NVIDIA H200 NVL vs NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data divides these two NVIDIA accelerators into completely separate performance tiers. The NVIDIA H200 NVL wins the only recorded head-to-head benchmark, the Geekbench OpenCL test, with a score of 334,891 against the NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation's 124,812. That is a 168.3% advantage for the H200 NVL, a gap that places the two products in different categories of compute capability.

The H200 NVL sits at the 100th percentile among all GPUs in the database, meaning no recorded GPU scores higher in the aggregate benchmark average. Its average benchmark score is 334,891. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation, by contrast, sits at the 95th percentile, with an average benchmark score of 117,088 across its two recorded tests (OpenCL and Vulkan). The RTX 4000 SFF does have one additional benchmark result, a Geekbench Vulkan score of 109,364, which the H200 NVL lacks entirely in the database.

The use-case split is stark. The H200 NVL is a server accelerator with no display outputs, designed for compute workloads where rendering to a screen is irrelevant. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is a workstation card with 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, making it suitable for graphics and visualization tasks alongside compute. The H200 NVL lists no DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan support in the database.

Memory capacity and bandwidth further separate the use cases. The H200 NVL carries 141 GB of HBM3e memory on a 6144-bit bus, delivering 4.89 TB/s of bandwidth. The RTX 4000 SFF has 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus, with 280.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The H200 NVL's memory subsystem is 17.5 times the bandwidth of the RTX 4000 SFF, a difference that dominates large-model inference and training workloads. The RTX 4000 SFF's 20 GB capacity is sufficient for many workstation tasks but is not in the same league as the H200 NVL's 141 GB.

The H200 NVL also leads decisively in raw compute throughput. Its FP32 rate is 60.32 TFLOPS versus 19.17 TFLOPS for the RTX 4000 SFF, a 3.1x advantage. In FP16, the H200 NVL achieves 120.6 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio) while the RTX 4000 SFF achieves 19.17 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), making the H200 NVL roughly 6.3x faster in half-precision compute. The H200 NVL has 16,896 shading units, 528 TMUs, and 528 tensor cores, versus 6,144 shading units, 192 TMUs, 192 tensor cores, and 48 RT cores for the RTX 4000 SFF. The RTX 4000 SFF does have a higher pixel rate at 99.84 GPixel/s versus 42.84 GPixel/s for the H200 NVL, and more ROPs (64 versus 24), which indicates its workstation orientation toward graphics output.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear choice based on workload. The NVIDIA H200 NVL is the pick for anyone running large-scale compute, AI training, or inference workloads where memory capacity and bandwidth are the limiting factors. Its 141 GB HBM3e memory, 4.89 TB/s bandwidth, and 120.6 TFLOPS FP16 performance place it in the top tier of the database, above the AMD Instinct MI300X by 5.3% and below only the NVIDIA B300 SXM6 AC (which leads by 9.4%). The H200 NVL also trails the NVIDIA B200 by 3.1%, but leads the NVIDIA L40S by 13.2%.

The NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation is the pick for workstation use where graphics output, low power draw, and compact physical size matter. Its 70 W TDP and lack of power connectors make it deployable in systems with a 250 W suggested PSU, while the H200 NVL requires a 600 W TDP, 8-pin EPS power connector, and a 1000 W suggested PSU. The RTX 4000 SFF's 168 mm length and 69 mm height also fit in smaller chassis compared to the H200 NVL's 267 mm length and 111 mm height. Its 4x mini-DisplayPort outputs and full API support (DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.4) make it functional as a graphics card, which the H200 NVL is not.

The RTX 4000 SFF sits within a tight competitive cluster. Its average score of 117,088 is 0.3% behind the NVIDIA GB10, 1.6% behind the AMD Radeon PRO W7700, 2.4% ahead of the NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB, and 2.8% ahead of the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile. These are small deltas, indicating the RTX 4000 SFF is competitive within its workstation class but not dominant.

For users who need both compute and graphics in a single card, the RTX 4000 SFF is the only option among the two, given the H200 NVL has no display outputs. For users who need maximum compute and memory, the H200 NVL is the clear winner, with a 168.3% lead in OpenCL over the RTX 4000 SFF. There is no scenario in the recorded data where the RTX 4000 SFF outperforms the H200 NVL in compute benchmarks.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only recorded head-to-head benchmark is Geekbench OpenCL. In that test, the NVIDIA H200 NVL scores 334,891 against the NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation's 124,812. The H200 NVL wins by 168.3%, a margin that reflects the fundamental architectural differences between a server-grade Hopper accelerator and a workstation Ada Lovelace card.

To contextualize the H200 NVL's score: it outperforms the AMD Instinct MI300X (317,994) by 5.3%, the NVIDIA L40S (295,763) by 13.2%, but trails the NVIDIA B200 (345,482) by 3.1% and the NVIDIA B300 SXM6 AC (369,831) by 9.4%. The H200 NVL's 334,891 score places it in the company of the fastest accelerators in the database, all of which are server-class parts.

