NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB vs NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell Comparison

The data presents a clear generational clash between two very different NVIDIA workstation compute solutions. The NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB is a mature, end-of-life server accelerator built on the Ampere architecture, while the NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell is an active, workstation-focused card built on the newer Blackwell 2.0 architecture. The benchmark results show a decisive victory for the newer Blackwell card, which wins both head-to-head tests by substantial margins. This analysis will explore the architectural reasons behind this performance gap, the specific benchmark wins, and the use-case implications for each card, all based strictly on the provided data.

The Verdict

Based solely on the benchmark scores and architectural specifications, the NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell is the clear performance leader. In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the RTX PRO 5000 scores 254116 compared to the A100's 201096, a significant 20.9% advantage. The gap widens dramatically in the Geekbench Vulkan test, where the RTX PRO 5000 scores 282631 versus the A100's 173198, a massive 38.7% lead. This data suggests that for any workload that leverages either OpenCL or Vulkan APIs, the Blackwell card is the superior choice.

However, the A100 SXM4 40 GB still holds relevance in the broader ecosystem. Its average benchmark score of 187147 is actually higher than the RTX PRO 5000's average of 182109, despite losing the head-to-head tests. This is because the A100's average is buoyed by its performance in tests the RTX PRO 5000 did not participate in, and it sits in the 98th percentile of all GPUs, just like the RTX PRO 5000. The A100 also edges out its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation, by 1.3% and is 1.9% ahead of the A100 SXM4 80 GB variant. This indicates that while the RTX PRO 5000 wins the direct comparisons, the A100 is still a formidable compute card in its own right, particularly for tasks that may not be well-represented by the two benchmark tests in the head-to-head data.

For a buyer, the choice is stark. If the workload is known to be compatible with and benefit from the OpenCL or Vulkan APIs, the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell is the unequivocal choice based on the performance data. Its higher clock speeds, more shading units, and newer architecture give it a decisive edge. The A100 SXM4 40 GB should only be considered if the application relies on its specific HBM2e memory architecture or if the software stack is optimized for the older Ampere generation, as the benchmark data does not show a scenario where the A100 wins a direct comparison.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two cards is vast, explaining the performance chasm. The A100 is built on the Ampere architecture using a 7 nm process at TSMC, packing 54,200 million transistors on a massive 826 mm² die. In contrast, the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell uses the newer Blackwell 2.0 architecture on a more advanced 5 nm process, fitting 92,200 million transistors onto a 750 mm² die. This newer node allows for a significantly higher transistor density of 122.9M / mm² versus the A100's 65.6M / mm², enabling more compute resources in a smaller physical space.

The core configurations differ dramatically. The RTX PRO 5000 has 14,080 shading units, more than double the A100's 6,912. It also features 440 tensor cores, slightly more than the A100's 432, and crucially, it has 110 dedicated RT cores, which the A100 lacks entirely. The A100 does have more TMUs with 432 versus the RTX PRO 5000's 440, but the RTX PRO 5000 has a higher texture rate of 1,045.9 GTexel/s against the A100's 609.1 GTexel/s. Both cards have 160 ROPs, but the RTX PRO 5000 achieves a higher pixel rate of 380.3 GPixel/s versus 225.6 GPixel/s for the A100, due to its higher clocks.

Clock speeds are a major differentiator. The A100 has a base clock of 1095 MHz and a boost of 1410 MHz, while the RTX PRO 5000 runs at a base of 1740 MHz and a boost of 2377 MHz. This clock advantage, combined with the higher core count, explains the massive FP32 performance gap: the RTX PRO 5000 delivers 66.94 TFLOPS versus the A100's 19.49 TFLOPS. Even in FP16, the RTX PRO 5000's 66.94 TFLOPS (1:1) nearly matches the A100's 77.97 TFLOPS (4:1), which is a peak rate only achievable with reduced precision. The A100's lower TDP of 400 W is notable, but the RTX PRO 5000's 300 W TDP shows a significant efficiency improvement, delivering far more performance per watt.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is unequivocal, with the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell winning both recorded tests. The first test, Geekbench OpenCL, shows the RTX PRO 5000 scoring 254116 against the A100's 201096. The 20.9% delta in favor of the RTX PRO 5000 is substantial and likely reflects the combined impact of its higher core count, higher clocks, and newer architecture. OpenCL is a general-purpose compute API, and this result suggests the Blackwell card is simply more efficient at executing a wide range of compute workloads.

The second test, Geekbench Vulkan, is even more lopsided. The RTX PRO 5000 scores 282631, while the A100 scores just 173198, resulting in a 38.7% advantage for the RTX PRO 5000. This is a massive margin that highlights the RTX PRO 5000's superior graphics and compute capabilities. The A100, being a server accelerator with no display outputs, is not designed for graphics workloads, and its low score in Vulkan reflects this. The RTX PRO 5000, with its 4x DisplayPort 2.1b outputs and DirectX 12 Ultimate support, is a true workstation GPU, and the Vulkan result shows it excels in this area. The data implies that the RTX PRO 5000 is not just a compute card; it is a versatile GPU that can handle both compute and graphics tasks with high proficiency.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The NVIDIA A100 SXM4 40 GB has a higher average benchmark score of 187147 compared to the NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell's 182109. This is despite the RTX PRO 5000 winning both head-to-head tests.

