NVIDIA H200 NVL vs NVIDIA PG506-232 Comparison

The NVIDIA H200 NVL and the NVIDIA PG506-232 are both professional server accelerators from NVIDIA, but they represent dramatically different eras of the company's data center roadmap. The H200 NVL is a modern Hopper-generation part that delivers nearly 49% higher raw compute performance in the available benchmark, while the PG506-232 is an older Ampere-generation product that is now end-of-life. The data shows a clear generational leap, but the PG506-232 retains advantages in specific architectural metrics like pixel fill rate and power efficiency that may matter for certain workloads.

FAQ

Q: How does the Geekbench OpenCL score of the H200 NVL compare to the PG506-232?

A: The H200 NVL scores 334,891, which is 48.8% higher than the PG506-232's score of 225,124. This is the only head-to-head benchmark available, and the H200 NVL wins it outright.

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

A: The H200 NVL features 141 GB of HBM3e memory with a 6144-bit bus, while the PG506-232 has 24 GB of HBM2 memory on a 3072-bit bus. This represents a 117 GB difference in favor of the H200 NVL.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor count?

A: The H200 NVL uses the GH100 chip with 80,000 million transistors, whereas the PG506-232 uses the GA100 chip with 54,200 million transistors. The H200 NVL integrates roughly 48% more transistors overall.

Q: How do their FP32 compute capabilities differ?

A: The H200 NVL delivers 60.32 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the PG506-232 achieves 10.32 TFLOPS. The H200 NVL is approximately 5.8 times faster in this metric.

Q: Is the PG506-232 still in production?

A: No, the PG506-232 is listed as "End-of-life" in the production status field, while the H200 NVL is marked as "Active". The PG506-232 was released in April 2021, and the H200 NVL launched in November 2024.

Q: How does the H200 NVL rank against all GPUs compared to the PG506-232?

A: The H200 NVL sits at the 100th percentile of all GPUs, while the PG506-232 is at the 99th percentile. Both are elite performers, but the H200 NVL is in the top tier of all recorded GPUs.

Architecture Differences

The architecture gap between these two parts is fundamental. The H200 NVL is built on the Hopper architecture using the GH100 chip, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. In contrast, the PG506-232 is based on the older Ampere architecture with the GA100 chip, manufactured on a 7 nm process, also at TSMC. This process shrink from 7 nm to 5 nm is a primary driver of the performance differential.

Transistor integration tells a similar story: the H200 NVL packs 80,000 million transistors into a die size of 814 mm², yielding a density of 98.3 million transistors per square millimeter. The PG506-232 has 54,200 million transistors on a slightly larger die of 826 mm², resulting in a much lower density of 65.6 million transistors per square millimeter. The H200 NVL achieves higher density despite a marginally smaller die, which is a direct benefit of the newer process node.

Memory architecture is another major divergence. The H200 NVL uses 141 GB of HBM3e memory with a 6144-bit bus width, delivering 4.89 TB/s of bandwidth. The PG506-232 is limited to 24 GB of HBM2 memory on a 3072-bit bus, providing 933.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The H200 NVL offers more than five times the memory bandwidth, which is critical for memory-bound AI and high-performance computing workloads.

The compute core layout also differs substantially. The H200 NVL has 16,896 shading units, 528 TMUs, and 24 ROPs, along with 528 tensor cores. The PG506-232 has only 3,584 shading units, 224 TMUs, and 96 ROPs, with 224 tensor cores. The H200 NVL has nearly five times the shader count and more than double the tensor cores, but the PG506-232 has four times the ROP count.

Clock speeds reflect their positioning as well. The H200 NVL runs at a base clock of 1365 MHz and boosts to 1785 MHz, while the PG506-232 operates at a lower 930 MHz base and 1440 MHz boost. The H200 NVL also runs faster memory at 1593 MHz (6.4 Gbps effective) versus 1215 MHz (2.4 Gbps effective) on the PG506-232.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is the Geekbench OpenCL test, and the result is decisive. The H200 NVL scores 334,891, while the PG506-232 manages 225,124. This gives the H200 NVL a 48.8% performance advantage, a substantial margin that reflects the generational improvements in architecture, memory, and compute resources.

Context from the nearest rivals shows how dominant the H200 NVL is within its own performance tier. The H200 NVL trails the NVIDIA B200 by only 3.1% (345,482 average score) and the B300 SXM6 AC by 9.4% (369,831 average score), but it leads the AMD Instinct MI300X by 5.3% (317,994) and the NVIDIA L40S by 13.2% (295,763). This places the H200 NVL firmly in the top echelon of server accelerators, just behind the newest Blackwell parts.

