AMD Instinct MI350P vs NVIDIA N1X 40SM Comparison

The Verdict

The database places both the AMD Instinct MI350P and the NVIDIA N1X 40SM at the 50th percentile among all recorded GPUs, with average benchmark scores of zero for each. This indicates that neither part has accumulated measurable performance data in the current records, so any direct verdict must be drawn from architectural and specification comparisons rather than from observed benchmark outcomes. The AMD Instinct MI350P is a dedicated accelerator with a massive memory subsystem and compute-oriented design, while the NVIDIA N1X 40SM is an integrated graphics processor with a different memory architecture and feature set. From the recorded data, the MI350P is positioned for compute-heavy workloads that demand enormous memory capacity and bandwidth, whereas the N1X 40SM is a lower-power, integrated solution with display output capability. The data does not support a single winner; instead, the choice hinges on the workload and platform requirements. The MI350P delivers more than double the shading units, a 32x wider memory bus, and significantly higher texture throughput, making it the clear choice for data-center scale compute tasks. The N1X 40SM, with its integrated form factor, HDMI output, and active production status, suits systems needing a compact, self-contained graphics solution with moderate compute capabilities.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The AMD Instinct MI350P has 8192 shading units, while the NVIDIA N1X 40SM has 5120 shading units.

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

A: The MI350P has 144 GB of HBM3e memory, whereas the N1X 40SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory.

Q: How do their memory bandwidths compare?

A: The MI350P delivers 8.19 TB/s of bandwidth over an 8192-bit bus, while the N1X 40SM provides 273.2 GB/s over a 256-bit bus.

Q: Which GPU includes ray tracing and tensor cores?

A: The NVIDIA N1X 40SM includes 40 ray tracing cores and 160 tensor cores. The AMD Instinct MI350P does not have recorded ray tracing or tensor core counts.

Q: What are the process nodes for each chip?

A: The MI350P uses a 3 nm process at TSMC, while the N1X 40SM uses a 5 nm process at TSMC.

Q: Which GPU supports display outputs?

A: The NVIDIA N1X 40SM has 1x HDMI output. The AMD Instinct MI350P has no display outputs.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Instinct MI350P is built on the CDNA 4.0 architecture, a compute-focused design tailored for accelerator workloads. Its chip, labeled MI350 128CU, is fabricated on a 3 nm process at TSMC with 73,000 million transistors on a 1190 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 61.3M per mm². The architecture does not include ray tracing cores or tensor cores in the recorded data, and its pixel rate is listed as 0 MPixel/s, confirming that it is not intended for rasterized graphics output. The MI350P belongs to the Instinct (MIx) generation and is the successor to Radeon Instinct. Its compute orientation is further emphasized by the absence of display outputs and the dual-slot, 1x 16-pin power connector design.

The NVIDIA N1X 40SM is based on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and uses the GB20B chip. It is fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC with a die size of 382 mm², though its transistor count is recorded as unknown. The architecture includes 40 ray tracing cores and 160 tensor cores, features that the MI350P does not list. The N1X 40SM also has 40 ROPs, a pixel rate of 93.84 GPixel/s, and a single HDMI output, marking it as a hybrid compute-and-display part. It belongs to the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation, and its production status is listed as Active. The integrated form factor, classified as IGP, and the lack of power connectors indicate a design intended for direct mounting on a platform rather than as a discrete expansion card.

The two architectures reflect fundamentally different design philosophies. CDNA 4.0 prioritizes raw memory bandwidth and shader throughput for dense compute workloads, while Blackwell 2.0 in this IGP configuration balances compute capability with display output and ray tracing support. The process node difference, 3 nm versus 5 nm, gives the MI350P a transistor density advantage, though the N1X 40SM uses a smaller die.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show substantial differences across nearly every major category. The MI350P has a base clock of 1000 MHz and a boost clock of 2200 MHz, while the N1X 40SM has a base clock of 741 MHz and a boost clock of 2346 MHz. The N1X 40SM reaches a higher boost frequency, but the MI350P starts from a much higher base clock.

Memory configurations diverge sharply. The MI350P uses 144 GB of HBM3e with an 8192-bit bus and 8.19 TB/s bandwidth, with memory clocked at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective). The N1X 40SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X with a 256-bit bus and 273.2 GB/s bandwidth, with memory at 1067 MHz (8.5 Gbps effective). The MI350P offers 30x more memory bandwidth and a 32x wider bus, though the N1X 40SM has a slightly higher effective memory data rate per pin.

