NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB vs NVIDIA CMP 40HX Comparison

# NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB vs NVIDIA CMP 40HX

The NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB and the NVIDIA CMP 40HX are both end-of-life NVIDIA accelerators with no display outputs, but they serve entirely different purposes. The A100 SXM4 80 GB is a server-class compute powerhouse built for AI and HPC workloads, while the CMP 40HX is a mining-oriented card derived from a consumer GPU die. In the recorded Vulkan benchmark, the A100 SXM4 80 GB scores 183,725 points versus 77,879 for the CMP 40HX, a 135.9% advantage. The A100 also sits at the 98th percentile of all GPUs in the database, while the CMP 40HX lands at the 93rd percentile. The benchmark data is unequivocal: the A100 is in a different performance class, but the CMP 40HX has its own niche based on efficiency and physical design.

Where Each One Wins

The A100 SXM4 80 GB wins decisively in every recorded head-to-head benchmark. Its Geekbench Vulkan score of 183,725 is more than double the CMP 40HX's 77,879, representing a 135.9% lead. This places the A100 within 0.5% of the NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation (184,664) and 0.9% ahead of the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell (182,109). The A100 even outperforms the GeForce RTX 4090 D (178,050) by 3.2%. The CMP 40HX, by contrast, sits closest to the AMD Radeon PRO W7600 (87,108), trailing by 1.7%, and runs 4.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO W6600 (81,995).

The A100's win is not just about raw compute. Its 80 GB of HBM2e memory with a 2.04 TB/s bandwidth dwarfs the CMP 40HX's 8 GB GDDR6 at 448.0 GB/s. For workloads that need large memory footprints, such as training large neural networks or processing massive datasets, the A100 is the only viable option between these two. The CMP 40HX, with its lower power draw of 185 W versus 400 W, wins on operational efficiency per watt, though the database does not record a direct efficiency metric. Its compact dual-slot design at 229 mm length, 111 mm height, and 35 mm width also makes it easier to install in standard PC cases compared to the A100's OAM module form factor.

The CMP 40HX also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, while the A100 has no recorded API support. This means the CMP 40HX can run modern graphics APIs natively, whereas the A100 is purely a compute accelerator with no display outputs and no API listings. For any workload involving real-time rendering or graphics APIs, the CMP 40HX has the functional edge, even if its raw scores are lower.

Architecture Differences

The A100 SXM4 80 GB is built on the GA100 chip using the Ampere architecture on a 7 nm process from TSMC, with 54,200 million transistors on an 826 mm² die. The CMP 40HX uses the TU106 chip, which is Turing architecture on a 12 nm process, also from TSMC, with 10,800 million transistors on a 445 mm² die. The A100's transistor density is 65.6 million per mm², far higher than the CMP 40HX's 24.3 million per mm².

The A100 features 6,912 shading units, 432 TMUs, 160 ROPs, and 432 tensor cores. The CMP 40HX has 2,304 shading units, 144 TMUs, 64 ROPs, 36 ray tracing cores, and 288 tensor cores. The A100 has no ray tracing cores, while the CMP 40HX includes them as part of the Turing architecture. Clock speeds favor the CMP 40HX: its base clock is 1,470 MHz and boost is 1,650 MHz, versus the A100's 1,275 MHz base and 1,410 MHz boost. However, the A100's massive parallel throughput overcomes the clock deficit.

Memory subsystems are fundamentally different. The A100 uses 80 GB of HBM2e on a 5,120-bit bus running at 1,593 MHz (3.2 Gbps effective), yielding 2.04 TB/s bandwidth. The CMP 40HX uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus at 1,750 MHz (14 Gbps effective), yielding 448.0 GB/s. The A100's memory bandwidth is 4.6 times higher, and its capacity is 10 times larger.

The A100's FP32 throughput is 19.49 TFLOPS, while the CMP 40HX delivers 7.603 TFLOPS. In FP16, the A100 reaches 77.97 TFLOPS (4:1 ratio), while the CMP 40HX manages 15.21 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio). The A100 also has higher pixel rate (225.6 GPixel/s versus 105.6 GPixel/s) and texture rate (609.1 GTexel/s versus 237.6 GTexel/s).

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB offers 2.04 TB/s of bandwidth from its 80 GB HBM2e memory on a 5,120-bit bus. The CMP 40HX provides 448.0 GB/s from 8 GB GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus.

Q: Can either card be used for gaming or display output?

A: Neither card has display outputs. The A100 SXM4 80 GB is an OAM module with no outputs, and the CMP 40HX also has no outputs. The CMP 40HX does support DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, but it cannot drive a monitor.

Q: How does the A100 compare to its closest rival, the RTX 5000 Ada Generation?

A: The A100 SXM4 80 GB scores 183,725 in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 0.5% below the RTX 5000 Ada Generation's 184,664. The difference is minimal, placing them in the same performance tier.

Q: What is the CMP 40HX's position among its nearest rivals?

