L40S vs L40

The L40S is generally better for large language model training due to its higher throughput and 48 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 L40S is available from $0.74/hr. The L40 starts from $0.99/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 L40S 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 L40, paying the premium may be justified by faster job completion and lower total cost.

The L40S is currently available across 7 cloud providers on Shadeform's network, compared to 2 for the L40. 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 L40S or L40. Shadeform supports on-demand clusters of up to 64 GPUs of the same type with no commitment required.