NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 VS NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
Comparing NVIDIA's Ada Lovelace-based RTX 4090 against the Ampere-based RTX 3090. This cross-generational comparison reveals significant architectural improvements.
RTX 4090
RTX 3090
📊 Detailed Specifications Comparison
| Specification | RTX 4090 | RTX 3090 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture & Design | |||
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | Ampere | - |
| Process Node | 4nm | 8nm | - |
| Target Market | consumer | consumer | - |
| Form Factor | 3-slot PCIe | 3-slot PCIe | - |
| Memory | |||
| VRAM Capacity | 24GB | 24GB | |
| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR6X | - |
| Memory Bandwidth | 1.01 TB/s | 936 GB/s | +8% |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit | 384-bit | - |
| Compute Units | |||
| CUDA Cores | 16,384 | 10,496 | +56% |
| Tensor Cores | 512 | 328 | +56% |
| Performance (TFLOPS) | |||
| FP32 (Single Precision) | 82.58 TFLOPS | 35.58 TFLOPS | +132% |
| FP16 (Half Precision) | 165.15 TFLOPS | 71 TFLOPS | +133% |
| Power & Connectivity | |||
| TDP (Power) | 450W | 350W | +29% |
| PCIe | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 | - |
🎯 Use Case Recommendations
LLM & Large Model Training
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
Higher VRAM capacity and memory bandwidth are critical for training large language models. The RTX 3090 offers 24GB compared to 24GB.
AI Inference
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
For inference workloads, performance per watt matters most. Consider the balance between FP16/INT8 throughput and power consumption.
Budget-Conscious Choice
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090
Based on current cloud pricing, the RTX 3090 starts at a lower hourly rate.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is Best For:
- Image generation
- AI development
- Enterprise production
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 is Best For:
- Affordable AI development
- Enterprise availability
Frequently Asked Questions
Which GPU is better for AI training: RTX 4090 or RTX 3090?
For AI training, the key factors are VRAM size, memory bandwidth, and tensor core performance. The RTX 4090 offers 24GB of GDDR6X memory with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth, while the RTX 3090 provides 24GB of GDDR6X with 936 GB/s bandwidth. Both GPUs have similar VRAM capacity, so performance characteristics become the deciding factor.
What is the price difference between RTX 4090 and RTX 3090 in the cloud?
Cloud GPU rental prices vary by provider and region. Based on our data, RTX 4090 starts at $0.20/hour while RTX 3090 starts at $0.13/hour. This represents a 54% price difference.
Can I use RTX 3090 instead of RTX 4090 for my workload?
It depends on your specific requirements. If your model fits within 24GB of VRAM and you don't need the additional throughput of the RTX 4090, the RTX 3090 can be a cost-effective alternative. However, for workloads requiring maximum memory capacity or multi-GPU scaling, the RTX 4090's architecture may be essential.
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