NVIDIA H100 SXM VS NVIDIA H100 PCIe
Both the H100 SXM and H100 PCIe are built on NVIDIA's Hopper architecture. This comparison helps you choose between different configurations within the same GPU family.
H100 PCIe
📊 Detailed Specifications Comparison
| Specification | H100 SXM | H100 PCIe | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture & Design | |||
| Architecture | Hopper | Hopper | - |
| Process Node | 4nm | 4nm | - |
| Target Market | datacenter | datacenter | - |
| Form Factor | SXM5 | Dual-slot PCIe | - |
| Memory | |||
| VRAM Capacity | 80GB | 80GB | |
| Memory Type | HBM3 | HBM3 | - |
| Memory Bandwidth | 3.35 TB/s | 2.0 TB/s | +68% |
| Memory Bus | 5120-bit | 5120-bit | - |
| Compute Units | |||
| CUDA Cores | 16,896 | 14,592 | +16% |
| Tensor Cores | 528 | 456 | +16% |
| Performance (TFLOPS) | |||
| FP32 (Single Precision) | 67 TFLOPS | 51 TFLOPS | +31% |
| FP16 (Half Precision) | 1979 TFLOPS | 1513 TFLOPS | +31% |
| TF32 (Tensor Float) | 989 TFLOPS | N/A | |
| FP64 (Double Precision) | 34 TFLOPS | N/A | |
| Power & Connectivity | |||
| TDP (Power) | 700W | 350W | +100% |
| PCIe | PCIe 5.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 | - |
| NVLink | NVLink 4.0 (900 GB/s) | Not available | - |
🎯 Use Case Recommendations
LLM & Large Model Training
NVIDIA H100 SXM
Higher VRAM capacity and memory bandwidth are critical for training large language models. The H100 PCIe offers 80GB compared to 80GB.
AI Inference
NVIDIA H100 PCIe
For inference workloads, performance per watt matters most. Consider the balance between FP16/INT8 throughput and power consumption.
Budget-Conscious Choice
NVIDIA H100 SXM
Compare live pricing to find the best value for your specific workload.
NVIDIA H100 SXM is Best For:
- LLM training
- Foundation model pre-training
- Small-scale inference
NVIDIA H100 PCIe is Best For:
- AI inference
- Enterprise AI
- Highest-end training
Frequently Asked Questions
Which GPU is better for AI training: H100 SXM or H100 PCIe?
For AI training, the key factors are VRAM size, memory bandwidth, and tensor core performance. The H100 SXM offers 80GB of HBM3 memory with 3.35 TB/s bandwidth, while the H100 PCIe provides 80GB of HBM3 with 2.0 TB/s bandwidth. Both GPUs have similar VRAM capacity, so performance characteristics become the deciding factor.
What is the price difference between H100 SXM and H100 PCIe in the cloud?
Cloud GPU rental prices vary by provider and region. Check our price tracker for the latest rates from 50+ cloud providers.
Can I use H100 PCIe instead of H100 SXM for my workload?
It depends on your specific requirements. If your model fits within 80GB of VRAM and you don't need the additional throughput of the H100 SXM, the H100 PCIe can be a cost-effective alternative. However, for workloads requiring maximum memory capacity or multi-GPU scaling, the H100 SXM's NVLink support (NVLink 4.0 (900 GB/s)) may be essential.
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