A10 vs L4
Explore a head to head comparison of specifications, performance, and pricing.
A10
The NVIDIA A10 delivers high-performance computing capabilities for AI, machine learning, and data science applications.
L4
The NVIDIA L4 delivers high-performance computing capabilities for AI, machine learning, and data science applications.
A10 vs L4: Which Should You Choose?
Both the A10 and L4 offer 24 GB of VRAM, putting them on equal footing for memory-bound workloads. On FP16 throughput, the A10 delivers 31.24 TFLOPS versus 30.29 TFLOPS on the L4 — 3% more faster for mixed-precision training and inference. Memory bandwidth favors the A10 at 0.60 TB/s compared to 0.30 TB/s on the L4, which directly impacts inference latency for memory-bandwidth-bound models. Architecturally, the A10 is built on Ampere while the L4 uses Ada Lovelace, reflecting different generational capabilities and optimizations. On Shadeform, the A10 starts from $0.75/hr versus $0.95/hr for the L4 — 27% more expensive — reflecting the performance premium.
A10 — Best Use Cases
- •General-purpose deep learning training
- •Fine-tuning models up to 13B parameters
- •AI inference at moderate throughput
- •Computer vision and NLP workloads
Choose A10 when:
- ✓Cost efficiency is your primary concern
- ✓You are training large models or running high-throughput inference
L4 — Best Use Cases
- •LLM inference and model serving
- •Image generation and diffusion models
- •Smaller fine-tuning runs
- •Cost-efficient GPU compute
Choose L4 when:
- ✓Maximum performance justifies the higher cost
- ✓Your workload does not require peak FP16 throughput
See how the A10 & L4 compare
Compare detailed hardware specifications and average pricing for the A10 and L4.
Compare Hardware Specifications
| A10 | L4 | |
|---|---|---|
| GPU Type | A10 | L4 |
| VRAM per GPU | 24 GB | 24 GB |
| Manufacturer | NVIDIA | NVIDIA |
| Architecture | Ampere | Ada Lovelace |
| Interconnect | PCIe Gen4 | PCIe Gen4 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 600 GB/s | 300 GB/s |
| FP16 TFLOPS | 31.24 TFLOPS (1:1) | 30.29 TFLOPS (1:1) |
| CUDA Cores | 9216 | 7424 |
| Tensor Cores | 288 (3rd Gen) | 232 (4th Gen) |
| RT Cores | 72 (2nd Gen) | 58 (3rd Gen) |
| Base Clock | 885 MHz | 795 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1695 MHz | 2040 MHz |
| TDP | 150W | 72W |
| Process Node | TSMC 8nm | TSMC 4N |
| Data Formats | INT4, INT8, BF16, FP16, TF32, FP32 | FP8, INT8, BF16, FP16, TF32, FP32 |
Compare Average On-Demand Pricing
| A10 | L4 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GPU | $0.75 /hr | $0.95 /hr |
| 2 GPUs | N/A | $1.90 /hr |
| 4 GPUs | N/A | $3.80 /hr |
| 8 GPUs | N/A | $7.60 /hr |
Frequently Asked Questions: A10 vs L4
The main differences are FP16 throughput (31.24 vs 30.29 TFLOPS), architecture (Ampere vs Ada Lovelace). The A10 uses the Ampere architecture while the L4 is based on Ada Lovelace, giving each GPU different generational capabilities.
The A10 is generally better for large language model training due to its higher throughput and 24 GB of VRAM, which allows fitting larger models or larger batch sizes in a single pass. For smaller models or fine-tuning tasks where cost matters more, both GPUs can be effective.
On Shadeform, the A10 is available from $0.75/hr. The L4 starts from $0.95/hr. Prices vary by provider, region, and contract length. Reserved commitments can reduce hourly costs significantly compared to on-demand pricing.
Based on TFLOPS per dollar, the A10 offers better raw compute value at current Shadeform on-demand rates. However, the best choice depends on your specific workload — if you need the extra VRAM or throughput of the L4, paying the premium may be justified by faster job completion and lower total cost.
The A10 is currently available across 1 cloud providers on Shadeform's network, compared to 1 for the L4. Shadeform lets you deploy either GPU across all available providers from a single platform, so you can always find available capacity without manually checking each cloud.
Mixing different GPU types in a single training cluster is generally not recommended, as it creates performance bottlenecks where faster GPUs wait for slower ones. For best results, use a homogeneous cluster of either A10 or L4. Shadeform supports on-demand clusters of up to 64 GPUs of the same type with no commitment required.
Explore A10 & L4 Instances
Browse available instances with A10 and L4 GPUs. Filter by provider, availability, and more to find the perfect instance for your needs.
