NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti Comparison

The NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti are both Ampere-generation parts, but they are engineered for entirely different arenas. The benchmark data splits cleanly: the A100 wins the compute-oriented Geekbench OpenCL test by a decisive margin, while the RTX 3090 Ti takes the graphics-oriented Vulkan test by an even larger one. The A100 is a server compute accelerator with no display outputs, while the RTX 3090 Ti is a triple-slot consumer graphics card with full display connectivity. Their average benchmark scores tell the same story — the A100 sits at 187,147, roughly 42% ahead of the RTX 3090 Ti’s 131,938 — but that average hides the fact that each card dominates in its own domain. The choice is not about which is "better" overall, but which workload matches the hardware.

Where Each One Wins

The A100 SXM4 40 GB is the clear winner in raw compute throughput. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 201,096 beats the RTX 3090 Ti’s 174,441 by 15.3%. This is the card for data-center compute, scientific simulation, and AI training — workloads that hammer FP32 and FP16 math rather than rasterization. The A100’s 19.49 TFLOPS FP32 and 77.97 TFLOPS FP16 (4:1) figures align with this profile, as does its HBM2e memory with 1.56 TB/s of bandwidth. It is a SXM module with no display outputs and no power connectors of its own, designed to slot into a server chassis and run headless. Its 98th percentile ranking among all GPUs reflects this specialization — it is near the top of the absolute performance hierarchy.

The RTX 3090 Ti wins the graphics race decisively. Its Geekbench Vulkan score of 215,633 beats the A100’s 173,198 by 19.7%. This is a consumer GeForce card with 84 RT cores, DirectX 12 Ultimate support, and a 1x HDMI 2.1 plus 3x DisplayPort 1.4a output set. Its 40.00 TFLOPS FP32 is more than double the A100’s, and its 1:1 FP16 ratio (40.00 TFLOPS) suggests a design tuned for shader-heavy workloads. The 3090 Ti’s 95th percentile ranking is slightly lower than the A100’s, but for gaming, real-time rendering, and any workload that uses Vulkan or DirectX, it is the superior part. It is also the only one of the two with a launch MSRP of 1,999 USD.

Architecture Differences

Both chips use the Ampere architecture, but they are built on different processes and foundries. The A100 uses the GA100 chip on a 7 nm TSMC process, while the RTX 3090 Ti uses the GA102 chip on an 8 nm Samsung process. This is a fundamental split: TSMC’s 7 nm node is denser, allowing the A100 to pack 54,200 million transistors onto an 826 mm² die for a density of 65.6 million transistors per mm². The 3090 Ti’s GA102 has 28,300 million transistors on a 628 mm² die, yielding 45.1 million per mm². The A100 is the larger, more complex chip, but the 3090 Ti compensates with much higher clock speeds — 1560 MHz base and 1860 MHz boost versus the A100’s 1095 MHz base and 1410 MHz boost.

Memory architecture diverges sharply. The A100 carries 40 GB of HBM2e on a 5120-bit bus, delivering 1.56 TB/s of bandwidth. The 3090 Ti has 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus, delivering 1.01 TB/s. The A100’s bandwidth advantage is 54% — critical for memory-bound compute kernels. The 3090 Ti counters with a higher memory clock (1313 MHz, 21 Gbps effective) versus the A100’s 1215 MHz (2.4 Gbps effective), but the A100’s wider bus wins decisively. The 3090 Ti has more shading units (10,752 vs 6,912) and more TMUs (336 vs 432? No — the A100 has 432 TMUs, which is higher), but the A100 has more ROPs (160 vs 112) and more tensor cores (432 vs 336). The 3090 Ti has 84 RT cores; the A100 has none listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two-way benchmark suite is small but revealing. In Geekbench OpenCL, the A100 posts 201,096 against the 3090 Ti’s 174,441, a 15.3% advantage. This is the compute test, and the A100’s higher tensor core count, larger memory bus, and server-oriented design show through. The 3090 Ti’s higher FP32 throughput (40.00 TFLOPS) does not translate into an OpenCL win, suggesting the test favors memory bandwidth or tensor operations — areas where the A100 leads.

