AMD Radeon 740M vs NVIDIA N1X 40SM Comparison

AMD Radeon 740M and NVIDIA N1X 40SM represent two fundamentally different approaches to integrated graphics, with the data showing a clear performance hierarchy despite the N1X 40SM lacking recorded benchmark scores. The Radeon 740M is a compact, power-efficient RDNA 3.0 design with a 53rd percentile ranking among all GPUs, while the N1X 40SM is a massive Blackwell architecture with a 50th percentile ranking based on its specification profile. The recorded data indicates the N1X 40SM holds overwhelming theoretical advantages in compute resources, memory bandwidth, and feature support, though the Radeon 740M remains the only one with actual benchmark results to analyze.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon 740M wins in the only measurable category: benchmark performance. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 10172 and Vulkan score of 15568 produce an average benchmark score of 12870, placing it at the 53rd percentile of all GPUs. This places it in direct competition with established discrete graphics cards, as the nearest rivals data shows it sits within 0.4% of the AMD Radeon RX 580 (which scores 12928), and ahead of the AMD FirePro W5100 (12847) by 0.2%, the AMD Radeon Pro 455 (12831) by 0.3%, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 (12830) by 0.3%. These margins are tight, indicating the 740M delivers discrete-class performance despite its integrated form factor.

The NVIDIA N1X 40SM wins in every specification category that predicts compute performance. Its shading unit count of 5120 is exactly 20 times higher than the Radeon 740M's 256 shading units. Texture mapping units number 320 versus 16, a 20-fold advantage. Render output units total 40 versus 8, a 5-fold difference. The N1X 40SM also carries 40 ray tracing cores and 160 tensor cores, while the Radeon 740M has 4 ray tracing cores and no tensor cores. The FP32 compute throughput of 24.02 TFLOPS is over 8 times the 740M's 2.867 TFLOPS. Texture fill rate reaches 750.7 GTexel/s against 44.80 GTexel/s, and pixel rate hits 93.84 GPixel/s versus 22.40 GPixel/s. The N1X 40SM also dominates memory with 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus delivering 273.2 GB/s bandwidth, whereas the Radeon 740M uses system shared memory with bandwidth dependent on the host system.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two integrated GPUs is substantial. The Radeon 740M uses the Phoenix2 chip built on RDNA 3.0 architecture at TSMC's 4 nm process node, with a die size of 137 mm² and 20,900 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 152.6 million per mm². The N1X 40SM employs the GB20B chip on Blackwell 2.0 architecture at TSMC's 5 nm node, with a much larger die size of 382 mm²; its transistor count is listed as unknown, and no density figure is recorded.

Clock behavior differs significantly. The Radeon 740M runs at a base clock of 800 MHz with a boost of 2800 MHz. The N1X 40SM starts at 741 MHz base and boosts to 2346 MHz, with its memory clocked at 1067 MHz or 8.5 Gbps effective. The Radeon 740M's memory clock is listed as "System Shared," meaning it depends entirely on the host platform's DRAM.

API support creates another major divide. The Radeon 740M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, making it compatible with modern gaming and compute workloads. The N1X 40SM lists DirectX as N/A, OpenGL as N/A, and Vulkan as N/A, which suggests its API compatibility is not documented in the database or is handled differently. The N1X 40SM does provide a single HDMI display output, while the Radeon 740M's display outputs are motherboard dependent.

The bus interface also differs: the Radeon 740M uses PCIe 4.0 x8, while the N1X 40SM uses PCIe 5.0 x16, providing double the lanes at a newer standard. Both are integrated graphics with no power connectors and IGP slot width, but the Radeon 740M has a recorded TDP of 45 W while the N1X 40SM's TDP is unknown.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

No direct head-to-head benchmark results exist in the database for these two products. The comparison must therefore rely on the Radeon 740M's measured scores and the N1X 40SM's specification-based potential. The Radeon 740M's average benchmark score of 12870 places it in the 53rd percentile, while the N1X 40SM holds a 50th percentile ranking despite having no recorded benchmark scores, indicating its specifications alone warrant a near-median standing.

The Radeon 740M's measured performance shows it competes with discrete GPUs from several generations ago. Its OpenCL score of 10172 and Vulkan score of 15568 combine for an average of 12870, which is within 0.4% of the Radeon RX 580's 12928 score. The nearest rivals list shows the 740M is essentially tied with the FirePro W5100 (0.2% ahead), Radeon Pro 455 (0.3% ahead), and GeForce GTX 590 (0.3% ahead). These are all full discrete graphics cards, yet the 740M matches them while operating as an integrated part of a Phoenix2 processor.

The N1X 40SM's specifications suggest it would outperform the 740M by a wide margin if benchmarked. Its 24.02 TFLOPS of FP32 compute is 8.38 times the 740M's 2.867 TFLOPS. The texture rate of 750.7 GTexel/s is 16.76 times higher. The pixel rate of 93.84 GPixel/s is 4.19 times higher. The memory bandwidth of 273.2 GB/s is fixed and dedicated, whereas the 740M's system shared memory bandwidth is entirely dependent on the host platform's memory configuration.

