Nvidia unveils the worlds most energy efficient supercomputer
Many of todays technology advances, such as AI and materials science, have been made possible by the dramatic increase in computing power that's occurred over the last decade. Governments, such as China, Japan, the UK and the US are locked in a supercomputer arms race as they see these systems as a way to boost innovation, jobs growth and GDP
Key takeaways
- Private in house supercomputers are much rarer and that makes Nvidia’s new supercomputer, the DGX SaturnV, even more surprising.
- Not only has Nvidia revealed its own supercomputer, but the machine cracked TOP500’s list of the 500 most powerful computers and took the number one spot as the world’s most energy-efficient supercomputer.
- In the meantime, not just content with their lot Nvidia is busy training its own neural networks on the intricacies of chipset designs so they can help it build even more powerful and more efficient GPUs in the future.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2016) 'Nvidia unveils the worlds most energy efficient supercomputer', 311 Institute, 25 November. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/nvidia-unveils-the-worlds-most-energy-efficient-supercomputer/ (Accessed: 8 October 2026).
When technologists think of “supercomputer” they usually imagine government-owned computers like China’s TaihuLight or public-private partnerships like the Department of Energy's planned Summit system. Private in house supercomputers are much rarer and that makes Nvidia’s new supercomputer, the DGX SaturnV, even more surprising.
Not only has Nvidia revealed its own supercomputer, but the machine cracked TOP500’s list of the 500 most powerful computers and took the number one spot as the world’s most energy-efficient supercomputer.
The DGX SaturnV has 63,488GB of RAM and 60,512 Intel Xeon E5-2698v4 CPU cores and relies on numerous Nvidia’s 125 DGX-1s, the “AI supercomputer in a box” units built for deep learning that Nvidia's CEO presented to Elon Musk last year to help support his OpenAI project. It also uses the company’s Tesla P100 GPUs.
The machine delivers 9.46 gigaflops/watt, making it 42 percent more energy efficient than the most efficient supercomputer on TOP500’s June list and it's a clear sign from Nvidia that it's intent on making sure that its new DGX-1 system is taken seriously as the deep learning platform of choice for enterprises around the world.
In the meantime, not just content with their lot Nvidia is busy training its own neural networks on the intricacies of chipset designs so they can help it build even more powerful and more efficient GPUs in the future.
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Why does this matter?
Many of todays technology advances, such as AI and materials science, have been made possible by the dramatic increase in computing power that's occurred over the last decade. Governments, such as China, Japan, the UK and the US are locked in a supercomputer arms race as they see these systems as a way to boost innovation, jobs growth and GDP
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- The DGX SaturnV nvidia.com
- Nvidia’s 125 DGX-1s nvidia.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 25 November 2016. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2016). Nvidia unveils the worlds most energy efficient supercomputer. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/nvidia-unveils-the-worlds-most-energy-efficient-supercomputer/
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