In Geekbench Vulkan, the 3090 Ti reverses the result with 215,633 versus the A100’s 173,198, a 19.7% margin. Vulkan is a graphics API, and the 3090 Ti’s 84 RT cores, higher clocks, and consumer-grade drivers give it a clear edge. The A100’s lack of display outputs and compute-first design means it is not optimized for graphics workloads, and the benchmark reflects that. The deltaPct in both tests is significant — over 15% in each direction — so neither result is a toss-up.

The average benchmark scores paint a broader picture. The A100 averages 187,147, placing it 1.3% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation and 1.9% ahead of the A100 SXM4 80 GB. The 3090 Ti averages 131,938, which is 0.7% ahead of the NVIDIA L4 and 2.4% behind the RTX 4000 Ada Generation. The A100’s average is 42% higher, but that is skewed by the OpenCL result; the Vulkan result favors the 3090 Ti.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in OpenCL compute workloads?

A: The NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB, with a Geekbench OpenCL score of 201,096 versus the RTX 3090 Ti’s 174,441 — a 15.3% advantage.

Q: Which card wins in Vulkan graphics tests?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti, with a Geekbench Vulkan score of 215,633 versus the A100’s 173,198 — a 19.7% margin.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The A100 averages 187,147, while the RTX 3090 Ti averages 131,938. The A100 is roughly 42% higher, but this average mixes compute and graphics results.

Q: What are the key memory differences?

A: The A100 has 40 GB of HBM2e on a 5120-bit bus with 1.56 TB/s bandwidth. The RTX 3090 Ti has 24 GB of GDDR6X on a 384-bit bus with 1.01 TB/s bandwidth.

Q: Does the RTX 3090 Ti support ray tracing?

A: Yes, it has 84 RT cores and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, whereas the A100 has no RT cores listed and no display outputs.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor count?

A: The A100 has 54,200 million transistors on a 7 nm TSMC die, versus the RTX 3090 Ti’s 28,300 million on an 8 nm Samsung die.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti |

|---|---|---|

| Chip | GA100 | GA102 |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 8 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Samsung |

| Transistors | 54,200 million | 28,300 million |

| Die Size | 826 mm² | 628 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 65.6M / mm² | 45.1M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1095 MHz | 1560 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1410 MHz | 1860 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1215 MHz (2.4 Gbps effective) | 1313 MHz (21 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Size | 40 GB | 24 GB |

| Memory Type | HBM2e | GDDR6X |

| Memory Bus | 5120 bit | 384 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 1.56 TB/s | 1.01 TB/s |

| Shading Units | 6912 | 10752 |

| TMUs | 432 | 336 |

| ROPs | 160 | 112 |

| RT Cores | None | 84 |

| Tensor Cores | 432 | 336 |

| FP32 | 19.49 TFLOPS | 40.00 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 77.97 TFLOPS (4:1) | 40.00 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 400 W | 450 W |

| Slot Width | SXM Module | Triple-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 16-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 800 W | 850 W |

| Display Outputs | No outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| DirectX | None | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |

| OpenGL | None | 4.6 |

| Vulkan | None | 1.4 |

| Dimensions | N/A | 336 mm x 140 mm x 61 mm |

| Launch MSRP | None | 1,999 USD |

The Verdict

The data does not support a single "best" card — it supports two distinct bests. For compute workloads measured by OpenCL, the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB is the pick. It wins that benchmark by 15.3%, offers 1.56 TB/s of memory bandwidth versus the 3090 Ti’s 1.01 TB/s, and packs 432 tensor cores. Its 98th percentile ranking and average score of 187,147 — 42% above the 3090 Ti’s 131,938 — confirm its position as a top-tier compute accelerator. It is the choice for server deployments, AI training, and scientific computing, where its lack of display outputs is irrelevant.

For graphics, real-time rendering, and any Vulkan-based workload, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti is the clear winner. It beats the A100 by 19.7% in Geekbench Vulkan, has 84 RT cores, and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Its 40.00 TFLOPS FP32 is more than double the A100’s 19.49 TFLOPS, and its 1:1 FP16 ratio means shader-heavy tasks run at full speed. It is a triple-slot consumer card with display outputs and a 1,999 USD launch MSRP, designed for a desktop workstation.

The verdict is straightforward: choose the A100 for compute density and memory bandwidth, choose the RTX 3090 Ti for graphics throughput and feature support. The benchmark results are unambiguous — each card wins its own test by a wide margin, and neither is a compromise pick in its respective domain.