The Radeon 740M does hold one advantage beyond benchmarks: its 4 nm process node is smaller than the N1X 40SM's 5 nm node, and its 137 mm² die is far smaller than 382 mm². The 740M also has a confirmed 45 W TDP, while the N1X 40SM's power draw is unrecorded. For systems where power and thermal limits are primary constraints, the 740M's compact design is the safer choice.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split: the AMD Radeon 740M is the only option with verified benchmark performance, delivering discrete-class results from an integrated package. Its 53rd percentile ranking and near-identical scores to the Radeon RX 580 make it a proven quantity for applications requiring immediate, measured GPU capability.

The NVIDIA N1X 40SM is the specification leader by every recorded metric except process node. Its 5120 shading units, 320 TMUs, 40 ROPs, 40 ray tracing cores, 160 tensor cores, 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus, and 24.02 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput represent a compute capability that the Radeon 740M cannot approach. The N1X 40SM also uses PCIe 5.0 x16 versus the 740M's PCIe 4.0 x8, providing double the interface bandwidth.

For users who need proven, immediately available performance in a low-power integrated form factor, the Radeon 740M with its 45 W TDP and tested benchmark scores is the data-backed choice. For users who require maximum compute throughput, memory capacity, and feature support regardless of measured benchmarks, the N1X 40SM's specification sheet dominates. The lack of benchmark scores for the N1X 40SM means its real-world performance remains unverified, but its raw specifications indicate it belongs in a different performance class entirely.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher benchmark scores?

A: The AMD Radeon 740M has recorded benchmark scores of 10172 in Geekbench OpenCL and 15568 in Geekbench Vulkan, for an average of 12870. The NVIDIA N1X 40SM has no recorded benchmark scores in the database.

Q: How does the Radeon 740M compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Radeon 740M's average score of 12870 puts it 0.2% ahead of the AMD FirePro W5100 (12847), 0.3% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 455 (12831), 0.3% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 (12830), and 0.4% behind the AMD Radeon RX 580 (12928).

Q: What are the shading unit counts for each GPU?

A: The AMD Radeon 740M has 256 shading units, while the NVIDIA N1X 40SM has 5120 shading units.

Q: What memory configurations do these GPUs use?

A: The AMD Radeon 740M uses system shared memory with type, bus width, and bandwidth all listed as system dependent. The NVIDIA N1X 40SM uses 128 GB of LPDDR5X memory on a 256-bit bus with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What process nodes are used?

A: The AMD Radeon 740M uses TSMC's 4 nm process with a 137 mm² die containing 20,900 million transistors. The NVIDIA N1X 40SM uses TSMC's 5 nm process with a 382 mm² die; its transistor count is unknown.

Q: Which GPU has ray tracing and tensor core support?

A: The AMD Radeon 740M has 4 ray tracing cores and no tensor cores. The NVIDIA N1X 40SM has 40 ray tracing cores and 160 tensor cores.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every recorded specification. The AMD Radeon 740M uses the Phoenix2 chip with RDNA 3.0 architecture, while the NVIDIA N1X 40SM uses the GB20B chip with Blackwell 2.0 architecture. The 740M is built on TSMC's 4 nm node with a 137 mm² die and 20,900 million transistors, while the N1X 40SM uses TSMC's 5 nm node with a 382 mm² die and unknown transistor count.

Clock speeds differ: the 740M runs at 800 MHz base and 2800 MHz boost, while the N1X 40SM runs at 741 MHz base and 2346 MHz boost. Memory clocks are system dependent for the 740M, while the N1X 40SM has a fixed memory clock of 1067 MHz or 8.5 Gbps effective.

Compute resources show the largest gap. The 740M has 256 shading units, 16 TMUs, 8 ROPs, and 4 ray tracing cores. The N1X 40SM has 5120 shading units, 320 TMUs, 40 ROPs, 40 ray tracing cores, and 160 tensor cores. The 740M's FP32 throughput is 2.867 TFLOPS, its texture rate is 44.80 GTexel/s, and its pixel rate is 22.40 GPixel/s. The N1X 40SM's FP32 throughput is 24.02 TFLOPS, its texture rate is 750.7 GTexel/s, and its pixel rate is 93.84 GPixel/s.

Memory configuration is entirely different: the 740M uses system shared memory with bandwidth dependent on the host, while the N1X 40SM has 128 GB of LPDDR5X on a 256-bit bus with 273.2 GB/s bandwidth. The 740M has a 45 W TDP, while the N1X 40SM's TDP is unknown. The bus interface differs as well: PCIe 4.0 x8 for the 740M versus PCIe 5.0 x16 for the N1X 40SM. The 740M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4; the N1X 40SM lists all three APIs as N/A. Display outputs are motherboard dependent for the 740M, while the N1X 40SM provides 1x HDMI. The 740M released on 2024-01-30, while the N1X 40SM released on 2026-05-31.