NVIDIA Tesla P40 VS NVIDIA T4
Comparing NVIDIA's Pascal-based P40 against the Turing-based T4. This cross-generational comparison reveals significant architectural improvements.
📊 Detailed Specifications Comparison
| Specification | P40 | T4 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture & Design | |||
| Architecture | Pascal | Turing | - |
| Process Node | 16nm | 12nm | - |
| Target Market | datacenter | datacenter | - |
| Form Factor | Dual-slot PCIe | Single-slot PCIe | - |
| Memory | |||
| VRAM Capacity | 24GB | 16GB | +50% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 | - |
| Memory Bandwidth | 347 GB/s | 320 GB/s | +8% |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit | 256-bit | - |
| Compute Units | |||
| CUDA Cores | 3,840 | 2,560 | +50% |
| Performance (TFLOPS) | |||
| FP32 (Single Precision) | 12 TFLOPS | 8.1 TFLOPS | +48% |
| FP16 (Half Precision) | N/A | 65 TFLOPS | |
| Power & Connectivity | |||
| TDP (Power) | 250W | 70W | +257% |
| PCIe | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 | - |
🎯 Use Case Recommendations
LLM & Large Model Training
NVIDIA T4
Higher VRAM capacity and memory bandwidth are critical for training large language models. The P40 offers 24GB compared to 16GB.
AI Inference
NVIDIA T4
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 Tesla P40 is Best For:
- AI inference
- Video analysis
- Training workloads
NVIDIA T4 is Best For:
- AI inference
- Video transcoding
- Large model training
Frequently Asked Questions
Which GPU is better for AI training: P40 or T4?
For AI training, the key factors are VRAM size, memory bandwidth, and tensor core performance. The P40 offers 24GB of GDDR5 memory with 347 GB/s bandwidth, while the T4 provides 16GB of GDDR6 with 320 GB/s bandwidth. For larger models, the P40's higher VRAM capacity gives it an advantage.
What is the price difference between P40 and T4 in the cloud?
Cloud GPU rental prices vary by provider and region. Based on our data, P40 starts at $0.51/hour while T4 starts at $0.11/hour. This represents a 364% price difference.
Can I use T4 instead of P40 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 P40, the T4 can be a cost-effective alternative. However, for workloads requiring maximum memory capacity or multi-GPU scaling, the P40's architecture may be essential.
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