A100 vs B200
Explore a head to head comparison of specifications, performance, and pricing.
A100
The NVIDIA A100 is a powerful Ampere-based GPU designed for AI training, inference, and high-performance computing workloads.
B200
The NVIDIA B200 delivers high-performance computing capabilities for AI, machine learning, and data science applications.
A100 vs B200: Which Should You Choose?
The B200 offers 192 GB of VRAM — 5× the 40 GB on the A100 — making it better suited for large model workloads that require holding more parameters in GPU memory. On FP16 throughput, the A100 delivers 77.97 TFLOPS versus 1 TFLOPS on the B200 — 78× faster for mixed-precision training and inference. Memory bandwidth favors the B200 at 0.01 TB/s compared to 0.00 TB/s on the A100, which directly impacts inference latency for memory-bandwidth-bound models. Architecturally, the A100 is built on Ampere while the B200 uses Blackwell, reflecting different generational capabilities and optimizations. On Shadeform, the A100 starts from $1.29/hr versus $5.29/hr for the B200 — 310% more expensive — reflecting the performance premium. The A100 is available across 5 cloud providers on Shadeform compared to 4 for the B200, giving more options for region and pricing flexibility.
A100 — 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 A100 when:
- ✓40 GB VRAM is sufficient for your workload
- ✓Cost efficiency is your primary concern
- ✓You are training large models or running high-throughput inference
- ✓You need flexibility across multiple cloud providers or regions
B200 — Best Use Cases
- •Next-generation LLM pre-training at scale
- •Trillion-parameter model inference
- •Ultra-high-throughput AI workloads
- •Advanced HPC and scientific computing
Choose B200 when:
- ✓You need 192 GB+ VRAM for large models or long context windows
- ✓Maximum performance justifies the higher cost
- ✓Your workload does not require peak FP16 throughput
- ✓Your preferred provider already has availability
See how the A100 & B200 compare
Compare detailed hardware specifications and average pricing for the A100 and B200.
Compare Hardware Specifications
| A100 | B200 | |
|---|---|---|
| GPU Type | A100 | B200 |
| VRAM per GPU | 40 GB | 192 GB |
| Manufacturer | NVIDIA | NVIDIA |
| Architecture | Ampere | Blackwell |
| Interconnect | PCIe Gen4 or SXM4 | SXM6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 1.55 TB/s | 8 TB/s |
| FP16 TFLOPS | 77.97 TFLOPS (4:1) | 1,191.2 TFLOPS (16:1) |
| CUDA Cores | 6912 | 20480 |
| Tensor Cores | 432 (3rd Gen) | 640 (5th Gen) |
| Base Clock | 765 MHz | 700 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1410 MHz | 1965 MHz |
| TDP | 250W-400W | 1000W |
| Process Node | TSMC 7nm | TSMC 4NP |
| Data Formats | INT8, BF16, FP16, TF32, FP32, FP64 | FP4, FP6, FP8, INT8, BF16, FP16, TF32, FP32, FP64 |
Compare Average On-Demand Pricing
| A100 | B200 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GPU | $1.74 /hr | $5.29 /hr |
| 2 GPUs | $3.91 /hr | $10.49 /hr |
| 4 GPUs | $7.80 /hr | $20.37 /hr |
| 8 GPUs | $13.78 /hr | $36.68 /hr |
Frequently Asked Questions: A100 vs B200
The main differences are VRAM (40 GB vs 192 GB), FP16 throughput (77.97 vs 1 TFLOPS), architecture (Ampere vs Blackwell). The A100 uses the Ampere architecture while the B200 is based on Blackwell, giving each GPU different generational capabilities.
The A100 is generally better for large language model training due to its higher throughput and 40 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 A100 is available from $1.29/hr. The B200 starts from $5.29/hr. Prices vary by provider, region, and contract length. Reserved commitments can reduce hourly costs significantly compared to on-demand pricing.
The B200 has more VRAM at 192 GB, compared to 40 GB on the A100. Higher VRAM allows you to run larger models without quantization, use longer context windows, and process larger batch sizes — all of which improve throughput and reduce latency for memory-bound workloads.
Based on TFLOPS per dollar, the A100 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 B200, paying the premium may be justified by faster job completion and lower total cost.
The A100 is currently available across 5 cloud providers on Shadeform's network, compared to 4 for the B200. 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 A100 or B200. Shadeform supports on-demand clusters of up to 64 GPUs of the same type with no commitment required.
Explore A100 & B200 Instances
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