NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB vs NVIDIA RTX A4500 Comparison

# NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB vs NVIDIA RTX A4500

When comparing the NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB against the NVIDIA RTX A4500, the data paints a clear picture: these are two entirely different tools built for different workloads. The A100 SXM4 80 GB dominates in raw compute density and memory bandwidth, while the RTX A4500 offers a more balanced desktop workstation feature set with display outputs and a lower power envelope. In the recorded database, the A100 SXM4 80 GB holds a 41.3% lead over the RTX A4500 in the Geekbench Vulkan test, with scores of 183,725 versus 129,980. However, the RTX A4500's average benchmark score of 91,671 across multiple tests (including 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 and Geekbench OpenCL) reflects a broader testing profile, while the A100's single Vulkan score of 183,725 places it in the 98th percentile of all GPUs, compared to the RTX A4500's 93rd percentile. The verdict is straightforward: choose the A100 SXM4 80 GB for compute-intensive server workloads, and the RTX A4500 for professional visualization with display connectivity.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher benchmark percentile ranking?

A: The NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB sits in the 98th percentile of all GPUs, while the NVIDIA RTX A4500 ranks in the 93rd percentile. This difference reflects the A100's dominance in compute-oriented workloads, though the RTX A4500 still outperforms the vast majority of GPUs in the database.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in the Geekbench Vulkan benchmark?

A: The A100 SXM4 80 GB scores 183,725, which is 41.3% higher than the RTX A4500's score of 129,980. This represents the only head-to-head benchmark recorded between the two cards, and the A100 wins decisively.

Q: What are the memory specifications of each card?

A: The A100 SXM4 80 GB features 80 GB of HBM2e memory with a 5120-bit bus and 2.04 TB/s bandwidth. The RTX A4500 has 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 320-bit bus with 640.0 GB/s bandwidth. The A100 offers four times the capacity and over three times the bandwidth.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The A100 SXM4 80 GB has a 400 W TDP with a suggested PSU of 800 W, while the RTX A4500 has a 200 W TDP with a suggested PSU of 550 W. The RTX A4500 draws half the power and requires a smaller power supply.

Q: Which GPU supports display outputs?

A: Only the RTX A4500 has display outputs, providing 4x DisplayPort 1.4a. The A100 SXM4 80 GB has no display outputs, making it unsuitable for direct monitor connection without additional hardware.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each card in the database?

A: The A100 SXM4 80 GB's closest rival is the NVIDIA RTX 5000 Ada Generation with a score of 184,664 (0.5% higher), followed by the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell at 182,109 (0.9% lower). The RTX A4500's nearest rival is the RTX A4500 Mobile at 91,134 (0.6% higher), with the AMD Radeon Instinct MI60 at 92,466 (0.9% higher).

Architecture Differences

The A100 SXM4 80 GB and RTX A4500 share the Ampere architecture but implement it on fundamentally different chips and manufacturing processes. The A100 uses the GA100 chip fabricated on TSMC's 7 nm process, packing 54,200 million transistors into an 826 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 65.6M per mm². The RTX A4500 uses the GA102 chip on Samsung's 8 nm process, with 28,300 million transistors across a 628 mm² die, giving a density of 45.1M per mm². The A100's chip is nearly twice as dense and significantly larger, explaining its higher compute capabilities.

Memory architecture diverges sharply between the two. The A100 employs HBM2e memory with a 5120-bit bus, delivering 2.04 TB/s of bandwidth, while the RTX A4500 uses GDDR6 on a 320-bit bus, yielding 640.0 GB/s. This 3.2x bandwidth advantage for the A100 is critical for memory-bound workloads. The A100's 80 GB capacity also dwarfs the RTX A4500's 20 GB, enabling larger datasets to reside on-card.

Compute resources differ in configuration. The A100 has 6,912 shading units, 432 TMUs, 160 ROPs, and 432 tensor cores, with no dedicated RT cores listed. The RTX A4500 has 7,168 shading units (slightly more), but only 224 TMUs, 96 ROPs, 224 tensor cores, and 56 RT cores. The A100's higher TMU and ROP counts (1.9x and 1.7x respectively) support its higher texture and pixel rates of 609.1 GTexel/s and 225.6 GPixel/s, versus the RTX A4500's 369.6 GTexel/s and 158.4 GPixel/s.

Clock behavior differs notably. The A100 runs at a base of 1275 MHz and boosts to 1410 MHz, while the RTX A4500 starts lower at 1050 MHz but boosts higher to 1650 MHz. Despite the RTX A4500's higher boost clock, the A100's larger configuration delivers more raw throughput. FP32 compute shows the RTX A4500 at 23.65 TFLOPS versus the A100's 19.49 TFLOPS, but FP16 performance flips dramatically: the A100 reaches 77.97 TFLOPS (4:1 ratio) while the RTX A4500 achieves only 23.65 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio). The A100's tensor core advantage appears in this 3.3x FP16 lead.