Compute resources also differ: the MI350P has 8192 shading units, 512 TMUs, and 0 ROPs, while the N1X 40SM has 5120 shading units, 320 TMUs, and 40 ROPs. The MI350P achieves a texture rate of 1,126.4 GTexel/s versus 750.7 GTexel/s for the N1X 40SM. Floating-point performance shows the MI350P at 36.04 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16, while the N1X 40SM delivers 24.02 TFLOPS for both FP32 and FP16.

Physical and power specifications differ as well. The MI350P has a TDP of 600 W, a suggested PSU of 1000 W, and a dual-slot form factor measuring 267 mm by 111 mm by 40 mm. The N1X 40SM has an unknown TDP, no power connectors, and an IGP slot width with no recorded dimensions. The MI350P uses a PCIe 5.0 x16 bus interface, as does the N1X 40SM, but the N1X 40SM includes 1x HDMI output while the MI350P has none. The MI350P release date is recorded as 2026-05-06, and the N1X 40SM release date is 2026-05-31.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no recorded head-to-head benchmark results, wins, or average scores for either GPU, so the comparison relies entirely on specification-derived performance indicators. The largest win for the AMD Instinct MI350P is in memory bandwidth. At 8.19 TB/s, the MI350P delivers 30x the bandwidth of the N1X 40SM's 273.2 GB/s. This is a decisive advantage for workloads that stream large datasets, such as AI training or scientific simulation, where memory bandwidth often becomes the limiting factor. The MI350P's 144 GB capacity also exceeds the N1X 40SM's 128 GB by 16 GB, allowing larger working sets to reside on-chip.

The MI350P also leads in shading unit count, with 8192 versus 5120, a 60% advantage. This translates to higher raw FP32 and FP16 throughput: 36.04 TFLOPS versus 24.02 TFLOPS, a 50% lead for the MI350P. Texture rate follows the same pattern, with the MI350P achieving 1,126.4 GTexel/s against 750.7 GTexel/s, a 50% advantage. The MI350P also has a higher base clock, 1000 MHz versus 741 MHz, though the N1X 40SM has a higher boost clock at 2346 MHz versus 2200 MHz.

The NVIDIA N1X 40SM counters with features the MI350P lacks. It has 40 ROPs and a pixel rate of 93.84 GPixel/s, while the MI350P records 0 ROPs and 0 MPixel/s. The N1X 40SM also includes 40 ray tracing cores and 160 tensor cores, which are absent from the MI350P's recorded specifications. For graphics-oriented or mixed workloads that use ray tracing or tensor operations, the N1X 40SM has functional capabilities the MI350P does not offer.

The N1X 40SM also holds an advantage in die size efficiency. Its 382 mm² die is substantially smaller than the MI350P's 1190 mm², and while the MI350P uses a more advanced 3 nm process, the N1X 40SM's 5 nm process still allows for a functional IGP with display output. The N1X 40SM's integrated form factor and lack of power connectors contrast with the MI350P's 600 W TDP and 1000 W suggested PSU, indicating a much lower power envelope for the NVIDIA part, though the exact TDP is not recorded.

In terms of memory type, HBM3e on the MI350P provides a server-class memory subsystem, while LPDDR5X on the N1X 40SM is a mobile and integrated-class memory. The MI350P's 8192-bit bus width is unprecedented compared to the N1X 40SM's 256-bit bus. The effective memory data rate slightly favors the N1X 40SM at 8.5 Gbps versus 8 Gbps, but this does not offset the massive bus width and bandwidth differences.

The MI350P's release date of May 6, 2026 precedes the N1X 40SM's May 31, 2026 release by 25 days. Both parts use PCIe 5.0 x16 interfaces, so host connectivity is identical. The MI350P is listed as a dual-slot card with a 16-pin connector, while the N1X 40SM has no connectors and an IGP slot width. Neither part supports DirectX, OpenGL, or Vulkan in the recorded API data, reinforcing that both are compute-oriented rather than consumer graphics products.

The MI350P's transistor density of 61.3M per mm² reflects the 3 nm process advantage, though the N1X 40SM's transistor count is unknown, preventing a direct comparison. The production status of the MI350P is null, while the N1X 40SM is marked Active, suggesting the NVIDIA part is currently in production. The MI350P has a predecessor listed as Radeon Instinct, while the N1X 40SM has no recorded predecessor or successor.

The data shows that the MI350P is the stronger compute accelerator on paper, with 50% higher FP32 throughput, 60% more shading units, and 30x more memory bandwidth. The N1X 40SM is the only one of the two with display output, ray tracing cores, tensor cores, and ROPs, making it the more versatile part for integrated platforms. Without recorded benchmark scores, these specification-level differences provide the only measurable basis for comparison.