM5's 3,958 FP8 TFLOPS outpaces the Ada L40S's 733 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 Ada L40S: Common Questions
Which is faster, Hopper H100 SXM5 or Ada L40S?+
In FP8 throughput, the Hopper H100 SXM5 leads with 3,958 TFLOPS vs 733 TFLOPS. For LLM inference, memory capacity and bandwidth often matter more than raw TFLOPS — the Hopper H100 SXM5 has more VRAM (80GB).
Is Hopper H100 SXM5 or Ada L40S 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 Ada L40S?+
The Hopper H100 SXM5 is estimated at $25,000 per unit and the Ada L40S at $8,000. 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 Ada L40S?+
The Ada L40S has a lower TDP (350W vs 700W). Performance-per-watt depends on your workload — for FP8 inference, divide TFLOPS by TDP: Hopper H100 SXM5 = 5.7 TFLOPS/W vs Ada L40S = 2.1 TFLOPS/W.