The PG506-232, while older, still performs competitively within its own generation. It is 2.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO W7900D (219,827) and 8.7% ahead of the NVIDIA A100 PCIe 80 GB (207,124). However, it trails the NVIDIA L20 by 10.4% (251,147) and leads the RTX 6000D by 14.9% (195,964). The PG506-232 is a solid mid-generation performer, but it cannot match the absolute performance of the H200 NVL.

Specification Differences

The specifications where these two cards diverge are extensive. The process node differs: the H200 NVL uses 5 nm, while the PG506-232 uses 7 nm. Transistor counts are 80,000 million versus 54,200 million, and transistor density is 98.3M/mm² versus 65.6M/mm². Die size is nearly identical, at 814 mm² versus 826 mm².

Clock speeds show the H200 NVL at 1365 MHz base and 1785 MHz boost, versus the PG506-232's 930 MHz base and 1440 MHz boost. Memory speed is 1593 MHz (6.4 Gbps effective) versus 1215 MHz (2.4 Gbps effective). Memory size is 141 GB versus 24 GB, and memory type is HBM3e versus HBM2. Bus width is 6144-bit versus 3072-bit, and bandwidth is 4.89 TB/s versus 933.1 GB/s.

Compute resources differ dramatically: shading units are 16,896 versus 3,584, TMUs are 528 versus 224, and ROPs are 24 versus 96. Tensor cores are 528 versus 224. Pixel rate is 42.84 GPixel/s versus 138.2 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 942.5 GTexel/s versus 322.6 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 60.32 TFLOPS versus 10.32 TFLOPS. FP16 performance is 120.6 TFLOPS (2:1) versus 10.32 TFLOPS (1:1).

Power and connectivity also differ. The H200 NVL has a TDP of 600 W with a suggested PSU of 1000 W, while the PG506-232 draws only 165 W with a 450 W suggested PSU. The H200 NVL uses PCIe 5.0 x16, while the PG506-232 uses PCIe 4.0 x16. The H200 NVL was released in November 2024 and is active, while the PG506-232 was released in April 2021 and is end-of-life. The H200 NVL's predecessor is Server Ada and successor is Server Blackwell, while the PG506-232's predecessor is Tesla Turing and successor is Server Ada.

Where Each One Wins

The H200 NVL wins decisively in raw compute throughput. Its FP32 performance of 60.32 TFLOPS is nearly six times that of the PG506-232's 10.32 TFLOPS, and its FP16 performance of 120.6 TFLOPS is more than eleven times higher. The 4.89 TB/s memory bandwidth dwarfs the PG506-232's 933.1 GB/s, making the H200 NVL the clear choice for large-scale AI training, inference, and any workload that demands massive memory capacity and bandwidth. The 141 GB memory capacity enables fitting much larger models in memory without partitioning.

The PG506-232, however, has notable wins in specific areas. Its pixel rate of 138.2 GPixel/s is more than three times the H200 NVL's 42.84 GPixel/s, despite having far fewer shaders. This is driven by its 96 ROPs versus the H200 NVL's 24. The PG506-232 also has a significantly lower TDP of 165 W versus 600 W, making it far more power-efficient per watt for certain tasks. Its 24 GB of HBM2 memory, while small by modern standards, may be sufficient for smaller models or specific scientific computing workloads. The PG506-232's 99th percentile ranking shows it remains a capable part within its generation.

The Verdict

The data is unequivocal: the NVIDIA H200 NVL is the superior performer across nearly every metric that matters for modern compute workloads. Its 48.8% lead in the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark is backed by massive advantages in memory capacity (141 GB vs 24 GB), bandwidth (4.89 TB/s vs 933.1 GB/s), and compute throughput (60.32 vs 10.32 TFLOPS FP32). The 100th percentile ranking versus the PG506-232's 99th confirms its place at the very top of the GPU hierarchy.

However, the choice is not purely about raw performance. The PG506-232's 165 W TDP makes it suitable for environments with strict power constraints, and its higher pixel rate of 138.2 GPixel/s suggests it may handle certain graphics or rasterization-adjacent tasks more efficiently. Its end-of-life status, though, means it is no longer being produced, which limits its long-term viability.

For any new deployment requiring maximum compute, memory, or bandwidth, the H200 NVL is the clear pick. It leads its nearest rival, the AMD Instinct MI300X, by 5.3%, and is within 3.1% of the newer NVIDIA B200. For legacy systems or power-sensitive installations where the PG506-232 is already in place, it remains a functional option, but its performance ceiling is far below what the H200 NVL offers. The verdict is straightforward: choose the H200 NVL for performance, choose the PG506-232 only if power draw or existing infrastructure constraints dictate otherwise.