Form factors and connectivity also differentiate the cards. The A100 is an OAM Module with no power connectors (power delivered through the module interface) and no display outputs. The RTX A4500 is a dual-slot card measuring 267 mm by 112 mm, using a single 8-pin power connector, and offers 4x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs. Both use PCIe 4.0 x16 interfaces.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear division of purpose. For compute-heavy workloads that benefit from massive memory bandwidth and FP16 throughput, the A100 SXM4 80 GB is the superior choice. Its 2.04 TB/s bandwidth, 80 GB capacity, and 77.97 TFLOPS FP16 performance place it in the 98th percentile of all GPUs. The 41.3% Vulkan benchmark lead over the RTX A4500 confirms its compute dominance.

For workstation users who need display outputs, the RTX A4500 is the only viable option, as the A100 has no display connectivity. The RTX A4500 also offers higher FP32 performance at 23.65 TFLOPS, which benefits single-precision workloads, and it does so at half the TDP (200 W versus 400 W). The RTX A4500's RT cores enable ray tracing capabilities absent from the A100's specification list.

The A100's nearest rivals (RTX 5000 Ada Generation at 0.5% higher, RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell at 0.9% lower) show it sits at the top of the compute hierarchy, while the RTX A4500's rivals (RTX A4500 Mobile at 0.6% higher, Radeon Instinct MI60 at 0.9% higher) place it in a more competitive mid-range segment. The 5-percentile gap (98th versus 93rd) reinforces the A100's elite status.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA A100 SXM4 80 GB | NVIDIA RTX A4500 |

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

| 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 | 1275 MHz | 1050 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1410 MHz | 1650 MHz |

| Memory Size | 80 GB | 20 GB |

| Memory Type | HBM2e | GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus Width | 5120 bit | 320 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 2.04 TB/s | 640.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 6912 | 7168 |

| TMUs | 432 | 224 |

| ROPs | 160 | 96 |

| RT Cores | Not listed | 56 |

| Tensor Cores | 432 | 224 |

| Pixel Rate | 225.6 GPixel/s | 158.4 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 609.1 GTexel/s | 369.6 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 19.49 TFLOPS | 23.65 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 77.97 TFLOPS (4:1) | 23.65 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 400 W | 200 W |

| Slot Width | OAM Module | Dual-slot |

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

| Suggested PSU | 800 W | 550 W |

| Display Outputs | No outputs | 4x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| Dimensions | Not listed | 267 mm x 112 mm |

| Release Date | 2020-11-15 | 2021-11-22 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison in the database is the Geekbench Vulkan test, where the A100 SXM4 80 GB scores 183,725 against the RTX A4500's 129,980. This 41.3% delta is substantial and reflects the A100's architectural advantages in memory bandwidth and compute throughput. The A100's HBM2e memory with 2.04 TB/s bandwidth versus the RTX A4500's 640.0 GB/s GDDR6 creates a 3.2x gap that Vulkan workloads can exploit. Additionally, the A100's 432 tensor cores versus the RTX A4500's 224 provide more parallel compute paths for the types of operations Vulkan benchmarks exercise.

The A100's score of 183,725 places it just 0.5% below the RTX 5000 Ada Generation (184,664) and 0.9% above the RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell (182,109), showing it competes at the very top of the database. The RTX A4500's Vulkan score of 129,980, by contrast, sits 41.3% below the A100 and aligns with its mid-range positioning among workstation GPUs.

Beyond the head-to-head, the RTX A4500's additional benchmarks (3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 at 3,196 and Geekbench OpenCL at 141,837) indicate it has been tested across a wider range of workloads, while the A100's single benchmark reflects its specialized compute focus. The RTX A4500's average benchmark score of 91,671 versus the A100's 183,725 shows the A100's far higher peak performance, though the RTX A4500's 93rd percentile ranking still demonstrates strong overall capability.

Where Each One Wins

The A100 SXM4 80 GB wins decisively in compute density and memory-bound workloads. Its 2.04 TB/s memory bandwidth, 80 GB capacity, and 77.97 TFLOPS FP16 performance make it ideal for large-scale AI training, scientific simulation, and data processing where datasets exceed 20 GB. The 41.3% Vulkan benchmark lead over the RTX A4500 confirms its superiority in graphics-adjacent compute tasks. The 98th percentile ranking places it among the top 2% of all GPUs in the database, a position reinforced by its nearest rivals all being newer-generation or higher-tier products.

The RTX A4500 wins in desktop workstation scenarios. It provides 4x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, enabling direct multi-monitor setups, while the A100 offers no display connectivity. The RTX A4500's higher FP32 performance (23.65 TFLOPS versus 19.49 TFLOPS) benefits traditional 3D rendering and CAD workloads that rely on single-precision arithmetic. Its 200 W TDP and 550 W suggested PSU make it far easier to integrate into workstation builds compared to the A100's 400 W TDP and 800 W PSU requirement. The RTX A4500's 56 RT cores provide hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a feature absent from the A100's specification list, making it the better choice for visualization tasks.

The RTX A4500 also wins on physical compatibility. Its dual-slot form factor, 267 mm by 112 mm dimensions, and single 8-pin power connector fit standard workstation chassis, whereas the A100's OAM Module form factor requires specialized server infrastructure. The RTX A4500's release in 2021-11-22, a year after the A100's 2020-11-15 launch, indicates a more recent design tailored to evolving workstation needs, even though both are now end-of-life products.