NVIDIA B200 SXM6 vs NVIDIA L4 Comparison

Architecture Differences

The NVIDIA B200 SXM6 and NVIDIA L4 represent two very different design philosophies within NVIDIA's server lineup. The B200 SXM6 uses the GB100 chip built on the Blackwell architecture, while the L4 uses the AD104 chip based on Ada Lovelace. Both are manufactured by TSMC on a 5 nm process, but the similarity ends there.

The B200 SXM6 is a massive compute accelerator. It packs 208,000 million transistors on a 1628 mm² die, giving it a transistor density of 127.8M per mm². The L4 is far smaller, with 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die and a density of 121.8M per mm². The B200's die is more than five times larger physically, and its transistor count is roughly 5.8 times higher.

Memory architecture separates these two completely. The B200 SXM6 uses 180 GB of HBM3e on an 8192-bit bus, producing 8.19 TB/s of bandwidth. The L4 uses 24 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, with 300.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The B200 delivers over 27 times the memory bandwidth, which is critical for large model inference and training workloads.

The compute resources differ dramatically. The B200 SXM6 has 18,944 shading units, 592 TMUs, 24 ROPs, and 592 tensor cores. The L4 has 7,424 shading units, 240 TMUs, 80 ROPs, 60 ray tracing cores, and 240 tensor cores. The B200 has no dedicated RT cores, while the L4 includes them.

Clock behavior is unusual for the B200. Its base clock is only 120 MHz, but it boosts to 1830 MHz. The L4 runs at a 795 MHz base and boosts to 2040 MHz. The B200's low base clock reflects its power management strategy for a 1000 W TDP part, while the L4 sips power at 72 W.

The B200 SXM6 uses a PCIe 6.0 x16 interface and is an SXM Module form factor. The L4 uses PCIe 4.0 x16 and is a single-slot card measuring 169 mm in length. Neither has display outputs. The B200 supports no DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan APIs, while the L4 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark results between these two cards. However, the recorded data for the L4 provides context. The L4 achieved a Geekbench OpenCL score of 140,838 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 121,306. Its average benchmark score is 131,072, placing it in the 95th percentile of all GPUs.

The B200 SXM6 has no benchmark scores recorded in the database. Its percentile versus all GPUs is 50, and its average benchmark score is 0. This does not mean the B200 underperforms; it means the database lacks measurement data for this part. The B200 is a recent release from October 2024, and its benchmark profile may not yet be populated.

The L4's nearest rivals provide useful comparison points. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti averages 131,938, which is 0.7% higher than the L4. The NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation scores 135,218, putting the L4 3.1% behind. The NVIDIA A10M scores 135,230, also 3.1% ahead of the L4. The AMD Radeon PRO W6800 scores 135,396, 3.2% ahead.

These deltas are small, indicating the L4 sits in a competitive performance tier. The L4's 95th percentile ranking confirms it outperforms the vast majority of GPUs in the database, despite its modest 72 W power envelope.

Since the B200 has no recorded benchmarks, a direct score comparison is impossible. The data shows the B200's theoretical specifications, but the database has not yet captured measurement results. The B200's 69.34 TFLOPS FP32 and FP16 performance, alongside 8.19 TB/s memory bandwidth, suggests an entirely different performance class, but the database cannot confirm this without scores.

Where Each One Wins

The L4 wins on efficiency and accessibility. Its 72 W TDP means it can run in systems with a suggested 250 W power supply. It fits in a single slot and requires no external power connectors. The L4 is a low-profile compute card that can be deployed in dense server configurations without special cooling or power infrastructure.

The L4 also wins on API support. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, making it usable in graphics-adjacent workloads. The B200 supports none of these APIs, restricting it to compute-only tasks.

The B200 SXM6 wins on raw compute capacity. Its 18,944 shading units and 592 tensor cores dwarf the L4's 7,424 and 240 respectively. The B200's FP32 throughput of 69.34 TFLOPS is more than double the L4's 30.29 TFLOPS. The B200's texture rate of 1,083.4 GTexel/s exceeds the L4's 489.6 GTexel/s by a factor of 2.2.

The B200's memory subsystem is the clearest differentiator. With 180 GB of HBM3e and 8.19 TB/s bandwidth, it can hold and process datasets that would never fit in the L4's 24 GB GDDR6. The B200's 8192-bit bus is 42.7 times wider than the L4's 192-bit bus.

The L4 wins on pixel throughput. Its 163.2 GPixel/s exceeds the B200's 43.92 GPixel/s by 3.7 times. This is because the L4 has 80 ROPs versus the B200's 24, despite the B200 having more shading units and TMUs.

The B200 wins on transistor density and die complexity. Its 127.8M transistors per mm² is 4.9% higher than the L4's 121.8M, indicating a denser design despite the enormous difference in scale.

Specification Differences

The B200 SXM6 and L4 differ in nearly every measurable specification.

