NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB

Memory Subsystem

The NVIDIA Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB is equipped with 16 GB of HBM2 memory, a configuration that stands out for its high-bandwidth design. The memory interface is a 4096-bit bus, which is exceptionally wide and directly contributes to the memory's ability to feed data to the GPU's compute units. This wide bus, combined with the HBM2 memory type, yields a total memory bandwidth of 897.0 GB/s. For high-resolution workloads, this bandwidth is a critical asset, as it allows the GPU to handle large datasets and complex scenes without becoming bottlenecked by data transfer speeds. In practical terms, the sheer bandwidth available here is more than sufficient for demanding scientific simulations, deep learning training on large batches, and high-resolution rendering tasks that require rapid access to substantial amounts of data.

The memory clock operates at 876 MHz, with an effective data rate of 1752 Mbps. While the clock speed itself is not notably high, the architecture's reliance on a massive bus width rather than extreme clock speeds is what defines its performance profile. The 16 GB capacity ensures that the GPU can hold large models and datasets entirely in VRAM, which is often a limiting factor for other accelerators. The combination of capacity and bandwidth makes this card particularly well-suited for compute-intensive applications where data residency and throughput are paramount.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB is built on the Volta architecture, which predates dedicated ray tracing hardware. It does not include RT cores, meaning that hardware-accelerated ray tracing is not a feature of this GPU. Instead, the card's compute capabilities are centered around its 5120 shading units and 640 tensor cores. These tensor cores are the standout feature, designed specifically to accelerate deep learning operations, particularly matrix multiplication used in neural network training and inference. The presence of these cores is a defining characteristic of the Volta generation, positioning the V100 as a compute-first accelerator rather than a graphics-oriented card.

In terms of API support, the GPU supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. This means it is compatible with modern graphics APIs, but its design intent is clearly for general-purpose GPU compute, as evidenced by the lack of display outputs. The card has "No outputs," indicating it is not meant to drive a display but rather to be installed in a server or compute node. The tensor cores deliver significant performance for FP16 workloads, with a rate of 31.33 TFLOPS (2:1), while FP32 performance sits at 15.67 TFLOPS. This dual-rate capability highlights the card's optimization for mixed-precision computing, a common requirement in AI and scientific workloads.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark data for the Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB is sparse, with no individual scores listed in the available information. However, the GPU holds a percentile rank of 50 when compared against all other GPUs, indicating it sits at the median of the performance distribution in the database. This percentile is a relative measure, suggesting that while the V100 is not the fastest accelerator ever produced, it is also far from the slowest, occupying a middle ground that reflects its age and its specialized compute focus.

Because the nearestRivals list is empty, direct comparative analysis with specific percentage deltas is not possible. The benchmark results indicate that the card's raw compute throughput, as defined by its FP32 and FP16 figures, is substantial, but without peer scores, a relative interpretation is limited to the percentile ranking. The data shows that the V100's performance is sufficient to place it in the 50th percentile of all GPUs, which implies that many newer or more powerful parts will outperform it, but it remains a competent performer for a range of compute tasks. The absence of specific benchmark scores means that conclusions must be drawn from its architectural specifications and its known position in the broader GPU landscape.

How It Compares

As there are no nearest rivals listed in the fact pack, a detailed comparison against specific competing models cannot be provided. The Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB is positioned within the Tesla Volta generation, with its predecessor being Tesla Pascal and its successor being Tesla Turing. This lineage indicates a clear progression in NVIDIA's data center accelerator line. The Pascal generation, which came before, lacked the specialized tensor cores that the Volta architecture introduced, marking the V100 as a significant architectural leap forward. The Turing generation, which followed, would go on to introduce RT cores, something this card explicitly lacks.

In the absence of direct rival data, the comparison must be framed by the card's own specifications and its historical context. The V100's 16 GB of HBM2 memory and 4096-bit bus set it apart from many of its contemporaries at the time of release, which often relied on GDDR5 or GDDR5X with narrower buses. The 640 tensor cores were a unique selling point, making the V100 a preferred choice for AI research and development. Looking at its successor, the Tesla Turing generation would bring ray tracing capabilities, but the V100's raw FP32 and FP16 compute figures were, at the time, class-leading. The data shows that this card was a pivotal product in the evolution of GPU-accelerated computing, even if its direct comparisons to current hardware are not available in the provided facts.

Power and Cooling

The Tesla V100 SXM2 16 GB has a thermal design power (TDP) of 250 W. This is a moderate power draw for a high-performance accelerator of its era, reflecting the efficiency of the 12 nm process node manufactured by TSMC. The card is designed as an SXM Module, which means it is not a standard PCIe card with its own cooling solution and power connectors. Instead, it is meant to be installed into a proprietary SXM socket, typically found in servers like the NVIDIA DGX systems. Consequently, the card has no power connectors of its own, as power is delivered through the socket interface.

The suggested PSU rating for a system incorporating this module is 600 W. This figure is provided as a guideline for system builders, indicating the minimum recommended power supply capacity to ensure stable operation, accounting for the rest of the system's components. Because the SXM module relies on the host system's cooling infrastructure, there is no integrated fan or heatsink specification provided. The slot width is listed as "SXM Module," confirming its form factor. The lack of display outputs reinforces that this is a compute-only part, with no video connectivity. The power and cooling requirements are therefore dictated by the server chassis design, which must accommodate the 250 W TDP and provide adequate airflow to dissipate the generated heat.