AMD Instinct MI355X vs NVIDIA N1X 40SM Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark scores for the AMD Instinct MI355X and NVIDIA N1X 40SM. Both processors show an average benchmark score of zero and no recorded wins in the comparison table. The absence of measured results means the comparison must rely on the architectural specifications and derived performance figures recorded in the database.

The raw compute figures show a substantial gap. The AMD Instinct MI355X delivers 78.64 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, while the NVIDIA N1X 40SM delivers 24.02 TFLOPS. That puts the AMD part at roughly 3.27 times the FP32 throughput of the NVIDIA part. The same ratio applies to FP16, with the AMD part again at 78.64 TFLOPS versus 24.02 TFLOPS, since both processors use a 1:1 FP16 to FP32 ratio. The texture rate follows a similar pattern: the AMD part reaches 2,457.6 GTexel/s, while the NVIDIA part reaches 750.7 GTexel/s, which is approximately 3.27 times lower. The pixel rate tells a different story. The AMD part records 0 MPixel/s, as it has zero ROPs, while the NVIDIA part reaches 93.84 GPixel/s with 40 ROPs. This is the only measured throughput category where the NVIDIA part has a clear, unambiguous advantage.

Memory bandwidth is another decisive split. The AMD Instinct MI355X uses HBM3e across an 8192-bit bus, producing 8.19 TB/s of bandwidth. The NVIDIA N1X 40SM uses LPDDR5X across a 256-bit bus, producing 273.2 GB/s. The AMD part provides roughly 30 times the memory bandwidth of the NVIDIA part. The memory capacity difference is also large: 288 GB on the AMD side versus 128 GB on the NVIDIA side.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Instinct MI355X wins in raw compute throughput, memory capacity, and memory bandwidth. Its 78.64 TFLOPS FP32 and FP16 figures, 288 GB of HBM3e, and 8.19 TB/s bandwidth position it for workloads that saturate compute units and demand large resident datasets. The 16384 shading units and 1024 TMUs support this role. The 2380 mm² die, built on a 3 nm process with 185,000 million transistors, reflects a design aimed at maximum parallel throughput.

The NVIDIA N1X 40SM wins in pixel throughput and in the presence of fixed-function units. It records 93.84 GPixel/s, has 40 ROPs, 40 RT cores, and 160 tensor cores. The AMD part has zero ROPs, no RT cores, and no tensor cores listed in the database. The NVIDIA part also has a display output, a single HDMI port, while the AMD part has no display outputs at all. The NVIDIA part operates as an IGP, suggesting a different deployment context. Its 5120 shading units, 320 TMUs, and 24.02 TFLOPS are lower than the AMD part, but it retains features the AMD part simply does not have.

The AMD part is a compute accelerator with no graphics output path. The NVIDIA part is an integrated graphics processor with a display output and rasterization hardware. The data indicates the AMD part is intended for headless compute environments, while the NVIDIA part can drive a display and handle rasterization workloads.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Instinct MI355X is built on the CDNA 4.0 architecture and uses the MI350 256CU chip. The process node is 3 nm at TSMC. The die measures 2380 mm² and contains 185,000 million transistors, resulting in a transistor density of 77.7M per mm². The NVIDIA N1X 40SM is built on the Blackwell 2.0 architecture and uses the GB20B chip. The process node is 5 nm at TSMC. The die measures 382 mm², and the transistor count is recorded as unknown in the database.

The clock behavior differs notably. The AMD part has a base clock of 1000 MHz and a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The NVIDIA part has a base clock of 741 MHz and a boost clock of 2346 MHz. The AMD part has a higher base clock and a higher boost clock. Memory clocks also differ: the AMD part runs at 2000 MHz with 8 Gbps effective data rate, while the NVIDIA part runs at 1067 MHz with 8.5 Gbps effective data rate. The NVIDIA part has a higher effective memory data rate per pin, but the AMD part's enormous bus width dominates the bandwidth calculation.

Memory type and bus width are major architectural separators. The AMD part uses HBM3e with an 8192-bit bus, while the NVIDIA part uses LPDDR5X with a 256-bit bus. The AMD part has 288 GB of memory; the NVIDIA part has 128 GB. The AMD part has no ROPs, no RT cores, and no tensor cores listed. The NVIDIA part has 40 ROPs, 40 RT cores, and 160 tensor cores. The AMD part has 16384 shading units and 1024 TMUs. The NVIDIA part has 5120 shading units and 320 TMUs.

Power and physical configuration differ as well. The AMD part has a TDP of 1400 W, uses an OAM Module slot width, has no power connectors listed, and suggests an 1800 W power supply. The NVIDIA part has an unknown TDP, uses an IGP slot width, has no power connectors listed, and has no suggested power supply in the database. The AMD part measures 102 mm in length and 165 mm in width. The NVIDIA part has no dimensions recorded.