• Chip: GB100 versus AD104
• Architecture: Blackwell versus Ada Lovelace
• Generation: Server Blackwell (Bxx) versus Server Ada (Lxx)
• Transistors: 208,000 million versus 35,800 million
• Die size: 1628 mm² versus 294 mm²
• Transistor density: 127.8M / mm² versus 121.8M / mm²
• Base clock: 120 MHz versus 795 MHz
• Boost clock: 1830 MHz versus 2040 MHz
• Memory clock: 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective) versus 1563 MHz (12.5 Gbps effective)
• Memory size: 180 GB versus 24 GB
• Memory type: HBM3e versus GDDR6
• Memory bus: 8192 bit versus 192 bit
• Memory bandwidth: 8.19 TB/s versus 300.1 GB/s
• Shading units: 18,944 versus 7,424
• TMUs: 592 versus 240
• ROPs: 24 versus 80
• RT cores: None versus 60
• Tensor cores: 592 versus 240
• Pixel rate: 43.92 GPixel/s versus 163.2 GPixel/s
• Texture rate: 1,083.4 GTexel/s versus 489.6 GTexel/s
• FP32: 69.34 TFLOPS versus 30.29 TFLOPS
• FP16: 69.34 TFLOPS versus 30.29 TFLOPS
• TDP: 1000 W versus 72 W
• Slot width: SXM Module versus Single-slot
• Power connectors: None listed versus None
• Suggested PSU: 1400 W versus 250 W
• Bus interface: PCIe 6.0 x16 versus PCIe 4.0 x16
• Dimensions: Not listed versus 169 mm length, 56 mm height
• Release date: 2024-10-31 versus 2023-03-20
• Predecessor: Server Hopper versus Server Ampere
• Successor: Server Rubin versus Server Hopper
• Launch MSRP: 34,999 USD versus none listed

Both use a 5 nm TSMC process. Both have no display outputs. Both are active production parts from NVIDIA.

FAQ

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The B200 SXM6 has 8.19 TB/s from HBM3e, while the L4 has 300.1 GB/s from GDDR6. The B200 provides roughly 27 times the bandwidth.

Q: What is the power requirement difference?

A: The B200 SXM6 has a 1000 W TDP and suggests a 1400 W power supply. The L4 has a 72 W TDP and suggests a 250 W power supply. The L4 needs no external power connectors.

Q: Does the L4 support graphics APIs?

A: Yes. The L4 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The B200 SXM6 lists no API support, making it compute-only.

Q: How does the L4 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The L4's average benchmark score is 131,072. It trails the GeForce RTX 3090 Ti by 0.7%, the RTX 4000 Ada Generation by 3.1%, the A10M by 3.1%, and the Radeon PRO W6800 by 3.2%.

Q: What is the form factor difference?

A: The B200 SXM6 is an SXM Module, while the L4 is a single-slot card measuring 169 mm by 56 mm.

Q: Which card has more tensor cores?

A: The B200 SXM6 has 592 tensor cores. The L4 has 240 tensor cores. The B200 has 2.5 times as many tensor cores.

The Verdict

The data presents two cards for completely different deployment scenarios. The B200 SXM6 is a flagship accelerator for large-scale compute. Its 180 GB HBM3e memory and 8.19 TB/s bandwidth enable workloads that the L4 physically cannot handle. The 69.34 TFLOPS FP32 throughput, double the L4's 30.29 TFLOPS, confirms a higher compute ceiling. The launch MSRP of 34,999 USD positions it as a premium data center part.

The L4 is a low-power workhorse. Its 72 W TDP and single-slot design allow dense server integration. The 95th percentile benchmark ranking shows it outperforms most GPUs despite minimal power draw. Its nearest rivals all score within 3.2% of the L4, indicating consistent performance in its class.

For users with large model training or inference workloads requiring extensive memory capacity, the B200 SXM6 is the only choice. No L4 configuration can match 180 GB of HBM3e. For users needing moderate compute in power-constrained environments, the L4 delivers strong results with minimal infrastructure requirements.

The B200's lack of recorded benchmarks leaves its real-world performance unverified in the database. The L4 has concrete scores: 140,838 OpenCL and 121,306 Vulkan. Until B200 measurements populate the database, comparisons rely on specifications alone.

The B200's PCIe 6.0 support and 1000 W TDP indicate it targets next-generation server platforms. The L4's PCIe 4.0 and 72 W TDP make it compatible with existing infrastructure. The B200 supports no graphics APIs, while the L4 supports modern DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan versions.

The verdict from the recorded data is straightforward. Choose the B200 SXM6 for maximum memory and compute capacity in a purpose-built accelerator. Choose the L4 for efficient, widely compatible compute in standard server slots. The 5.8 times transistor difference and 27 times bandwidth difference define the performance gap, while the 13.9 times power difference defines the operational gap.