NVIDIA L4 VS NVIDIA T4
Comparing NVIDIA's Ada Lovelace-based L4 against the Turing-based T4. This cross-generational comparison reveals significant architectural improvements.
📊 Detailed Specifications Comparison
| Specification | L4 | T4 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture & Design | |||
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Turing | - |
| Process Node | 4nm | 12nm | - |
| Target Market | datacenter | datacenter | - |
| Form Factor | Single-slot PCIe | Single-slot PCIe | - |
| Memory | |||
| VRAM Capacity | 24GB | 16GB | +50% |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 | - |
| Memory Bandwidth | 300 GB/s | 320 GB/s | -6% |
| Memory Bus | 192-bit | 256-bit | - |
| Compute Units | |||
| CUDA Cores | 7,424 | 2,560 | +190% |
| Tensor Cores | 232 | 320 | -28% |
| Performance (TFLOPS) | |||
| FP32 (Single Precision) | 30.3 TFLOPS | 8.1 TFLOPS | +274% |
| FP16 (Half Precision) | 121 TFLOPS | 65 TFLOPS | +86% |
| Power & Connectivity | |||
| TDP (Power) | 72W | 70W | +3% |
| PCIe | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 | - |
🎯 Use Case Recommendations
LLM & Large Model Training
NVIDIA L4
Higher VRAM capacity and memory bandwidth are critical for training large language models. The L4 offers 24GB compared to 16GB.
AI Inference
NVIDIA L4
For inference workloads, performance per watt matters most. Consider the balance between FP16/INT8 throughput and power consumption.
Budget-Conscious Choice
NVIDIA T4
Based on current cloud pricing, the T4 starts at a lower hourly rate.
NVIDIA L4 is Best For:
- Edge AI inference
- Video transcoding
- Large model training
NVIDIA T4 is Best For:
- AI inference
- Video transcoding
- Large model training
Frequently Asked Questions
Which GPU is better for AI training: L4 or T4?
For AI training, the key factors are VRAM size, memory bandwidth, and tensor core performance. The L4 offers 24GB of GDDR6 memory with 300 GB/s bandwidth, while the T4 provides 16GB of GDDR6 with 320 GB/s bandwidth. For larger models, the L4's higher VRAM capacity gives it an advantage.
What is the price difference between L4 and T4 in the cloud?
Cloud GPU rental prices vary by provider and region. Based on our data, L4 starts at $0.32/hour while T4 starts at $0.11/hour. This represents a 191% price difference.
Can I use T4 instead of L4 for my workload?
It depends on your specific requirements. If your model fits within 16GB of VRAM and you don't need the additional throughput of the L4, the T4 can be a cost-effective alternative. However, for workloads requiring maximum memory capacity or multi-GPU scaling, the L4's architecture may be essential.
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