The AMD part has no display outputs. The NVIDIA part has one HDMI output. Both use PCIe 5.0 x16 as the bus interface. Both have N/A for DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan APIs. The AMD part belongs to the Instinct (MIx) generation, with a predecessor of Radeon Instinct. The NVIDIA part belongs to the Blackwell IGP (N1x) generation, with no predecessor recorded. The AMD part was released on 2025-06-11, while the NVIDIA part was released on 2026-05-31. The NVIDIA part has a production status of Active; the AMD part has no production status recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has higher FP32 compute throughput?

A: The AMD Instinct MI355X records 78.64 TFLOPS FP32, while the NVIDIA N1X 40SM records 24.02 TFLOPS FP32. The AMD part delivers approximately 3.27 times the FP32 throughput.

Q: Which processor has more memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Instinct MI355X reaches 8.19 TB/s via HBM3e on an 8192-bit bus. The NVIDIA N1X 40SM reaches 273.2 GB/s via LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus. The AMD part provides roughly 30 times the bandwidth.

Q: Does the NVIDIA N1X 40SM support ray tracing?

A: Yes. The NVIDIA N1X 40SM lists 40 RT cores. The AMD Instinct MI355X has no RT cores recorded in the database.

Q: Can the AMD Instinct MI355X output video to a display?

A: No. The AMD Instinct MI355X has no display outputs. The NVIDIA N1X 40SM has one HDMI output.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Instinct MI355X has a boost clock of 2400 MHz. The NVIDIA N1X 40SM has a boost clock of 2346 MHz. The AMD part is 54 MHz higher.

Q: What are the transistor counts for these processors?

A: The AMD Instinct MI355X contains 185,000 million transistors. The NVIDIA N1X 40SM has a transistor count recorded as unknown in the database.

The Verdict

The data points to two different products. The AMD Instinct MI355X is a high-power, headless compute accelerator. It leads in FP32 and FP16 throughput, texture rate, memory bandwidth, and memory capacity. Its 1400 W TDP, OAM Module form factor, and absence of display outputs confirm a server or accelerator role. The NVIDIA N1X 40SM is an integrated graphics processor with a display output, rasterization hardware, RT cores, and tensor cores. It leads in pixel rate and is the only one of the two with a video output.

A workload that requires maximum FP32 or FP16 throughput and very large memory capacity should use the AMD part. A workload that requires rasterization, ray tracing, tensor operations, or display output should use the NVIDIA part. The AMD part has no ROPs, no RT cores, and no tensor cores, so it cannot perform those functions. The NVIDIA part has lower raw compute and much lower memory bandwidth, so it is not suited to the same class of compute-heavy tasks.

The release dates also indicate different lifecycles. The AMD part was released on 2025-06-11. The NVIDIA part was released on 2026-05-31. The NVIDIA part is marked as Active in production, while the AMD part has no production status recorded.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Instinct MI355X | NVIDIA N1X 40SM |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | CDNA 4.0 | Blackwell 2.0 |

| Chip | MI350 256CU | GB20B |

| Process Node | 3 nm | 5 nm |

| Die Size | 2380 mm² | 382 mm² |

| Transistors | 185,000 million | unknown |

| Transistor Density | 77.7M / mm² | null |

| Base Clock | 1000 MHz | 741 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2400 MHz | 2346 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 2000 MHz 8 Gbps effective | 1067 MHz 8.5 Gbps effective |

| Memory Size | 288 GB | 128 GB |

| Memory Type | HBM3e | LPDDR5X |

| Memory Bus Width | 8192 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 8.19 TB/s | 273.2 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 16384 | 5120 |

| TMUs | 1024 | 320 |

| ROPs | 0 | 40 |

| RT Cores | null | 40 |

| Tensor Cores | null | 160 |

| Pixel Rate | 0 MPixel/s | 93.84 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 2,457.6 GTexel/s | 750.7 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 78.64 TFLOPS | 24.02 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 78.64 TFLOPS (1:1) | 24.02 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 1400 W | unknown |

| Slot Width | OAM Module | IGP |

| Power Connectors | None | None |

| Suggested PSU | 1800 W | null |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 5.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | No outputs | 1x HDMI |

| DirectX | N/A | N/A |

| OpenGL | N/A | N/A |

| Vulkan | N/A | N/A |

| Dimensions | 102 mm 4 inches length, 165 mm 6.5 inches width | null |

| Production Status | null | Active |

| Release Date | 2025-06-11 | 2026-05-31 |

| Predecessor | Radeon Instinct | null |

| Launch MSRP | null | null |