A: The CMP 40HX scores 77,879 in Geekbench Vulkan, which is 1.7% below the AMD Radeon PRO W7600 (87,108) and 2.1% below the NVIDIA Quadro GP100 (87,445). It is 4.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO W6600 (81,995) and 5.8% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X (80,959).

Q: Which card has higher clock speeds?

A: The CMP 40HX runs at 1,470 MHz base and 1,650 MHz boost, while the A100 SXM4 80 GB runs at 1,275 MHz base and 1,410 MHz boost. The CMP 40HX has the higher clocks, but the A100 wins on raw throughput due to more cores.

Q: What is the release timeline for these two cards?

A: The A100 SXM4 80 GB was released on November 15, 2020. The CMP 40HX was released on February 24, 2021. Both are now end-of-life products.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB | NVIDIA CMP 40HX |

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

| Architecture | Ampere | Turing |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 12 nm |

| Transistors | 54,200 million | 10,800 million |

| Die Size | 826 mm² | 445 mm² |

| Base Clock | 1,275 MHz | 1,470 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1,410 MHz | 1,650 MHz |

| Memory Size | 80 GB | 8 GB |

| Memory Type | HBM2e | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus Width | 5,120 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 2.04 TB/s | 448.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 6,912 | 2,304 |

| TMUs | 432 | 144 |

| ROPs | 160 | 64 |

| Tensor Cores | 432 | 288 |

| RT Cores | None | 36 |

| FP32 Performance | 19.49 TFLOPS | 7.603 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 77.97 TFLOPS (4:1) | 15.21 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 400 W | 185 W |

| Slot Width | OAM Module | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 1x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 800 W | 450 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 1.0 x4 |

| Dimensions | Not recorded | 229 mm x 111 mm x 35 mm |

| API Support | None recorded | DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4 |

| Release Date | November 15, 2020 | February 24, 2021 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only recorded head-to-head benchmark is Geekbench Vulkan, where the A100 SXM4 80 GB scores 183,725 against the CMP 40HX's 77,879. This is a 135.9% advantage for the A100, meaning the A100 delivers more than 2.36 times the performance of the CMP 40HX in this test.

The A100's score of 183,725 places it at the 98th percentile of all GPUs in the database. Its closest rival, the RTX 5000 Ada Generation, scores 184,664, only 0.5% higher. The A100 trails its 40 GB sibling, the A100 SXM4 40 GB, which scores 187,147, by 1.8%. The A100 also beats the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell (182,109) by 0.9% and the GeForce RTX 4090 D (178,050) by 3.2%.

The CMP 40HX's Vulkan score of 77,879 is its lower recorded benchmark; its OpenCL score is 93,395. Its average benchmark score across both tests is 85,637. The CMP 40HX sits at the 93rd percentile, which is still high overall, but its nearest rivals in the database are the AMD Radeon PRO W7600 (87,108, 1.7% higher), NVIDIA Quadro GP100 (87,445, 2.1% higher), AMD Radeon PRO W6600 (81,995, 4.4% lower), and AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64X (80,959, 5.8% lower). The CMP 40HX holds its own against these mid-range workstation and prosumer cards, but it is nowhere near the A100's class.

The A100's wins in pixel rate and texture rate also support its benchmark dominance. The A100's 225.6 GPixel/s is more than double the CMP 40HX's 105.6 GPixel/s, and its 609.1 GTexel/s versus 237.6 GTexel/s represents a 2.56 times advantage. These metrics align with the Vulkan score delta, confirming that the A100's compute advantage is consistent across different workload types.

The Verdict

The data points to the A100 SXM4 80 GB as the clear performance winner. Its 183,725 Vulkan score, 135.9% ahead of the CMP 40HX, combined with 80 GB of HBM2e memory, 2.04 TB/s bandwidth, and 19.49 TFLOPS FP32, makes it the only choice for compute-intensive AI training, scientific simulation, or large-scale data processing. The A100 also sits at the 98th percentile, indicating it competes with the very best GPUs in the database, such as the RTX 5000 Ada Generation and the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell.

The CMP 40HX, with its 77,879 Vulkan score and 93rd percentile placement, is a mid-tier performer. Its strengths lie elsewhere: a 185 W TDP versus 400 W, a compact dual-slot design with recorded dimensions (229 mm by 111 mm by 35 mm), and native support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. For users who need a low-power accelerator that fits in a standard chassis and supports modern graphics APIs, the CMP 40HX is the more practical choice. However, its 8 GB memory and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth severely limit its usefulness for large-scale compute tasks.

The verdict is straightforward. If the workload demands maximum compute throughput, large memory capacity, and high memory bandwidth, the A100 SXM4 80 GB is the only rational pick. If the workload is lighter, requires API compatibility, and prioritizes lower power consumption and physical flexibility, the CMP 40HX serves that role. The A100's launch MSRP is not recorded, while the CMP 40HX had a launch MSRP of 699 USD. Neither card is still in production, so availability is limited to the used market. The benchmark data gives the A100 an unqualified performance victory, but the CMP 40HX remains a viable option for its specific niche.