Q: How much faster is the RTX PRO 5000 in the Geekbench Vulkan test?

A: The RTX PRO 5000 scores 282631 in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 38.7% higher than the A100's score of 173198. This is the largest margin of victory for either card in any test.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference between the two cards?

A: The A100 uses 40 GB of HBM2e memory with a 5120-bit bus and a bandwidth of 1.56 TB/s. The RTX PRO 5000 uses 48 GB of GDDR7 memory on a 384-bit bus, with a lower bandwidth of 1.34 TB/s.

Q: Does the A100 have any advantages in the data presented?

A: Yes, the A100 has a higher memory bandwidth of 1.56 TB/s versus the RTX PRO 5000's 1.34 TB/s, and it also has a higher average benchmark score of 187147 compared to 182109. It also has a higher transistor count on a larger die.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The A100 has a TDP of 400 W and a suggested PSU of 800 W. The RTX PRO 5000 has a lower TDP of 300 W and a suggested PSU of 700 W.

Q: What is the release timeline for these products?

A: The A100 was released on 2020-05-13 and is now marked as end-of-life. The RTX PRO 5000 was released later on 2025-03-17 and is currently an active product.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell wins decisively in the two benchmark tests where a direct comparison exists. Its 38.7% lead in Vulkan and 20.9% lead in OpenCL indicate that it is the superior choice for any application that uses these APIs. This includes a broad range of professional workloads, from 3D rendering and simulation to AI inference and development. The card's support for DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4, combined with its 4x DisplayPort 2.1b outputs, makes it a versatile tool for a workstation environment where both compute and real-time graphics are required. Its higher FP32 throughput of 66.94 TFLOPS also suggests that it will handle single-precision compute tasks far more effectively.

The A100 SXM4 40 GB does not win any head-to-head benchmark test in the provided data, but its strengths lie elsewhere. Its higher memory bandwidth of 1.56 TB/s, enabled by the HBM2e memory and 5120-bit bus, is a key advantage for memory-bandwidth-bound workloads. In applications where data movement is the bottleneck, such as certain large-scale scientific simulations or data processing tasks, this higher bandwidth could translate to better real-world performance, even if the raw compute throughput is lower. Its higher average benchmark score of 187147 also suggests that it performs exceptionally well in a wider range of tests, not just the two in the head-to-head comparison. The A100's status as a server module with no display outputs indicates its primary role is in data centers and compute clusters, where its strengths can be fully utilized.

Specification Differences

The most striking difference is the core architecture and process node. The A100 uses the GA100 chip on 7 nm TSMC, while the RTX PRO 5000 uses the GB202 chip on 5 nm TSMC. This leads to a major difference in transistor density, with the RTX PRO 5000 achieving 122.9M / mm² versus 65.6M / mm² for the A100. The A100 has a larger die at 826 mm², but the RTX PRO 5000 fits more transistors (92,200 million vs 54,200 million) onto a smaller 750 mm² die.

Clock speeds are vastly different. The A100 has a base clock of 1095 MHz and a boost of 1410 MHz, while the RTX PRO 5000 has a base of 1740 MHz and a boost of 2377 MHz. This contributes to the RTX PRO 5000's massive lead in FP32 performance: 66.94 TFLOPS vs 19.49 TFLOPS. The FP16 performance is more complex: the A100 lists 77.97 TFLOPS (4:1), while the RTX PRO 5000 lists 66.94 TFLOPS (1:1). The memory subsystems also differ: the A100 has 40 GB of HBM2e with a 5120-bit bus and 1.56 TB/s bandwidth, while the RTX PRO 5000 has 48 GB of GDDR7 on a 384-bit bus with 1.34 TB/s bandwidth.

Feature sets are distinct. The A100 has 432 tensor cores but no RT cores, while the RTX PRO 5000 has 440 tensor cores and 110 RT cores. The A100 has 6,912 shading units and 432 TMUs, whereas the RTX PRO 5000 has 14,080 shading units and 440 TMUs. The A100 is an SXM module with no display outputs and uses PCIe 4.0 x16, while the RTX PRO 5000 is a dual-slot card with 4x DisplayPort 2.1b outputs and uses PCIe 5.0 x16. The A100 has a higher TDP of 400 W and a suggested PSU of 800 W, while the RTX PRO 5000 has a lower TDP of 300 W and a suggested PSU of 700 W. Finally, the A100 has a launch MSRP that is not disclosed, while the RTX PRO 5000 has a launch MSRP of 5,099 USD.