The RTX 4000 SFF's OpenCL score of 124,812 is nearly three times lower. Its Vulkan score of 109,364 is lower still. In the database, the RTX 4000 SFF's average benchmark score of 117,088 puts it in a cluster with the NVIDIA GB10 (117,393, 0.3% higher), the AMD Radeon PRO W7700 (118,976, 1.6% higher), the NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB (114,395, 2.4% lower), and the NVIDIA RTX A5500 Mobile (113,944, 2.8% lower). None of these rivals come close to the H200 NVL's compute level.

The FP32 and FP16 figures reinforce the head-to-head result. The H200 NVL's 60.32 TFLOPS FP32 is 3.1x the RTX 4000 SFF's 19.17 TFLOPS. In FP16, the H200 NVL's 120.6 TFLOPS (2:1) is 6.3x the RTX 4000 SFF's 19.17 TFLOPS (1:1). Texture rate also favors the H200 NVL at 942.5 GTexel/s versus 299.5 GTexel/s, a 3.1x difference. Pixel rate is the one metric where the RTX 4000 SFF leads, at 99.84 GPixel/s versus 42.84 GPixel/s, reflecting its higher ROP count (64 versus 24) and graphics-oriented design.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The NVIDIA H200 NVL has 4.89 TB/s of bandwidth from 141 GB of HBM3e memory on a 6144-bit bus. The NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation has 280.0 GB/s from 20 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 160-bit bus.

Q: Can the NVIDIA H200 NVL be used for graphics output?

A: No. The H200 NVL has no display outputs and lists no DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan support. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation has 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a outputs and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Q: How does the H200 NVL compare to the NVIDIA B200 in benchmark scores?

A: The H200 NVL scores 334,891 in its average benchmark, which is 3.1% lower than the NVIDIA B200's 345,482. The B200 is the nearest rival ahead of the H200 NVL in the database, aside from the B300 SXM6 AC which leads by 9.4%.

Q: What is the power requirement difference between the two cards?

A: The H200 NVL has a 600 W TDP and requires an 8-pin EPS power connector with a 1000 W suggested PSU. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation has a 70 W TDP, no power connectors, and a 250 W suggested PSU.

Q: Does the RTX 4000 SFF have a higher pixel fill rate than the H200 NVL?

A: Yes. The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation has a pixel rate of 99.84 GPixel/s, which is higher than the H200 NVL's 42.84 GPixel/s. The RTX 4000 SFF also has 64 ROPs compared to the H200 NVL's 24 ROPs.

Q: How does the RTX 4000 SFF compare to the AMD Radeon PRO W7700?

A: The RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation has an average benchmark score of 117,088, which is 1.6% lower than the AMD Radeon PRO W7700's 118,976. The two are closely matched within the workstation segment.

Architecture Differences

The NVIDIA H200 NVL is built on the GH100 chip using the Hopper architecture, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It contains 80,000 million transistors on a die size of 814 mm², yielding a transistor density of 98.3M per mm². The chip is configured with 16,896 shading units, 528 TMUs, 24 ROPs, and 528 tensor cores, with no RT cores listed. Its base clock is 1365 MHz with a boost clock of 1785 MHz, and memory runs at 1593 MHz (6.4 Gbps effective).

The NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation uses the AD104 chip with the Ada Lovelace architecture, also on a 5 nm TSMC process. It has 35,800 million transistors on a 294 mm² die, for a higher transistor density of 121.8M per mm². The chip has 6,144 shading units, 192 TMUs, 64 ROPs, 192 tensor cores, and 48 RT cores. Its base clock is 720 MHz with a boost clock of 1560 MHz, and memory runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective).

The H200 NVL's memory architecture is fundamentally different: 141 GB of HBM3e on a 6144-bit bus versus 20 GB of GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus. The H200 NVL's 4.89 TB/s bandwidth is an order of magnitude higher. The H200 NVL also supports PCIe 5.0 x16, while the RTX 4000 SFF uses PCIe 4.0 x16.

The H200 NVL is a dual-slot card measuring 267 mm by 111 mm, with no display outputs and an 8-pin EPS power connector. The RTX 4000 SFF is also dual-slot but smaller at 168 mm by 69 mm, with 4x mini-DisplayPort 1.4a outputs and no power connectors (drawing power from the PCIe slot). The H200 NVL's TDP is 600 W with a 1000 W suggested PSU; the RTX 4000 SFF's TDP is 70 W with a 250 W suggested PSU.

The H200 NVL uses a 2:1 FP16 ratio, meaning its FP16 throughput of 120.6 TFLOPS is double its FP32 rate of 60.32 TFLOPS. The RTX 4000 SFF has a 1:1 FP16 ratio, with both FP16 and FP32 at 19.17 TFLOPS. The H200 NVL's texture rate is 942.5 GTexel/s versus 299.5 GTexel/s for the RTX 4000 SFF, while the RTX 4000 SFF's pixel rate of 99.84 GPixel/s exceeds the H200 NVL's 42.84 GPixel/s.

The H200 NVL is classified as part of the Server Hopper (Hxx) generation, released in November 2024, with predecessors in Server Ada and successors in Server Blackwell. The RTX 4000 SFF is part of the Workstation Ada generation, released in March 2023, with predecessors in Workstation Ampere and successors in Blackwell PRO W. Both are listed as Active in production status.